Like The Thirteenth Tale, Once Upon a River has a gothic feel with mysterious characters and a strong storyline that keeps you hooked. Setterfield is a master of combining the fantasy elements of fairy tale with the real details of a story in an English setting that features the Thames River. There is a tavern, lots of country folk who gather in the tavern every evening to drink and tell stories, and a four-year-old blonde girl who appears to have risen from the dead.

The only complaint I had with the story is its pacing: it is a bit slow and seems to suffer from a lack of editing and tightness that would have made it flow better. There are lots of characters, too, which makes keeping track of them rather difficult. All in all, though, these deficits do not make it an unpleasant story, nor do they take away from the essential creepiness and mystery that Setterfield exceeds at conveying.

Well, the first thing to say is that this definitely is not The Thirteenth Tale. Although both books are slow burning with multilayered stories, the two have very different tones. The Thirteenth Tale is a Gothic mystery; Once Upon a River does have a mystery element, but it’s a character driven story with a lot of drama. It’s well written, but not exactly to my taste, and definitely not what I was expecting.

The story is set around the Radcot Bridge on the Thames in England in the mid to late 1800s. One night a man stumbles into a pub carrying a little girl who they at first believe to be dead. When they discover she is alive, it starts a train of events surrounding who she is and how she ended up half-drown in the river. Three different families claim her as her own, and the story slowly builds the backstory of each character and the events that led up to that fateful night.

And while that semi-mystery is important to the plot, I would say that this is more a book about a storytelling than that plot itself. The idea of storytelling is woven throughout the book. There is also a ton of symbolism about the river. It was interesting and pretty but heavy-handed at times. And just in case you miss it; the symbolism gets spelled out. So while I liked the themes and symbolism in the writing, I wish she would have eased off over-explaining the symbolism in text.

Once Upon a River is a story that leaves certain things open to interpretation. It is set in a time when old superstition, religion, and science were all clashing together. The open-ended answers allow for different possible explanations. One could classify this as a fairytale or Magical Realism or paranormal or just Historical Fiction. Any of those could be right depending on your interpretation. It’s really up to the reader.

The characters were well drawn. It was easy to tell everyone apart and remember who they all were. Which is good because there are a lot of characters, and the story does jump around a lot. I didn’t love any of the characters though. Some of them were annoying (and maybe intentionally so). And the storyline of one of the main characters had a trite ending that really irked me. My interest flickered at time because of the sluggish pacing. Like a river, the story meanders along at its own pace. It is well-crafted but also slow and plodding.

Once Upon a River can be an engaging story, but I wasn’t as invested in the characters as much as needed in order to love this. I was interested in an emotionally detached sort of way. And as I mentioned, there was too much drama for my tastes. This book simply never came alive for me; it was always just a story, and they were always just fictional characters. A big part of it was that this story was so different from what I was expecting. And to be fair, that did put a damper on my enjoyment of the book. If you like slow-burn, character-driven stories with lots of drama, then you should enjoy Once Upon a River.

It feels like this tried to be a smart magical realism story but instead turned out to be a poorly written fantasy.

There are too many underwhelming characters crowding these pages, with backstories provided for minor characters with minimal impact on the story. And all of these characters are obsessed with a little girl who appeared dead for a few minutes this one time. I didn’t understand why every single character was so desperate to keep this little girl (especially all the grown men). She doesn’t even talk. Was she really cute or something? I was in for a rough ride from the beginning because this is the very basis for the whole story. If I couldn’t get on board with the most basic conceit, then it’s only natural that I started to turn on every other aspect of the novel. Here we go!

Setterfield is so painfully eager to prove the analogy between people, rivers, and stories. People are like stories… stories are like rivers… rivers are like people! This is stressed roughly thirty times per chapter. Stories are everywhere… rivers are everywhere… people are everywhere! This is revolutionary stuff, readers. Readers… readers are like people who consume stories… what have we uncovered here? Is the world ready for this?

The story is boring. Setterfield tries to throw in “twists” but it’s only more eyerolls towards characters whose actions never make any sense. Oh, you want logical decisions and rational responses? What, the “rivers as stories” wasn’t enough for you?

