Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

Once Upon a River - Diane Setterfield

February 14, 2020.
Requested by Saar the Book Owl.

Saar, you keep requesting all the weird books I have been wanting to read but never had the time. Aghhhr..... I'll try to squeeze it into February....

Haha, I can read minds ;) It would be great if you joined.

Didn't realize this was a BR and it's one of my February reads! Perfect! It will be my first BR of the year.

Mayim wrote: "Saar, you keep requesting all the weird books I have been wanting to read but never had the time. Aghhhr..... I'll try to squeeze it into February...."

This!!! 😅 I'll try to join too.

Just started, I must stay, thru the fourth chapter.
(view spoiler)[ I am intrigued with the 4 year old that breathes after being dead for hours, and who is the man that brought her in? (hide spoiler)]

Will start tonight or tomorrow. :)

Yes, I am starting also.

Read the first chapter and I have good first impressions, I really like the style of it.

Frank wrote: "Just started, I must stay, thru the fourth chapter.
[spoilers removed]"

Definitely an intriguing start to a story!

No chapter numbers! I'm 22% in, up to 'Mr Armstrong at Bampton'.

(view spoiler)[That was an interesting little section looking at different people's lives on the same day, before all realising something is going to happen. Each chapter ending with the same thought was a little cheesy, but I enjoyed making connections between the people. Like, the sow Lily has is probably the one stolen from Robert Armstrong, because her husband was a thief. I love how much he loved his sows by the way, cute.
So, I wonder if the girl who came back to life is the little girl kidnapped from the Vaughans. Hmm. (hide spoiler)]

I have just started too. I need to say that I love the style. Only the beginning but it does flow like a river and catches the reader in its arms. The pull is definitely there.

Mayim wrote: "I have just started too. I need to say that I love the style. Only the beginning but it does flow like a river and catches the reader in its arms. The pull is definitely there."

Definitely agree!

And please keep the river metaphors coming. XD

I just started and I'm loving the writing style already.

I started too and I love it so far.

It's a great start isn't it! :)

I'm 44% through now and I'm hooked. I love all the different characters.

I have finished part one. I cannot decide who I want the most to be the right person to get the girl.

I've started today and I'm up to the chapter 'The wonder'. I don't know if the name of the chapter is corrct, because I'm reading the Dutch translation. So far, I'm intrigued by the story and that has a lot to do with the writing style. It's a bit mysterious and intriguing at the same time. It's like falling in a river and taken by the current ;)
I love the way (view spoiler)[how the little group of people in the inn are thinking on what is happening and putting their minds together. I like also how a strong woman Rita is. (hide spoiler)]

Mayim wrote: "I have finished part one. I cannot decide who I want the most to be the right person to get the girl."

I can't help but feeling (view spoiler)[that she's not either of their little girls. (hide spoiler)]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "I've started today and I'm up to the chapter 'The wonder'. I don't know if the name of the chapter is corrct, because I'm reading the Dutch translation. So far, I'm intrigued by the story and that ..."

I agree with you, Saar. Love Rita!

Siobhan wrote: "Mayim wrote: "I have finished part one. I cannot decide who I want the most to be the right person to get the girl."

I can't help but feeling [spoilers removed]"

That might be it! the flow of the story is meandering after all and quite treacherous but each of the tributaries, the individual streams feeding into the main tale broke my heart, albeit each has done that in a different way.

I have so many favourite characters that I would be hard-pressed to pick just one! Rita is great, but so is Emily and her husband. Margot could adopt me any day. I feel so sorry for Lily. And then the Quietly's tale was altogether incredible!

Mayim wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "Mayim wrote: "I have finished part one. I cannot decide who I want the most to be the right person to get the girl."

I can't help but feeling [spoilers removed]"

That might be it!..."

Oooh yes the Quietly tale was excellent! I genuinely feel like I'm sitting by a fire listening to a storyteller with this book!

This book reminds me of the Innkeeper's song which is one of my beloved books.

Siobhan wrote: "Read the first chapter and I have good first impressions, I really like the style of it."

Me too. I found it very whimsical and I was immediately drawn into the story. I'm 25 pages in and (view spoiler)[ I love that the tavern is a haven for storytelling, my kind of place! I'm so excited to read more. (hide spoiler)]

@Charlie: about the tavern: (view spoiler)[It's just something you can visualise very easily. The story gets told as if you're really there! And I love how the story leads it's own way after everyone leaves. In some way, everyone seems to preoccupied by it. It's like a sleepy little town coming to life. (hide spoiler)]

70% through, up to 'Two Strange Things' - (view spoiler)[Poor Lily :( that Victor is evil. And to think he's her step brother. Can only imagine what her step dad must have been like. Why did her mother bring them into their lives?!

I'm worried for Mrs Vaughan now Armstrong has taken the girl away. Don't know how she'll cope. I thought Mr Vaughan might have put up some fight, but he knows deep down its not Amelia. Robin Armstrong is a strange one. So nasty to come from such nice parents. What does he want with the girl? :/ (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[ Ahhh why didn't I realise that Mr Vaughan already knew she was dead? That makes a lot of sense now why he couldn't accept the girl as Amelia. That was such a sad chapter him recounting his story of going to ransom her.
So, she really is Alice then? I'm still inclined to think she's neither. (hide spoiler)]

Not reading the spoilers yet, but I've now finished the chapter where we meet the Armstrongs. I can't help thinking that (view spoiler)[the little girl that was mentioned in the letter could be the girl that was found. Strange on both Bess and Robert feeling that is something's about to happen. It's like everyone, even the animals has a connection with the river. (hide spoiler)]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "Not reading the spoilers yet, but I've now finished the chapter where we meet the Armstrongs. I can't help thinking that [spoilers removed]"

I loved those chapters that you're talking about. It was a great introduction to their characters.
Definitely love how the river is connected to everyone, you're so right.

