What a mesmerising book. The writing was lyrical and the story magical. The only criticism was that the children were all similarly named which at the start caused Confusion. I will tonight dream of Quietly and his daughter as they transverse the Thames in the dark of night.

Thanks to the author and publisher for this beautiful and mesmerising novel.

I was totally engrossed in this book from day one. It's essentially a dark fairytale set in a magical (or is it?) world of the small riverside Victorian communities of the Thames.

The story twisted and turned like the river that was a constant lead character, and built to a conclusion that was not clear for a while, yet didn't feel like it had come out of nowhere. The reader was led very deliberately towards it.

A really beautiful and human book which was set in the perfect time period to allow for the magic of the stories, legends and magic to be told in a very real-world way. 

The narrator's voice is very reminiscent of childhood fairytale books, and makes the reader feel like they're being told the story by this narrator, possibly in The Swan of the book, decades down the line.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this aERC in return for an honest review!
For my star rating system breakdown, please visit my Goodreads profile.

Once upon a River was a superb book. So well written. It is captivating all the way through. I loved all the different characters and how back then it appeared such a simple life where people believed in mysteries, witchcraft, the supernatural, sense of community and a huge collection of stories. This novel covers all these things and I would definitely recommend it and will be looking out for more by this author.

My thanks to NetGalley for my free copy.

Diane Setterfield is an expert storyteller, and this book held me spellbound from start to finish.

I haven't read any of her other novels, and chose this as I recently saw the movie of her "The Thirteenth Tale".

The skillful way in which this tale is woven reminded me of a number of great writers - including Thomas Hardy, Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens (please note that I am not suggesting that the author has copied them in any way!). There is mystery, tragedy, comedy, villainy, a touch of the paranormal, and above all, a keen observation of people (and their character) from all walks of life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will now seek out more by this author.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for my honest review.

This was a beautiful, meandering novel much like the river it follows, telling small slices of life as different people experience the same event - a drowned girl, coming back to life.
The old men see a miracle, the nurse a mystery, and each chapter is woven into the fabric of all the rest, all revolving around Ann, or Alice, or Amelia - which is she? Is she any of them?
This is a book to be savored, spread out over a few days with hot cups of tea and the reader nestled into a cozy nook. Trying to read on the train as you commute just won't cut it.
The writing skill is superb, and I highly recommend it to anyone that ponders where, exactly, does a river begin?

I enjoyed this much more than the thirteenth tale I found the story far more gripping and enjoyable.
Again it is written in such a way that you can almost smell the Thames and the people in the surrounding area a great read for a dark night in winter.

This is a book based in the 19th century. Truly magical. It has a taste of gothic style to it also,
It’s written in such a beautiful way. Very much a fairytale.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Random House UK for my eARC in exchange for my honest unbiased review

This was a deliciously magical, romantic and haunting story. Just sinking into the gothic mystical 19th century was bliss. I loved everything about it and would recommend it for its storytelling. #Netgalley #OnceUponAriver

Once Upon a River is a captivating story that held me spellbound from start to finish. Like the river, the plot twists and turns, revealing new secrets around every corner. There is a fairly large cast of characters, but they all come across as well-rounded, memorable figures, so it is never difficult to keep up with what was happening, and I love the way new information gradually came to light, making us continually question what was true. The prose is lyrical and flowing (again, like the river, which is almost a character in its own right in the tale), and I was always desperate to turn the page, to find out what would happen next. It's hard to decide in what genre to place this book, but I think I would call it literary fiction in an historical setting, with a drop of magical realism. If you enjoy entrancing storytelling, this is the book for you. It's one I can highly recommend.

Set in Victorian England, this is a very character heavy story, which I at times felt like i was wading through. written by any other author i think this would have made for a very dense read but Setterfields ability to weave words into the most beautiful, lyrical paragraphs made this a very enjoyable read.

This tale almost felt like a fairy tale to read and is definitely on i'll be recommending to my friends.

This book was different from what I expected.
The writing was beautiful, there were lots of characters and their stories were intricately interwined with each other as well as folklore and mythological stories.
It felt too long for me and not enough plot-driven for my taste.
If you like character-driven literature then this might be for you.

It was a good read, but sadly I didn't love it.

Thank you Random House UK and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC.

Really disappointing - a literary period set mystery with supernatural tones appeals to me on just about every level but it was simply tedious... carefully written to disable any real engagement with the characters and moving forwards so slowly that the plot becomes stagnant. Such a shame. Two stars because there’s promise there is someone can just tell the author to stop trying so hard and take pity on her reader

A narrative that is as flowing as the river Thames along which the characters live, with undercurrents and multiple narratives and characters that are linked, although this isn't immediately apparent.

This novel is set in the late 19th century and is part folklore, part magic, part myth but overall a wonderfully told story, which begins with the near drowning and miraculous recovery of a young girl. There are a large number of characters, each with a fully drawn backstory - this can feel a little drawn out at times, hence four rather than five stars, but each has a place in this narrative which explores a mystery, loss and love amongst other things.

I am glad I read this and many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy. I've enjoyed Diane Setterfield's other novels and this doesn't disappoint.

I have been meaning to read something by Diane Setterfield for a long time. I’m glad I finally did. This is a clever tale. Full of twists and turns like the river that inspired it, you never quite know how things are going to turn out. Populated with great, sympathetic characters and an absorbing plot, this is a masterclass in old fashioned story telling. I devoured it on my flight back from my holiday and the hours literally flew by.

Fantastic, fantastic novel. A long wait for me since The Thirteenth Tale, absolute beauty of a novel, but it's worth it.

Setterfield writes about sadness as if she's doing embroidery. The finished work is breathtaking. What an absolute talent, to take the readers hand and carry them away to a story of mystery, developing and unfolding plot from character to character, captivating them at all times. The story set in a small village and it does flow like a river, and is very character heavy.

Absolutely enjoyed it and will be looking forward for Setterfield's next book.