The Thirteenth Tale

MINI REVIEW

Title: The Thirteenth Tale

Author: Diane Setterfield

Date Finished: March 25, 2010

Personal Book Count: 13 out of 100

Rating: 4 out of 5

Genre/ Subject: fiction

First Line: It was November. Although it was not yet late, the sky was dark when I turned into Laundress Passage.

Why did I pick this book?: I saw it everywhere, and I admit, the buzz got to me.

Summary and Review: What do you say about a book that everyone has reviewed, that is moving and witty and that you want to buy everyone you ever met a copy? That is so complex in all it’s story lines (although, some with a tinge or predictability) you want to reread it as soon as it’s done. (I NEVER reread, even years later). That stays with you, and sits with you. Ruins the next several books you try and read, and affects your perception on ones after that?

This book made me feel like I was watching a play, or a series of plays, as there are so many plots to follow. I felt like I was there WITH the action, but watching, not part of it. It was always very easy to slip into the shoes, of which ever character is telling the present story. I loved the language, and it was easy to slip in to, as it seemed to flow. The author drops just enough information, to keep you guessing and reformulating your guess and keep you reading. With that said, I was pleasantly surprised with the twist at the end. I love the relationship Margaret has with her dad, how they work side by side, and read side by side, taking care of each other. It reminds me of Sunday afternoons with my husband when we first got married. The characters are very likable and relatable, in their motivations. I think this is a book no one should miss.

Description from the Wikipedia page-
“Vida Winter, a famous novelist in England, has never been forthcoming when it comes to her past. Her entire life is a secret, and for fifty years reporters and biographers have attempted to discover the truth. With her health quickly fading, Ms. Winter enlists a bookish amateur biographer named Margaret Lea to bear witness to the tragic story of the Angelfield family, their eccentric beginnings as well as their demise. Margaret, who has family secrets of her own, must unravel the mysteries of the past in order to reconcile not only Miss Winter with her ghosts, but also Margaret with her own.”

Agree? Disagree? Recommendations? Any insights, suggestions, or comments on the book or format, or blog at all are most welcome. If you have read this and/ or review it yourself, please let me know. Can you think of any books like this? Give me a recommendation! =D