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shirleytupperfreeman's review
This is written by a woman from Kalamazoo so I thought I'd check it out. I liked it. People are comparing it to Huck Finn and Homer's The Odyssey. The main character, Margo, is a sharpshooter whose hero is Annie Oakley. After the death of her father, she begins a quest to find her mother. She never strays far from the river - the only place she feels at home. She meets a number of interesting people who change her life for both better and worse. In a review article in the local paper, the author notes that she based Margo on Odysseus but with a key difference: "A man would have battles; a young woman would have relationships." It's a unique story and a good, if quirky, read.
heathers94's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
tlctbr's review
4.0
I may have loved the descriptions of the river more than I loved the actual story. Campbell’s writing is beautiful.
mumblingmynah's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
krobart's review
4.0
I have seen the novel compared to the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but even though Margo travels up and down the river, the journeys here are mostly internal. Once Upon a River is beautifully written in spare prose, creating an unforgettable main character in Margo.
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/once-upon-a-river/
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/once-upon-a-river/
susaned's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
4.0
Difficult topic. An adventurous spirit who is damaged and seeking a home. Graphic hunting and butchering scenes. Also rape.
nekreader's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
cassf's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
amchica's review
3.0
Every once in a while I'll finish a book and be completely unsure whether or not I liked it. This is one of those rare books. I definitely appreciated Bonnie Jo Campbell's writing - her setting and characters are well developed. But there is something that kept me from really enjoying this book. I think the rural river setting didn't particularly appeal to me because of my own preferences. Still have to think this one over.