This book is about twin brothers, Nash & Remi and their families based in the 1960’s & 1970’s.
As typical of the time frame, there was a lot of talk about the Vietnam War. There are lots of characters with their POV’s.
This book wasn’t for me. I almost stopped reading ¼ in. I made it. To ½ and couldn’t continue.
I received an advanced copy of this book and the format had me confused and am hopeful it was changed before the official release of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Down to the River is a well written book. It is a tale told by an engaging storyteller and lover of atmospheric details. It was also just too much for me at this season in my life. I started this book several times and ultimately ended up skimming towards the end. I truly wanted to finish this, to love it. But the timing was not right for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Meryl Moss Media group for this opportunity to read an ARC of Down to the River by Anne Whitney Pierce.

Obrigada, NetGalley.

Estava querendo muito ler esse livro.

Uma saga familiar ambientada no final dos anos 1960 em Cambridge, Massachusetts, tendo como pano de fundo a Guerra do Vietnã. Os irmãos gêmeos, Nash e Remi Potts, cresceram como meninos de ouro, educados em Harvard, herdeiros de uma fortuna familiar antiga, mas cada vez menor.

Mas é claro que os problemas começam a surgir, a prosperidade começa a se desfazer e a vida deles e das pessoas a sua volta começa a desmoronar.

A história é reflexiva e nos mostra o quão supérflua são as coisas que temos, que podemos perder. Tudo é rio, tudo é vão.

I have always enjoyed family sagas, and this one was no different. I did find a lot of it depressing, I think fans of this style of book will like it.

This was a family drama at back in the 60s.
Character development was good.
The plot was excellent, and the place of the story kept you flipping pages.

I started and stopped this book more than a handful of times. As much as I really wanted to enjoy this, it just wasn't a book for me. Some moments felt too dragged out and lost my interest and I didn't particularly fall in love with any of the characters, so there was nothing pulling me back in for more. Although it was written well, it just may be for a specific grouping of readers - I'm sorry!

This is a story of a very complicated family. Twin brothers and their family baggage, quite different wives and children that are a mess to say the least. Ms. Pierce gives a lot of development to the angst each character was going through.

Like many good books it can be hard to read and, for me, much of the book was disturbing.

This one wasn't for me and I ended up not finishing it. I found it too drawn out and slow and just couldn't connect with the characters.

Highly recommend!! My first book to read by this author but definitely not my last!! Uniquely and beautifully written, this story and its characters stay with you long after you finish the book.

This was well-written, but just not for me. It is the story of an extremely dysfunctional family living through turbulent times. Too much depressing/disturbing content for me. Alcoholism, abortion, parental neglect....

“A family saga set in the late 1960s in Cambridge, Massachusetts against the backdrop of the Vietnam War”


Well! I feel like a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders, now that I have closed the final page on this epic family saga and I am able to breathe freely again, without feeling quite so claustrophobic and suffocated. Author Anne Whitney Pierce, admits that she likes her novels long and rambling, so I can see why these pages might have spent many years, shoved under the bed and half finished, obviously just waiting for her to have the stamina and strength to resurrect them, in anticipation of bringing events to a dramatic finale, which imploded spectacularly and left me feeling oddly bereft, as in this wonderfully detailed character analysis of two related and completely dysfunctional families, there really were no winners and, I suspect, that is always how Anne always intended it to be!

Before I even attempt to offer what I hope is a largely spoiler-free, potted-version, of the story which unfolded between the many pages of this book, I really feel that a warning about some of the explicit cultural content contained therein, including scenes of a sexual, alcohol and drug fuelled nature, is in order, for the unwary readers amongst you. Although I would also add, that such references are on the whole, commensurate with the period of the late 1960s/early 1970s, to which the majority of the narrative and dialogue pertains, so in that respect are not gratuitous or used out of context.

…

Twins have always had and always will have, that second sense of being as one, thinking as one, acting as one and protecting each other no matter what and without question. Nash and Remi (Naylor and Remington) Potts, are the end of a dynasty. The family’s inherited wealth and entitled privilege, has all but run dry and under the rather untender ministrations and extravagances of the two virtually alcoholic brothers, it is only a matter of time before life as they have known it, will come to a spectacular end and only genteel poverty awaits them. Nash has always been his brother’s loyal protector though, so cut one and they both bleed, hurt Remi and you will face the wrath of Nash. However, Remi has more secrets than Nash would ever have thought possible, which should they ever become public knowledge, or be spoken aloud, will have the potential to damage their familial bonds beyond repair.

