Deep River

A Novel

By: Karl Marlantes

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Karl Marlantes's debut novel, Matterhorn, has been hailed as a modern classic of war literature. In his new novel, Deep River, Marlantes turns to another mode of storytelling - the family epic - to craft a stunningly expansive narrative of human suffering, courage, and reinvention.

In the early 1900s, as the oppression of Russia's imperial rule takes its toll on Finland, the three Koski siblings - Ilmari, Matti, and the politicized young Aino - are forced to flee to the United States. Not far from the majestic Columbia River, the siblings settle among other Finns in a logging community in southern Washington, where the first harvesting of the colossal old-growth forests begets rapid development, and radical labor movements begin to catch fire. The brothers face the excitement and danger of pioneering this frontier wilderness - climbing and felling trees one hundred meters high - while Aino, foremost of the book's many strong, independent women, devotes herself to organizing the industry's first unions. As the Koski siblings strive to rebuild lives and families in an America in flux, they also try to hold fast to the traditions of a home they left behind.

Layered with fascinating historical detail, this is a novel that breathes deeply of the sun-dappled forest and bears witness to the stump-ridden fields the loggers, and the first waves of modernity, leave behind. At its heart, Deep River is an ambitious and timely exploration of the place of the individual, and of the immigrant, in an America still in the process of defining its own identity.

A Publishers Weekly Pick of Top Ten Books of Spring.

©2019 Karl Marlantes (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Bronson Pinchot delivers this sprawling, incandescent historical novel. His performance gives the mostly immigrant Finns' lives veracity and dignity.... Pinchot's twin gifts - an extraordinary ear for language and an actor's nuanced delivery - enliven the prose." (AudioFile Magazine)

Outstanding

I loved this book . I am married to a 100 percent Finn. His grandfather was active in union organizing in the early 1900’s in northern Mn. It helped me understand the struggles of all immigrants of that time. The reader got the accents perfectly!

Great Storytelling!

The character development is superb and the storylines are all engaging. The historical details and context draw parallels relevant to modern day crises. Thought provoking and entertaining, Deep River is an engaging family saga.

Enthralling Tale

I love how this story brings political and socioeconomic theory down to earth with real historical examples of how these theories effected people during the time period of the book.
The characters are full and well developed. I began to care for each of them right from the start, and the authors writing style is engaging and easy to follow. I also think the narrator did an excellent job.
I would recommend this book to historical fiction fans, as well as those who just love a great story.

Very engaging story

i loved this book. The heroine of the story was excruciatingly annoying and many times I thought I can't stand listening anymore. But I kept going and I'm glad I did.

Excellent

Wonderful writing with extensive research in history and culture. Particular history in the labor movement at the term of the century is illuminating.

Good story but REALLY LONG

I enjoy novels that tell a good story and also teach you some history that you had never known. This one did exactly that. You really start to care about the characters and feel anger over the injustices they suffered. My only complaint is that it was so long. But I stuck with it to the end so I guess that says something too.

Just plain wonderful!!!

Just plain wonderful! Yes, yes, yes, yes!!! More yes! More yes. More yes. 15 word min satisfied?

Expected more grittiness...

Some heart-stopping times, many of them based on historical events, occur in this story; however, they are related in the text and by the narrator in an understated, non-dramatic way. Maybe that's done deliberately in keeping with the Finnish and Swedish heritage of the characters? I was hoping that this epic story would pull more on the heartstrings.

That said, the setting and time period come alive, with wonderful details on the labor unrest of the early twentieth century, the difficulties faced by immigrants, the politics and intolerance of that era, and the logging and fishing industries in the Pacific Northwest. I sometimes wanted to shake the flawed main character, but many of the secondary characters are well-drawn and interesting.

Pulitzer candidate

Like "Grapes of Wrath", "In Dubious Battle", and "The Jungle" wrapped in "Angle of Repose" and "Big Rock Candy Mountain." And the dramatis persona of a classic Russian novel.

Excellent story. Good performance.

The story was fabulous. A bit of a romance-novel at times. But so much interesting history!!
The reading was good. All the different voices and accents made for challenging reading/listening. A disconnect between what was being said, and how it was said was noticed.