Between the Rivers

I’ll be honest: I went into *Between the Rivers* expecting another plucky-woman-conquers-the-wilderness story, and what I got instead was a masterclass in how stubbornness can be both a superpower and a self-destruct button. Emma Sue Martin isn’t just determined—she’s *annoyingly* so, in the best possible way. There’s a scene early on where she refuses to abandon a half-drowned mule because “it’s the principle of the thing,” and that moment encapsulates everything I loved (and occasionally wanted to scream at) about this book. Johnson writes her like a real person: flawed, sometimes reckless, but never a cardboard cutout of female empowerment. The Virtual Voice narration takes some getting used to—it’s not the warm, expressive performance you’d hear from a seasoned actor, but there’s a strange appropriateness to its flat, almost detached tone. In a story where emotion is often a luxury no one can afford, the narration’s lack of melodrama weirdly works. That said, during quieter, more introspective moments, the robotic cadence can make it hard to connect with the deeper stakes. The book’s middle act drags a bit—there’s a stretch where the relentless cycle of hardship starts to feel repetitive, like a video game level that won’t end. But just when I was ready to tap out, Johnson throws in a twist that reframes everything, and suddenly the slog feels intentional. The production quality is solid, though the lack of ambient sound (even subtle background noise like wind or crackling fire) is a missed opportunity to immerse listeners in the setting. Still, the starkness fits the story’s tone. My biggest critique? The ending feels rushed, like Johnson hit his word count and wrapped things up with a bow that doesn’t quite match the book’s otherwise unflinching realism. But if you’re looking for a historical adventure that trades sentimentality for sweat, blood, and a protagonist who’s as likely to infuriate you as inspire you, *Between the Rivers* delivers. Just don’t listen to it on an empty stomach—the descriptions of salt pork and hardtack will haunt you.