Narrow River, Wide Sky by Jenny Forrester is an impressive debut. Her story is raw, truthful and unflinching. Her narrative flows back and forth in both time and place. Forrester’s sense of place is beautifully written and with a finely wrought depiction of Southwest Colorado.
Forrester’s story begins during an exchange with her brother, Brian, near the Eagle River. They are trying to agree on a final resting place for their mother. The 20-something siblings have had their differences but must work together and make this final decision for their mom.
The story then returns to the days of their youth. They lived near Vail with both of their parents. Forrester’s father was a hard man. He put down others who he felt were not worthy. Things went badly for the family after a while, and their father moved out. A divorce followed with the attendant shame. The small family moved off to Mancos in SouthwestColorado.
Mancos, Colorado, is a small community where everybody knows everybody’s business, and a single woman with two children didn’t rank high on the social scale. There was an expectation of strict adherence to traditional roles. The residents ranged from Native American and Mexican American, to long-established ranching families, and also Mormons and Republicans. The family was labeled “trailer trash” by the small, insular community because they lived frugally in a two bedroom, single-wide trailer.
Forrester endured sexual abuse, bullying and judgment from both her contemporaries and adults. As a child, Forrester was deemed oversensitive and soft. She battled weight issues, but hit her stride, literally, in high school, winning a state title in track. She suffered from poor self-image, which led her to make many poor choices. Her promiscuity drew her into abusive relationships with men with no good futures ahead of them. She went to University of Colorado on a full scholarship, but she dropped out and returned to Mancos.
One of her most important relationships was with her mother, who was raised in Minnesota but moved West and married Forrester’s father. Her mother was an unusual woman, quoting religious phrases, working hard, but not giving Forrester a lot of positive support. There was love, though, and it was that knowledge that helped sustain Forrester. At the time her death, Forrester’s mom had became an ESL teacher at Edwards Elementary School. It was a powerful achievement, especially for a woman with the odds stacked against her.
Forrester is a fierce survivor, who appears to have found a sense of purpose with her work protecting women, their rights and safety. She seems comfortable with herself and radiants self-acceptance. She has also gained a sense of belonging with her own family, husband Ron, and daughter, Chiara, who are firmly in her corner.
The author has created a work that celebrates the sense of place, especially the American West. She illustrates the characteristic strengths and weaknesses of rural, insular communities and how they shape the young with their expectations. Families can be torn apart or fused together under the watchful eyes of the community. This fascinating view of Western life is ably portrayed by Forrester’s fine writing. It should be interesting to see what topic she takes on next.
Forrester currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Ron.
Leslie Doran is a retired teacher, freelance writer and former New Mexican who claims Durango as her forever home.
If you go
What: Author Jenny Forrester will discuss her book Narrow River, Wide Sky.
When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Where: Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.
More information: Visit http://www.mariasbookshop.com/jenny-forrester.
