Once Upon a River by Diane SetterfieldMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Set in the 19th century, Once Upon A River, crosses genres: magical, folklore, fairytale with supernatural elements. A whimsical tale set amongst a community on the banks of the River Thames. Where folk sit and relate stories, often embellished as the ale flows. What then are they to make of an event that occurs on the winter solstice when a stranger staggers into the Swan Tavern carrying a child. A young girl who, to all outward appearances, is dead. The local nurse Rita takes the child in her arms and pronounces this to be so. The locals are shocked and dismayed when the child recovers from her apparent death. Who is she? Had she not drowned when the stranger discovered her? Is she the long lost child of the Vaughans or the Armstrongs? This is the meat of the story that follows several characters in their quest to establish the truth.
Enjoyable enough but at times it lost pace, became repetitive and dragged. A pity. It is well written with good character development. I wish I had enjoyed it more.
My thanks to Random House UK, Transworld and NetGalley for my ARC.
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