The River at Night

By: Erica Ferencik

Narrated by: Joy Osmanski

Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

A high-stakes drama set against the harsh beauty of the Maine wilderness, charting the journey of four friends as they fight to survive the aftermath of a white water rafting accident, The River at Night is a nonstop and unforgettable thriller by a stunning new voice in fiction.

Winifred Allen needs a vacation.

Stifled by a soul-crushing job, devastated by the death of her beloved brother, and lonely after the end of a 15-year marriage, Wini is feeling vulnerable. So when her three best friends insist on a high-octane getaway for their annual girls' trip, she signs on, despite her misgivings.

What starts out as an invigorating hiking and rafting excursion in the remote Allagash Wilderness soon becomes an all-too-real nightmare: A freak accident leaves the women stranded, separating them from their raft and everything they need to survive. When night descends, a fire on the mountainside lures them to a ramshackle camp that appears to be their lifeline. But as Wini and her friends grasp the true intent of their supposed saviors, long buried secrets emerge and lifelong allegiances are put to the test. To survive, Wini must reach beyond the world she knows to harness an inner strength she never knew she possessed.

With intimately observed characters, visceral prose, and pacing as ruthless as the river itself, The River at Night is a dark exploration of creatures - both friend and foe - that you won't soon forget.

©2017 Erica Renee Ferencik. All rights reserved. (P)2017 Simon & Schuster

Excellent

The author’s vivid descriptions make it easy to imagine the scenes. The story was incredible too!

i was ready for it to be done

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I do not think I would. I was not impressed with it.

Would you be willing to try another book from Erica Ferencik? Why or why not?

Maybe not.

Which scene was your favorite?

didn't have one.

Do you think The River at Night needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Oh, gosh, no!

What a bunch of whining wretches

If these were my friends, i would never go anywhere with them . All the bickering and complaining reminded me of spoiled teenagers not grown women. The ER nurse was particularly grating. In real life, she would be a quick thinker who was used to making critical decisions rapidly. The narrator was fine but these four were such blithering idiots that i kept hoping some of them would drown

Don’t get it.

I know this got good attention. It’s not awful. But it’s just ok. I almost returned it. But oh well. Don’t waste your time unless your super bored

A complete surprise

I hadn’t thought I would like this book. Thrillers aren’t usually my genre; too often a thin veil for gratuitous violence and gore. I was spellbound. Erica Ferencik is a powerful storyteller. Her words carry you away in the current, dark and treacherous as a river at night.

A wild adventure that keeps you hooked

I spend a lot of time on the road and enjoy listening to stories of adventure and human perseverance. Stories that take you places where you might not ever go in real life. So, when I read the premise of The River at Night, I was already hooked.

From the beginning, I found myself relating to these women, the four friends who were so different from each other. The author made me care about each of them, even understanding their flaws, which made them even more relatable.

There were parts that were thrilling, heartbreaking and terrifying. I found myself having to accept some suspension of reality during a few scenes but the story was worth the effort.

Possibly the best part was the narrator. Joy Osmanski was amazing! Her narration made the story come alive.

I find myself now looking forward to the other books written by Erica Ferencik as well as those read by Ms. Osmanski.

How did Dean Learn to Sign?

I enjoyed the book, but the notion that Simone cut out her five year old son's tongue presumably so that he could not tell anyone that she killed her husband is blatantly implausible. What would be the purpose of doing this if she were then going to teach him to sign, as he would still be able to communicate that she killed her husband. Also, how did Dean learn sign language if he was five when the family began living in the woods? I caught the brief mention of Simone having a deaf brother in Chapter 49, which was so obviously cleanup to explain how Simone and Dean would know sign language. If a movie is made of this book, Dean should already be deaf prior to the family going into the woods; then the story would be more plausible. I initially rated the book 4 stars, but changed it to 3 stars as I worked through this review and what bothered me about the story.

Good but not as described

This is a good story but not the story described in the synopsis. Just describe it as it is and people will read it.

Wash out!

The premise of the story is what initially grabbed me not the delivery was flat. I often found myself not interested in the characters and also found the descriptions of really anything to be long, using far too much figurative language, and often unnecessary. The story finally became interesting more than halfway through the book but yet again was mired in minutia. Overall it was okay.

Loved it!

I'm glad I took a chance on this one, despite the negative reviews. I read it in one day, just could
not put it down. My heart was pounding like I was there.....great descriptions. Dont listen to the bad reviews.