This book was very difficult for me. It was very slow. I couldn’t really connect to the story or the characters. I often found myself going backwards to understand what was fully happening. I did enjoy some of descriptive language surrounding the river. Perhaps this genre is not my cup of tea. Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was anxiously awaiting getting my hands on a copy of Diane Setterfield's Once Upon a River. I adored The Thirteenth Tale and had mixed feelings about Bellman & Black, so I was interested to see where her latest would fall. The answer is square in the middle.

It's very difficult to even do a synopsis of Once Upon a River. Some of it is fantastical, some is tragedy, and part of it is romance. One night, an injured man opens the door to a packed inn on the Thames. In his arms is a little girl; she is pronounced dead but miraculously awakens, later to be claimed by three different families as one of their own. There is a large cast of characters to keep straight as the story unwinds to its conclusion; some are far more interesting than the rest.

Once Upon a River is terribly long-winded. It's an ambitious read and one of those books that you feel guilty for not liking as much as you did. But when it all comes down to it, Setterfield writes exquisitely and is always eager to take you on her journey with her.

MY RATING - 3

I was really looking forward to reading this, but unfortunately it's not holding my attention at all and I'm going to have to stop reading. I absolutely loved "The Thirteenth Tale" and also enjoyed "Bellman & Black," although not as much. I think this one is probably more like "Bellman & Black," but it's just not giving me enough to hold my attention the way that one did.. I just got to the point that if I had to read one more sentence about the river I was going to lose it. Sorry! That said, I can see this as something I will try again at a later date as an audiobook. I'm torn on whether I will buy it for my library, and am leaning toward not at this time.

Once upon a time there was an adult fairy tale called “Once Upon a River” with many tales woven within this fairy tale. The author does an expert job of weaving all the stories together.

At the beginning of the book, a little girl was rescued from the river and was undoubtedly dead. Then she came alive. Ms. Setterfield kept the mystery (who was this child? how is she not dead?) and the wonder of the tale alive page after page.

Along with this child who comes back from the dead, there is a pig that can read thoughts, a woman who keeps a patch over one eye to keep her from Seeing into the hearts of people, a Ferryman who takes those whose time has come to the other side and rescues those whose time has not, lots and lots of very interesting characters and so much more.

Fantasy. Magical. Mystical. Folktale. Hauntingly beautiful. This is a strange, strange, interesting story, and I loved it. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this very unique book. Well done, Ms. Setterfield, well done.

… and they lived happily ever after.

This book asks us what IS the truth, and what is not what it seems, and what are we willing to believe-at any cost. It's an amazing tale that is so well weaved that you'll find yourself stopping to wonder at how Diane kept it all from unraveling while writing it! Once transported to the 1800s, you won't want to leave, as Diane weaves the reader into the tale so well. As you get to know each of the families that lie claim to the discovered child, you'll be just as confused as to where she belongs. And then when the truth comes out, you won't be surprised, but rather enchanted. Good luck NOT putting this book down, you may want to read it for 24 hours straight!

The cover is what first drew me to this book, and I'm so happy that the story inside turned out to be just as beautiful and magical as the cover. I love everything about this story. The setting is vivid, the characters are memorable, the story is haunting, and I love the magical elements that pull it all together. This is easily one of the best books I've read this year.


A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review!!

I appreciate that NetGalley gave me an opportunity to review this book. I REALLY wanted to love it; I liked it. I was drawn far enough into the world that I wanted to see it to the end, but I wasn't rushing through my "have tos" to get to reading time. The story follows a lot of characters, and while this usually isn't a problem, I found myself back-tracking to review how certain characters fit into the puzzle. Setterfield certainly writes beautiful prose, and I found myself pausing throughout to relish a phrase/sentence/paragraph. I would recommend to readers of literary fiction, but I don't see my "mainstream" readers falling under the spell of the river.

Diane Setterfield’s Once Upon a River mimics the river that runs through its chapters. Like the Thames, this novel is alternately meandering and rushing, dirty and fertile—probably just like Setterfield intended. The novel even begins in that most English of institutions: the pub. The Swan of Radcot, upriver from London, is the home of storytellers who suddenly find themselves at witnesses to a miraculous story when a severely injured man suddenly bursts into the common room with what appears to be a drowned child in his hands. These witnesses spend almost as much time trying to figure out how to tell the story of the little girl as they do trying to figure out who she is, where she came from, and what should become of her.

