The Thirteenth Tale

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Average customer rating 4.4 (19 comments)

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I came across this title on a bookshelf at my aunt's beach house. I'd not heard of the author, and am not a fan of gothic novels or Jane Eyre, but bored with the book I'd brought with me, I decided to give it a go. I think it was the blurb about the author that piqued my interest. I'd place the level and depth of The Thirteenth Tale somewhere between popular fiction and strong literature--it's more literature in that it literary techniques are well-used and there is an interesting theme. The characters are rich and developed, the setting is tactile, and the plot moves at a good pace--one that matches the action. The tension builds through the relationship of the storyteller and the writer who is documenting the dying woman's tale. As that story develops, the intrigue in the main plot comes from the behaviors of the twins. Other characters are drawn into the action in a way that adds complexity but not confusion. Because of this, the secret in the plot stays secret until the end. As a first novel, this shines. A different sort of book (and I read widely), and a welcome change. I plan on reading more of Diane Setterfield's work.

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Haven't listened to a book quite this bad for many years. Had I not been a "captive audience" on a long car trip, I would've quit. But the drive let me give the book every opportunity to improve. It didn't.

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I loved this story. It was so rich in building the suspense a piece at a time. Towards the end, I had a few moments where I had guessed what was about to be revealed and I found myself holding my breath, waiting to hear if I had it right. Truly, Diane Setterfield laid the grounds for the mystery of Winter’s life, but then coupling it with Margaret’s own tragic beginning made for excellent reading. While many of the characters in this story are long dead, as they are part of Winter’s past, the author wrote them so believably real and their existence is still reflected in how they shaped and molded Ms. Winter as a young lady. From her own emotionally absent parents to the gardener and the house mistress, and even a short-term governess. All these people had a piece in the tragedy of Winter’s life, some good and some bad and some a mix. I appreciated that in the end, Winter wasn’t free of her burden of guilt and bad choices past.

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This book was a perfect blend of suspense and mystery. Following the parallel stories of two women, Setterfield examines the psychological connection between twins, whether they are alive or dead. There were enough turns and twists in this tale that kept me guessing until the end.

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I enjoyed this book. I could relate to the main character's love of books and words, and her life seemed easy to relate to. The story of the woman she interviews, though, reminds me of V.C. Andrews' early novels. I had a difficult time putting the book down! I wanted to know what the next page had in store. There are a few mysteries involved in the story line, and I was able to guess one but not the other. Lots of shocks! I've recommended it to two other people and both loved it.

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This is a reader's book - a book lover's book - a mystery lover's book. It centers on writers and books and Jane Eyre (the book) is one of the main characters. It's book about getting lost in books that you can really get lost in. I read it in almost one sitting. Enough of that. The writing is good and the tale is skillfully woven. I thought I had guessed the end, but unlike any other time in my reading life, I was wrong! Wait for a wintery, rainy night, light the fire, brew up a pot of tea, and settle down with your cat in your lap (yes, there's a cat in this book!)for a long night of reading. MMMmmmmm.

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This first novel by Diane Setterfield reveals a rich imagination and stellar writing skills. Within a few pages I was engaged and delighted for such is a rare gift from a writer. This mysterious tale unraveled so skillfully that I hesitate to offer any details so that you, too, can discover it page by page. May you read slower near the end as I did to delay its surprising conclusion.

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This is a great book for many reasons: good writing, well developed plot, likable characters, and twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end. The story unravels nicely all the way through to the end wrapping up tidily leaving you the reader sighing with literary pleasure.

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This book had an Agatha Christie feel to it. I enjoyed the characters and was wondering what was going to happen next. It is a book that I recommend if you are looking for some entertainment. It is a fun and light read.

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Fabulous gothic style tale full of twists and turns - one of the best books I have ever read!

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Excellent book! It took me a while to get through this book as life got in the way of my reading :) However, this story was unique and beautiful. This is the story of a character's mysterious biography. There are two narrators; the biographer and the biographee :) The biographee is a writer herself and has never let anyone know the truth of her life's story. I'm sure others have already given a synopsis of the story, so I'll spare you the repetition. This is a story that keeps the reader guessing at what will happen next. Characters weave in and out of the story in such a way that you never know what is going to happen next. Setterfield has a beautiful way of writing that I can't quite describe what I loved about it. She gives details, but not so many that you get lost in the details and forget the story. The characters are wonderfully written and you can get lost in them and their stories. I was drawn to this book because of the cover art (I know, I know, but I am a lover of books and can't help myself), the idea of a mysterious biography, the promise of ghosts (which the story isn't nearly as *ghostly* as one would think from the back cover) and reviews by others. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fictional story, especially historical fiction.

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To me, The Thirteenth Tale is like a love letter to the written word. In addition to an excellent story, it also contains lush imagery which appeals to bibliophiles like myself. A wonderful read for anybody who loves books--as narratives, as objets d'art, and as familiar friends.

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A hauntingly beautiful novel unlike any I have ever read before. Instead of the expected suspense and eeriness lies a well-written, multi-layered story-within-a-story that resonated long after I finished the last page.

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I read this book in two days and one night. It wraps you up like a warm blanket, even though the story is unnerving. Part mystery, and part Gothic novel this book is a modern homage to Bronte's "Jane Eyre", but with it's own sense of identity. I recommend it for a snowed in weekend.

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One of the best I have read in the last two years

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A fun read, but slow in some parts. My favorite parts? Whenever Vida re-visited the past of her youth--creepy and intriguing, unique and interesting.

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If you love stories-within-stories, gothic intrigue, and bookish characters, then this is the novel for you. The story is filled with atmospheric details, such as ghosts; missing people; a mysteriously ruined estate still visited by a lost soul; and a remote Yorkshire mansion. The characters are expertly drawn, especially Margaret Lea, the narrator, whose own story is filled with longing and pain just like her employer's, the famous Vida Winter, who employs Margaret to write her memoirs. Vida's story is fascinating; it's filled with mystery and the reader devours every page to discover the long-lost 'thirteenth tale'--a tale that will finally uncover the truth--or will it?

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"Life is compost...the writers life needs time to rot away before it can be used to nourish a work of fiction", so says Diane Setterfield via her alter-ego Vida Winters. The Miss Winters of the tale is renouned for her story telling prowess, a genuine talent that is shared by Ms. Setterfield as she takes us into the labyrinth that is The Thirteenth Tale. The story pulls us along into it's depths and because we want to know "the answer" we keep reading. As it turns out, the writers prose has captivated us...and for that she gets five stars. The story itself and the explanation of "the mystery" is only a two and a half....perhaps it needed a little more compost.

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I'm not usually one to pick up adult fiction and read it. If I'm going to read fiction, I'd rather hop over to the young adult section and read to my heart's content. But this book was recommended by a friend, so I read it in three days. Not only does Margaret Lea, the main character, love books as much as I do, she perfectly describes the love affair book nerds have with their cherished titles and how passionately we'll defend our book obsession to anyone. Lea works in her father's antiquarian bookstore, writes biographies on obscure people in her free time, re-reads the classics until they're memorized, and is invited to reclusive author Vida Winter's house to finally get on paper Winter's autobiography, which has never been known before. Very captivating storyline and great surprises along the way.