ajlct's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
myweereads's review against another edition
5.0
“Don’t fear that which doesn’t know you.”
This book by T.E. Grau is a deep look into the trauma and horror of war. American soldier Israel Broussard is assigned to a secret CIA operation to go blind enemy lines and strike fear upon the North Vietnamese. This mission takes an awful turn and is a reoccurring nightmare for Broussard. He tries to cope with his past and the reality of what he went through.
Going into this novel I knew there would be a naked portrayal of the trauma and violence this soldier went through during the Vietnam war. What is given is a detailed account of the days during and after this mission Broussard is recounting. The descriptions are unsettling and the emotions and turmoil described by the soldier are very much felt. His confusions on what he thought happened and his realisations were heartbreaking. The pressure to fulfil ones duty under extreme circumstances and how to walk away from such a thing is being explored and more than that it is the lasting effects of such actions on this soldier’s mental health.
This felt like a dark and telling portrayal. Whilst reading this I felt empathy towards Broussard but there was also frustration at his circumstances too. The further I read the harrowing it became.
This book by T.E. Grau is a deep look into the trauma and horror of war. American soldier Israel Broussard is assigned to a secret CIA operation to go blind enemy lines and strike fear upon the North Vietnamese. This mission takes an awful turn and is a reoccurring nightmare for Broussard. He tries to cope with his past and the reality of what he went through.
Going into this novel I knew there would be a naked portrayal of the trauma and violence this soldier went through during the Vietnam war. What is given is a detailed account of the days during and after this mission Broussard is recounting. The descriptions are unsettling and the emotions and turmoil described by the soldier are very much felt. His confusions on what he thought happened and his realisations were heartbreaking. The pressure to fulfil ones duty under extreme circumstances and how to walk away from such a thing is being explored and more than that it is the lasting effects of such actions on this soldier’s mental health.
This felt like a dark and telling portrayal. Whilst reading this I felt empathy towards Broussard but there was also frustration at his circumstances too. The further I read the harrowing it became.
thomaswjoyce's review against another edition
5.0
A mesmerising glimpse into the horror of war, and the effect it can have on those caught in the middle. Following American soldier Israel Broussard, we witness first-hand his broken psyche as he tries to disappear in the slums of Bangkok 5 years after the end of the Vietnam War. He has become dependant on narcotics, and is haunted, not only by the harrowing memories of jungle warfare (which Grau explores throughout the story in flashbacks) but also thoughts of his brother when they were children and a dark presence that takes the shape of demon dog Black Shuck, but is not actually a dog. Broussard has hallucinogenic visions of "the river" sweeping him into his past. Grau ties the river motif to both Vietnam and Broussard's childhood in Louisiana and it helps to explore his character. He is a fragile and broken man, making him so much easier to relate to, and sympathise with.
The way Grau describes the settings of Vietnam and Bangkok, as well as describing the situations in which Broussard finds himself, makes for wonderful and immersive storytelling. It gives a real sense of place and what is happening. Despite having no experience of Southeast Asia or the Vietnam War, I felt as though I could reach out and touch the jungle, smell the smells of the streets of Bangkok.
It is by no means an easy read; the narrative jumps from first- to third-person, and Broussard's memories intertwine with real-time events to deliver the story. It isn't a case of reading events from A to Z - to be honest, I think that would have made for a much less entertaining experience. Much of the enjoyment of reading the story comes from the way Grau teases out the horrors of Broussard's past, and how they each relate to his present dilemma. It makes for a gripping and much more rewarding read.
Beautifully written, haunting in its depiction of war and addiction, and immersive from start to finish as long as you give it the attention it deserves, this is an enthralling tributary to Grau's lexicon of work, and further showcases his incredible mastery of storytelling and command of language. Prepare to be swept away by the current of Grau's tremendous voice.
The way Grau describes the settings of Vietnam and Bangkok, as well as describing the situations in which Broussard finds himself, makes for wonderful and immersive storytelling. It gives a real sense of place and what is happening. Despite having no experience of Southeast Asia or the Vietnam War, I felt as though I could reach out and touch the jungle, smell the smells of the streets of Bangkok.
It is by no means an easy read; the narrative jumps from first- to third-person, and Broussard's memories intertwine with real-time events to deliver the story. It isn't a case of reading events from A to Z - to be honest, I think that would have made for a much less entertaining experience. Much of the enjoyment of reading the story comes from the way Grau teases out the horrors of Broussard's past, and how they each relate to his present dilemma. It makes for a gripping and much more rewarding read.
Beautifully written, haunting in its depiction of war and addiction, and immersive from start to finish as long as you give it the attention it deserves, this is an enthralling tributary to Grau's lexicon of work, and further showcases his incredible mastery of storytelling and command of language. Prepare to be swept away by the current of Grau's tremendous voice.
inciminci's review against another edition
4.0
Having devoured this within a day and a half during a sick leave, I was really taken aback that it is only now that I discovered T.E. Grau... Such a talented author!
