Once Upon a River / Diane Setterfield

One winter solstice evening, an injured man appears at a Thames-side inn carrying the lifeless body of a little girl. Are they father and daughter? What tragedy has occurred? Amidst the speculations of the patrons who witnessed their arrival, the child miraculously comes back to life. The Swan, already famous for its landlord and customers' storytelling, now finds itself at the centre of a complex tale of loss, grief, love and courage.

Over the course of the following year, the little girl is caught up in the personal tragedies of various locals, including the Vaughans, a wealthy couple whose daughter was kidnapped two years previously; the Armstrongs, a close-knit family whose ne'er-do-well son's wife killed herself out of despair; and a woman living in a decrepit riverside cottage with her pigs and her crippling guilt.

With its many highs and lows, this was an emotionally demanding book — one that I needed to read a little at a time to avoid being overwhelmed. Diane Setterfield created wonderful characters in whose lives I became completely vested. I was especially moved by the deep love of Armstrong family, and by photographer Henry Dent and nurse-midwife Rita Sunday's blossoming relationship. Most of all, I was touched by Quietly, the mute ferryman who takes souls back to the riverbank of the living or onward to that of the dead according to where they are meant to go.

And throughout, I could feel the pull of the river, its constant presence, its smells and sounds, what it gives and what it takes. Truly an unforgettable novel.

I borrowed this e-book from the Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec.

Rating: ****