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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Let’s just say this first: I, like millions of others, loved Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale. I now compare every mysterious gothic tale with what is said to have a truly stunning twist to that novel. I’ve found nothing that quite measures up: it is just a gold standard of gothic literature. When Setterfield came out with her second book, Bellman and Black, I was excited but then quite disappointed. Now with this third novel, some years in between each, I had more measured expectations. While this still doesn’t pack the punch of Thirteenth Tale (which, let’s be honest, when you have a book that’s a gold standard, it’s going to stay that way a good long while), Once Upon a River is much more satisfying than the disappointing B and B.
This story has a feel to it of mystery, of the touch of the supernatural, but it’s much more human and weighty. Its characters are wonderfully fleshed out and ones that I felt for; I wanted them all to find some closure and peace and happiness from the events that had caused them worry and pain. Elements of the tale come together so beautifully and satisfyingly at the end, even ones that I didn’t expect needed to be tied up. I read this in ebook format, sure, but let’s just say that I “turned the last page and closed the book” feeling I’d been read the equivalent of a delicious square meal. Yay for Setterfield for coming back with this third novel!
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/once-upon-river-clean-fiction-book-review/
This story has a feel to it of mystery, of the touch of the supernatural, but it’s much more human and weighty. Its characters are wonderfully fleshed out and ones that I felt for; I wanted them all to find some closure and peace and happiness from the events that had caused them worry and pain. Elements of the tale come together so beautifully and satisfyingly at the end, even ones that I didn’t expect needed to be tied up. I read this in ebook format, sure, but let’s just say that I “turned the last page and closed the book” feeling I’d been read the equivalent of a delicious square meal. Yay for Setterfield for coming back with this third novel!
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/once-upon-river-clean-fiction-book-review/
dark
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The beginning felt almost too morbid to continue with, as I picked this book up the same week a friend suddenly passed away. I almost moved on to something lighter. I'm glad I didn't. As each character is introduced, more questions rise, and these questions kept me interested, and just a little distracted from the current grief in my own life. I was enthralled by the mystery, and I enjoyed the storyteller's voice. The fantasies sprinkled nonchalantly throughout an otherwise realistic setting made me wonder which were true to the story, and which were only the characters' superstitions. I loved that feeling, and I loved the legends themselves. The ending was wholly satisfying. My favorite character was Ben, but I grew attached to quite a few people in this story, and could picture them all very clearly.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I fell in love with Diane Setterfield when I first read The Thirteenth Tale.
I could not be more happy to delve in to the brilliant mind of this storyteller once again. The plot meanders and eddies like that of the Thames River. You wonder all at once if you are at the beginning or then end or somewhere along the way. The story is spellbinding and you want to put it away to figure out its secrets and keep reading to find them out all at once!
Initially, I wasn't sure that I would be able to connect and keep straight the three separate story lines that the author began to create. As I read on, I realized that they were all an interact, interconnected part of the the tale. . . the reader is captivated not from the beginning (somewhat like sitting around a campfire) but as the story grows and builds you need to hear more of the tale, learn more of the details, work out the intricacies in your mind of what is connected and how and where. . . Setterfield is a master at the art of mystery, intrigue, and details.
The book has an almost otherworldly or magical feel to it as if it were based upon tales told long ago and passed on from generation to generation. What is real and what has been created from hyperbole?
Is it a story of nature vs. nurture? Fantasy or fiction?
Let this masterful storyteller whisk you away into the banks of a river and life near its banks. . . Let the book help you delve into the family and community along the Thames and its networks of people cast its net upon your imagination, your time, and your enjoyment . . .for a while get lost in the wonderments and mystery Once Upon a River.
I could not be more happy to delve in to the brilliant mind of this storyteller once again. The plot meanders and eddies like that of the Thames River. You wonder all at once if you are at the beginning or then end or somewhere along the way. The story is spellbinding and you want to put it away to figure out its secrets and keep reading to find them out all at once!
Initially, I wasn't sure that I would be able to connect and keep straight the three separate story lines that the author began to create. As I read on, I realized that they were all an interact, interconnected part of the the tale. . . the reader is captivated not from the beginning (somewhat like sitting around a campfire) but as the story grows and builds you need to hear more of the tale, learn more of the details, work out the intricacies in your mind of what is connected and how and where. . . Setterfield is a master at the art of mystery, intrigue, and details.
The book has an almost otherworldly or magical feel to it as if it were based upon tales told long ago and passed on from generation to generation. What is real and what has been created from hyperbole?
Is it a story of nature vs. nurture? Fantasy or fiction?
Let this masterful storyteller whisk you away into the banks of a river and life near its banks. . . Let the book help you delve into the family and community along the Thames and its networks of people cast its net upon your imagination, your time, and your enjoyment . . .for a while get lost in the wonderments and mystery Once Upon a River.
Lost pace at some point and I started skimming, a bit too allegorical for this very realist engineer. Felt the ending was a damp squib too...
Writing itself was ok, 2.75 rounded up ;)
Writing itself was ok, 2.75 rounded up ;)
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the writing style. I did think it was long, though. I think it could've been shortened while maintaining the story. I really liked how all of the storylines and characters weaved together in the end.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My 50th book for the year! I am torn between 3 and 4 stars. I enjoyed the authors storytelling, imagery and interesting cast of characters. Like The Thirteenth Tale, there were moments when I had the 'get to it already' feeling.
I went with 3 because while I adored the last short paragraph, something still felt unfinished for me.
I went with 3 because while I adored the last short paragraph, something still felt unfinished for me.
A gorgeous and atmospheric read that's hard to pin down to one genre (in a good way). This tale of an Inn on the Thames and the people and stories that surround it had me gripped. I loved the folk tale storytelling style and the side stories. I won't say anything about the plot as it's hard not to do spoilers but the way the stories and myths interlink is wonderfully done.
I also - completely accidentally - read most of this in December and a lot of the action is set around the midwinter solstice or longest night, which was a bonus for a wintery read.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I also - completely accidentally - read most of this in December and a lot of the action is set around the midwinter solstice or longest night, which was a bonus for a wintery read.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.