[gmw]

Originally Posted by Bookpossum

I'm intending starting the Brontë shortly, but while on holiday, I read Once Upon a River, and enjoyed it very much.

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm in the middle of listening to this now. I'm enjoying it, and it's perfect for long sleepless nights, but I do think it's a little longwinded. More than once I've found myself thinking, "Just get on with it!"

Originally Posted by Bookpossum

Ah well, I enjoyed the length because of the various interweaving stories. And I loved the look at Victorian photography. Rather harder to do than digital photography!

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I was delightfully surprised at the incorporation of the real-life Victorian photographer, Henry Taunt, as a character. What I liked most about the book was its slow meandering journey like the path of a river and the weaving of stories within stories. It does get mixed reviews on Goodreads though due to its slow pacing. I can understand why.

Well, I agree with all this. There were indeed times I felt the story dragging (try too hard to maintain the mood was my thought), but while the mood was on me the meandering style fit the story and setting really well. The integration of Daunt/Taunt and photography was wonderfully done; I especially liked him identifying the images he wanted ("I want that look" and so on), it also gave an excuse for some of the descriptions of light and shadow - imagery that fit both his mind and the story. I'm looking forward to revisiting this sometime: one (big for me) advantage of re-reading is being able to settle down right at the start, knowing what to expect and being prepared to enjoy it for what it is rather than what you think it is supposed to be. (I find it can be very difficult to come to a story without preconceptions of one sort or another ... perhaps because so much of my reading is driven by mood.)

I only fear that my taking time over this may mean I am a bit late finishing up with Anne Brontë.