Historical mystery novel with a magic realism touch - worth a look

Taking place at the end of the 19th century over the period of a year along the upper Thames, this novel deals with the discovery of an injured man and a seemingly dead girl emerging from the river at the Swan inn. From there, a series of events take place involving a host of locals of various descriptions. There are mysteries to be solved, revelations to be explained and the novel includes murder, theft, kidnapping, betrayal, domestic abuse and a lot more besides.

The characters are the most important part of the tale, well-developed, diverse and interesting and they drive the plot as they find love, redemption, justice and a future. Slow-moving, the plot takes its time and there’s not a lot of “action”. An enjoyable read, reminiscent of true 19th century works with a touch of the mystical. Recommended.

A haunting, elegant exploration of loss, grief and hope.

A stranger bursts into a riverside pub, his face torn apart, bearing a dead child in his arms. When the child stirs and breathes, it's a miracle, and everyone who sees her, no matter their age or situation, longs to comfort and look after her.

Over the next year fate and the child bring a host of strangers together to work out not only who she is but to heal from their own loss, tragedy and fear. A young couple grieving the disappearance of their child two years before, a poor, beaten woman haunted by guilt, a family hiding the truth about their eldest son from each other and themselves, a widowed photographer and a midwife, so terrified by childbirth she can't allow herself to love all find their lives entwining as three of them lay claim to the child. Is she Amelia, Alice or Ann- or is she someone, something, else entirely?

Each character's story would be enough to build a book on its own, weaved together they create a gorgeous tapestry set in Victorian England at a time when science and superstition collide. This unsettling, gothic, otherworldly book is touching, absorbing and beautifully written.

This was a good book, but it didn't fully work for me. There were parts of this book I really liked but other parts dragged for me. Although this was a well written book with an intriguing premise, I just couldn't get into it. I wasn't invested in the characters and the plot didn't always hold my attention. Overall I think this was a good book, just not for me. If you love books with folklore, magical realism and atmospheric books then I would recommend checking this book out.

I loved this - after I got into the story. A gentle story about the minutiae of life as well as the major topics of parenthood, murder and kidnapping!
I was a little confused about the the time - I felt that it read as if it was set in the Middle Ages. Many of the characters had very little and the farming communities appeared to have no machinery etc. Then the photographer appeared and it became clear that it must be set later than I had thought - and must be Victorian.
I had this difficulty throughout the story - but I did enjoy it and really wanted to find out what happened.
I would recommend it.

Thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.

I absolutely ADORED this beautifully written, atmospheric mystery. The blurb piqued my interest and once I started reading the story hooked me from the start. I grabbed every chance I could to binge read it, staying up far, far too late into the night to finish it. The novel is written in a lyrical, flowing narrative that mirrors its watery theme and enigmatic narrative.

The story follows a number of different characters and their link to a mysterious event, the apparent resurrection of a drowned young girl. The setting reminded me a little of Philip Pullman’s “La Belle Sauvage” and the descriptions of the Thames also reminded me of Sarah Waters’ “Fingersmith”. Indeed, the theme of water is one present throughout the novel to the extent that water feels like a main character in itself.

I loved the characters, in particular Rita and Armstrong as I felt they were the most well developed and interesting. Rita is a woman who has forged her own path as a competent and independent healer, and Armstrong to whom the bonds of family surpass all others. Although the story is set in an indeterminate past, they felt contemporary. The main characters were well written to the extent that I genuinely cared about what happened to them. There were moments I cried, particularly in relation to the heart-breaking story of the Vaughans and their palpable grief and despair over their missing daughter. The main villain also manages to be suitably awful without turning into a caricature.

The novel is at its heart a good old-fashioned British folk tale. There is an air of mystery running throughout and the supernatural element is present enough to thrill without being hokey. The conclusion is satisfying and draws a everything to a coherent finish. The story telling regulars of The Swan would love it! Highly recommended.

I knew as soon as I started this book I would enjoy it. It's a fairy tale for grown ups! It's so much more than one story. It's the tales of the river and I loved it.

What a mesmerising book. The writing was lyrical and the story magical. The only criticism was that the children were all similarly named which at the start caused Confusion. I will tonight dream of Quietly and his daughter as they transverse the Thames in the dark of night.

Thanks to the author and publisher for this beautiful and mesmerising novel.

I was totally engrossed in this book from day one. It's essentially a dark fairytale set in a magical (or is it?) world of the small riverside Victorian communities of the Thames.

The story twisted and turned like the river that was a constant lead character, and built to a conclusion that was not clear for a while, yet didn't feel like it had come out of nowhere. The reader was led very deliberately towards it.

A really beautiful and human book which was set in the perfect time period to allow for the magic of the stories, legends and magic to be told in a very real-world way. 