Of course, you know I had to go and hate on the writing too. There’s a particularly notable long paragraph about a woman putting on a pair of shoes. Are boots like rivers too? My favorite, though, is a fantastic bit of work describing a character with closed eyes because he’s wearing a blindfold. Instead of just saying, like, so-and-so’s eyes were closed, there’s some ridiculously long description of so-and-so’s eyelids being pressed down against his eyes. And this so-and-so is actually afraid of his closed eyes. Yeah, it’s this whole big ordeal, the eyelids over the eyeballs, but only for like, a page and a half.

And I can’t forget to mention the main character who selectively tries to disprove certain fantastical elements with science but then completely accepts other, seemingly even more unbelievable stories, just… because. Because of stories and people or something.

I'm sad that I kinda hated this book. I remember enjoying The Thirteenth Tale in a sort of trashy way, but Once Upon a River was just really bad for me.

DNF Despite wonderful reviews I could not get into this one. I hope others will still give it a chance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for making an advance copy available for a fair review.

I had a bit of trouble toward the beginning keeping track of the names and side stories, tributaries if you will, that were necessary parts leading to the main action. However, once everything came together, even if the "river braided" I was so invested in the characters and their struggles and heart break that I that I followed that current with increasing momentum to its conclusion. Setterfield is a remarkable storyteller, much like the people in the Swan tavern, and her mastery of language and understanding of the human heart work together to cast a spell. A brilliant book.

Once Upon a River is a tale full of mystery, intrigue, and magic set during the Victorian era on a small village on the River Thames. The Swan is an ancient inn that is known for being a good place to hear a great story. One winter evening, the patrons are startled when an injured man appears carrying the corpse of a little girl. They are even more startled when the girl comes back to life. Who is she? Three different families try to claim her. Is she the mysterious Mrs. White’s young sister Ann, is she Amelia, the daughter kidnapped from the Vaughn’s two years previous, is she Alice, the young daughter of Robin Armstrong with his secret wife?

Setterfield’s writing is beautiful. The tale is wonderful, and you feel swept up into it as you read along. I really wanted to know how this would all conclude. I loved learning about the background of all the characters as the story moved on and all the pieces were put into place. I love the story, but just reading the way she put together her sentences and story was very enjoyable. Setterfield writes with magical realism, which is a form of writing I have always enjoyed. I loved her two previous works, The Thirteenth Tale and Bellman and Black.

I loved Setterfield’s characters. In particular I loved Robert Armstrong. I found his story to be very intriguing. Robert was the son of an Earl and his black serving girl. He was raised in affluence and given a farm by his father. As a dark-skinned man, he looks different and is shunned by the local community even though he is a good man. He’s put in his all for his family, his wife and his children but he can’t figure out what has gone wrong with their eldest child, Robin. I also loved Mr. Vaughn and his inner turmoil as he wants to believe the child is Amelia, but he is not quite sure.

I love how water and the river featured prominently in the tale and were woven throughout the story. I’m a water resources engineer, and I love water. I love how it is mysterious, but also a powerful force of nature. I love even the description of the river and how it flows in many different directions while it’s taking you on a journey. I love the tales that the people told about the water and being on the “other side” of the river or death.

Favorite Quotes:
“The only sleepless one was the child herself, who at the heart of the tale, breathed the seconds lightly in and lightly out while she gazed at nothing and listened to the sound of the river rushing by.”

“A pearl of water formed in the corner of an eye.”

“There are stories that may be told aloud, and stories that must be told in whispers, and there are stories that are never told at all.”

“There are stories you have never heard on the other side of the river . . . I can only half remember them when I am on this side . . . such stories.”

“Fancy being afraid of water. It’s everywhere. Places you can see it. Places you can’t. Places you know about it and places you don’t. Funny thing, water.”

Overall, Once Upon a River is a magical Victorian fairy tale of the mystery of one girl found in a river and all those that want to claim her. I highly recommend it.

Book Source: Review Copy from Simon and Schuster. Thank-you!

Even though there are no overt historical references, Once Upon a River felt very much like a book of its time. A book that oozed atmosphere, setting, wagons, and ferries. While one central mystery occupies the story, Setterfield examines the mysterious girl from multiple stories. These protagonists not only show us different lifestyles, classes, and secrets, but they all have their own stories. Once Upon a River is a slow story, like a meandering river, which transfixes you, without sweeping you quickly off your feet.

