River's Song is an enchanting read that took this midwestern reader to a new setting, somewhat reminsicent of 1950's and 1960's northern Wisconsin. Anna Larson has returned to the coast of Oregon to deal with her parent's closed up "Mom and Pop" store at the Siuslaw River's edge following her mother's death. For years, Anna has stayed away from her childhood home to shelter her mother from the reality that Anna is trapped in a joyless life orchestrated by her domineering, bigoted mother-in-law. For the first time in decades, Anna feels hope and peace as she spends time on the river. Quickly her life becomes populated with supportive friends, old and new, and with their assistance Anna decides to transform the abandoned store into The Inn at Shining Water. Carlson skillfully uses the relationship between Anna and the minor characters to unravel the story of Anna's heritage as a Siuslaw Indian, her tragic marriage to a rich, impulsive white man, and the bigotry she's faced at her mother-in-law's hand since her young husband's death. Being already deceased, Anna's mother and grandmother are two of the most richly developed characters in the story. You'll feel their presence and their values behind every one of Anna's choices.

I plan to read the next book in this series when it is published, and now that I've read more than one book by Melody Carlson, I'll be watching to see her other endeavors. There are issues in this book, such as forgiveness, bigotry, and second chances that would make the book suitable for a book club, but it is not a deep, deep novel. It is more a light read with room for thought.