Go As a River Summary, Characters and Themes

Go As a River by Shelley Read, published in 2023, is a historical fiction novel set in the 1960s in Iola, a mountain town in Colorado destined to be submerged by the Blue Mesa Dam. The narrative centers on Victoria Nash, a young peach farmer who endures profound personal losses while witnessing the displacement of her community. 

As she grapples with love, betrayal, and survival, the story delves into themes of resilience and the deep connection to land and heritage. This debut novel has garnered international acclaim and is set to be adapted into a film.

Summary

In 1948, Victoria Nash, a 17-year-old girl living on her family’s peach farm in Iola, encounters a stranger on the road, Wilson Moon, who introduces himself as Wil. He is an Indigenous American who has recently escaped a harsh life in Durango’s coal mines. 

Despite the differences in their backgrounds, Victoria is drawn to Wil, and they form a connection. However, their relationship faces immediate hostility from Victoria’s brother, Seth, who harbors deep-seated racial prejudices.

After a heated altercation between Seth and Wil, tensions escalate in the small town. Wil becomes the target of widespread bigotry, falsely accused of theft and relentlessly pursued by Seth and other men who want to harm him. Fearing for his life, Wil goes into hiding, but he continues to meet Victoria in secret, deepening their bond.

Their relationship blossoms, and Wil becomes Victoria’s first lover. However, their happiness is short-lived. Wil suddenly disappears, and Victoria’s worst fears are realized when she learns that her brother has returned home covered in blood. Soon after, the town discovers the brutalized body of an Indigenous boy, presumed to be Wil, but the crime goes uninvestigated due to the pervasive racism of the era.

Months later, Victoria discovers she is pregnant with Wil’s child. Terrified that her brother or the townspeople might harm her baby, she flees to Wil’s secluded hut in the wilderness to give birth. 

After a challenging delivery, she revives her seemingly stillborn son using a technique Wil had taught her. But with no resources and weakened from childbirth, Victoria and her newborn begin to starve. 

In desperation, she leaves the baby in a car belonging to a couple she finds picnicking in the woods, hoping they will take him in. They do, leaving a single peach behind as a sign that they have found the child.

Victoria, now alone, returns to the family farm, only to find that her father is dying, and Seth has left town. After her father’s death, Victoria discovers he turned Seth in for Wil’s murder, but Seth was released due to insufficient evidence. 

Isolated and grieving, Victoria maintains the peach farm until news arrives that Iola will be flooded to create a reservoir. She decides to sell the farm and relocates the family’s peach trees to a new valley in Paonia, defying the townspeople’s scorn.

Years later, Victoria remains haunted by the memory of her abandoned son. She regularly visits the spot where she left him, creating a memorial with stones. After 20 years, she finds a letter from the woman who adopted her son, revealing that his name is Lukas. 

The letter explains how Lukas discovered the truth about his origins and left to fight in the Vietnam War, leaving his adoptive mother desperate to reconnect with him. Finally, Victoria gathers the courage to meet Lukas. 

The novel concludes with their reunion, as mother and son take tentative steps toward each other, hinting at the possibility of reconciliation and healing.

Characters

Victoria Nash

Victoria Nash is the protagonist of “Go As a River.” Her character is central to the novel’s exploration of displacement, loss, and resilience. As a 17-year-old, Victoria is introduced as a dutiful daughter and hardworking peach farmer. She lives in a male-dominated household where her role is largely defined by her ability to serve her volatile father and brother.

However, her encounter with Wilson Moon catalyzes a profound transformation in her life. The relationship with Wil, which begins with an intense but forbidden attraction, propels Victoria into a journey of self-discovery and defiance.

Her character is marked by a quiet strength and an unyielding will to survive, even in the face of immense personal tragedy. The loss of Wil, the abandonment of her child, and the eventual destruction of her hometown through the dam project all shape Victoria into a figure of resilience.

Despite these hardships, she retains a deep connection to her land and heritage. This connection is symbolized by her decision to transplant her family’s peach trees to a new location.

Her journey towards reconciliation with her past, particularly in her decision to meet Lukas, her son, in the novel’s closing, signifies her enduring hope and capacity for love, even after years of pain.

Wilson Moon (Wil)

Wil is an Indigenous American traveler whose brief yet significant relationship with Victoria forms the emotional core of the novel. Wil embodies themes of racial injustice, displacement, and the search for identity.

His background as a coal miner and his status as a drifter reflect the limited opportunities and systemic racism faced by Indigenous people in mid-20th century America. Wil’s gentle demeanor and profound connection to nature stand in stark contrast to the brutality and prejudice he encounters in Iola.

His love for Victoria is portrayed as pure and transformative, yet it also places him in danger due to the deep-seated racism of the town. Wil’s tragic fate—being hunted and killed because of his race—serves as a powerful commentary on the violence inflicted upon marginalized communities.

