The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel
Book Review: A Modern Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is written in the grand old style of the 19th-century authors, and it's amazing. It gives a strong nod to Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, so if you liked those books you may like this as well. But the plot is not copied from those books, it's just written in a similar style. The Thirteenth Tale will sit nicely beside my Jane Austen and Bronte sisters, and I would welcome more books by Ms. Setterfield. Book Review: I could not put it down.
Summary: 5 Stars
Ms. Setterfield has written a book lover's book, with a wave of her pen acknowledging Rebecca, Jane Eyre, Scheherazade and countless Gothic heroines. This book has it all: strange family members, incest, rape,sadism, murder, madness, secrets and lost children. Quickly, the plot. A biographer is hired by a well known, much loved author to tell the truth about her life. The author, Vida Winters, has outwitted one interviewer after another by sharing marvelously inventive and utterly untrue stories about her background. Now dying, she feels compelled to tell the truth. Margaret, a bookish young woman and reluctant biographer, has secrets of her own.
Together, these two weave a compelling story that goes first one way and then another. The answers are all there but not spoon fed. My home is in shambles, dinner was perfunctory, but I read the book in one night.
I had no choice.
Book Review: An Excellent Tale About An Excellent Tale
Summary: 5 Stars
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield is a nicely paced novel in which the author, clearly a reader [much like those of us reading this book and writing these reviews], gives us an evocative journey and peek into several different, yet similar lives. The ode to Bront?'s Jane Eyre and du Maurier's Rebecca are evident very early in this novel.
Th joy of reading, and the numerous references to some of the classic novels that this great book paid homage to, displays the author's clear joy of books and reading/writing. Her joy comes through in this wonderful book.
The primary heroine of this novel, is a wounded lonely bookseller who writes biographies about people she has never met. She is recruited by the mysterious Vida Winter [maybe it was Ms. Winter's home, but she reminded me of Agatha Christie] to wrire her biography.
Thus the relationship begins between the two, and the first of many tales and lives are laid bare. There are interesting characters, secrets, and enough mysteries in this novel to keep the reader hooked until they have read the last page.
Very well-written. An excellent read.
I highly recommend this fine novel.
Book Review: Mystery, thriller, horror, scandal--this one's got it all!
Summary: 5 Stars
I just finished The Thirteenth Tale and it's a good thing I did. I couldn't do anything else until the story ended! This novel is a murder mystery, a gothic thriller, and a right good ghost story all rolled into one. It's a dual story about a famous, though elusive, writer of popular fiction (Vida Winter) and a reclusive keeper of antiquated books (Margaret Lea). The two come together to reveal the truth about both of their lives and put to rest the ghosts they both keep in their closets.
During the first couple of chapters, I thought it might be yet another story about introverted, fatalistic and self-absorbed women (ho hum and yuck), but as soon as Vida Winter began the final tale of her life, I was hooked. The ins and outs of the story are complicated and include scandal, insanity, obsession, love, hate, murder, lies, truth, dark characters, dark secrets, tragedy, triumph,... Honestly, what more could a reader ask for? There were a few moments of confusion about which character was telling which story, but if you will continue reading all of the questions are answered in due time.
I appreciated the fact that the author didn't feel compelled to spell it all out and talk down to the reader. I like being left to decide for myself about some things and I especially like an author who doesn't tie up all of the loose ends, but leaves it to the reader to make some assumptions on his own. I was surprised when I read that this is Miss Setterfield's first book. I will anxiously look forward to her next offering.
Book Review: Excellent novel
Summary: 5 Stars
Engrossing and delightful, this book kept me up way too late at night. I'm looking forward to more from Diane Setterfield.