Some books just feel damp. Not literally, obviously, but they carry the scent of mud, old wood, and river water right into your living room. Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield is exactly that kind of story. It starts in a pub called The Swan on the banks of the Thames at Radcot. It’s a place for storytelling. It’s a place where locals gather to swap tall tales, but on one winter’s night, the story walks right through the front door.
A man stumbles in, bleeding and half-dead, carrying the body of a young girl. She’s drowned. There is no pulse. Then, hours later, she breathes.
She lives.
And that is where the trouble begins.
The Once Upon a River Book Mystery: Who is the Girl?
Setterfield doesn't give you easy answers. Honestly, that’s the best part. As soon as word gets out that a "miracle" has happened at Radcot, three different families show up to claim the child. You’ve got the Vaughans, who lost their daughter to a kidnapping years ago. Then there’s Robin Armstrong’s son, who thinks she might be his secret granddaughter. And then there is the dark, complicated mess of the White family.
It’s messy.
The book isn't just a "whodunnit" but more of a "who-is-she." It plays with the idea of folklore versus science. Rita Sunday, the local nurse who represents the logical, medical side of things, is constantly at odds with the superstitious locals who think the girl is some kind of changeling or a gift from the river itself.
Why the setting matters more than the plot
The Thames isn't just a backdrop here. It’s a character. Setterfield spent years researching the hydrology and history of the river, and it shows in the way she describes the currents, the floods, and the way the water "remembers" things. If you’ve ever stood by a river at dusk and felt that weird, chilling sensation that something is watching you, you’ll get why this book works.
The pacing is slow. I mean, really slow. If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller, this isn't it. It’s a slow-burn Victorian mystery that feels like it was written in the 19th century but has a modern understanding of trauma and grief.
Science vs. Magic in Once Upon a River
We live in an age where everything is explainable. We have GPS, we have instant communication, and we have an answer for every biological anomaly. But in the world of the Once Upon a River book, it’s 1887. The lines are blurred.
Photographer Henry Daunt is another key player. He represents the burgeoning world of technology. He wants to capture the truth through his lens, but even his photos seem to hint at things that shouldn't be there. This tension between what we can see and what we feel is the engine that keeps the story moving.
Setterfield uses a lot of "boundary" imagery.
The river is a boundary between life and death.
The Swan is a boundary between the cold night and a warm fire.
The girl herself is a boundary between a miracle and a tragedy.
Real Historical Context
While the story feels like a fairy tale, Setterfield anchors it in the reality of late Victorian England. The descriptions of the medical practices of the time—the way Rita Sunday handles wounds and the limited understanding of "near-death" experiences—are historically grounded. The 1880s were a time of massive transition. Darwin had already changed how people thought about their origins, and the industrial revolution was encroaching on the rural way of life. This book captures that specific "end-of-an-era" anxiety perfectly.
Is the story actually supernatural?
That’s the question everyone asks. Kinda. Sorta.
Without spoiling the ending, I’ll say this: Setterfield is a master of the "maybe." She gives you enough scientific crumbs to follow a logical path, but she leaves the door cracked open just enough for a cold breeze of the supernatural to blow through.
Some readers find the ending frustrating because it doesn't tie every single thread into a neat little bow. But life isn't neat. The river doesn't flow in a straight line; it meanders. The book mimics that. It’s about the stories we tell ourselves to survive grief. The Vaughans want her to be their daughter because the alternative is a hole in their hearts that will never heal. The Armstrongs want her to be their kin because it offers a chance at redemption.
Why you should actually read it
Look, this book is over 400 pages of dense, atmospheric prose. It’s a commitment. But if you loved The Thirteenth Tale, you already know that Setterfield is the queen of the modern Gothic.
- The Atmosphere: It’s thick enough to wear.
- The Characters: Even the minor characters, like the regulars at the pub, feel like people you’ve known your whole life.
- The Themes: It deals with motherhood, loss, and the power of folklore in a way that feels incredibly poignant.
Actually, one of the most underrated parts of the book is the portrayal of the river folk. These aren't just "peasants." They are people with a deep, ancestral knowledge of the land. They know which bends in the river are dangerous and which trees are unlucky. In a world that was becoming increasingly obsessed with "progress," Setterfield honors the people who stayed behind to listen to the water.
Final Practical Takeaways for Readers
If you are planning to pick up the Once Upon a River book, here is the best way to approach it. Don't rush. This isn't a book to be "crushed" in a weekend. It’s a book to be sipped like a dark ale.
First, get a physical copy. There’s something about the weight of this story that doesn't translate as well to a Kindle. You want to see the maps. You want to feel the pages.
Second, read it when it's raining. I'm serious. The immersion level goes up by about 200%.
Third, pay attention to the minor characters. The story of Quietly, the mysterious ferryman, is just as important as the mystery of the girl. He represents the "Death" figure of the river, the one who carries souls across.
Lastly, understand that this is a book about storytelling itself. The characters are constantly telling stories—to each other, to themselves, and to the reader. Sometimes they lie. Sometimes they misremember. That’s what makes it human.
To get the most out of your reading experience:
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- Trace the map of the Thames as you read; the geography of Radcot, Buscot, and Kelmscott is real and adds a layer of grounding to the myth.
- Research the "Great Flood of 1894" if you want to see the real-life inspirations for the river's power during that era.
- Compare the character of Rita Sunday to real pioneer women in Victorian medicine, like Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, to see how Setterfield reflects the feminist shifts of the late 1800s.
The book basically asks one big question: When the world stops making sense, do you turn to science or do you turn to the stories? Usually, the truth is somewhere right in the middle, floating in the water.