“I Am the River” is a beautifully written ghost/redemption story of the unusual sort that uses the “Vietnam as an experience of brokenness/madness/paranoia” trope to its full extent to create a shattering atmosphere, mixing it with elements of Asian and some lovecraftian horror.
And Grau really has a way with words! It is sentences like “The back of the man’s neck looked like a giant thumb with the nail pulled out at the neck” or “My lungs unfold and my arms and my legs come back to me while my brain waits and my heart remembers its rhythm” that made me smile even while reading a story of such devastation. The fever dreamy descriptions of madness that dominate mainly the first chapters of the book are wonderful and spot on (and I personally wish there were more of them), although they decrease throughout the book and the plot seems to take the overhand, gradually changing the pacing.
I think that fans of ghost stories, war horror, Asian horror, literary horror, cosmic horror (I just realized that that encompasses pretty much all horror fans) will enjoy this book and I certainly know that I will be reading a lot more Grau in the future!
“I Am the River” is a beautifully written ghost/redemption story of the unusual sort that uses the “Vietnam as an experience of brokenness/madness/paranoia” trope to its full extent to create a shattering atmosphere, mixing it with elements of Asian and some lovecraftian horror.
And Grau really has a way with words! It is sentences like “The back of the man’s neck looked like a giant thumb with the nail pulled out at the neck” or “My lungs unfold and my arms and my legs come back to me while my brain waits and my heart remembers its rhythm” that made me smile even while reading a story of such devastation. The fever dreamy descriptions of madness that dominate mainly the first chapters of the book are wonderful and spot on (and I personally wish there were more of them), although they decrease throughout the book and the plot seems to take the overhand, gradually changing the pacing.
I think that fans of ghost stories, war horror, Asian horror, literary horror, cosmic horror (I just realized that that encompasses pretty much all horror fans) will enjoy this book and I certainly know that I will be reading a lot more Grau in the future!
aksel_dadswell's review against another edition
5.0
Grau never fails to strike awe into his readers and I Am the River is no exception. Skincrawling, muscular, hallucinatory, transcendent and terrifying, on both human and supernatural fronts, this is kind of what he does best, splicing the sweaty, grimy, tragic arc of his deeply troubled and beautifully realised protagonist with the fever-dream horrors almost no one else can evoke with such a sense of psychological and tangible threat. This book is full of oh-my-god moments, right up until that final, breathtaking scene in which the two narrative threads collide. Once again I've gone into overdrive with all these adjectives, but there aren't enough in the world to do Grau's fiction justice.
readbydusk's review against another edition
5.0
Brutal, heartbreaking, nightmarish, this is one of my favourite reads of the year so far. Moving between the present and the past, the book has a compelling, damaged protagonist whose past haunts him. Between visions of a spectre and a river, he fights to gain control of his life, one that he lost in the middle of a war. Also shown is the cruelty and costs of war. Stellar writing filled with hallucinatory images highlights the character's disturbing mental state. Emotional, profound and absolutely recommended.
book blog | twitter | instagram
book blog | twitter | instagram
splatterelli's review against another edition
5.0
Those who like psychological postwar mind-fucks like Jacob's Ladder, Johnny Got His Gun, or Ninth Configuration, will probably enjoy this one. I didn't devour it as fast as I normally do, because I really wanted to take my time with it. Great character development, storyline, it was haunting, ghastly, and really interesting. I would love to see this one made into a movie!
espeidel's review against another edition
5.0
T.E Grau is simply amazing. I was completely drawn into this from page one and it just kept getting better and better. It was a powerful read, as everything I’ve read from him is. Do yourself a favor and check this and his other works out. You will be hooked as I am. Can’t wait to see what he does next!
davidbhard's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a pretty good horror. Switching between Broussard's first person account after his trauma and the third person before his trauma really let me get in the mind of the main character and how the trauma affected him.
The first person account had some horrifying imagery through his hallucinations and his perspective was disorienting which added to the overall feel of being in Broussard's head. The 3rd person narrative kept me on the edge of my seat and really engaged with where the story was going.
This is definitely a 5 star book, but I gave it 4 stars because I am not that great of a reader so the unreliable 1st person narrative actually made it hard for me to follow what was happening sometimes. So I gave it 4 stars to get better recommendations from goodreads that might better fit my reading level. I hope that doesn't affect the average rating for this book too much. I highly recommend this book.
The first person account had some horrifying imagery through his hallucinations and his perspective was disorienting which added to the overall feel of being in Broussard's head. The 3rd person narrative kept me on the edge of my seat and really engaged with where the story was going.
This is definitely a 5 star book, but I gave it 4 stars because I am not that great of a reader so the unreliable 1st person narrative actually made it hard for me to follow what was happening sometimes. So I gave it 4 stars to get better recommendations from goodreads that might better fit my reading level. I hope that doesn't affect the average rating for this book too much. I highly recommend this book.
More...