In the Heart of the Canyon

In the Heart of the Canyon by Elisabeth Hyde (2009)

Reader's Annotation

Over the course of thirteen days, twelve passengers, three rafting guides and a stray dog together run the rapids of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.

Summary

J.T. Maroney has made 124 trips down the Colorado River, but one thing he accepts is that you're never completely in control, not of the river and not of the people you're guiding. No matter how good you are, how carefully you plan, circumstances can always throw you a curve. A stray dog, two mischievous boys, a know-it-all, an Alzheimer's case, and a teenage girl in a delicate condition ensure that this is one trip that does not go according to plan.

Evaluation

I enjoyed this book. The descriptions of life on the river were vivid and of running the rapids exciting and involving. They matched my own experiences of day trips white-water rafting. The characters were well drawn and interesting. It took me a little while to get them all straight but really no more so than if I'd gone on a rafting trip with 14 other people myself. The author did a good job of helping me get to know the characters and of differentiating them as individuals. I enjoyed the way she gradually built up suspense as one seemingly minor  problem after another came into play until it seemed certain that they would combine together into a perfect storm. And I especially enjoyed the mystery of Amy's pregnancy—all the clues were there to figure it out.

I'm not sure what I'd recommend to someone else who liked this book (besides another book by Elisabeth Hyde), but I think I'd like to try There's This River... Grand Canyon Boatman Stories edited by Christa Sadler.

Genres: Adventure
Subgenres: