Once upon a river

The Resource Once upon a river

Label

Once upon a river

Statement of responsibility

Diane Setterfield

Language

eng

Summary

A richly imagined, powerful new novel about how we explain the world to ourselves, ourselves to others, and the meaning of our lives in a universe that remains impenetrably mysterious. On a dark midwinter's night in an ancient inn on the river Thames, an extraordinary event takes place. The regulars are telling stories to while away the dark hours, when the door bursts open on a grievously wounded stranger. In his arms is the lifeless body of a small child. Hours later, the girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life. Is it a miracle? Is it magic? Or can science provide an explanation? These questions have many answers, some of them quite dark indeed. Those who dwell on the river bank apply all their ingenuity to solving the puzzle of the girl who died and lived again, yet as the days pass the mystery only deepens. The child herself is mute and unable to answer the essential questions: Who is she? Where did she come from? And to whom does she belong? But answers proliferate nonetheless. Three families are keen to claim her. A wealthy young mother knows the girl is her kidnapped daughter, missing for two years. A farming family reeling from the discovery of their son's secret liaison, stand ready to welcome their granddaughter. The parson's housekeeper, humble and isolated, sees in the child the image of her younger sister. But the return of a lost child is not without complications and no matter how heartbreaking the past losses, no matter how precious the child herself, this girl cannot be everyone's. Each family has mysteries of its own, and many secrets must be revealed before the girl's identity can be known. Once Upon a River is a glorious tapestry of a book that combines folklore and science, magic and myth. Suspenseful, romantic, and richly atmospheric, the beginning of this novel will sweep you away on a powerful current of storytelling, transporting you through worlds both real and imagined, to the triumphant conclusion whose depths will continue to give up their treasures long after the last page is turned

Accompanying matter

technical information on music

Cataloging source

B@L

Dewey number

813/.6

Form of composition

not applicable

Format of music

not applicable

LC call number

PR6119.E86

Literary text for sound recordings

fiction

Music parts

not applicable

PerformerNote

Read by Juliet Stevenson

Transposition and arrangement

not applicable

Context

Context of Once upon a river

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Once upon a river

Resource Information

The work Once upon a river represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Manchester City Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Audio, Nonmusical, Sounds, Music.

Context

Work of

Once upon a river Resource Information The work Once upon a river represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Manchester City Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Audio, Nonmusical, Sounds, Music.

Context

Work of

Once upon a river

Resource Information

The work Once upon a river represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Manchester City Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Audio, Nonmusical, Sounds, Music.