The historical facts behind this novel are fascinating from the tuberculosis sanatorium in Mammoth Cave to Stephen Bishop, the enslaved explorer who guided tourists and scientists through the cave's passageways. I wish Stephen Bishop had been the main character, but I liked Elias and found his struggles and inner dialogue believable. The plot kept plenty of suspense and adventure in the story and prevented it from becoming a dry historical recounting of events.
River Runs Deep b y Jennifer Bradbury
4th - 6th Grade
Tags: Adventure, Historical Fiction, People of Color