His memory, however, lives on through Victoria and their son Lukas. Wil becomes a symbol of enduring love and resilience in the face of oppression.

Seth Nash

Seth Nash, Victoria’s younger brother, is a complex character defined by his volatility, deep-seated insecurities, and the influence of a racist and patriarchal environment. Seth’s alcoholism and violent tendencies are symptomatic of the toxic masculinity that permeates the Nash household.

His hostility towards Wil is driven by both racial prejudice and a desire to assert his dominance, reflecting the societal attitudes of the time. Seth’s role in Wil’s death, though he is not the direct killer, reveals the extent to which he is complicit in the violence that ultimately shatters his family.

His relationship with Victoria is fraught with tension. She represents both a sibling and a moral counterpoint to his destructive behavior. Seth’s eventual departure from Iola, following his father’s betrayal and the collapse of the family unit, marks the end of his influence over Victoria’s life. This allows her to break free from the oppressive environment in which she was raised.

Forrest Davis

Forrest Davis is a farmhand who works on the Nash family farm and becomes an accomplice in the murder of Wil. His character represents the more insidious forms of racism that permeate the community. Violence against marginalized individuals is normalized and even encouraged.

Unlike Seth, who is driven by personal vendettas, Davis’s actions seem to stem from a broader societal acceptance of racial violence. His involvement in Wil’s murder and the subsequent lack of accountability reflect the systemic injustices that allow such crimes to go unpunished.

Davis’s character serves as a foil to Wil, highlighting the deep moral divide between those who perpetuate violence and those who fall victim to it.

Inga

Inga is the woman who adopts Victoria’s son after she leaves him in the woods. Her character is essential to the novel’s exploration of motherhood, identity, and the complexities of love. Inga represents the maternal figure that Victoria could not be for her son, providing him with a stable home and upbringing.

However, her decision to withhold the truth about Lukas’s origins from him until he is an adult creates a rift between them. This illustrates the challenges and ethical dilemmas of adoptive motherhood.

Inga’s letter to Victoria is a poignant moment in the novel. It reveals her desperation and regret over the choices she made, as well as her deep love for Lukas. Through Inga, the novel examines the different forms that motherhood can take and the sacrifices and decisions that define a mother’s love.

Lukas

Lukas, the son of Victoria and Wil, is a character who represents the intersection of past and present, and the potential for healing and reconciliation. Although he is absent for much of the novel, his presence is felt through Victoria’s memories and her enduring hope that he is alive and well.

Lukas’s decision to join the army after discovering the truth about his origins reflects his struggle with identity and belonging. These themes are central to the novel.

His appearance at the end of the novel, as a young man who bears a striking resemblance to Wil, is a powerful symbol of continuity and the enduring legacy of his parents’ love. 

Lukas’s reunion with Victoria offers a glimmer of hope and redemption, suggesting that even after years of separation and hardship, it is possible to rebuild connections and move forward.

Victoria’s Father

Victoria’s father is a stern and controlling figure, embodying the harshness of life in a patriarchal, rural society. His character is defined by his rigid adherence to traditional values, particularly in his role as the head of the Nash family.

His treatment of Victoria and his deep-seated racism contribute to the oppressive environment in which she grows up. 

His eventual betrayal of Seth, by turning him in to the authorities for Wil’s murder, reveals a complex moral code that is influenced by both personal and societal pressures.

His death marks the end of an era for Victoria, allowing her to step out of his shadow and begin to forge her own path.

Ruby-Alice

Ruby-Alice is a minor character who plays a significant role in providing shelter to Wil and helping to conceal his presence in Iola. She is portrayed as an eccentric figure, shunned by the townspeople due to rumors of mental illness.

However, her actions reveal a deep sense of compassion and solidarity with those who are marginalized. Ruby-Alice’s character challenges the stigma associated with mental illness and demonstrates the importance of empathy and support in a community that is otherwise hostile and intolerant.

Themes

Displacement and Loss

One of the central themes of “Go As a River” is displacement, both literal and metaphorical. The physical displacement of the town of Iola, which is flooded due to the construction of the Blue Mesa Dam, mirrors the emotional and psychological displacement experienced by Victoria Nash.

As a young woman who loses her family, her lover, and ultimately her home, Victoria embodies the profound sense of loss that pervades the novel. The destruction of Iola and the forced relocation of its residents represent the broader impacts of progress and modernization on rural, multigenerational communities.

The novel poignantly captures the pain of losing a place that is not just a physical home but a repository of memories, identity, and heritage. This displacement is also reflected in Victoria’s internal journey as she struggles to find a place where she belongs after losing everything familiar to her.

Racism and Injustice

Racism and the resulting injustice are significant themes explored through the character of Wilson Moon and his tragic fate. Wil, an Indigenous American, faces severe prejudice and hostility from the predominantly white townspeople of Iola.

