The River We Remember takes place in 1958, and World War II is still fresh in the memory of many of the townspeople of Jewel. Most of the adult men are veterans, there is a sizeable group of war widows, and some of the town’s children lost their fathers during the conflict. The psychological impact of the war, not only on soldiers but also on their families and communities, is one of the novel’s most important themes, and Krueger explores it through his depiction of multiple characters. The sentiment “We are all broken” runs through the novel, and many of the characters are depicted through the lens of trauma and recovery (123).

Brody, the novel’s protagonist, is introduced in part through his position as the sheriff of Black Earth County and in part through his unwillingness to participate in the Memorial Day parade despite his status as a decorated veteran. Krueger shows Brody’s reluctance to be honored for his service and notes the difficulty with which he remembers his days as a soldier. His nightmares are another example of the ways the war still haunts him, and they are evidence that he is still grappling with the events of the war.