Three Rivers Rising

Richards, Jame. Three Rivers Rising: A Novel of the Johnstown Flood. New York: Knopf Books for Young Adults, 2010. 306 p.

 

Setting in 1888-1889, Three Rivers Rising follows 16-year-old Celestia as she stumbles into love with Peter, a hired hand from Johnstown and a world away from Celestia’s high-society lifestyle.  Knowing she would be disowned, Celestia and Peter keep their love secret, for as long as they can.  But late 19^th Century women at the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club are known gossipers and soon she and Peter are making tough decisions.  Meanwhile, readers are introduced to Moira, a young girl with a husband and young children, Kate, a widow-turned-nurse, and love-struck Peter, through alternating point-of-view chapters. It is not until the dam breaks due to torrential rain and man’s own hubris that the cities in the valley south of the hunting club enter the history books as being the site of one of the worst man-caused floods in American history.

Written in verse form with alternating chapters, Three Rivers Rising has, structurally, built-in positives and negatives.  For readers that enjoy verse form or reading chapters from various characters’ point-of-view, Jame Richards’ book is a true delight.  With plenty of details related to the time period and the culture of both Celestia’s social class and Peter’s are made clear to the reader.  Delightfully romantic, readers care about all the characters in the novel, even if they are less involved like Celestia’s older sister.

A weakness within the novel is that the romantic storyline and verse usage is seen as traditionally female.  With all of these romantic undertones, it may be difficult to get YA boys interested in the work.  While historically accurate (Notes and references are located at the end of the novel), it may not be enough to get the boys to pick up the novel and stick with it.

For young adults, Three Rivers Rising is an enjoyable read that highlights a piece of history that is often forgotten for those outside the Johnstown, Pennsylvania area.  The characters are relatable, and that gives the novel power.  For a genre that can be difficult to sell young adults on, Three Rivers Rising has a lot of elements that may make it a winner amongst the younger crowd.