I have picked this book up many times to read it, and always placed it back on the shelf, hearing the louder call of another book. But I am glad I accepted its invitation this time. This novel has some amazingly beautiful prose, and an interesting set of dilemmas about caring for others, nurturing one's own talents and art (as difficult as the call might be) and finding ways to love others wholeheartedly, flaws and all.

And I like books that make NJ sound like a haven. The river of the title is the Hudson River separating Manhattan from northern New Jersey. As the 2 main characters live on either side of the river, they imagine seeing one another amidst the twinkling lights of evening. ( )

Eh. Morton writes well and the plot has potential but somehow put together it's quite boring. I gave it 3 stars instead of 2.5 only because I really do think his writing is quite lovely at times. ( )

A slightly dull novel about two people who never do get together, or maybe they do. I didn't really care. His writing seems slightly trivial and his plots are uninteresting to me. ( )

In A Window Across The River, Brian Morton explored the themes of love and art. Nora was a freelance writer who possessed a “goblin” – all of her best stories were based on the weaknesses of her loved ones. She did not know how to write about their strengths – only their tragic flaws. Moreover, because of this goblin, Nora was torn between caring for people and writing. In the words of the author, she could not decide if she was Virginia Woolf or Florence Nightingale.

This conundrum was compounded when Nora began dating her former lover, Isaac. Isaac was a photographer who was working as a photo editor for a newspaper. While enjoying the security of a steady paycheck, Isaac felt that he sold himself short and was making attempts to re-enter the world of photography. His self-esteem took many roller-coaster turns – all providing fuel for Nora’s imagination.

Inevitably, Nora began writing about Isaac. She knew it was a brilliant story, but what price would she pay for her art? If she was attentive to Isaac, his confidence soared – which resulted in small successes for his career. When she turned to writing, Isaac suffered, but Nora blossomed as a writer. It was a tragic cycle.

A Window Across The River was a quick read and quite enjoyable. I loved the tug-of-war match between these lovers and their art. They couldn’t flourish as lovers and artists together, and as I read each page, I wondered who would make the sacrifice. I was disappointed with the ending and some of the editing (for example, one of the characters ate a pretzel before having surgery). Overall, though, I found this book to be entertaining and telling. If you like a quick but thought-provoking love story, then I would highly recommend A Window Across The River to you. ( )

Odd love story ( )