I was excited to have the opportunity to read and review Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield for NetGalley and Atria Books . Her prose is so lyrical and descriptive, and I really enjoyed her way with words.

But the story itself (ironically, in a book about storytelling) left me flat. Part fantasy, part history, part folklore, it just never came together for me. The list of characters is long, almost as long as the river itself and I found the book over all to be very slow. If I had not been reading it to review it, it would have been a DNF for me.

Nonetheless, I do thank NetGalley and Atria for the privilege!

Having read The Thirteenth Tale, I was excited to receive an ARC from NetGalley. I liked how the book started at an inn somewhere on the Thames on a dark winter night where storytelling rules. A man is saved from the rising river and a little girl died and is in an outbuilding, the inn is a perfect vehicle to have characters arrive to carry on the tale. The story then begins to drag for me. Too much mysticism? I just could not identify or feel close to the characters.

At first, this novel was more than a little confusing, with so many different characters and each one with his/her own backstory. I almost felt at times that I needed to get out notecards and take notes. However, I persevered and read the story that was like a fairy tale, with supernatural and magical elements in it. All of the characters are very complex, multifaceted with many secrets. My favorite was Rita, a lady with a scientific desire to explain things that seemed to be unexplainable. The setting changed as often as the characters, but the river was a constant, flowing inevitably to its source, just as the book flows slowly and inevitably to a conclusion that is unexpected but satisfying. I am not unhappy that I read this book but had I seen it in a bookstore, I probably would have passed on it because it is confusing from the very beginning. I do appreciate the chance to have read a book of a different genre than I usually read and I think that fans of folklore, fantasy, myth and fairy tales told in a modern way will love this unusual tale.

I really enjoyed the feel of this novel - sort of like Chaucer meets Eco. I love the mystery. I love the characters. I was, however, a bit disappointed in the ending - it felt too unresolved - or maybe too easy without real resolution. Maybe too rushed.

But I did enjoy the atmosphere of the read, and I'd recommend it to people who loved The Thirteenth Tale and who appreciate a quiet puzzle of a book.

Once Upon a River is a story of family, hope, and very dark secrets. It begins in a small inn set on the banks of the Thames. Full of villagers and drinkers, the inn is the center of storytelling and local history for the area. And gossip-so much gossip. When a large man enters the inn holding a large puppet the entire inn is left in a state of silent shock. Before the large man collapses to the ground, the puppet is placed in the arms of the son of the inn’s owners. But it’s not a puppet-it’s a young girl who is very clearly dead and no one knows who she is.
But she’s not dead, and the girl-who-was-dead-but-is-no-longer is about to bring together a seemingly unconnected group of people. There is the wealthy couple who live down the river and lost their only child two years before. A woman living in a lodging house and takes part in a scandalous profession. The successful farmer with his large family and loyal animals. The unwed woman who cleans for the parson. The town midwife and healer who declares the little girl alive and knows instantly that she belongs with her.
There is little that can be said about this book without spoiling all of the amazing twists and turns. It took a bit for me to get in to the story but once it clicked, I couldn’t put the book down.
The river is a huge part of the story and is written about so beautifully that it feels alive and like it’s a character itself. There is history and magic but maybe the magic is just the effects of all the pain and struggle that the characters go through or maybe it’s real and it was there all along. It’s an absolutely beautiful book and I absolutely loved it.
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield is available December 4, 2018 from Simon & Schuster.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book-all opinions are my own.

One of my favorite books this year! Dianne Setterfield delivers a mythical adventure that is full of mystery, wonderful characters and a bit of suspense. Books like this are why I keep reading.

When a seriously injured man enters a local tavern one night, the townspeople think he is carrying a doll or a puppet in his arms. But it’s a little girl who appears to be dead. Every indication points to death. The local healer comes to the tavern to examine the two and also believes the girl to be dead. But while she lingers, holding the girl’s hand, signs of life begin to emerge.

No one knows who the girl is, or who she really belongs to. She never speaks. While the girl is among these people, relationships are healed and hurts are eased. Some will find happiness that they never realized was missing.

