No one could find Lore now: not the police, not her family, and not the kidnappers who had left her in that alley to die. Then out of the rain walked Spanner, predator and thief, who took her in, cared for her wound, and taught her how to reinvent herself again and again. Lore Van Oesterling had been the daughter of one of the world’s most powerful families…and now she was nobody, and she had to hide. She was naked, a foot-long gash in her back was still bleeding, and her identity implant was gone.

She added that the story featured a 'sophisticated depiction of environmental management', and praised Griffith for writing a book that made sociological themes accessible to a wide audience.She awoke in an alley to the splash of rain. Møller noted that the book's status as a lesbian romance, in particular, may have led to it being marginalised. Scholar Pia Møller described the book as both a thriller and a romance, and noted that this may have led to it receiving less attention from critics, particularly as Griffith may have 'compromised character development for suspense'. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction wrote that the plot was 'humane but at times contorted', and noted the depth in which Griffith explored her fictional near-future setting. Publishers Weekly added that the viewpoint switches were Griffith's 'only miss-step', and that the novel was 'exceptionally well-written'. Publishers Weekly was critical of the switches between first- and third-person narratives, noting that it was 'refreshing at first', but led to increasing confusion: this criticism was echoed by Kirkus. Describing the book as an 'explicitly lesbian drama', the review added that Griffith wrote with 'skill and charm'. Kirkus Reviews directed praise at Griffith's setting, writing that her 'grim near-future' was convincing.

It won the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1997, and the Lambda Literary Award in 1996. In the final thread, Lore separates from Spanner and works in a sewage treatment plant, before eventually confronting her family. After an escape attempt, she turns to making a living from sex shows and scamming the wealthy, in the company of a woman, Spanner, who gives her shelter. In the second, Lore is kidnapped, and her family refuses to ransom her. Lore has to contend with her abusive family members at the same time. The first in the internal chronology tells of Lore Van Oesterling, the scion of a rich and powerful family, being trained for a high-ranking position in its industry of genetically modified bacteria. The novel features three narrative strands. The novel received critical praise for its writing and setting, while its use of multiple narrative modes was criticised. It won the Nebula Award for Best Novel and the Lambda Literary Award. Slow River is a science fiction novel by British writer Nicola Griffith, first published in 1995.

Slow River by Nicola Griffith