Wally Lamb has written a powerful novel which is both depressing and uplifting. He has created 2 characters, Corby and Manny, which are real and memorable. In fact everyone in this stirring novel is real and memorable. Nothing strikes me as false. One can envision people actually speaking lines written by Lamb. His depiction of prison life and the good and bad prison officers reminds me of the best Warner Brothers social movies of the 30s and 40s. Need more be said.

Amazing as always, this story is all encompassing. It pulled me in and wrung me out. Just powerful and lovely.

If I had read a paper copy of this book I would have thrown it against a wall. The exposition is incredibly clunky, the middle is boring, and the last three chapters made me deeply angry. Emily talking to her dead husband in front of the mural he painted was ridiculous and such a ham-handed attempt to show personal growth and I hated it. I only gave it two stars because the first 20% or so was mildly interesting.

After losing his job, Corby soothes himself with alcohol and Benzos. A combination that soon leads to a tragic reckoning. One that sends him to prison for three years. One that devastates those he loves. While in prison he vows to become clean and sober waiting for the day he can hopefully rejoin his family. The lives he touches while in prison are many, but blowing the whistle on two of the CO’s doesn’t end well for Corby as he becomes a target for their bullying. When they take it to the ultimate level, Corby seeks the wrong kind of solace through his suffering. A direction that changes the course of Corby’s future. A story of grief and hope, Wally Lamb’s The River is Waiting is a story that was six years in the making and is one that will stay with you long after the last page is turned. Thank you to Marysue Rucci Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

" The River is Waiting" is a tragic story that I struggled to read. The writing was beautiful, but the plot was tragic and heartbreaking. The ending left me angered and sad. Wally Lamb does a tremendous job of writing such a heartbreaking tale, and his characters are well thought out, have extreme depth, while still being flawed. I am not sure what I wanted from this book, but in the end, I feel like I was left broken.

This is a long and hard story to read. I was hoping for a redemption story, and in some ways this novel provides that. The ending was not what I expected. I appreciate the character growth. I appreciate the equity narrative and growth from Corbin from that perspective, but don’t love that the white prisoner was highlighted within the prison system. It mirrors so well what happens already. Maybe that’s the point, but I am not so sure….

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I'd read Lamb's earlier work and considered myself a fan. This latest novel, however...I could not wait for it to be over.

Trigger warnings: tragic child death, alcoholism and addiction, rape.

The main character, Corby, does something unthinkable but he is also a terrible, lazy, person before this happens. His character annoyed me and his ending was frustrating. The setting of a prison feels like it's been overdone in fiction.

This dragged on for me and I couldn't wait for it to be finished.

I have many differing views about this book. The writing was exquisite, typical of Wally Lamb. However, I thought the whole story was pretty slow, and by the end I just wanted it to be over. I guess the author wanted to tell his saga while bringing the readers up to speed on several political issues, and for that, I was not appreciative.

Corbin is married with beautiful twins, a boy and a girl, when the story begins. He lost his job as a commercial artist and is having trouble finding work. His wife is a teacher, and rather than continue to pay for daycare, Corbin keeps the children, with his wife’s mother helping with that a couple of days a week so he can job hunt. But Corby has secret habits that eventually lead to his undoing.

There are terrible tragedies in the book, but there are also some bright spots and characters who see Corby’s worth and gifts. Yes, our society has problems. I don’t have an answer for all of them. But at the end of this one, I don’t want to read another book by Wally Lamb. Just my opinion.

Three stars for this one.

I received a copy of the digital ARC via the publisher and NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

This book centers around Corby Ledbetter who makes a mistake and things get crazy. He was a husband at one time and is now behind bars. He has relationships behind bars. As Corby fights his demons and searches for salvation and forgiveness to himself it is an emotional ride. I enjoyed this interesting take on redemption and the story that makes you th ink about the justice system and its flaws.

