Synopses & Reviews
A panoramic and epic novel in the grand romantic style,
Push Not the River is the rich story of Poland in the late 1700s--a time of heartache and turmoil as the country's once peaceful people are being torn apart by neighboring countries and divided loyalties. It is then, at the young and vulnerable age of seventeen, when Lady Anna Maria Berezowska loses both of her parents and must leave the only home she has ever known.
With Empress Catherine's Russian armies streaming in to take their spoils, Anna is quickly thrust into a world of love and hate, loyalty and deceit, patriotism and treason, life and death. Even kind Aunt Stella, Anna's new guardian who soon comes to personify Poland's courage and spirit, can't protect Anna from the uncertain future of the country.
Anna, a child no longer, turns to love and comfort in the form of Jan, a brave patriot and architect of democracy, unaware that her beautiful and enigmatic cousin Zofia has already set her sights on the handsome young fighter. Thus Anna walks unwittingly into Zofia's jealous wrath and darkly sinister intentions.
Forced to survive several tragic events, many of them orchestrated by the crafty Zofia, a strengthened Anna begins to learn to place herself in the way of destiny--for love and for country. Heeding the proud spirit of her late father, Anna becomes a major player in the fight against the countries who come to partion her beloved Poland.
Push Not the River is based on the true eighteenth century diary of Anna Maria Berezowska, a Polish countess who lived through the rise and fall of the historic Third of May Constitution. Vivid, romantic, and thrillingly paced, it paints the emotional and unforgettable story of the metamorphosis of a nation--and of a proud and resilient young woman.
Review
"...River contains all the sweep and romance of the classic romantic epics...with a heroine who remains strong ...."(India Edghill, author of Queenmaker)
Review
"....The plot never lets up; it gallops at break-neck speed through a vividly portrayed historical landscape..." Jane Feather, bestselling author of Kissed by Shadows
Review
"....Push Not the River gives us a glimpse into the turbulent era of late eighteenth century Poland and its people." Jennifer Donnelly, author of The Tea Rose
Review
"Martin's novel transports the reader 200 years into Poland's glorious past....Push Not the River sings of a people's pride..." Jan Lorys, director of the Polish Museum of America
Review
"Holds readers because of the cast of well-developed characters and the need to see how Anna and her young son will survive." Library Journal
Review
"
Push Not the River contains all the sweep and romance of the classic romantic epics such as
Gone with the Wind and
Doctor Zhivago, with a heroine who remains strong in the face of both personal and political tragedy. An enthralling tale of courage, survival, and hope, Anna Maria's story is at once timeless and timely."
-India Edghill, author of Queenmaker
"Push Not the River is a wonderful epic historical saga in the grand romantic style. The plot never lets up; it gallops at break-neck speed through a vividly portrayed historical landscape, against which we see the triumphant transformation of Anna . . . into a strong and powerful woman."
-Jane Feather, bestselling author of Kissed by Shadows
"James Conroyd Martin's vivid historical novel captivates the reader with its sweeping depiction of a bygone society on the cusp of violent change. Combining politics with intrigue and romance, Push Not the River gives us a glimpse into the turbulent era of late eighteenth century Poland and its people. Aristocrats and peasants, patriots and traitors come alive in this story, and the Polish soul is beautifully illuminated through ancient myths, folkways, and wisdoms. With his juxtaposition of the personal and political, Martin weaves a compelling tale of transformation--both of a remarkable young woman and her remarkable nation."
-Jennifer Donnelly, author of The Tea Rose
"Martin's novel transports the reader two hundred years into Poland's glorious past, a world of castles and manor houses. One woman's life provides a metaphor for a country which--with the Third of May Constitution--was the first to attempt democratic reform in modern Europe. While the attempt failed, Push Not the River sings of a people's pride and indomitable hope."
-Jan Lorys, director of the Polish Museum of America
Review
1. The proverb “Push not the river: it will flow of its own accord” may be viewed as one of twin themes in the book. The other is expressed by Annas father: “Sometimes you must put yourself in the way of destiny.” How is the interplay of these two ideas illustrated in the story? Does one predominate?
2. The fate of ones country often influences the shaping of lives—and of characters. To what extent does Polands fate shape Anna? Zofia?
3. How is the theme of a nations survival against all odds highlighted by the lives of the characters?
4. Jan tells Anna his God is in the grass, grain, flowers, trees, and sky—and yet he is willing to convert to Catholicism for her sake. How is this reflective of his character?
5. Her intentions, schemes, and harmful actions notwithstanding, to what extent does Zofia display positive traits?
6. Crises in ones life create and strengthen character. Which events—loss of her parents, loss of Jan, an arranged marriage, Zofias schemes, Walters actions, foreign attack—affected Anna most in this way?
7. How does the theme of womens rights and roles come into play in this late-eighteenth-century European story? In what ways do the principal female characters—Anna, Zofia, Aunt Stella—underscore the theme?
8. Readers often divide ranks when considering Anna and Zofia. To whom were you drawn the most? Why? "...River contains all the sweep and romance of the classic romantic epics...with a heroine who remains strong ...." India Edghill, author of Queenmaker
About the Author
A native of Chicago,
James Conroyd Martin chairs the English Department at Marian High School, a well-known college-prep high school in Chicago Heights, Illinois. He holds degrees from St. Ambrose and DePaul Universities.
Reading Group Guide
A panoramic and epic novel in the grand romantic style,
Push Not the River is the rich story of Poland in the late 1700s--a time of heartache and turmoil as the country's once peaceful people are being torn apart by neighboring countries and divided loyalties. It is then, at the young and vulnerable age of seventeen, when Lady Anna Maria Berezowska loses both of her parents and must leave the only home she has ever known.
With Empress Catherine's Russian armies streaming in to take their spoils, Anna is quickly thrust into a world of love and hate, loyalty and deceit, patriotism and treason, life and death. Even kind Aunt Stella, Anna's new guardian who soon comes to personify Poland's courage and spirit, can't protect Anna from the uncertain future of the country.
Anna, a child no longer, turns to love and comfort in the form of Jan, a brave patriot and architect of democracy, unaware that her beautiful and enigmatic cousin Zofia has already set her sights on the handsome young fighter. Thus Anna walks unwittingly into Zofia's jealous wrath and darkly sinister intentions.
Forced to survive several tragic events, many of them orchestrated by the crafty Zofia, a strengthened Anna begins to learn to place herself in the way of destiny--for love and for country. Heeding the proud spirit of her late father, Anna becomes a major player in the fight against the countries who come to partion her beloved Poland.
Push Not the River is based on the true eighteenth century diary of Anna Maria Berezowska, a Polish countess who lived through the rise and fall of the historic Third of May Constitution. Vivid, romantic, and thrillingly paced, it paints the emotional and unforgettable story of the metamorphosis of a nation--and of a proud and resilient young woman.