The River by Starlight
A Novel
by Ellen Notbohm
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Pub Date May 08 2018 | Archive Date Jun 01 2018
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Description
Her brother’s letter touched a match to the wick of Annie’s doused dreams. Dream enough for her, to stroll the length of a town without the abortive glances, the stilted greetings, the wider berth given her on the sidewalk. “I could use some help out here,” he wrote. “What’s holding you to Iowa anyway?”
Annie Rushton leaves behind an unsettling past to join her brother on his Montana homestead and make a determined fresh start. There, sparks fly when she tangles with Adam Fielding, a visionary businessman-farmer determined to make his own way and answer to no one. Neither is looking for a partner, but they give in to their undeniable chemistry.
Annie and Adam’s marriage brims with astounding success and unanticipated passion, but their dream of having a child eludes them as a mysterious illness of mind and body plagues Annie’s pregnancies. Amidst deepening economic adversity, natural disaster, and the onset of world war, their personal struggles collide with the societal mores of the day. Annie’s shattering periods of black depression and violent outbursts exact a terrible price. The life the Fieldings have forged begins to unravel, and the only path ahead leads to unthinkable loss.
Based on true events, this sweeping novel weaves a century-old story, timeless in its telling of love, heartbreak, healing, and redemption embodied in one woman’s tenacious quest for control over her own destiny in the face of devastating misfortune and social injustice.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
GOLD MEDAL, INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BOOK AWARDS
Best Regional Fiction – West Mountain
"Magical storytelling...With intimate and poetic language reminiscent of Paulette Jiles and Marisa de los Santos, Notbohm demonstrates that loss and fragility often exist alongside strength and bliss."--BOOKLIST
"Captivating....the writing is exquisite . . . weaves heartache and redemption together to illuminate the power of love in life’s darkest moments."—Foreword Reviews
“Graceful and unflinching…a complex journey of grief, fulfillment, betrayal, and forgiveness."—Kirkus Reviews
“Filled with vivid characters and descriptions, heartache, loss and the healing power of love, The River by Starlight is a tribute to so many women who were treated unjustly and who managed to find their way and survive. Bravo, Ellen Notbohm!”—Kris Radish, bestselling author of A Dangerous Woman from Nowhere
“…masterfully
weaves the story of Annie and Adam Fielding, two star-crossed people who come
together in an attempt to bring forth life on an early 20th-century farm in
Montana. Rich with beautiful prose stitched together with
authentic, shimmering dialogue and a love story that leaves you aching, Ellen
Notbohm’s debut novel is sure to stun.”—Michelle Cox, award-winning author of
the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series
"There
is nothing I didn’t love about this book. The language is exquisite, a
mixture of steel and silk―the narrative voice uncannily powerful and
sure, yet tender. The story will grow tendrils around your heart, squeezing it
until you can barely breathe. It’s the story of one woman’s
tragic and puzzling mental frailty, but more, it is a love story, and a
heart-rending study of the forced redefining of family. Trenchant
dialogue and lyrical prose reveal the very soul of the unforgettable characters
in this book. Recommended to any reader with a heart."—Laurel Davis Huber, award-winning
author of The Velveteen Daughter
"Heart-wrenching yet hopeful, The River by
Starlight is a compelling and beautifully written debut novel."—Ashley E. Sweeney, award-winning author
of Eliza Waite
“The River by Starlight superbly captures the landscape of early the 20th century American West, and the hearts and minds of those who lived there. Notbohm courageously explores life's challenges and mysteries, proving we know not what Mother Nature will deliver nor what secrets our loved ones hold….The prose is beautiful; the dialogue is spot-on; the research is thorough; and the story told so well pages turn themselves. Ultimately, she knits a powerful story with contemporary questions that resonate long after the book is closed.”—Romalyn Tilghman, award-winning author of To the Stars Through Difficulties
“A ten for voice and originality. Some of the best dialogue I’ve read, a voice that held me spellbound and a story that kept me turning the page. I surprised myself by shedding tears of joy and sorrow as I read; the story is like a symphony in the nuanced way it’s handled.”—Elizabeth Lyon, author of Manuscript Makeover and six other writing books
Marketing Plan
This is a story of hope and resilience.