The novel exposes the systemic racism of mid-20th century America, particularly in rural communities, where Indigenous people and other minorities were often dehumanized and denied basic rights. 

Wil’s experiences—from being falsely accused of theft to being hunted and ultimately murdered—highlight the brutal reality of racial violence.

This theme is also intertwined with the legacy of colonialism, as the novel shows how Indigenous people continue to suffer from the historical traumas inflicted upon their communities. 

The lack of justice for Wil’s murder, and the townspeople’s casual indifference to his death, underscore the deep-seated racial inequalities of the time.

Through Wil’s character and his relationship with Victoria, the novel challenges readers to confront the painful history of racism in America and its enduring consequences.

Love and Forbidden Relationships

The theme of love, particularly forbidden love, is central to the novel. Victoria and Wil’s relationship is fraught with danger and social taboo, reflecting the racial and cultural divides of the era.

Their love is depicted as a powerful, transformative force, but it is also one that is doomed by the prejudices and violent realities of the world they inhabit. 

The novel explores the complexities of their relationship, showing how love can transcend societal boundaries but also how it can be tragically constrained by them.

Victoria’s love for Wil is sincere and deep, yet it leads to significant sacrifices and suffering. The forbidden nature of their relationship also emphasizes the theme of isolation, as they must hide their love from the world, leading to a sense of alienation for both characters.

Despite the pain and loss associated with their love, the novel suggests that it is a crucial part of Victoria’s personal growth and understanding of herself and the world.

Survival and Resilience

Victoria’s journey is one of survival against overwhelming odds, reflecting the theme of resilience. After losing Wil, her baby, and her family, Victoria is left to fend for herself in a world that seems intent on breaking her spirit.

Her decision to run away to the wilderness to give birth and her later efforts to continue her family’s legacy of peach farming demonstrate her inner strength and determination. The novel portrays her as a resilient figure who, despite being battered by life’s tragedies, refuses to give up.

The transplantation of her family’s peach trees to a new location symbolizes this resilience. It represents both a literal and metaphorical act of survival—preserving a piece of her past while adapting to the future.

Her annual pilgrimage to the site where she abandoned her child further illustrates her enduring hope and capacity for endurance, even in the face of despair. Victoria’s resilience is ultimately what allows her to seek reconciliation with her past and move toward healing.

The Legacy of Colonialism

“Go As a River” delves into the theme of colonialism and its lasting impacts, particularly on Indigenous communities. Through Wil’s character and his tragic fate, the novel critiques the enduring effects of colonialism in America, including the dispossession of land, cultural erasure, and the systemic oppression of Indigenous people.

The flooding of Iola to create the Blue Mesa Reservoir serves as a metaphor for the broader erasure of Indigenous histories and the disruption of natural landscapes by colonial and later industrial forces. Wil’s status as a “drifter” and the townspeople’s casual racism reflect the marginalization of Indigenous people, who are portrayed as outsiders in their own land.

The novel raises important questions about the costs of progress and who bears the brunt of these developments, suggesting that the legacy of colonialism continues to shape the lives of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous characters in complex ways.

Identity and Belonging

The theme of identity and belonging is intricately woven throughout the novel, particularly in Victoria’s search for a place where she feels at home. Her journey is one of self-discovery, as she grapples with the loss of her family, her lover, and her child. These challenges force her to confront her sense of who she is and where she belongs.

The novel explores how identity is shaped by both personal experiences and broader social forces, such as family heritage, cultural expectations, and historical legacies. For Victoria, the act of cultivating her family’s peach trees becomes a way to reclaim her identity and assert her connection to her past, even as she is forced to leave her ancestral home.

The theme of belonging is also explored through the character of Lukas. After learning the truth about his origins, Lukas must navigate his own complex sense of identity.

The novel ultimately suggests that belonging is not tied to a specific place but rather to the relationships and connections we forge with others, and the ways in which we come to terms with our past.

The Natural World

The natural world plays a significant thematic role in “Go As a River,” serving as both a setting and a symbol throughout the novel. The Colorado landscape, with its rugged mountains, flowing rivers, and fertile valleys, is depicted as a place of both beauty and danger.

Nature is a constant presence in Victoria’s life, shaping her experiences and reflecting her inner emotions. The seasonal cycles of the peach farm, the wilderness where she gives birth, and the reservoir that eventually floods her hometown all serve as metaphors for the cycles of life, death, and rebirth.

The novel portrays nature as a force that is both nurturing and indifferent, capable of sustaining life but also of overwhelming and destroying it. This duality is reflected in Victoria’s relationship with the land—she finds solace and purpose in tending to her peach trees, yet she is also subject to the forces of nature that lie beyond her control.

The natural world, in its vastness and unpredictability, becomes a backdrop against which the human dramas of love, loss, and survival play out.