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The Riverman | July 23, 2014

by Aaron Starmer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux/Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, March 2014)

Alistair Cleary doesn’t think his life is anything special. When he’s not at school, he’s playing video games with Charlie (a friend whom he wishes he could shake), or catching an early morning ride with Charlie’s big brother, Kyle (who has a bad reputation but a good listening ear). But Alistair’s entire world is shaken when Fiona Loomis appears on his doorstep, asking him to write her biography. Fiona lives next door, but it’s been years since Alistair has hung out with her, let alone talked to her. Alistair remembers that Fiona was always a little strange, but now he wonders if she just might be crazy. Fiona spins a tale about another world called Aquavania, where she and other children create stories that come to life, and a villain known as “The Riverman” is out to steal kids’ souls. Fiona believes she is next in line to lose her soul, and that The Riverman might even be in the solid world, looking for her. Of course, all of this sounds like nonsense to Alistair…until he begins to wonder if there is some truth to what Fiona says. What if Aquavania is another name for her home? What if The Riverman is a nickname for someone in her family, someone terrible? Determined to find the answers, Alistair agrees to hear more of Fiona’s story. Little does he know that Fiona’s story is about to change his own, forever.

I read this novel for the ECC Board’s summer book club and was immediately drawn to Alistair’s voice. Even though he’s twelve-years-old and is still figuring things out, he views the world with a writer’s objective viewpoint. Fiona’s character is compelling as well, because I can never predict how she’s going to interact with Alistair. I also really enjoyed the minor characters, Charlie and Kyle—they remind me of people I once knew in my childhood and their relationships with Alistair are very believable. The world of Aquavania is well crafted and Fiona’s stories about it are unique and engaging. Overall, I recommend this book to lovers of both literary and action-adventure middle grade. For the literary readers, the story offers a lot of interesting observations about the possibilities and limitations of imagination, and how we choose to share our own personal stories. The writing is beautiful and easy to follow. At the same time, the constant threat of The Riverman and Alistair’s ongoing search for the truth keeps adventure fans on their toes; and nothing, nothing will prepare readers for the action-packed cliffhanger ending (this book is the first in a planned series). So if you’re looking for a little bit of everything, or simply the unexpected, I highly recommend The Riverman by Aaron Starmer.

 

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