The River is Waiting

by Wally Lamb

At its core, the The River is Waiting follows Corby Ledbetter, a young father whose life unravels after a tragic accident leads to his incarceration, forcing him to endure a brutal prison system while grappling with grief, guilt, and separation from his family. As I read, I kept wondering how long and relentlessly depressing one novel can be without becoming numbing. While I’m firmly on the side of realism and tend to dislike performative happy endings, this felt a purposeful pendulum swing the opposite way. The vast middle section drags on too long, mired in suffering, while the opening setup and conclusion feel comparatively thin and rushed. There are undeniable glimmers of strong writing and moral urgency along the way, but they’re submerged in a world that offers virtually no redemption or emotional counterweight, leaving me more exhausted than moved by the end.