True North by Andrew J. Graff

True North by Andrew J. Graff – 304 pages

ARC from PRH audio and Ecco books for an honest review

Book Blurb:

As the summer of 1993 begins, Sam and Swami Brecht roll into town with a twenty-six-foot Winnebago camper van, their three young kids, and the deed to Woodchuck Rafting Company. Sam and Swami met as young, adventurous river guides but, a decade later, find themselves weighed down by money worries and the demands of adulthood. The town of Thunderwater, in Wisconsin’s Northwoods, could be the fresh start their marriage needs. But Woodchuck, once the property of Sam’s eccentric uncle, has seen better days and will need a serious overhaul if it is going to stand a chance at survival. Soon Sam and Swami learn they are not the only ones looking for change and profit on the river. A competing rafting outfit, clashing raft guides, stubborn townsfolk, and an exploratory mining company begin to threaten their tenuous livelihood. Then nature intervenes, in the form of historic floods throughout the Midwest. Amid tumultuous currents both on and off the river, Sam and Swami struggle to maintain the new life they’ve built. Before the summer draws to a close, the Brechts must learn to face the floodwaters together in order to create a sustainable future for their family, the town, and the pristine river from which it all flows.

My Review: 3 stars

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True North by Andrew J. Graff is a story about family and the inherent struggles within a marriage, as well as the ideals and difficulty of owning and operating a rafting tour company. 

Honestly, I would not have picked up this book without the hype surrounding it. Graff’s prior book, Raft of Stars was a fan favorite so I thought I’d give this one a try. I’m glad I read it but from what I understand, it doesn’t offer the same grit and heart as his earlier book. With that being said, it was still a decent read.

I learned a lot about rafting, which was interesting, and the dynamics between characters were unusual. I was not a fan of either Sam, for his lying, or Swami, for her nastiness. But for whatever reason I still had no interest in DNFing. Some of the side characters like Moon and Chip were my favorite parts of the book. The whole mining coming to town was lacking in originality.

If you’re a rafter or a nature junkie, you may find more to love about this story than I did.