What the River Knows

Ibañez draws upon multiple genres to craft a young adult historical fiction novel full of mystery, adventure, and romance. The story takes place in Argentina and Egypt in 1884 and examines the impact of Britain’s colonization of Egypt, particularly with regards to the field of archaeology. The novel’s romance follows the rivals-to-lovers trope. In keeping with this trope, Inez and Whitford Hayes’s first meeting is marked by tension and opposing aims. They immediately get off on the wrong foot because his employer, Ricardo, has sent him to end Inez’s investigation in Egypt before it begins. She sees Whit as a rival because he shares in Ricardo’s secrets and adventures while her uncle treats her like an unwelcome intruder: “Tío Ricardo might refuse to speak with me. He might send me away in front of all these people—in front of Mr. Hayes, who clearly belonged when I didn’t” (54). As the novel continues, Inez develops feelings for Whit even as she questions whether she can truly trust him.

As befits the protagonist of a mystery and adventure story, Inez demonstrates boldness and curiosity. The novel quickly establishes these traits when she runs away from home and sails to a country she’s never visited before to find out what happened to her parents. Her need for the truth fuels her determination: “More than anything, I wanted to know what was worth their lives. If they thought of me at all. If they missed me” (27). While Inez’s understanding of the truth changes dramatically over the course of the novel, the persistence with which she seeks answers remains consistent.

The first section also begins to develop some of the most important supporting characters. The Prologue introduces the relatives Inez lives with in Buenos Aires, Tía Lorena and her two cousins. The protagonist is closest to her cousin Elvira, who is like a little sister to her: “Elvira hastened her step, following at my heels. It was an accurate picture of our relationship. She was forever trying to tag along” (7). Elvira’s characterization as an adoring tagalong foreshadows her ill-fated decision to follow her cousin to Egypt later in the story. Other important characters include Mr. Basil Sterling, who steals Inez’s ring, and Ricardo and Whit, who stand in the way of her goals as well. The protagonist’s uncle is a man of secrets and seeming contradictions: “He thrived in academia, quite at home in a library, but was scrappy enough to survive a bar fight” (20). In a similarly contradictory manner, he expects Inez to respect his wishes while withholding the truth from her. At the beginning of the novel, Inez has more opponents than allies.

The beginning of the protagonist’s journey introduces the novel’s three major themes. Inez’s character arc is intertwined with Living with Grief and Loneliness. She has spent nearly half of her life apart from her parents, and their absence pains her greatly, as is shown when she imagines receiving permission to join them in Egypt: “Yes, Inez, you can finally see what we do in the desert, and why we love it so much—more than spending time with you” (6). Inez loves her parents and wants them to love her, but she is also angry at them for neglecting her. After the news of her parents’ deaths, Inez struggles to bear her loneliness and accept that she will never achieve her dreams of being with them.

The novel also explores The Perils of Extending and Withholding Trust. The characters create a number of problems for themselves by withholding information from one another. For example, Ricardo knows that Inez’s parents didn’t die in the desert, but he concocts the lie in an attempt to spare her feelings. His plan backfires by causing Inez to view him as an obstacle rather than an ally. However, trusting the wrong person is equally dangerous. As the novel continues, Inez struggles to determine whom she can trust.

Third, the novel’s setting in late 19th-century Egypt introduces the theme of Power Dynamics and Colonialism. Inez arrives in an Alexandria that still bears the scars of Britain’s 1882 bombardment: “I gestured to the crumbled buildings, the piles of jagged stone, the builders trying to put the port back together after what Britain had done” (23). Because of colonization, Europeans like Monsieur Maspero decide who can excavate dig sites, and many priceless artifacts are smuggled and bought by foreigners while Egyptians like Abdullah are denied a say in the government of their own nation and the preservation of their history.

The novel uses symbols, motifs, and literary devices to further develop the themes and characters. The gold ring serves as a motif of the theme of trust because Inez’s father entrusts it to her rather than her mother or her uncle. The roses that Inez tastes when she wears the ring symbolize Cleopatra, as hinted by Inez’s visions. One recurring literary device is foreshadowing. For example, the novel also foreshadows Whit’s rank through his aristocratic mannerisms: “He was lounging on that sofa as if at any moment someone were going to feed him with a silver spoon” (73). Inez is from a privileged background herself, and she recognizes the signs of wealth and status in his bearing, but she doesn’t yet know that he is a lord. In addition, the novel frequently employs similes, as in this passage describing Inez’s grief for her parents: “This trip would mark many such firsts, things I thought I would have experienced with them. My heart snagged, as if caught on a splinter” (41). This simile conveys the pain Inez feels in her parents’ absence, developing the theme of living with grief and loneliness. As the novel continues, Inez’s grief and need for answers compel her to continue her investigation despite the dangers she encounters.