The River Flows On - Ivan Watson

The River Flows On is a story of two places-Guyana and Brooklyn, US. It sets out the tale of the main character, a young man born into a riverain family with a rich heritage, who is conflicted about his family and the river and delves into his relationships and actions that culminate into a downward spiral. The struggle to survive in both places and a small part of the unheralded and oftentimes overlooked narrative of many Caribbean immigrants in their quest for a better life in the US are essential to the telling of this story.

The river is ever present in one way or another in the life of our main character, despite his ambivalence. The promise of his poetic talent and the affection and love from others breathe energy into his characterization.

Finally, the contrasting outcomes for the featured actors in The River Flows On is a study in the vagaries and seeming contradictions of life that are, at times, confusing and incomprehensible. For some, the river is just another body of water flowing to the Atlantic; for others, it represents a vital, living creation of endless virtue to be tapped for all time.