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A review by sinceremercy
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
2.0
First, what is done well: The prose is excellent. The slow build up and the pacing of the story in general really worked for me even through the conclusion. The author writes a great mystery novel, and the most interesting parts of this book were where it played most directly into that.
What I didn't like about it: The author makes one of the main characters' race a pretty large and significant element in the story, but I really don't feel that the depiction of it was handled very well. I was also made pretty uncomfortable by the author's depiction of travellers in a minor but reoccurring story element.
Most of all I was disappointed in the way the romance with Rita ended up. I actually quite liked the initial build up of the relationship with her and Daunt and thought it was quite sweet. Rita's fear of pregnancy seemed legitimate and justified characterisation to me, but I feel that it was used as kind of a contrived plot element to prevent her and Daunt from having a romantic resolution too early. Multiple methods of contraception existed and were well known of during this period, even if they weren't perfect. And ultimately there are obviously other ways they could be together without risking pregnancy.
I really wouldn't mind if Rita decided to be celibate forever because the fear of pregnancy was too big of a risk, but I didn't really appreciate the way it was framed as either she and Daunt had to forget each other and could never be together, or they'd admit their feelings, """let nature take its course""" and she would end up getting pregnant.
Especially disappointed in the way it was resolved in the end, with them just going straight up for the latter option with very little indication as to why Rita should suddenly change her mind about pregnancy. She's adamant about not being with him because of it, but then the first time they get together they don't take any precautions and at the end of it both seem pretty content with the possibility of her getting pregnant, which she of course does immediately. Confused also since they introduce the orphanage in the close of the story and it would make sense for Rita to go adopt a kid (since she never had a problem with motherhood, just pregnancy). It's just disappointing for me to have a character clearly established as NOT wanting pregnancy for very legitimate reasons then just changing her mind in a way that makes it feel like it was just a plot device to ramp up the romantic tension.
But again, the mystery was good and the novel held my interest even when I was annoyed with it.
What I didn't like about it: The author makes one of the main characters' race a pretty large and significant element in the story, but I really don't feel that the depiction of it was handled very well. I was also made pretty uncomfortable by the author's depiction of travellers in a minor but reoccurring story element.
Most of all I was disappointed in the way the romance with Rita ended up. I actually quite liked the initial build up of the relationship with her and Daunt and thought it was quite sweet. Rita's fear of pregnancy seemed legitimate and justified characterisation to me, but I feel that it was used as kind of a contrived plot element to prevent her and Daunt from having a romantic resolution too early. Multiple methods of contraception existed and were well known of during this period, even if they weren't perfect. And ultimately there are obviously other ways they could be together without risking pregnancy.
I really wouldn't mind if Rita decided to be celibate forever because the fear of pregnancy was too big of a risk, but I didn't really appreciate the way it was framed as either she and Daunt had to forget each other and could never be together, or they'd admit their feelings, """let nature take its course""" and she would end up getting pregnant.
Especially disappointed in the way it was resolved in the end, with them just going straight up for the latter option with very little indication as to why Rita should suddenly change her mind about pregnancy. She's adamant about not being with him because of it, but then the first time they get together they don't take any precautions and at the end of it both seem pretty content with the possibility of her getting pregnant, which she of course does immediately. Confused also since they introduce the orphanage in the close of the story and it would make sense for Rita to go adopt a kid (since she never had a problem with motherhood, just pregnancy). It's just disappointing for me to have a character clearly established as NOT wanting pregnancy for very legitimate reasons then just changing her mind in a way that makes it feel like it was just a plot device to ramp up the romantic tension.
But again, the mystery was good and the novel held my interest even when I was annoyed with it.