There's not much you can say about this book that won't give away important plot points, so instead I'll share how Setterfield does such a beautiful job of weaving a fairy-tale like story that takes place in the real world. She does an amazing job of telling the story of several different groups of people who are bound together by a young girl.

As a huge fan of Diane Setterfield’s first novel, The Thirteenth Tale, I was excited to begin reading this book. Unfortunately, the more I read, the more disappointed I became. While the writing is beautiful and takes the reader to another time and place, it also crawls along so slowly I found myself losing interest in the story. By the time I was halfway through I just didn’t care about anyone or anything in the book and it was becoming a chore to read. So, with genuine regret, it has become a DNF. Perhaps someday I can give it another try.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A good book, of a tale, long ago in a sleepy town by the river. I appreciated the consistency, the wonderful characters and twist of events. Was a good story, however was a little slow for me. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this early edition e-book, for my review. All opinions are my own.

I loved The Thirteenth Tale very much, didn't really care for Bellman & Black and went into this one with an open mind. I was hooked initially, the dark and stormy start is great, but then lost a little interest as I went on. I got to the point where I'd decided just to skim the rest to get to the ending, it was feeling so wordy and drawn out. BUT, as I started skimming, I found that I didn't want to miss any of the plot points and had to know exactly what was going on. So, I'd say this was good but not great. Good enough to want to keep reading and not miss anything. Blog post to follow.

Storytelling at the Swan is the favorite past time of the crowd and the reason so many men stop by for their drinks.

One night the storytelling became real when a man who had been hurt and a small girl who appeared as if she had drowned fell through the inn’s front door.

Then a miracle happened....the girl came alive again. The townspeople and their storytelling ways had many questions, and some thought the girl was one of their own who had passed.

We follow the characters as they try to interpret what happened as we are treated to Ms. Setterfield’s beautiful, poetic, descriptive style.

And...we can’t forget the character, the Thames River....it is a part of everyone’s lives and what the story line revolves around.

The ending of each character’s story made the statement....”Something is going to happen,” and something definitely did.

ONCE UPON A RIVER beautifully and slowly unfolded as the mystery of the little girl was revealed and as we learn about the lives of the characters.

If you enjoy a Gothic theme, and a story line with intriguing as well as odd characters, ONCE UPON A RIVER should be a book you will enjoy.

I do have to say it was a bit long, but Ms. Setterfield's marvelous storytelling skills make you want it to go on even longer especially once the mystery is revealed and you find out more about the characters. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Historical Fiction is a genre that I tend to shy away from. Maybe it’s because I am one of those pesky millennials. Or maybe my experiences with the genre has been a crapshoot. Whatever the reason, I never know where these types of books will take me….

Diane Setterfield takes readers of Once Upon A River to the Thames during a time where technology doesn’t exist and Dawrin’s theory of evolution is a good laugh. A time where boats and horses were the best means for transportation. A time when a female could only be a nurse even when she had more knowledge than some of the male doctors. A time when a black man is still regarded warily unless he has an educated air about him. Some may call it simpler times, but that doesn’t always seem to be the case especially in this story….

Please notice, the above paragraph was my cryptic attempt at providing the details or overview while ensuring the mystery of the novel remains for all readers. The synopsis is rather vague and I like to keep my reviews the same way in regards to the happenings. However, I will gush about this story….

I wasn’t quite expecting to fall quite so hard for a story which I put off until a week before the expiration date. I was anticipating reading an enticing synopsis but the overall story falling flat. But that was hardly the case. From the very beginning, I found myself rather absorbed and wanting more. Much like the synopsis states, you don’t really know what is going on with the child or the town or the river. Is it magic? Is it science? Is it fate? What the hell is it? While I certainly will keep tight lipped, I will spill the beans on making sure you know, you need to read this story. I did not read <i>The Thirteenth Tale</i> but those who did, I have no doubt will love this story. I have not read anything by Setterfield before nor did I know of her or her work, but after this read, I immediately purchased her previous hit.

