The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel

Additional The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel Information

All children mythologize their birth...So begins the prologue of reclusive author Vida Winter's collection of stories, which are as famous for the mystery of the missing thirteenth tale as they are for the delight and enchantment of the twelve that do exist.

The enigmatic Winter has spent six decades creating various outlandish life histories for herself -- all of them inventions that have brought her fame and fortune but have kept her violent and tragic past a secret. Now old and ailing, she at last wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. She summons biographer Margaret Lea, a young woman for whom the secret of her own birth, hidden by those who loved her most, remains an ever-present pain. Struck by a curious parallel between Miss Winter's story and her own, Margaret takes on the commission.

As Vida disinters the life she meant to bury for good, Margaret is mesmerized. It is a tale of gothic strangeness featuring the Angelfield family, including the beautiful and willful Isabelle, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline, a ghost, a governess, a topiary garden and a devastating fire.

Margaret succumbs to the power of Vida's storytelling but remains suspicious of the author's sincerity. She demands the truth from Vida, and together they confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves.

The Thirteenth Tale is a love letter to reading, a book for the feral reader in all of us, a return to that rich vein of storytelling that our parents loved and that we loved as children. Diane Setterfield will keep you guessing, make you wonder, move you to tears and laughter and, in the end, deposit you breathless yet satisfied back upon the shore of your everyday life.

What Customers Say About The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel:

Certainly an ode to her love of nineteenth century literature, Setterfield hits the mark with with her debut novel. The plot is well thought out, with a cast of interesting characters, an atmosphere that is a mixture of lush and foreboding settings, and a decent dose of mystery and intrigue to boot. Well worth a read.

I brought "The Thirteenth Tale" on vacation with me and I was finished before I left. Diane Setterfield's got this ghost story/mystery packed full of curiosities that will have you searching for the answers until the end.

There were too many elements that didn't fit together, too many questions left unanswered. A lot of loose ends were left, but not in the purposeful way a skillful writer might leave his or her readers thinking after the book ends.

I had high hopes for this book, so I was disappointed when I wasn't immediately engaged. As I read on, I found that I did want to keep reading.

I am an avid reader and usually get really wrapped up in the books I read. So much of the ending of this book just didn't make sense.

I kept waiting for some kind of major plot twist or revelation. I guess you can say the plot twist came, but it was very disappointed.

Instead, I felt like these plot holes were a result of the fact that much of what Setterfield tried to do with this book just didn't work. So although I found some of the characters intriguing, and although I thought the book showed a lot of promise and potential, I was ultimately disappointed.

If it wasn't a book club pick I would have dumped it about page 100. I just don't get it. this was one of the most painful books I have ever read. Very tedious read - so tired of overrated reviews and fiction with a total lack of substance. Big waste of time.

I have a new favorite book. I want to read it again and again and again1.