The River King: Summary and book reviews of The River King by Alice Hoffman, plus links to an excerpt from The River King and a biography of Alice Hoffman.

For more than a century, the small town of Haddan, Massachusetts, has been divided, as if by a line drawn down the center of Main Street, separating those born and bred in the village from those who attend the prestigious Haddan School. But one October night the two worlds are thrust together due to an inexplicable death, and the town's divided history is revealed in all its complexity. The lives of everyone involved are unraveled: from Carlin Leander, the fifteen-year-old girl who is as loyal as she is proud, to Betsy Chase, a woman running from her own destiny; from August Pierce, a boy who unexpectedly finds courage in his darkest hour, to Abel Grey, the police officer who refuses to let unspeakable actions--both past and present--slide by without notice. Entertainment Weekly has declared that Alice Hoffman's worlds are "replete with miracles" and The Boston Globe has praised her "iridescent prose, taut narrative suspense, and alluring atmosphere." Now she brings us a novel as compelling as it is daring, an exploration of forgiveness and hope, a wondrous tale of innocence and evil, and of the secrets we keep.

Media Reviews

The Washington Post Book World Alice Hoffman is, was, and always will be, a beautiful writer.   USA Today Spellbinding. Hoffman opens old wounds and inflicts new ones in this evocative mystery of innocence transgressed and evil expelled.   The New York Times Book Review It can be hard to find an example of good old-fashioned storytelling these days, but storytelling, refreshingly, is Alice Hoffman's strength.   Publisher Weekly [E]nchanting her readers with a many-layered morality tale and proving herself once again inventive author with a distinctive touch.   Library Journal The novel, with its young protagonists and pining romance between Betsy and Abel, straddles the line between young adult and women's fiction. One wishes Hoffman had pared down the precious local descriptions and allowed the plot, which has some unexpected twists, to shine through.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by Cindy E.
Gripping story
Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite author and this is my favorite of all her novels. It mixes up mystery, romance, and the underlying element of hazing. It keeps one's attention throughout, and will not disappoint.

Rated of 5 by ELLEN
Spellbinding. Hoffman is a master story teller. The River King establishes an atmosphere through Hoffman's fine detail of the Mass. town where the story takes place. She then interrelates two different plots that hold your attention through there...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Brett
Although this book was unmatched in its display of feelings and emotion but it was so incredibly slow moving that i hardly got to the end, which did not complement the excellence of the rest of the novel.

Rated of 5 by Anonymous
I think this is the best book, I had read in a long time, it held my interest from start to finish. I am a mature female but believe this book would appeal to all age groups.

Rated of 5 by Gao Lue Vang
This book is amazing. I have never read anything as wonderful as this. This book is filled with so many feelings and I just couldn't put the book down.

Rated of 5 by Aly B.
"The River King" was a very intriguing and well-written novel. I thought the story line and plot were superb and full of depth. As much as the plot was good, I felt the novel was mainly character-driven which also added to the brilliance...   Read More

...8 More Reader Reviews

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