Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell

I've been busy watching hurricane Irene and building a deck.  But I could not put Once Upon a River down.  We are introduced to Margo, the daughter of an illegitimate son of the all-powerful, all-encompassing Murray clan.  They live on a tributary of the Kalamazoo River in southwestern Michigan.  Margo's mother has left home, and Margo is raised by her loving, but inept, father.  She spends her life along the river.  After a tragic incident during a family gathering, Margo leaves home in her late grandfather's teak boat, and begins a search for her mother.  Along the way, is loved, used and abused by various men. 

Bonnie Jo Campbell has captured a type of person who, while outwardly self-sufficient, is not self-aware.  Her physical travels parallel her mental growth so that she eventually finds herself. Margo's bittersweet story grips you from beginning to end.