I was immediately drawn in by the story. This is one that will reminds adults of what it was they loved about fairy tales as a child. It’s a wonderful read going into the holiday/winter season.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books/Emily Bestler for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

On an average night, at your not so average inn along Thames River, the Swan sits quietly with mingled voices within. These voices tell their stories of a life time of war, adventure, or whatever they may deem worthy to tell. It's a place where imagination is brought to life. In the midst of a tale told hundreds of times, in countless different ways the door to Swan Inn flies open revealing a tattered man carrying a dead child, and so begins the long tale of burning romance, suspense, heartache, and intrigue.

Setterfield delivers the gift of a new tale told in the way of old classic writing. When I requested this read for an ARC I was excited because I adored The Thirteenth Tale and I was not disappointed. If you are looking for a fast paced, dive in, quick action read this is not for you. Setterfield holds you secure in your seat clinging on to suspense and inquiry. I was invigorated at the world she brought to each page and how death, life, and the unknown were woven together, not on the same strand, but twisted and intermingled together, so as if we were to listen or look close enough we could see into all parts of three parts of life.

Such a classic tale brought into a fast paced time period! It is going to be own for all to remember!

This was a wonderfully interesting, full, meandering tale following the lives of the people living alongside a river, which is really a character in its own right. The story lines are beautifully woven together, and offer some truly compassionate looks at human relationships with other people and animals. I could feel the chill produced by the river in winter, as I could feel the warmth from the fires in the various homes. Descriptive and lovely.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me. I loved The Thirteenth Tale and was super excited to dive into this one - maybe I came into it with the wrong expectations for that reason.

At the start, I was fully involved - the beautiful otherworldly feel that was fairytale-like drew me right in. I was intrigued to see where it would go. I've seen other reviewers refer to it as a slow burn of a book - and I think that's a good description. At one point, the author describes a river that meanders along its path - "not seem[ing] particularly intent on reaching it's destination." That's felt like a good description of the story as well.

Unfortunately it was too slow for me. It started to feel like a chore/responsibility to pick it up and that is generally my sign that a book isn't working for me. The writing was beautiful and I will definitely read the next Diane Setterfield book but this one was a DNF for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In the end I enjoyed this story. It was a little confusing and difficult to fully engage myself in. There were so many characters and so many storylines weaving in together. Eventually it sorted itself out and I became drawn into the tangle.

I liked the magical element used and how it all linked to the river.

Such a lovely book. It moves slowly, but it's a wonderful read, full of mystery and wonder. Setterfield's writing is luminous..

“Once Upon a River" by Diane Setterfield is an enchanting, exquisitely rendered fable about the parallels between a river's journey and the way people's lives intersect in a constant ebb and flow.

The story begins in a pub situated near the Thames River. Although there are many pubs in the area, The Swan is unique because people gravitate to it in order to listen to and tell stories. One midwinter night, the locals are listening to one of master storyteller Joe Bliss's stories as his wife and owner of the Swan (Margot Ockwell) is busy filling their glasses, when they find themselves in the middle of an unusual story.

A strange, monstrous form, who turns out to be an injured man, stumbles into The Swan. This man is clutching what appears to be a doll, but turns out to be a dead child. But looks can be deceiving. Rita, the midwife that the locals rely on more than any doctor, is called to attend to the man's injuries. After she stiches him up as best as she can, Rita goes to check on the small child. She confirms that she is in fact dead, but something about the manner in which she died seems incongrous. As Rita puzzles over what it bothering her, the child comes back to life.

What follows is an interweaving of stories of the lives of the people connected to the mystery girl and the Thames River. Their stories flow in and out and eventually merge together.

I can't get over the beauty of this book. There were many elements that stirred me and tore my heart into shreds--the relationship between publican Margot and her storyteller husband Joe, the story of Rita and the man she rescued that midwinter night, the bighearted Robert Armstrong with his gift for bonding with animals, and connecting them all is the legend of the ferryman, Quietly. I would say this is the finest work of magical realism I have read in a long time.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with a galley to review via NetGalley.
This is a 5 Star book!

This started off really strong but I lost interest at about the halfway mark. The writing is beautiful, but the story stalls out (or takes to long to get where it's going).