I have always considered Wally Lamb one of my favorite authors since reading I Know This Much is True and She’s Come Undone in my earlier years. Because I remember those so fondly, when I saw this available on NetGalley, I requested it immediately…without reading the description…without reading any trigger warnings. I can honestly say I have never been more triggered by a book than this one and that’s not just because I am personally a sensitive person, it’s not just because it took place exactly where I grew up (referencing exact places I frequented growing up), and it’s not just because it surrounds the tragic death of a young child who happens to be a twin. It’s because I really believe Wally Lamb wrote this book to traumatize his readers. There’s no other way to explain it. He could have artfully told this story without the graphic details that will haunt me the rest of my life. I can’t imagine a person out there who would find this book enjoyable to read. It’s highly rated on Goodreads and I am perplexed by that. This was an awful experience for me and I’m sad to say the last time I’ll be reading anything by who I had once considered an idol and even attended an event when he visited my college. He gets 1 star because it had a good message and overall theme. But he had the opportunity to convey those without traumatizing his readers. Wally Lamb is supposed to be a Literary Fiction writer. This was Horror.

I went into this book knowing nothing about it, except that I love this author. He doesn't disappoint with this one, which focuses on a man trying to find redemption after causing the destruction of his family.
Overall, this was pretty gut-wrenching and sad, but also weirdly hopeful. Quite emotional and captivating.
Thanks to #netgalley and #marysueruccibooks for this #arc of #theriveriswaiting in exchange for an honest review.

Heartbreaking….held my interest right away in the most tragic way. Whether you’re a longtime fan or picking up a Wally Lamb book for the first time, you won’t be disappointed.

The River Is Waiting centers on Corby Ledbetter, a father whose life unravels after a devastating accident claims the life of his young son. Corby, once a commercial artist and devoted father, spirals into addiction and denial after losing his job. One tragic morning, under the influence of pills and alcohol, he accidentally backs over his son Niko. Convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Corby is sentenced to three years in prison—a setting Lamb uses to explore the raw edges of human suffering and resilience. What follows is a deeply introspective journey through grief, incarceration, and the elusive pursuit of forgiveness.

Inside prison, Corby encounters brutality, unexpected kindness, and a cast of characters who shape his slow transformation: a compassionate librarian, a protective cellmate, and a troubled young inmate named Solomon. Through art, reflection, and fractured relationships, Corby begins to confront the wreckage of his choices.

The number one thing I appreciated in this book is that Corby Ledbetter is not portrayed a hero. He is deeply flawed self-pitying, and unreliable. However, his gradual evolution impressed me and kept me invested. I enjoyed the character of Emily, his estranged wife. She felt like a quiet force of grief and strength. Her emotional distance was palpable, and added atmospherically.

In classic Wally Lamb style, this book feels lyrical yet grounded. He alternates between raw first-person narration and allows readers to breathe when the pain becomes too close. At times the plot feels overwhelming, but always honest. For me, this will be a book to revisit time and time again. I can't pay a bigger compliment!

For the most part, I really enjoyed Wally Lamb's latest book The River is Waiting. There are numerous trigger warnings, however. (Child death, drug & alcohol addiction, incarceration, sexual assault, and suicide) The story centers on Corby Ledbetter, a husband and father to young twins. His addiction leads to a tragic accident that upends his world and that of his family. When he is sentenced to prison, he is focused on surviving, but also on beating his addiction so he can return home to his family. Will his family forgive him? Will they move on without him? I liked many of the characters in this book and thought they were well-written. I didn't like the ending though. Not just because it didn't end the way I wanted it to, but it felt very rushed, which left me feeling disappointed.

Thanks to Simon Element, S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books, and NetGalley for a review copy of The River is Waiting.

Thanks to NetGalley and Marysue Rucci Books for the ebook ARC of this novel for review. All opinions are my own.

This book should come with a warning as it contains graphic content at the beginning that might not be suitable for some readers. I am one of those readers. I had to put the book down a few chapters in, disgusted and horrified, and didn't know if I would pick it up again. That being said, I have read all of Wally Lamb's books and should have been prepared for the deep dive into the darkness of the human condition that is his signature. They are designed to make you feel uncomfortable. After reading a few palate-cleansing books, I did pick it The River Is Waiting again and finish it - here is my honest review.

