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A review by holdenwunders_
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
There are so many words that come to mind upon finishing this book. Languishing. Yearning. Luxuriate. Haunting.
I first read Diane Setterfield when I was still a young girl figuring out what books were and picked up The Thirteenth Tale. I recall being so astounded by it and how romance wasn’t the main plot point of the book and was so enveloped by a fully imagined world and characters. It wasn’t a book that was catered to my age group and while I loved Twilight growing up, it was something completely new and it breathed new life into me. The Thirteenth Tale became one of my favourite books and I was honestly a bit scared to pick up Once Upon A River. What if my eyes as a grown woman didn’t see the spark anymore? What if they were just the new meanderings of a teenager finding a love in books?
I did a disservice to myself and Setterfield by not ravishing this earlier. Historical fiction gets a bad rap for “being slow” but if you can just sit, truly sit, this book will move your soul. Setterfield should have as many props as Kristin Hannah gets and is a true master of her field. Her writing, characters, plot, stylistic choices and just her expertise in weaving words will leave you breathless.
There was no reason to truly cry at the end but I did. I am sad to leave my beloved new friends behind, but as Setterfield says at the end, I surely have rivers of my own to attend to.
I first read Diane Setterfield when I was still a young girl figuring out what books were and picked up The Thirteenth Tale. I recall being so astounded by it and how romance wasn’t the main plot point of the book and was so enveloped by a fully imagined world and characters. It wasn’t a book that was catered to my age group and while I loved Twilight growing up, it was something completely new and it breathed new life into me. The Thirteenth Tale became one of my favourite books and I was honestly a bit scared to pick up Once Upon A River. What if my eyes as a grown woman didn’t see the spark anymore? What if they were just the new meanderings of a teenager finding a love in books?
I did a disservice to myself and Setterfield by not ravishing this earlier. Historical fiction gets a bad rap for “being slow” but if you can just sit, truly sit, this book will move your soul. Setterfield should have as many props as Kristin Hannah gets and is a true master of her field. Her writing, characters, plot, stylistic choices and just her expertise in weaving words will leave you breathless.
There was no reason to truly cry at the end but I did. I am sad to leave my beloved new friends behind, but as Setterfield says at the end, I surely have rivers of my own to attend to.