Their attempts at earning a living for themselves in business, are faltering and rather haphazard, and their marriages which were more of a convenience for the brothers and a state of safety and security for their then new and unworldly wives, are definitely a fast fading star. They live next door to each other and each have two children of the same ages. In this golden time of the late 1950s though, parenting is considered to be very much a young person’s game, so when a drunken evening and a reckless wager, by Nash and Remi, results in both Faye and Violet, who are now in their thirties, becoming pregnant for a third time, after so many intervening years, life is about to change dramatically for them all once again.

Nash and Remi have never been much use around their respective houses, which are now in a sad and unloved state of disrepair and chaos, and neither of them feel any responsibility for helping out with the children, especially not babies Minerva (Chickie) and Henry (Hen). Faye and Violet begin to let things go and that incudes the reins on their older offspring, who have now either gone off to college, or eagerly left home to find their own way in the world. Chickie and Hen, unfettered and almost feral, are therefore closer than most cousins and some might say far too close, although their parents seem completely oblivious to the dangers this may present, as they grow up.

With a war taking hold in Vietnam, protests on the streets, constant bomb threats and racial tensions, the latter which because of their lax parenting, Nash and Violet will soon find out all about first-hand, both Faye and Violet decide that now has to be ‘their’ time, so Chickie and Hen, Nash and Remi, are all pretty much left to their own devices, as the newly liberated and independent women both decide that owning their own businesses, is the way to go. With moral codes changing and even in some cases crumbling away, when a vulnerable and disturbed Chickie, has personal and traumatic experience of a procedure which is still then very much illegal in many States, her extended family, after their initial moment of shock, appear unmoved to alter their ways, or attempt to steer their children in a more informed or safety conscious direction, and it is only Hen who is standing there by her side through it all. A clear-minded, although admittedly scared Hen, who has made his mind up that he will not be drafted into a war he doesn’t think is just or fair, so will be doing anything and everything possible to avoid his call-up, whether that is ultimately with or without Chickie.

Both Faye and Violet have secrets of their own though, and although Nash does manage to work out what Violet is hiding from him, a poor hapless Remi just doesn’t get where Faye is coming from at all, or how damaged she is and has always been. Both helpless, guileless men, assume that offering their forgiveness and promises of their undying love, which I truly think they believed when they spoke the words, will fix things, and they fail to see that it is all too little, too late.

The last time we see the two families together is at the graduation of Chickie and Hen, although even then, one of Nash’s daughters is absent without explanation. I suspect, although the ending is as surreal as the times, that this is the dissolution of the Potts clan and the last time they will ever all meet again. The final scenario played out, still intrigues me though, as I could have taken it in one of two directions, which would have had such different outcomes for at least one of the Potts twins. Was it simply a tragic accident, an act of uncontrollable rage, or the sudden unacceptable realisation that a hitherto expected way of life was about to change forever?

…

From a post I read on Anne’s website, it would some that some elements of this storyline track that of her own teenage years. However, as I seem to have enjoyed a much more sheltered upbringing, despite us being of a similar age, I am certain I have only managed to scrape the surface nuances of this multi-layered, complex, intense, textured, and totally absorbing storyline, where what isn’t said, is every bit as important as the words which appear on the pages, although that might easily cause the writing to appear lacking in some fluency. The chapters are quite long, although really the story is one wonderfully immersive, continuous timeline anyway, and there are some well placed paragraph breaks, where I could draw breath and take stock of the current prevailing situation.

The physical footprint of the storyline is very small, so whilst some excellent descriptive narrative and thoughtful observational dialogue really evoke a real sense of time, and places I could track for myself on the map, this saga is really all about the characters, their feelings and interactions with each other and with the wider community around them. Characters who on the whole, were not authentic, most unlikeable and to whom I was unable to relate in any way, let alone invest in as any kind of reliable role models for future generations. For much of the time the Potts adults acted more childishly and petulantly than their offspring and the rest of their lives they spent in denial of the realities and responsibilities of parenthood, forging for themselves a one way ticket into self-destruct mode. This lack of ethics and shattered family dynamics, left the Potts children vulnerable, volatile, emotionally starved and a raw complex jigsaw of human emotions.

What always makes reading such a wonderful experience for me, is that with each and every new book, I am taken on a unique and individual journey, by authors who fire my imagination, stir my emotions and stimulate my senses. This story was definitely one of a kind, having the power to evoke so many feelings, that I’m sure I won’t have felt the same way about it as the last reader, nor the next. Being quite close in age to the author, this is very much a story of my era, although a vast ocean separates us in culture, making some elements of the family saga relatable, whilst other aspects are so very far removed from my own experiences. Therefore, I can only recommend that you read Down To The River for yourself to see where your journey leads you!

