Review of “The River Between Us,” by Richard Peck

“The River Between Us,” by Richard Peck is a historical novel set during the Civil War. It focuses on the relationship between a young teenage girl, her family, and two remarkable strangers who visit their small town.

Fifteen-year-old Tilly Pruitt fears the approaching Civil War because her brother is determined to sign up and join the army. The Pruitt family lives in a small town on the Mississippi River. Their town is between the North and South, so half the boys in town are preparing to join the Confederacy, while the other half are eager to join the Union Army. In fact, there is a good chance that the boys will end up fighting each other if war reaches their small town.

In this tense atmosphere two strange visitors come to town. One is a glamorous young lady named Delphine, the other is a silent dark skinned woman who might be a slave. The visitors are refugees who have fled New Orleans to avoid the Civil War. When Tilly’s mother invites the pair to live with them it changes life in the Pruitt family completely.

Because Delphine is from the South, it is not long before tensions begin to rise and the local townspeople start to wonder about Delphine. Little do they realize, but Delphine is hiding an important secret that will change Tilly’s view of the South forever.

“The River Between Us,” is a fascinating example of a historical novel. As in Richard Peck’s many other novels the characters are sensitive and yet unusual at the same time. I enjoyed the contrasting personalities, and the way Peck carefully incorporated Delphine into the Pruitt household, showing the way that she gradually molds them.

Unfortunately, the plot isn’t as clear as it could be, and the main part of the story is told as a flashback encased in a more modern introduction and conclusion. All considered “The River Between Us” is not, in my opinion, the best book by Richard Peck that I have ever read, but it is a decent historical exploration.

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