One of my very favorite things about this story was the evolvement around tale telling and folklore. Readers get a story about many various stories and tales. I really loved and related to this aspect of the story. It definitely bonded me to this book as an avid reader myself. I could connect and relate to most of the characters and their obsession with folklore. It will be the tie that binds for many.

Another thing, there are quite a few characters. In past reviews, I’ve mentioned how I do not like having a ton of characters, their names and storylines get all sorts of confusing. With this story, that was not the case. Instead, I was able to connect on some level with all of the characters in this story. All of the individuals have a story that unfolds within this story. Some are tragic and their revelations hurt your heart. While others characters stories unfold and you feel a sense of relief as everything comes to light for them. Overall, I really was able to fall in love with quite a few characters. Mr. Armstrong happened to be one of my favorites. I guarantee I will not be alone with this.

Overall, I would give this story 4.5 stars rounding up to 5 stars. And a special thanks to NetGalley and publishers who approved my request.

Water and the river wind their way through this entire circle of life tale about a mysterious foundling girl. Births and deaths, findings and losings, harmonise with each other through the entire novel. The character of Quietly, the ferryman, who ferries souls and bodies into and out of their world, is a continual and unforgettable presence. The ordinary entwines with the extraordinary beautifully, making for a gripping and intense story, that like the river itself, whether trickling or flooding, courses irrepressible onward. I looked forward to reading this after enjoying The Thirteenth Tale and I was not disappointed.

This has so many moving parts and they all move so slowly. For some, this will be a wonderful trip, but for me it was not.

I really had high hopes for this book, but it's a really slow read and the magical realism that the book tries to capture never really takes hold. It's well written and there are some nice passages, but when the book ended I felt unsatisfied.

I read a third of this book and while I wanted to like it, I just could not get into it. I will not be finishing it.

This was/is a beautifully written story that has so much to offer...Words! Lots and lots of words. It is so long that at a couple of points, I forgot the story. Ms Setterfield sure knows how to put phrases together.

This will be a great book to snuggle up with on a cold winter's night.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books.

I read Setterfield's "The Thirteenth Tale" recently and loved it (I highly recommend the audiobook), so I jumped at the chance to read a new book of hers. In "Once Upon a River," a young girl drowns, is brought to a river-side inn, then comes back to life. Nobody can explain it, and two families lay claim to her. The story explores themes relating to parents, children, families, grief, betrayal and a dose of the supernatural. It gets 4.5 stars from me.

Just as I loved The Thirteenth Tale, I love Once Upon a River. The prose is compelling and the story is masterfully crafted. Who is the little drowned-but-not-drowned girl? The weaving of stories keeps us guessing, just when we're sure we know! You won't be disappointed in this magical tale told by a true storyteller.

Thanking the author, her publisher and Netgalley.com for the opportunity to read the advance copy and comment on the experience.

I know people are saying what an amazing book but I just could not get into it. After 141 pages, and my mind wandering while reading, I had to stop. I like reading all kinds of stories but this one did not hold my attention at all. I didn't care for the characters and it moves so slow. I hate writing bad reviews because I know the authors put so much into their stories. But this one was just not for me.

What a whimsical and captivating read! The main story in this novel is centered around a mystery that occurs at a pub in one of the small towns on the river Thames and then circles around all the towns and people that live off the river. Just like the river, the story in this book twists and turns and takes you to unexpected places. Although it read a bit slow for me, I really enjoyed it and was always engaged and curious to know where it would go. Thank you to Atria Books - my ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the strangest and most beautiful books I’ve read in quite some time. It’s also one of the longest and most frustrating. The answer was right there in front of me the entire time and I didn’t figure it out for myself. I think I was so caught up in the story, and the depth of the characters, perhaps the sheer beauty and tragedy of the story being laid out in front of me, that like so many other fools I couldn’t see the forest for the trees. I won’t ruin it for the other fools, like me, you’ll see it when it’s right in front of you. These interwoven families and their tragedies come together in a dénouement unlike any other I’ve ever read before. It’s almost fairy-taleish. There are villains and good guys, not quite magic and trickery, fools and winners, and they all come together to tell a tale of murder and kidnap, love and loss, and it’s stunning in the weaving. It took me some time to absorb this book. I was going on vacation right after I started this book so I read a bit here and there and finished it right before I got home and I’m actually glad I only got to read it at a bit at a time because it forced me to really reflect on what I’d just read. I don’t think I’d have fully appreciated it if I’d sat and consumed it over the course of a couple of days. It’s truly a work of art and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to read it. Thank you Diane Setterfield and Simon & Schuster for this gift to the world!