I was interested in reading this book because I grew up in the 60’s and went to school in Boston in the ‘70’s. So much imagery and memories for me with the streets and places and upheaval of the time.
That time period was chaotic with much rioting, the Vietnam war, Woodstock and drugs.
This is a story of a very complicated family. Twin brothers and their family baggage, quite different wives and children that are a mess to say the least. Ms. Pierce gives a lot of development to the angst each character was going through.
Like many good books it can be hard to read and, for me, much of the book was disturbing.
If you are from the Boston area and grew up during that era, it is a bit of a trip down memory lane.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy. These opinions are strictly my own.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲𝗱, 𝘀𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗱𝗼, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝘆 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀.

Cambridge, Massachusetts twin brothers Nash and Remi Potts are born into the upper echelon of society, heirs to a family fortune that is ‘dwindling’. They are Harvard-educated, but the times and the families they create with their wives will expose their flaws. It is the 1960s, the Vietnam War is raging forward and will weave through their own story. With the stable world they once knew fracturing, people are starting to question what their life is made of. Women want more, including possession of their own bodies and sexuality, careers outside of the home. Sons don’t want to throw away their youth by jumping into a war they don’t agree with, likely to come home in a box or scarred by the experience. When we first meet Nash and Remi, we get the rundown on their childhood that proudly follows in the footsteps of all the Potts men before them. Prep School, then Harvard, athletic prowess, and the strength of their family name. They find their women, have a double wedding and are gifted, by their grandfather before his death, with ‘old, rambling Victorians’ neighboring each other. Children arrive fast, and the brothers open a sporting goods store on Harvard Square. Life rushes forward, their wives, Faye and Violet (of hard work and character), are good wives and mothers but it is with their late in life birth of their last children, Minerva “Chickie” and Henry “Hen”, that the money has dwindled and the parents are slipping. This is where the real story comes alive. No longer do the twins’ wives strive to adhere to the old ways in raising perfect cookie cutter children, not like their first offspring, not for this odd pair. The other siblings weave in and out but the focus is on the twins, their wives and the last born children.

Remi’s son Hen is different from the start, a child who doesn’t much defend himself, a sensitive, golden-haired boy. A child other people talk about, one who they say is maybe ‘slow, stupid.’ They love him to bits, and if he’s not like every other child, so what, he has his cousin Chickie to defend him. Chickie with her hot temper and intelligence that could sway to madness. The cousins have a unique bond, creating a world of their own, so close that any outsider is a threat. As they come of age, Chickie ‘feels the leash’ tighten, but she won’t be groomed into a proper little lady, far more of a feral child. She is too bold, too brash to be tamed. She wants what she wants, and no one will stop her. Violet feels her own youth being buried, watching the rise of her beautiful, strong willed girl. It seems so unfair! Now Violet has time outside of the home, and builds a life for herself, a career but it puts a strain on her marriage and her relationship with Chickie. She and Nash are drifting away from one another. Hen, so much like his mother Faye, so unlike the Potts’ men with his graceful and quiet nature. An easy target for school bullies, so much more going on that he keeps to himself, feeling resentment toward his father, who drinks too much and threatens with his sour moods. It is troubling to his father that Hen isn’t dating, nothing like Remi who couldn’t wait to ‘fumble around with girls in the backseat of his car’. Maybe it is the times but he wants his boy to be strong, and for once he wants to be seen as a good father, one Hen can look up to. Eventually Hen does mess around, and Chickie feels a little left out, jealous even while her own passions surpass his. The reality is, Hen and Chick hold their parents’ secrets, while struggling with their own coming of age and worried about the future. They have always had each other, and always will even if they get caught up in new people. The threat of war becomes too real for Hen, with the draft lottery. He is tired of keeping dangerous secrets, of worrying about his mother. Chick explores sexuality, sick of the double standard for girls, and the things her own mother is getting up to is leaving too much freedom for Chick to get herself in trouble. Both families are crumbling under the pressures of the times, their cracks are showing, and it becomes impossible to hide their betrayals.

Faye and Violet are very important characters, far more involved in the lives of their children then Remi and Nash. Fathers always seemed to be on the periphery, coming and going as they pleased, the women shouldering the rest. It is a dying dynamic though, by the time Hen and Chickie come along. Following traditions and routines become old hat and even Faye and Violet are questioning the banality of their lives. They both want more. In fact, why the two women, who could have been so close, never really opened up about the problems with their husbands and their own longings and disappointments is poignant. The brothers aren’t really what they project either. There is resentment between Remi and Nash, as Remi never feels he measures up. There is also a strange dynamic in why Remi and Nash chose the partners they married. They say fake it till you make it, but that comes at a price and can lead to an inauthentic life.

