The Eyes of River by Cindy K. Sproles

In this masterfully crafted, and emotionally rich Appalachian novel, author Cindy Sproles, born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains, reveals her intimate knowledge of and compassion for the people living in that area and dealing with the social, economic, and spiritual struggles of their communities in the early 1900s.

In an author note, Sproles points out that her novel is grounded in two historical facts. First, at that time in American history, a child could be “mailed,” with sufficient postage and under the care of a postal worker, on a train from one location to another. Second, Sproles deals with the tragic, evil practice of stealing and trafficking mountain children to be sold to wealthy families in cities.

In 1913 Holden’s Gap, Tenn., 17-year-old Lizzy Haney is desperate to save her 9-year-old brother River from the murderous intentions of their alcoholic, gambling father, even as she struggles to understand the reasons for his hatred of both of them. After her mother, Ada, dies of causes no one wants to publicly reveal, Lizzy knows she must act quickly to save River. With the help of a postal worker, she “mails” River by train to Ada’s best friend in Knoxville. Afterward, she’s overcome by confusion and regret. What has she done? What if River doesn’t arrive safely?

Lizzy’s anxiety is exacerbated when she is framed for the murder of two men and learns that River never arrived in Knoxville. Lizzy feels completely alone, shut off from hope and unsure of what to do next. When 18-year-old Alton, her old schoolmate and the son of the local sheriff, befriends her, she pushes him away. After all, she’s never had a reason to trust anyone.

When Alton persists in helping Lizzy, the unlikely pair are launched on a perilous journey on which Lizzy grapples with the words her mother often spoke: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32, KJV). What did her mother mean by those words? And what truth will ultimately set her free?

As the hard facts of River’s and her histories are finally exposed, Lizzy’s world is shattered. Even so, she experiences reasons for hope in Alton’s love, the sheriff’s help, the sanctuary of new friends, and in her newfound understanding of God’s love, saving grace, and healing power in her situation that seems beyond redemption—but is not.

The Eyes of River is a profoundly satisfying read that realistically and unflinchingly looks at the world’s ills in light of God’s justice and mercy. (Kregel)