A gorgeous and magical book, with the river and neighbouring communities at it's central theme. The river draws the reader in with tales of the past and tales that are based on legend.
A miracle has happened when a small girl is pulled, drowned from the river and then hours later appears alive and well, although mute. No one knows where she has come from, although two local people feel sure she is their daughter who disappeared, assumed drowned.
The story weaves in and out just like the river and we the reader find truths and untruths along the way. I adored the characters, especially Rita Sunday and Henry Daunt, and felt sad, but satisfied when the book came to it's conclusion. This book would appeal to anyone who loves a tale of folklore and magic, with a cast of vibrant and sympathetic characters.
I just reviewed Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield. #OnceUponAriver #NetGalley
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This book was a slow burn which is appropriate given the subject matter. The story wends its way into your consciousness like the Thames wending its way through the land linking the lives along its banks. I particularly enjoyed the story of Daunt and Rita Sunday, but the mystery of the girl dead then alive, is she Alice or is she Amelia? I found that all a bit too magical realism for my tastes. That said it began to be more explained towards the end. A lryical read which others will love, and it talks with love about the natural world and the historical era , there is stuff to learn here.

A wonderfully immersive book with an intriguing plot and characters, one I would recommend when looking for an easy but interesting read.

This is a beautifully written tale, lyrical and atmospheric. With everything winding around the river. I really enjoyed this and the confusing names are all worth persevering with.
I was given a ARC by NetGalley, all opinions are my own,

I really enjoyed Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield. Reminiscent of Sarah Perry's The Essex Serpant it is a story that reviolves around local superstition and gossip. Like the regulars in The Swan who entertain themselves by telling and re telling stories so Setterfield has brought us a tale based on both superstition and fact. Highly recommended

A complicated story that wends its way through the book, ebbing and flowing with the Thames. Full of tales and folklore told by those who live and work by the river, I did find the plot a bit confusing at times with three girls whose names begin with A all presumed missing

Almost epic, this weaves magic and community with the ever present river, and while long kept me enthralled throughout

This book was easy to get into and it was enjoyable. I really liked a few of the characters and was rooting for a happy ending for them i gave this book 5 stars on goodreads as it was easy to follow along and i found i got invested in the story i would of read it in one sitting but real life got in the way . A book i would definitely recommend and will definitely keep an eye out for more works by this author. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book for a review its a bit late but didnt realise i had been approved till i went on and saw it on my bookshelf and am very happy i was able to.

3*

'Once Upon A River' is a beautifully written, folky tale. A little confusing at times given the many characters, but worth sticking with. If you enjoy whimsical, character filled stories then I highly recommend.

~ Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title ~

Straight away, I had the feeling this was going to be magical story. It then took a little while for me to settle into it, There were a lot of characters to get to know, and I needed to go back and forth to remind myself where they fitted, however it was very worth the effort. I absolutely loved how the story, rather than throwing twists and turns, gradually weaves them into the tale, and that really flowed so well, approrpiately for a story based around the theme of the river. It's a beautifully written story, with a line that is possibly the best thing I have ever read......Thank you Diane and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Spellbound from the very beginning. A magical and mysterious tale that weaves and winds its way through the story with as many twists and turns as the river itself taking us through misfortune, tragedy, loss, and abandonment as we meander towards the truth. Beautifully constructed, wonderfully atmospheric and brilliantly paced. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

This is a magical tale of mysterious happenings on the river. It’s a tribute to Victorian life on the Thames and is full of interesting and colourful characters. It’s emotional and uplifting and a wonderfully fascinating read.

When I heard that Diane Setterfield was bringing out a new novel, I was very excited. But also nervous - I had loved her first book The Thirteenth Tale so much, what if I didn't like her new work? I shouldn't have worried, because Once Upon a River didn't disappoint. Like her previous book, it has a gothic beauty and a haunting darkness in its rich and layered narrative. But it is very different in other ways that made me fall for it in its own right. This is the story of what happens when the body of an unknown child is recovered from the frozen waters of the Thames, to then come back from the dead and be claimed by three different people. I was enthralled by the characters, and really loved how the story slowly unfolded. The relationships and concealments were delicious to see unfold and I couldn't stop turning the pages. Setterfield is a masterful storyteller and a beautiful writer. I hope there is more to come.

I really wanted to like this new novel. I thoroughly enjoyed Diane Setterfield’s bestselling ‘The Thirteenth Tale’; her second, ‘Bellman & Black’ not so much. However, as someone who lives near the Thames I looked forward to this new work.

What can I say? I was able to download this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I really wanted to like it. Indeed I enjoyed many aspects: the Hardyesque chorus of river people, the weaving together of myth and harsh social conditions, the riverside communities, the clash of classes, her often poetic language, the references to scientific inventions, such as the early use of photography – all these are interesting, even fascinating.

But, sadly, in the end, I found the story ultimately unsatisfying. There were just too many different threads, and I lost any sense of investment in the fate of the child and began to lose the plot at times. There is also something too leisurely and too consciously ‘storytelling’ about the style.

But what do I know? Many readers seem to love it!

Due to the loss of my kindle I, sadly, was not able to read this book.
I sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.

My thanks to Netgalley for my chance to read this book. Although it is not my genre of choice I soon became engrossed in the story.
The introduction, which set the background to this charming tale was rather slow going at first but I was glad I persevered. The plot has many, well embroidered,characters all with a wonderful tale to tell. Good old fashioned story telling .

A fabulous mystery set in the 19th Century. A mesmerising read that kept me reading way past bedtime.

Loved the way this book winded it's way around the characters like a river winding across land. At first it was slow going as you learn about the people involved, then it sort of speeded up a bit as the characters became interwoven with each other. A fantastic read.
Will certainly be looking for more Diane Setterfield books.

Story telling at its best. Not my usual genre but I fell under this books charm. A story with amazing characters, Full of love, magic, A must read for all.

This is a more whimsical tale than I would normally read, and was a bit of a slow starter. The story is of a stretch of the river Thames, in what I guess would be the Victorian era, the Swan Inn, and the families who live on the banks of the river. Storytelling is a skill much admired by the patrons of the Swan, and the tale of the little girl pulled from the river dead and then seemingly brought back to life, was much wondered at and retold. The characters who live on the river, and whose lives are shaped by it are very cleverly depicted by Diane Setterfield. The tale has as many twists and turns as the river, and is well told.