The injured man is Henry Daunt, a photographer who is capturing scenes of life along the Thames in the mid-nineteenth century. He might not have stopped at the Swan if he hadn’t come to misfortune at the appropriately named Devil’s Weir. Daunt isn’t much of a mystery to men who know their stretch of the river like the back of their hands; the girl in his arms is. At first, everyone thinks the poor girl drowned in the river, but she suddenly revives. The puzzle of how she apparently came back to life is immediately displaced by the question of who her family is. She might be the long-lost daughter of the wealthy and grief-stricken Vaughans. There’s an equal chance that she’s the daughter of a wastrel and his abandoned, suicidal wife. The Vaughans claim her when the wastrel gives up his claim, though his father—the wonderfully kind and gentle farmer, Robert Armstrong—is more than willing to help bring the girl up.

Each chapter focuses on different characters. Robert Armstong follows his son’s tracks to find out just what criminal mischief the young man has been up to in an effort to find out if the girl is his granddaughter, Alice. Anthony Vaughan struggles with his doubt about whether the girl really is his lost Amelia returned to the family. Meanwhile, Henry Daunt and Rita Sunday, the woman who nursed Daunt and the little girl, resist all hints of supernatural activity to find a rational explanation for what on earth (or on the river) is going on. Meanwhile, mentally tortured Lily White has her own theories about who the girl is and how she came to be in the Swan, dead to all appearances.

Once Upon a River is an incredible read, full of wonderful heroes and villains. There’s humor, love, terror, curiosity, anger, betrayal, and much more. It’s definitely the kind of book I want to buy for myself and my library, and then talk a bunch of people into reading as soon as I have copies in my hands. Do yourselves a favor and read this book, immediately if not sooner.

While the writing in this book is beautiful and reads like prose, this novel just wasn't for me. Although the descriptions are vivid and the characters well-developed, I prefer a faster pace in my reading selections. I don't thinks it's fair to post a review since I didn't finish reading the book. Thanks for allowing me to read Once Upon a River.

I was very nervous about reading this book. I (along with almost every book lover I know who has read it) loved Diane Setterfield's debut novel The Thirteenth Tale. However, her follow-up fell terribly flat. Five years ago I read and reviewed Bellman & Black (read my review HERE) and it was one of the worst books I've ever read. I tried so hard to find something good to say about that book, but I just could not. So...since I loved her first novel and definitely did not love her second novel, I obviously had no idea of what to expect from Once Upon a River. Short answer--I loved it! I was holding my breath and crossing my fingers that I would and I am excited to say that it is fabulous. The characters, community, and their customs drew me in and the twists and turns of the story were just slippery enough to keep me guessing and then come together for a perfect ending. I think this book will appeal to a wide variety of readers and will probably be a popular book club pick in 2019!

Once upon a time there was a tale of an aging and reclusive author who spent her last days telling her life story to a young biographer so people would understand what drove her to pen the mysterious and gothic stories that defined her career. It was called The Thirteenth Tale, the debut novel for British author Diane Setterfield. Beautifully written and superbly told, The Thirteenth Tale was a blockbuster- selling millions of copies and made into a movie starring Vanessa Redgrave for the channel BBC Two. Several years later came the release of Bellman and Black, another dark and gloomy novel that received more modest acclaim. Perhaps it was too much like The Thirteenth Tale, or maybe it wasn't like it enough. We haven't heard from Miss Setterfield since 2013-but that will change next month with the publication of Once Upon a River. Combining the veiled suspense and poetry like prose of The Thirteenth Tale and the macabre moodiness of Bellman and Black, Once Upon a River is mystical, mythical, magical, marvelous. The plot is almost secondary-you'll come for the writing that flows like the waters of the River Thames upon which the story is set, and stay for the characters that cling to you like brambles in the forest. Once Upon a River is folklore at its best, with several stories interwoven into one enchanting tale. But be prepared-Diane Setterfield doesn't do anything halfway-the language can be complex and lengthy, the plot unfolds at a snail's pace. To get a feel for Once Upon a River, head to your library for The Thirteenth Tale. Skip the digital version-the cover of The Thirteenth Tale is a visual masterpiece. Someone recently asked me if Once Upon a River is a "nail biter," and I responded by saying "that depends on what kind of nail biter you are. If you bite them in a frenzy without caring if you tear off the entire nail, then Once Upon A River is not for you, but if you take your time and savor each sensation then it's a bite you'll be glad you took."

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from Netgalley.