This is a character driven novel and the author draws out the emotional inner struggles with perfection. The relationship dynamics are brilliant too, how people can lift us into our higher selves as much as they can bury us, eclipse us and sometimes harm us by trying to save us. Hen and Chickie deal with thoughts and feelings that many young grapple with. Chickie’s a strong girl, but she still needed a guiding hand. Hen may appear fragile, certainly he isn’t the football tossing all American boy so many fathers hoped to raise, but he is stronger than he appears, shows up when he is most needed. A real man, at his core. The adults’ characters are contrary in their behavior, reckless, lonely, aggressive and they begin to act out as much as the teenagers. There never is true freedom, whether you’re young or old. Every action has consequences, every choice sets off it’s own chain of events. This is a good read.

Published May 3, 2022 AVAILABLE NOW

Meryl Moss Media Group

Regal House Publishing

I was intrigued by the premise of this book but the writing and characters fell flat-there was too much detail, too much dialogue and too little character development.

I requested this on Net Galley as an arc because the synopsis appeared to include so much of what I love... generational trauma, family drama, and a potential for healing. I must say, I was very disappointed by this one and I ended up DNFing this book at about 100 pages in.

I went in with such high hopes but it just didn't land for me. There was too much going on with too many points of view and character lines. There were the twins, their wives, and each of their children who all had a backstory that seemingly was meant to be important but just led to more confusion overall. I felt like there were too many characters and I did not have a connection with a single one of them by 100 pages in. It felt too dense and way too difficult to keep track of everything.

I will say that I think that this could be a different experience reading it as a physical copy rather than a digital arc as the chapters weren't always distinct on my kindle.

Thank you to NetGalley and regal house for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was looking forward to reading the book, the description sounded very interesting. I was born in the 60s so I do like to see what was going on when I was born but this book was too heavy.I don’t know how to describe it except to say it made me feel claustrophobic and like they were too many words. All I could think to do was put it down, which I did over and over, until I couldn’t pick it up anymore. I went ahead and gave it a three star review because it is an interesting era and just because I didn’t like it does not mean it was a bad book.

A family saga that follows the families of twins Nash and Remi. Most of the story occurs during the 1970s with free love and the Vietnam War as a backdrop to the somewhat mundane experiences of the Potts family.

There were moments in the book that I felt really engaged and interested. I think the characters did a great job of representing different aspects and difficulties of society including sex, relationships and identity. However, the book never really felt like it was going anywhere and I found the ending particularly unsatisfying.

Set in the 1960's amidst the rise of rock n 'roll, drugs, and nasty politics, you get a story of twin brothers Nash and Remi and their families in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The family is experiencing hard times financially, so the youngest children are forced to go to public school. You get the story of each family, their interconnectedness, all with the backdrop of the Vietnam War.

Bad choices have been made, and therefore, many consequences to be faced. This story is dark and really reflects real life for a lot of people. If you are looking for a happy or even mysterious family saga, this is not it. This is not the typical tale I enjoy reading, however, Anne Whitney Pierce is a good writer. This type of story is enjoyed by many, so I recommend you give it a shot.

Thank you to Meryl Moss Media Group and NetGalley for the digital ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I am not sure how to write a review on this book.

Nash and Remi are identical twin brothers and they used to be a wealthy family. But after getting married their wealth is dwindled. Fast forward, the story is set in the 1960's during the Vietnam war and is centered around their youngest children Minerva known as Chickie and Henry known as Hen.

The book unfortunately was not for me--however on the good side of the story, the writing was really great, the author must have done tremendous research of what life was like during the 1960's to early 1970's. I did enjoy reading those parts. But the bad side was, maybe it was just me, this book wasn't really for me--it kind of got boring to me but then I did like the plot.

Overall, I would give this 2.5 stars.

Nash and Remi Potts, twins and heirs of the now squandered Potts fortune, are middle-aged now. They use their Ivy League degrees to run their sporting goods store, each have three children, a wife, and matching dirty houses. They are raging alcoholics who have made some not-so-great choices, and this is their story. As well as their wives’ story. And their children’s story. Welcome to 1969. Read along as the Vietnam war divides the US and the Potts family continues their spiral of destruction.

Did I like the book? I don’t know. On the one hand, it was beautifully written. Just excellently done. Pierce knows how to make a statement while still encouraging her readers to think for themselves. She takes on alcoholism, abortion, domestic violence, infidelity and so much more in this novel. She created human characters. Flawed, but worthy of love. I wanted a different outcome at almost every turn in the novel, but maybe that was the point. Life doesn’t go as planned. Sometimes, it just goes. And that’s my “on the other hand” - it’s a bit of a depressing read. At least it was for me. I waited for things that didn’t happen, but again, maybe that was the point.

Pub date: 5/3/22. I would not recommend this to people who read for a bit of an escape. This book is real life. It is not fun. It’s not a quick read. I would recommend it to people who want to think, who want to feel, who want to evaluate. There’s a lot to unpack. And while it’s worth it, it’s not easy.

Thanks to Anne Whitney Pierce, Regal House Publishing, and Meryl Moss Media Group for this ARC in return for my honest review.