Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

Once Upon a River

by Diane Setterfield

'I was completely spellbound' - Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things
'Setterfield is a master storyteller' - Madeline Miller, author of Circe

Some say the river drowned her... Some say it brought her back to life

On a dark midwinter's night in an ancient inn on the Thames, the regulars are entertaining themselves by telling stories when the door bursts open and in steps an injured stranger. In his arms is the drowned corpse of a child.

Hours later, the dead girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life.

Is it a miracle?

Is it magic?

And who does the little girl belong to?

An exquisitely crafted historical mystery brimming with folklore, suspense and romance, as well as with the urgent scientific curiosity of the Victorian age.

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Praise for Diane Setterfield:

'An absolute feast of a book, which will keep you engrossed' RED magazine
'Brimming with folklore, intrigue and romance, this is a story to savour' Woman & Home
'Once Upon a River continues to demonstrate [Setterfield's] mastery of the Gothic genre in a way that will appeal to modern readers' The Independent

Readers are captivated by Once Upon a River:

***** 'Pure escapism, a beautifully written story.'
***** 'It felt as comforting as the fantastical stories you read as a child yet with a darker edge.'
***** 'I was entranced from the beginning to the end.'

Reviewed by elysium on

3 of 5 stars

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An injured man appears in a tavern carrying a girl who seems to be dead. But suddenly she isn’t dead. No one knows who the man or the child is. But soon numerous people came and try to claim the child as theirs.

This is the first book I’ve read by the author, so I didn’t really know what to expect. Most of the book I wasn’t sure if this was set in a real Victorian era or in some fairy-tale world and it kind of bothered me. The book started good but in the middle, it slowed down a bit. I think that while it could have been shorter, it was well written.

There are many characters in the book and at times I had trouble remembering who was who and how were they connected.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. While I enjoyed it, I wasn’t as thrilled by it as I expected to be. But it was different from what I usually read so it’s certainly well remembered.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 22 November, 2018: Finished reading
  • 22 November, 2018: Reviewed