A review by superiour_medium
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I think this book, like many in the fantasy genre of magical realism, has a tendency to take twice as long to explain something as it needs to. While the ensemble of characters is daunting at first, the stories all knit together quite well in a way that feels satisfying (if at times a bit improbable). In all honesty, I would have given this a 4.75 except for one, in my eyes, major problem: the author REPEATEDLY uses the g-slur in reference to a group of Romani people who live up the river from Radcot. I understand that this term was used contemporarily (I think the book takes place in the 1870's?) but there were definitely better ways to refer to these people especially knowing the term was a racist misidentification from centuries prior to the book's setting in time. 

On a similar note, one of the ancillary antagonists Mrs. Eavis (spelling?) is stated repeatedly to have a very pronounced nose. Eavis is a cruel
landlady/madame of the Brothel where Robin's wife is found dead
, and her villainy also continues during the
harvest faire when she claims publicly that The Child is Robin's
. I wouldn't have thought too much about the nose being used as a characteristic if not for the existing troubles re:Romani ethnic populations, so the hints of Romaphobia compounded to make me genuinely wonder if this was potentially slightly veiled antisemitism? I may be reading too far into things, but a certain British author always in the news has made me suspicious of even the most subtle signs.

Overall a fine venture into magical realism, but with some truncation & slightly greater cultural sensitivity could be a great story. 
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