Once Upon a River starts off strong, with a fairytale-like air -- A drowned girl miraculously revives in an old inn beside the Thames. The patrons, known for their storytelling abilities, instantly began weaving the tale of who she is, where she came from, and what will happen next. We spend the rest of the book figuring all these things out for ourselves, and there are many twists and turns along the way.

I loved Setterfield's cozy and descriptive writing style. I loved many of the characters and felt invested in what was happening to them. But I didn't absolutely love the story itself. While it definitely had its moments, it seemed to ramble at times to the point that I was soon very eager to finish the book and move on to something else. I believe if the tale had been significantly shorter, I would have enjoyed it much more. I really loved The Thirteenth Tale, so I probably set the bar higher for Once Upon a River than I otherwise would have. If you love historical fiction mixed with a bit of magical realism and appreciate a writer who really is a first-rate storyteller, give this book a try.

I love Kate Morton, but this wasn't among my favorites of her books. I liked the characters and the setting (her settings are always great). However, this book seemed excessively long. There were parts that just seemed slow. The story was very good, and I absolutely loved the final twist. I wish it had been a little bit shorter, or a little bit more exciting to keep those pages turning.

I absolutely LOVED this book!! Dark plot, good pace, and intriguing characters! It's the perfect book to read in during the colder months. Some parts were a bit slow but overall, I enjoyed it!

As a big fan of The Thirteenth Tale, I was excited to get my hands on an early copy of ONCE UPON A RIVER. I love Setterfield’s writing style - descriptive, atmospheric, and complete.

When a young girl shows up, nearly drowned in the nearby river, three separate townspeople claim to know who she is. The town patiently waits for her to speak and tell them the story of where she came from, who she is, and where she belongs.

Once again, Setterfield creates a world so immersive that I could feel the damp cold of the river, I could smell its dank waters, and feel its presence throughout the story as if it were also a main character in the story. Immersed in this town and all the happenings of that one night from the very first page, I found myself tearing through the pages to see what was going to happen next.

The characters of this novel will stick with you long after you’ve read the last page. They nestle into your mind and continue to whisper in your ear. Beautiful, yet haunting, this novel is sure to be a favorite among many!

Diane Setterfield has created a wonderful setting, not quite Britain at a river that is not quite the Thames. Emotion runs throughout the book - fear, longing, anger, hope, and happiness - all built upon through the power of storytelling. The characters are real and believable, and linked through heartbreaking events that they have not yet come to terms with. Anyone familiar with Setterfield's work will be sure to enjoy this new novel.

This book has it all - suspense, folklore, magic and much, much more. The author takes us to a small community on the river where a small child dies, but does she? Are they witnessing a miracle or very dark magic? Who is this little girl and where did she come from? Three families want to lay claim and their dark secrets must be revealed before the true family can lay claim to the child.

A lyrical journey that easily confuses and lost this reader within the first section and did not gain it back. The synopsis sounded very compelling, but as I dove in, I felt my brows furrow in confusion often. I had to backtrack several times to make sure I knew what was going on constantly. There are so many characters written in an odd sort of poetical style that I found beautiful, yet baffling. Somewhere in part 2, I skipped a good portion ahead and I don't feel I missed a thing. Unfortunately, that caused me to skim and skip ahead to the ending and left me feeling sad that the story had potential, but never caught my attention enough.

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield was a unique and engrossing read. This author is a gifted storyteller, and this novel contained many. It encompasses many genres: folklore, mystery, history, romance.

As I’m sure you have gathered from the title, a river is an intergral part of the book. So is a child. One evening, a mysterious child who appears to be drowned is brought into an inn known for its storytelling on the banks of the river. The child miraculously survives, and three families who have lost little girls hope she is their lost child. As the novel progresses and we learn more about those three families and others who live along the river, you are caught up in a beautifully crafted book.

Towards the end, an Oxford photographer who is at the center of the story describes the river: “Daunt had to acknowledge that the river was too vast a thing to be contained in any book. Majestic, powerful, unknowable, it lends itself tolerantly to the doings of men until it doesn’t, and then anything can happen. One day the river helpfully turns a wheel to grind your barley, the next it drowns your crop. He watched the water slide tantalizingly past the boat, seeming in its flashes of reflected light to contain fragments of the past and of the future.”

Thank you Atria/Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book and for allowing me to review it.

There is no one better to write a novel about storytellers than master storyteller, Setterfield herself. Her books are always beautifully woven and teetering on the edge of macabre. “Once Upon A River” is the story of a mysterious little girl who washes up one night and inflames old wounds in the town of Radcot. Two families claim the child; but, no one is prepared for the secrets her arrival unleashes.