What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedNot a River
Selva Almada · Book · 2024
If you loved Not a River, start with The North Water (Andrew Haigh, 2021) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Not a River across media.
What hooked you in Not a River was the way rural isolation and raw masculinity collide to expose the hidden violence simmering within stagnant, unforgiving landscapes.
Films on the same thread
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Olivia Newman · Film · 2026
Explores: Grief and healing, Intergenerational friendship, Hidden secrets.
Like Not a River, this story explores how grief and the weight of the past linger in quiet, overlooked places, eventually forcing characters to confront their own internal landscapes.
A River Runs Through It
Film · 1992
Explores: Brotherhood, Family Dynamics, Nature.
Both Not a River and this film use the act of fishing as a meditative yet tense backdrop for examining complex, unspoken bonds between men in rural settings.
I'm Still Here
Walter Salles · Film · 2024
Explores: Military Dictatorship, Political Intrigue, Forced Adaptation.
You will find the same atmospheric dread and sense of forced adaptation in this drama that permeates the heavy, heat-drenched atmosphere of Not a River during moments of crisis.
Deliverance
John Boorman · Film · 1972
Shares a thread with Not a River: Masculinity.
This film captures the same primal, unsettling confrontation between man and nature that defines Not a River, highlighting how rural environments can quickly turn hostile toward outsiders and locals alike.
Series on the same thread
Landman
Taylor Sheridan · Series · 2024
Explores: Oil Industry, Class Conflict, Environmental Impact.
This series reflects the gritty, high-stakes rural reality found in Not a River, where the harsh environment dictates the behavior and morality of the men struggling to survive within it.
The North Water
Andrew Haigh · Series · 2021
Explores: Moral Ambiguity, Man vs. Nature, Redemption.
The brutal, uncompromising atmosphere of this expedition mirrors the dark, visceral undercurrents of Not a River, focusing on how isolated environments strip away social pretenses to reveal raw, often violent humanity.
Heated Rivalry
Jacob Tierney · Series · 2025
Explores: Rivalry, Forbidden Love, Career Ambition.
While set in a different world, this narrative echoes the intense, unspoken tensions between men seen in Not a River, where deep-seated rivalries and hidden desires shape every interaction.
Your Friends & Neighbors
Jonathan Tropper · Series · 2025
Explores: wealth inequality, midlife crisis, moral decay.
This story channels the feeling of quiet, moral decay found in Not a River, showing how desperate acts committed in isolation can spiral into unexpected and irreversible consequences for everyone involved.
Podcasts on the same thread
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
Explores: small-town isolation, eccentricity, social decay.
Much like Not a River, this investigation peels back the layers of a small, isolated community to reveal the deep-seated eccentricities and social rot hiding beneath the surface of rural life.
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
This series captures the immersive, slow-burn quality of rural life depicted in Not a River, focusing on the intricate and often heavy relationships that define a small, close-knit community.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Not a River part of a series?
Not a River is a standalone novel by Selva Almada. The narrative focuses on a specific fishing trip involving Enero, El Negro, and Tilo, and it is not part of a larger series or sequence of books.
Was Not a River recognized for any literary awards?
Yes, Not a River was shortlisted for the 2024 International Booker Prize. This recognition highlights its significance in contemporary literature following its publication in 2024.
What is the primary setting of Not a River?
Not a River is set during a hot, motionless afternoon by a river. The plot centers on a campsite where Enero, El Negro, and Tilo engage in fishing, leading to the central conflict involving the hooked stingray.
Who are the main characters featured in Not a River?
The main characters in Not a River are Enero, El Negro, and Tilo. Tilo is the teenage son of their deceased friend, and the three characters are depicted fishing together during the events of the book.