Siobhan wrote: "No chapter numbers! I'm 22% in, up to 'Mr Armstrong at Bampton'.

That was an interesting little section looking at different people's lives on the same day, before all realising something is going..."

I'm counting breaks, as numbers.

@Saar the tavern setting gives me The Name of the Wind feelings!

I'll be starting this today or tomorrow! It's been on my TBR for far too long :)

Navi wrote: "I'll be starting this today or tomorrow! It's been on my TBR for far too long :)"

For me it was one of those rare instances where I find a book, buy it the same day and read it that week. Things can sit on my shelves for years so I'm so glad I'm reading this.

Charlie wrote: "Navi wrote: "I'll be starting this today or tomorrow! It's been on my TBR for far too long :)"

For me it was one of those rare instances where I find a book, buy it the same day and read it that w..."

Love when that happens! XD I knew you should buy it!

I've finished the chapter 'Mr. Armstrong goes to Brampton'.
Helena: (view spoiler)[There's something bothering me about the story of Helena and Anthony. The story that Anthony told about his daughter gone missing, is somewhere wrong. It's not trueful, maybe it's just a feeling that I've got. Also, there's Helena in her rowing boat, trying to reach to the water. Maybe she still believes the tale her aunt toldd her about the angry river spirits taking children with them into the water. Maybe she thinks Amelia is there too. (hide spoiler)]

Lily: (view spoiler)[Could she have stolen Maud, mr. Armstrong's pig, because the pig has some intens glance in her eyes, about long lost hapiness. (hide spoiler)]

Mr. Armstrong: (view spoiler)[He seems to me a very honest man, with no bad feelings, a bit overwhelmed by his compassion for living creatures. I wonder why he and Robin didn't get along and who the mother of Alice was, why she took her own life. For now, I think that Alice has gone in that little alley on a boat on the river, but for some reason I think it's not that simple. (hide spoiler)]

Charlie wrote: "@Saar the tavern setting gives me The Name of the Wind feelings!"

Yes, I've got that feeling too!

Siobhan wrote: "No chapter numbers! I'm 22% in, up to 'Mr Armstrong at Bampton'.

That was an interesting little section looking at different people's lives on the same day, before all realising something is going..."

We share the same thoughts on that part :)

The more I sit with this story, the more I want to give it five stars.... I predicted what was going on pretty early on, but that didn't take away from it at all.

I'm about 50 pages in, (view spoiler)[ The little girl is alive and the story is starting to spread. I have this horrible feeling that the nurse is going to be blamed for bringing her back and people will think she's a witch. I hope I'm wrong. I might only be thinking that because I recently read The Familiars. (hide spoiler)]

Charlie wrote: "I'm about 50 pages in, [spoilers removed]"

Not saying you're right or wrong - I can see why you are thinking that!

I'm joining Siobhan in her comment. It's easy to think that. Allthough I didn't make that connection until now. I'm a few pages from the end of part 1, but (view spoiler)[how can the Vaughns be so sure that the girl is their child? It looks like she's everyone's child or a ghost. (hide spoiler)]

Yanique wrote: "The more I sit with this story, the more I want to give it five stars.... I predicted what was going on pretty early on, but that didn't take away from it at all."

Agreed, the joy was in the unfolding of the story itself. And I still had some surprises towards the end! I feel happy saying this was 5 stars for me. A very enjoyable reading experience!

Siobhan wrote: "Charlie wrote: "I'm about 50 pages in, [spoilers removed]"

Not saying you're right or wrong - I can see why you are thinking that!"

Oh the anticipation!

Sooo I accidentally returned my Overdrive copy LOL! So I'm back on hold...🙈

I'm at the chapter where sir Vaughan (view spoiler)[asks himself a lot of questions. Rita and himself are seeing that it's not Amelia, but Helena won't see it. They should just give it time. But who's child is it then? Still, Lily still believes it's her sister Ann, as if she doens't see the age difference. Maybe she thinks the child is some reincarnation? (hide spoiler)]

I haven't read anymore of this yet, I just haven't had the time to sit down and read, I've just been listening to audio while running about this week. Hopefully I'll get a few pages in tonight.

Hopefully there's some rest coming your way, Charlie.
I'm almost finished with part 2, so I'll comment this weekend, when it's a bit camler at work.

I'm almost finished and it makes me sad that the story will come to an end. I don't want it to...
I was shocked when (view spoiler)[miss Eavis did her performance on the fair! I couldn't believe what was happening! At that point it was a set - up from Robin, but that left me with a lot of questions about the events afterwards. So, Amelia is really dead and I felt heartbroken for Anthony when he told miss Constantine what really happened that night. Also, I felt so sorry for Robert. He's such a sweet man in touch with nature and putting his family way in front of himself. I wonder where or why it got wrong with Robin and him. I'm hoping that Daunt and Rita give in into their feelings. I'm curious who the girl now really is. I'm beginning to believe that she's a river spirit told from the story of Quietly. (hide spoiler)]

Siobhan wrote: "

About Victor: (view spoiler)[I wonder why Lily's mother made that decision. She wasn't sure of herself, but when Lily said she wanted a new dad, just for her mom, then she kept on doubting. They would've been happier on their own. Victor is just so evil. (hide spoiler)]

Siobhan wrote: "

I think that(view spoiler)[his mind pushed the awful memory way back into his head, so he would denie at first that Amelia wasn't his, but there's was always that feeling that pulled on his concience to tell him that she isn't his, but he went with it for the sake of Helena. (hide spoiler)]