There’s just no way to properly review Wally Lamb's "The Waiting River." I’m not okay. Seriously, I am NOT okay. My friends warned me it would wreck me, but that wasn’t enough. This book will stay with me forever. If you're looking for a powerfully moving read, especially if you enjoy Wally Lamb's other work, prepare yourself. "The Waiting River" is an unforgettable experience.

Okay, unpopular opinion incoming: I found The Waiting River to be utterly insufferable.I think Wally Lamb wanted me to sympathize with the father, but from page one, he was just…awful. He did terrible things and only seemed concerned with how they impacted *him*. Even the rare moments when he’d randomly burst into tears felt forced and self-serving. I just felt a complete lack of genuine emotion from him and the whole situation. Everything he did, even when it seemed like the right thing, felt l...

I'm a Nana to four grandkids, including identical twins, and my youngest is almost two years old.So, saying that reading the graphic details of a truly horrific event was difficult is a massive understatement. Honestly, some things are better left to the reader's imagination. We really don't need all those gruesome details.Then, Wally Lamb tries to steer us down a path where we're supposed to feel empathy for Corby.Sorry, but Corby showed his true colors way before the awful event, and I have ab...

I'm tapping out at 30%. The characters feel completely fake, and Corbie makes me want to reach into the book and… well, let's just not mention the political potshots the author takes that I disagree with! It's totally out of place in *The Waiting River*. Honestly, as far as book reviews go, this one's a hard pass.

The Waiting River started off strong—I was hooked from page one and thought I was in for a fantastic read. But the middle section really dragged, bogged down with scenes that felt pointless and did nothing to advance the story.By the time I reached the ending of The Waiting River, it felt like the plot had been sidelined in favor of Wally Lamb's political agenda. It came across as heavy-handed and preachy, and the reliance on stereotypes and political commentary throughout the book really detrac...

This starts off with a tragedy that will make your jaw drop. Intense. Seriously, prepare yourself.Life can be brutal. Losing your job, suddenly having twins to care for, a marriage you thought was rock solid... Everything can change in the blink of an eye, as Corby discovers in the most horrific way possible. Then life just becomes tragically unfair.This is a story steeped in addiction, raw pain, and profound grief. A life spent behind bars. But it’s also a testament to the incredible power of h...

DNF at page 143. I know my rating and thoughts won't reflect the majority of readers of Wally Lamb's *The Waiting River*, but this is an opinion site, right? I respect Wally Lamb as a writer, especially given the accolades for his past books, so please don't think I'm bashing his skills when I say I expected more from such an experienced author. The problems I have are as follows: (1) The main character, Corby (Corbin Ledbetter), is one of the most annoying characters I've ever read. And that...

Heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, tragic, thought-provoking, and impossible to put down! Wally Lamb's *The Waiting River* put me and its characters through an emotional wringer. *The Waiting River* explores themes of guilt, loss, addiction, anger, blame, forgiveness, bullying, choices, and redemption. It also delves into the complexities of marriage. This is not an easy read, not at all. It's the kind of book that pulls your heart out and stomps all over it. Yet, it's written and told so beautifully...

OMG! This is one of those profoundly haunting books with a devastatingly powerful narrative that lingers long after you turn the final page. It’s not just a hard read—it’s an emotionally gut-wrenching experience that forces you to confront humanity’s darkest corners. The raw portrayal of crime, the flaws of the justice system, the brutality of prison life, and the complexity of redemption make this book an unforgettable journey. But at its heart, this is a story about empathy—about facing your o...

I waited NINE YEARS for this?!?!?!?!?! WTF? I seriously cannot believe Wally Lamb wrote this. Like many women of a certain age (perimenopausal age, to be exact), She’s Come Undone was a coming-of-age game-changer of a novel for me, and one that I would never dare to pick up again at the risk of it possibly not standing the test of time. I Know This Much Is True was a huge winner for me as well, and I have no idea why I haven’t ever gotten around to The Hour I First Believed because I own it (...