Colby Ledbetter is struggling. He is an out-of-work artist and the main caretaker of his two-year-old twins, Niko and Maisie. He drinks throughout the day, hiding the bottles from his unsuspecting wife Emily. He also pops pills sporadically to give him a boost. One day he takes it too far and causes a tragedy that lands him in jail. Over the next three years he wars with the guilt and shame of the event that fractured his family, while trying to keep himself out of harm's way in jail. Manny, his second roommate, shows him the ropes and is a blessing sent from heaven, even if he is a bit annoying at times. There are other supporting characters as well - Corby bonds with several other inmates, guards, and the prison librarian. When a new inmate is bullied by several of the guards, Corby takes him under his wing as an unintentional father figure. However, sticking up for this 18-year-old inmate doesn't please the nefarious guards and now Corby has something to worry about - his own safety.

Lamb gives us an in-depth picture of what prison life might be like - the skirmishes and fights with other inmates and guards, the food, the boredom, the relationships with the other prisoners. At the beginning of the book Corby is not a likeable character as he plays russian roulette with the safety of his kids when he drinks and takes altering substances. I had no empathy with him over the guilt he feels at his actions, the sadness he feels at not being able to see his daughter Maisie until he gets out of prison, and not knowing if he will still have a marriage with his wife after he is released.

After several days in solitary, however, Corby begins to realize it is up to him to accept his fate and grow or not grow. He chooses to grow. He begins to go to AA meetings in jail and work on forgiving himself, something he doesn't think is possible. He looks deep into himself and at his actions and writes letters to Emily acknowledging and accepting the actions that put him in jail. In short, he changes from being a self-centered addict to someone who models kindness and empathy to others. At this point I began to feel empathy for him and his plight.

Corby is not the only one who grows in the book. By the end of the book (a surprise, but I could kind of see it coming) Emily learns more about Corby's time in jail and is finally able to feel compassion for what he went through.

After the beginning of the book I was able to re-engage with it and it kept me captivated as I wanted to see what the eventual fate of Corby would be.

4 stars (One star off for the unsettling beginning.)

Corby Ledbetter is a complex, deeply flawed character who struggles with not only an addiction he thinks doesn’t exist, but also adjusting to losing his job and becoming a stay at home dad of toddler twins. After an unimaginable tragedy, Corby tries to come to terms with his own guilt, addiction and uncertainty of family dynamics from within the walls of a prison. The first chapter’s foreshadowing and heart thumping trauma instantly captured my attention to see the story through.

While I throughly enjoyed Lamb’s character development and insight into incarceration I found myself less interested in the middle of the story. I felt like this book could have had 50-100 less pages. The end of the book wrapped up quicker than I was expecting but found myself satisfied with the outcome.

Lamb tackles some tough themes such as forgiveness/acceptance, blame/guilt, justice, prison culture, addiction and more. This book certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (check triggers/trauma) but if you’ve enjoyed his other books, you won’t be upset you stopped to read this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars

I am a true fan of Wally Lamb and found this book a bit difficult tom read. So many tragedies for a single character. That said, Corby's story is one of redemption as he weaves his way through the prison system. The book deals with love, loss, forgiveness, brutality, prison life, parenthood, redemption...so many topics that Lamb weaves together for a heartfelt story.

When reading a book by Wally Lamb, one does know what is in store....heartache, honest to goodness trauma, real life lessons and the possibility of how your life can be changed in a second!
This book! I read with tears in my eyes; that first chapter...I had to put the book down, breathe and wondered if I could continue reading this...but of course, the answer was yes. Mr. Lamb writes brilliantly, there is just no other way to say it. He is BRILLIANT. I felt like I was in the story, right there, watching Niko, Maisie, Emily and Corby, a spectator. Part one is aptly named THE UNIMAGINABLE and believe me, It truly is. I couldn't put this book down! The emotions drained me. No wonder it is currently #9 on the best seller list. I have no doubt that it will end up at #!

out of 5 starts......100!

Even though I love Wally Lamb's writing, I'm afraid that I can't get beyond what happens in the first chapter. I wish I could unsee it, and get beyond it, but I can't. Perhaps I'll try it again sometime.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year as I have been a Wally Lamb fan for two decades. Unfortunately, this book was a huge miss for me. The story had potential — a father with a drinking problem runs over his toddler son accidentally — but the characters fell really flat for me and the ending was lazy.