A review by forsan
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Part historical fiction, part mystery, with a bit of magical realism.  A young girl with blue-green-grey eyes washes up from the Thames and is dead but then comes back to life.  She is claimed by three separate families, each of whom has lost a child to the river, and trying to unfold the unspeaking girl's history proves more complicated and darker than expected.

This novel is at its core a celebration of storytelling.  I really liked the cast of characters, and I was impressed by how well the ending came together.  The way that characters were introduced early and half forgotten about, only to have truly everything come back together, was really impressive.