There is no Kindle edition available on NetGalley at this time.
This is a story of hope and resilience.
There is no Kindle edition available on NetGalley at this time.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781631523359 |
| PRICE | $18.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 256 |
Featured Reviews
April H, Reviewer
I received an advanced reader copy of "The River by Starlight" by Ellen Notbohm and I'm so glad I did. My goodness from the first chapter the author weaves a tale of love, tragic loss, heart-breaking details of life, along with a beautifully descriptive writing style that encompasses the story in a way that confides in the reader.
The details of the story are set in the early 1910's to 1940's as it trails the main character, Annie as she receives a letter from her brother Cal, to join him on his homestead in Montana to help care for him and the house. She accepts the offer and after settling in she meets her brother's boss, Adam Fielding. It was certainly not love at first sight, but in time Adam is taken by her strong character and proceeds to court her. Part of the author's charm shines through her descriptions of historical events and through her dialogue between characters. On one encounter with Adam, Annie describes a detail about Adam's horse and finds herself falling privy to his questioning conversation. "I see he's missing something," she says, and kicks herself for falling into yet another prickly conversation with him. Stuck now, like a hair in a biscuit." The author's style of writing had me laughing, rooting for the characters, and crying alongside all of the tragic loss and heartache.
Even with how beautifully written this story was, I was really impressed with the author's prose in writing about mental illness and postpartum depression, showing that it isn't pretty but it's REAL. It not only affects the individual struggling with it, but Ellen Notbohm shows how it affects others around them. Mental illness is still as subject that doesn't seem to get enough attention in today's world, let alone the time period in which this story takes place. I applaud the author for taking those risks and for writing a beautifully and heart-wrenching story that became, "The River of Starlight".
#TheRiverByStarlight #NetGalley
Nancy A. B, Reviewer
Annie made the quilt for her future husband, for his eyes only.
There was a block with a sliver of chrome orange moon and a fabric with a chrome yellow shower of stars. The twilight sky was represented with a dark sapphire with a swirl of white dots and a cadet blue shot with white. At the bottom curved a river in green fabric. She called it River By Starlight.
In 1911 Annie Rushton had received a letter from her older brother Cal, inviting her to come to Montana where he had settled. At age 26, Annie was living with her mother after postpartum psychosis destroyed her marriage and separated her from her baby daughter.
Annie hopes that Montana will bring the freedom she craves and the new beginning she desperately needs. Annie travels light, only taking her ivory knitting needles, her Emily Dickinson inscribed "with everlasting love" by her ex-husband, and her grandmother's rose glass jar.
She never expected that Montana would bring a man who would claim her, body and soul, or imagine the ecstasy and the crippling pain and loss their love would endure, driving Annie to a desperate choice.
Ellen Notbohm's novel The River by Starlight is based on true events which she spent years researching. Notbohm wanted to give voice to the women, who a hundred years ago and with few resources, suffered mental health issues in a male-dominated health and justice system.
Annie is an amazing character, strong and feisty, quick-witted and quick-tempered. I loved the dialogue between the characters. Although Annie suffers many losses, she also is resilient and a survivor. The misunderstandings between men and women and the compromises they make ring true. The writing is gorgeous.
Readers will be swept back in time and won't soon forget the vivid characters.
I received a free book through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Cristie U, Book Trade Professional
This book was heartbreaking at times as Annie tried to gain control of her own destiny in the face of social injustice and misfortune. The author's writing made me feel connected to the characters.
Lauralee J, Reviewer
The River by Starlight tells the true story of a couple who struggles with depression. I really admired Annie. She was a strong woman. She fought to overcome her difficulties. However, I loved Adam more. He was loyal husband and stood by his wife side. They both start out as optimistic but when they are faced with many trials, they have to fight to overcome them. This is a story of love, devotion, and loyalty. I highly recommend it!
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