My review of Deep Like the River by Tim Waggoner. A surreal and enthralling novella...

Back in 2011, I came across Nekropolis by Tim Waggoner, thanks to the recommendations on my Amazon account. I read the synopsis, and since it sounded like something right down my alley, I picked it up. After finishing the novel (which I highly enjoyed, along with the other two entries in the series), Tim had a brand new fan. I've picked up a number of collections featuring short stories by him, but Deep Like the River (published by Dark Regions Press) is the first long form work (in this case, a novella) I've read by him since the Nekropolis series. This is also my first review on one of his works, and I must say that his latest release is a doozy. One of the things I've learned about Tim is that his writing style is not set in stone, he adapts from story to story, character to character. The only constant is the sheer quality of his tales. Deep Like the River is no exception to this rule, and I had quite a journey reading through it. In my opinion, he's outdone himself with this release. Poignant, surreal, and gripping, this is the type of story I absolutely live for. Now that I'm done gushing (for now), let's get to the review. First, a synopsis, like usual, and then my thoughts on this really great story. Read on, if you will...




In Deep Like the River, we are introduced to two sisters, Alie and Carin. Alie has recently lost her baby girl, and her husband has left her after the tragedy. On what would have been her daughter's first birthday, Alie's older sister Carin has organized a canoeing trip, hoping to take Alie's mind off the tragedy. The day is interrupted when they find an abandoned baby girl, left on the river's shore. The parents are nowhere to be found, and the two sisters decide to take her with them to safety. Alie dubs the baby Trouble (after the heading on her Onesie, which reads "Here Comes Trouble!"), and they move on down the river. The little girl's new moniker seems to be prophetic, as the ensuing journey becomes more and more dangerous. The two sisters are left to question the very reality of the situation, and if Trouble is at all what she seems to be. As their journey becomes more surreal by the minute, the reader is left to wonder whether any of them will get out alive...




Deep Like the River is a rather brilliant story. Alie and Carin's tragic history is emotionally gripping, and creates a bond between the characters and the reader that is unshakable throughout. Alie's deep attachment to Trouble is clearly evident, and in the end, there is quite a good reason (beyond the obvious one) for this. Even after discovering what actually happened to her daughter, all I felt was sadness and compassion. When it comes down to it, the story is about second chances and redemption. Carin's love and compassion for her sister is also a huge element in the plot. Basically all they ever had as children were each other, and it was because of one another that they managed to survive their childhood abuse. As I've said above, the story has a distinct dreamlike feel to it, and is very surreal. There are no outright answers given to whether this is really happening, or for that matter, on what plane of existence it's taking place. Tim leaves all of this up to interpretation, so there will be many different views on what is actually taking place. All I can add to this, is that many of the threats to the trio are fears that are drawn from their own minds, so take that as you will. When you finally see the main architect (or is he/it?) behind their troubles, you probably be saying a mental "AHA!" to yourself. Many questions still remain after the ending, however, and I appreciate this greatly. I'll be thinking about the details of this story for a long time to come, and will no doubt revisit it multiple times to see if I can glean some kind of new insight that I had previously missed... In closing, I have to say that this subtle, unique horror novella is one of the best of the genre that I have read in recent memory. Tim is overflowing with talent, and has many different sights to show you. You should really take a look at what he has to offer, you wont be disappointed...


Here's a link to the publisher's site. They've got a lot of great authors working with them, so take a look around. Here's Tim's Amazon page. Lastly, here's Tim's home page, where you can catch up with what he's been up to. Happy reading, and exploring my friends!