A review by theseasoul
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

dark emotional mysterious 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

|| 5 ⭐️ ||

It’s impossible to write a review that measures up to the immense beauty of this book. I’ll try, but you should probably just go read it for yourself instead of reading my review.

This story revolves around a little girl being drawn out of a river, supposedly having drowned. I can’t really say much else about the storyline without spoiling it, because the twists and turns start pretty much right away. The element of mystery kept me hooked… yet it unfolded so gently and carefully that I frequently forgot the magnitude of what was at stake. There are a lot of characters, all with different stories, which worked perfectly for this book even though I got lost and had to backtrack a couple times.

I don’t think I’ve ever loved a writing style as much as I loved Setterfield’s in this book. She painted a world so vibrant and picturesque that I could fully step into it and never wanted to step out. Countless times I had to pause and appreciate another exquisite metaphor. I could’ve gone overboard with a highlighter. When I did finally reach the end of the final page, I’m pretty sure I didn’t breathe for a full minute, worried that if I did, the magic would vanish. I’m so sad this book had to end.

Most of all I loved how water was so central to the story, and how so many themes were drawn back to that.

Another absolute favourite of the year. Maybe one of my favourite covers of the year too.

|| Content warnings ||
Somewhat graphic descriptions of childbirth & death in childbirth. A few sexual references throughout and a short sex scene near the end. Brief mention of homosexual relationship. Some aspects of the book are a bit eerie and deal with the spirit world (kind of? It’s hard to explain).
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