Review – The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Length: 432 pages
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Release Date: October 9, 2007
ISBN-13: 978-0743298032
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: On Loan from Mother
Rating: 5/5 stars
“Reclusive author Vida Winter, famous for her collection of twelve enchanting stories, has spent the past six decades penning a series of alternate lives for herself. Now old and ailing, she is ready to reveal the truth about her extraordinary existence and the violent and tragic past she has kept secret for so long. Calling on Margaret Lea, a young biographer troubled by her own painful history, Vida disinters the life she meant to bury for good. Margaret is mesmerized by the author’s tale of gothic strangeness—featuring the beautiful and willful Isabelle, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline, a ghost, a governess, a topiary garden and a devastating fire. Together, Margaret and Vida confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves.”
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book, but I actually really really enjoyed. I think it was even more enjoyable because I was completely surprised by how quickly I was drawn into this story and how much I loved it!!
The book does start off a bit slow, but after the first couple chapters I was completely sucked in. I am a huge fan of stories that jump between past and present and challenge the reader to figure out how the characters in the present got into the crazy situation they are in given their past.
This book is basically a story about stories. I loved the mystery and the way Vida Winters sorted past is revealed with a series of stories. The whole thing was very cleverly done. This is a great book for those who love books, enjoy the concept of story, and enjoy a good mystery.
Overall I really loved this book. It was a bit different from what I normally read. I love how masterfully this story was pulled together and how it keeps you guessing right to the very end. I would recommend to those who are just in general fans of the concept of story and a love good mystery.
This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Goodreads Reading Challenge
– Mount TBR Reading Challenge
