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 good debut by an exciting new author.
Summary: 4 Stars
A great book, which I finished in a day (unusual for me!)It felt a little more commercial than I first expected; at times it was reminiscent of Lemony Snicket's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events.' However, as a modern take on the gothic novel it works very well. The plot is intriguing, with many twists. I thought I had guessed the ending but I had not!
I do have a few criticisms...I felt there was a little too much emphasis on Jane Eyre. The transcription of Hester's diary was boring and largely unnecessary - most of the content had been given to us before. The character of Margaret's mother felt a little shadowy and under-developed. Also, it was not clear how old Margaret was, and whilst this is not essential I would have liked to have known.
Overall, a good read which I found hard to put down. I look forward to reading more by the author. Also, I shouldn't judge a book by its cover but I loved the dust jacket!
Book Review: A book you won't want to put down
Summary: 5 Stars
A world famous novelist, Vida Winter, is old and dying. When she summons Margaret Lea to her house in Yorkshire to write her biography and reveal the hidden secrets of her past, the biographical journey exposes a mystical story which is not just confined to the novelist but also reveals the lonely and extraordinary life which Margaret has led in her father's bookshop. Despite immersing herself in books and research, she is haunted by the knowledge that she was born a twin whose sister died. She feels like an amputee; the emotions she experiences are similar to Vida Winter's own story.
The novel is beautifully written with fine eloquent language and a clever twisting tale which kept me turning the pages and burning the midnight oil. This piece of comtemporary fiction is an amazing debut from an author whom I hope will hold her readers in anticipation of her next novel.
Book Review: Fascinating reading
Summary: 5 Stars
This has been an enthralling read. At first I was concerned that this may have been over-hyped as it seemed to be in every shop window. However, it turned out to be a very satisfying book. Setterfield is a reader and thinks carefully about what a reader requires from the experience to feel completely content. Thus, it has a beginning, a middle and an end, a structure that relates it to the literature the characters refer to in the book. Her reflections on reading through the main character, Margaret, are also interesting and accurate. Strongly recommended.Book Review: Intriguing but flawed
Summary: 3 Stars
This book certainly kept me interested and it was a diverting read so at that level it is definitely worth trying. However I have some difficulties with it. Firstly, I am getting a little tired with academics attempting to rewrite the gothic/victorian novel. That has been done, so why not try something new rather than writing a pastiche. Secondly a lot didn't ring true, the way in which Margaret reacts to things seem more driven by the author trying to produce cleverly constructed phrases than by genuinely believable responses. Thirdly the sheer timelessness, the fact that the author obviously tries to avoid tying the book to a particular time becomes rather irritating. One could read a lot of meaning into this but in the end I found it somewaht annoying. That said there are some genuinely intersting characters in Margaret, Aurelius and Vida and the narrative certainly cracks along. In a nutshell, worth a go if you don't expect too much of it.Book Review: What a great debut novel!
Summary: 5 Stars
Unputdownable, an emotionally charged story with gothic undertones that ticks all the right boxes, and is hugely enjoyable to boot.
Long hidden family secrets, story threads that twist and turn, and a surprise ending that you don't see coming; all the elements are there that hark back to the era when gothic novels of the 19th century were king.
Author Setterfield pays homage particularly to Jane Eyre, but the ghosts of the Bronte Sisters hover in the background in a tale reminiscent of their own stories with its haunting setting and backdrop of the Yorkshire Moors.
Vida Winter (think Catherine Cookson for example)Britain's greatest lving author, for most of her life a recluse, is now old and frail but before she dies her own history needs to be told and re-lived, a history with secrets and ghosts long buried, one of death and madness, and a story as compelling as those she has weaved all her life.
Margaret Lea is a young unassuming bookseller who is summoned out of the blue by Miss Winter to write her biography. Once she steps into Miss Winter's gothic style mansion located on the Yorkshire Moors all the ingredients needed for the gothic novel are dropped into the pot ready for the inevitable stirring.