This one wasn’t for me. I understand why people like it, especially readers of fantasy, but to me it felt overwritten and a bit annoying. I just never connected.

One night in an English village, an injured man shows up carrying a little girl who is thought to be dead. Miraculously, she is alive, and that is when the mystery begins. Is she Amelia, the child kidnapped from the Vaughans two years ago? Is she Alice, daughter of the woman who drowned herself, or maybe Ann, sister of Lily, or perhaps someone, or something, else entirely? There's a supernatural element in the novel involving the river and the mysterious child.

#Once Upon A River# NetGally#

The river, Thames, plays a main role in Diane Setterfield’s novel Once Upon A River. The storyline is centered around the settings up and down the river. Set in a time period when everyone’s work and life was played out in front of their neighbors on the river. A time when everyone knew everyone else and gossip swirled around among the locals. Most of the stories were told and retold at The Swan, the local gathering place. Telling stories passed down through the generations, was what they did so well. When an unusual occurrence happened, it set the tongues to wagging. One night a stranger stumbled into the bar carrying what, at first, they thought was a puppet. The man was injured and he collapsed on the floor. The “puppet “, proved to be a tiny girl who was thought to be unconscious, but later proved to be dead. As is sometimes the situation in these stories, the little girl was found later to be breathing and alive! Miraculous! When the stranger regained consciousness, he could not tell them anything about the girl. The young girl remained mute and was unable to tell her story. Who was she and where did she come from? The story proceeds about how they tried to determine who she was. Many claimed her as theirs. The story branches off into several different destinations trying to prove who she is. The reader is drawn up into all the stories and trying to make their own conclusions as to who is who, what is true, and what the final outcome will be. But, it will keep you guessing until the end. I could not put the book down until I finished it. At the finish of the book, the reader is left knowing that this will be a story to add to all the other stories passed down at the Swan and that it would be repeated over and over again. This is a mystery, a love story, and an old folklore story all at the same time. It is a very enjoyable read and I thoroughly recommend it to all who love an old folklore story. This advanced copy read was provided by the publisher and by NetGally. Thank you for the opportunity to provide an honest opinion review. Definitely 5 stars.

Diane Setterfield is an incredibly gifted writer, and she has woven a truly intricate and original story in this novel. Readers who are true devotees of fairy tales are sure to devour Setterfield's fantastical mystery about a little girl who seemingly returns from death after having been pulled from the mystical river that winds through the villages as well as through the lives of all who inhabit them. The fact that the little girl does not speak allows a true mystery to unfold, and the fact that three different families all seem to believe the girl belongs to them brings the story to a higher, more psychological and emotional level. It is also brilliant that Setterfield sets her story in the early days of photography, a time period that serves her story well in that some characters naturally accept that the story at hand is an act of magic while others just as easily search for logical meaning and attempt to solve the mystery in a scientific manner.

All that said, I really had trouble really connecting with the story as much as I would have liked. The plot moved a bit too slowly for me and I felt like I wasn't really invested until I was more than halfway through. I usually enjoy books with multiple main characters, but in this case I found it really hard to keep switching narrators when they had such different mindsets and to cross back and forth between the elements of fantasy and reality (others may not find this as distracting). I also couldn't connect with the lost little girl - it ultimately didn't really matter to me who she was or where she had come from (the fact that she didn't speak and didn't exhibit much of a personality was important to the story, but made for slow reading).

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I am such a huge fan of Diane Setterfield that I am extremely grateful for having had the opportunity to read her latest novel. I feel like there is a large audience of readers out there who will enjoy and connect with this novel as much as I'd hoped I would, but sadly this just wasn't the right story for me.