The narrator's voice is very reminiscent of childhood fairytale books, and makes the reader feel like they're being told the story by this narrator, possibly in The Swan of the book, decades down the line.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this aERC in return for an honest review!
For my star rating system breakdown, please visit my Goodreads profile.

Once upon a River was a superb book. So well written. It is captivating all the way through. I loved all the different characters and how back then it appeared such a simple life where people believed in mysteries, witchcraft, the supernatural, sense of community and a huge collection of stories. This novel covers all these things and I would definitely recommend it and will be looking out for more by this author.

My thanks to NetGalley for my free copy.

Diane Setterfield is an expert storyteller, and this book held me spellbound from start to finish.

I haven't read any of her other novels, and chose this as I recently saw the movie of her "The Thirteenth Tale".

The skillful way in which this tale is woven reminded me of a number of great writers - including Thomas Hardy, Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens (please note that I am not suggesting that the author has copied them in any way!). There is mystery, tragedy, comedy, villainy, a touch of the paranormal, and above all, a keen observation of people (and their character) from all walks of life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will now seek out more by this author.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for my honest review.

This was a beautiful, meandering novel much like the river it follows, telling small slices of life as different people experience the same event - a drowned girl, coming back to life.
The old men see a miracle, the nurse a mystery, and each chapter is woven into the fabric of all the rest, all revolving around Ann, or Alice, or Amelia - which is she? Is she any of them?
This is a book to be savored, spread out over a few days with hot cups of tea and the reader nestled into a cozy nook. Trying to read on the train as you commute just won't cut it.
The writing skill is superb, and I highly recommend it to anyone that ponders where, exactly, does a river begin?

I enjoyed this much more than the thirteenth tale I found the story far more gripping and enjoyable.
Again it is written in such a way that you can almost smell the Thames and the people in the surrounding area a great read for a dark night in winter.

This is a book based in the 19th century. Truly magical. It has a taste of gothic style to it also,
It’s written in such a beautiful way. Very much a fairytale.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Random House UK for my eARC in exchange for my honest unbiased review

This was a deliciously magical, romantic and haunting story. Just sinking into the gothic mystical 19th century was bliss. I loved everything about it and would recommend it for its storytelling. #Netgalley #OnceUponAriver

Once Upon a River is a captivating story that held me spellbound from start to finish. Like the river, the plot twists and turns, revealing new secrets around every corner. There is a fairly large cast of characters, but they all come across as well-rounded, memorable figures, so it is never difficult to keep up with what was happening, and I love the way new information gradually came to light, making us continually question what was true. The prose is lyrical and flowing (again, like the river, which is almost a character in its own right in the tale), and I was always desperate to turn the page, to find out what would happen next. It's hard to decide in what genre to place this book, but I think I would call it literary fiction in an historical setting, with a drop of magical realism. If you enjoy entrancing storytelling, this is the book for you. It's one I can highly recommend.

Set in Victorian England, this is a very character heavy story, which I at times felt like i was wading through. written by any other author i think this would have made for a very dense read but Setterfields ability to weave words into the most beautiful, lyrical paragraphs made this a very enjoyable read.

This tale almost felt like a fairy tale to read and is definitely on i'll be recommending to my friends.

This book was different from what I expected.
The writing was beautiful, there were lots of characters and their stories were intricately interwined with each other as well as folklore and mythological stories.
It felt too long for me and not enough plot-driven for my taste.
If you like character-driven literature then this might be for you.

It was a good read, but sadly I didn't love it.

Thank you Random House UK and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC.

Really disappointing - a literary period set mystery with supernatural tones appeals to me on just about every level but it was simply tedious... carefully written to disable any real engagement with the characters and moving forwards so slowly that the plot becomes stagnant. Such a shame. Two stars because there’s promise there is someone can just tell the author to stop trying so hard and take pity on her reader

A narrative that is as flowing as the river Thames along which the characters live, with undercurrents and multiple narratives and characters that are linked, although this isn't immediately apparent.

This novel is set in the late 19th century and is part folklore, part magic, part myth but overall a wonderfully told story, which begins with the near drowning and miraculous recovery of a young girl. There are a large number of characters, each with a fully drawn backstory - this can feel a little drawn out at times, hence four rather than five stars, but each has a place in this narrative which explores a mystery, loss and love amongst other things.

I am glad I read this and many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy. I've enjoyed Diane Setterfield's other novels and this doesn't disappoint.

I have been meaning to read something by Diane Setterfield for a long time. I’m glad I finally did. This is a clever tale. Full of twists and turns like the river that inspired it, you never quite know how things are going to turn out. Populated with great, sympathetic characters and an absorbing plot, this is a masterclass in old fashioned story telling. I devoured it on my flight back from my holiday and the hours literally flew by.