Peace Like A River by Leif Enger

I only read Peace Like a River because a friend recommended it....even named his first-born after its main character, Reuben. Its soft cover art and even the title itself would not have drawn me to put it in my library bag on a normal weekly run.

Reuben, a pre-teen boy,  tells the story of how he, his father, and spunky younger sister all go on a journey to look for his older brother, who is on the run from the law.

I thought this book would be soft (like the cover) and perhaps too steeped in religious language (the title) to cover any grit there needed to be in a story involving death and law and love. While this story certainly errs on the side of "family-friendly" in terms of how it handled difficult themes, I was pleased that it still gave those themes the weight they deserved.

There are elements of magical realism that I struggled with throughout, but they become increasingly important to Reuben on their journey. I wouldn't add this title to my "best books" list, primarily for how the magical pieces are used in the culmination of the story (no spoilers, sorry).

Overall, I was glad to have read it. It was different than other books I typically choose in that it held onto an ideal worldview in the midst of tragedy. While this bothered me for much of the book, I still valued the story Enger shared through Reuben's eyes.