Author: Diane Setterfield
Published: 2006
406 pages
Meg's rating: 5 stars
I loved this book.
Just had to get that out of the way.
The Thirteenth Tale is awesome. It is a mystery and a ghost story. It is about books and book lovers. It features writers and storytellers, siblings and twins, forbidden affairs and unnatural passions, a larger-than-life dessert caterer, a reclusive bestselling author, a destructive house fire, and loss, heartbreak, and reunion. Among other things.
Diane Setterfield hit one out of the park with this book. I was drawn in almost immediately-- and though I thought I liked it at the beginning, I liked it more and more with every chapter I read. Though I read this book concurrently with another one (which I shall be reviewing shortly) it was this book that stayed on my mind all the time-- this book that I couldn't wait to get back to every day.
The main character and narrator of this book is Margaret Lea, the daughter of a loving, book-shop-owning father and a mostly absent, ever grieving, depressed mother. Margaret dabbles in autobiographical writing when she is not helping her father out at the shop and so is only mostly shocked when she receives a letter from one of the most prolific authors of the day, Vida Winter, who wants Margaret to write her biography. Ms. Winter has written numerous bestsellers, but has managed to keep her personal life a tightly-held secret. Though reporter after reporter has come to call, Ms. Winter gets her thrills by answering their questions with complete fabrications. She is a master storyteller.
Margaret decides to accept Ms. Winter's request, and what follows is an enchanting, gripping, enthralling tale. To say it was mesmerizing is not an exaggeration. And I will leave it there, because I don't want to risk spoiling anything. Suffice it to say, I highly recommend this book. I give it five stars because, not only did I love it, I can't wait for some time to pass so I can read it again. I would absolutely LOVE to see a film adaptation, and will not be at all surprised if I do at some point.
From the back of the book:
"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."
Oh, my goodness, yes. I read this book a few years back and still find myself thinking over parts of it. Maybe it's time for a re-read. (You know, once I get a bit further in my TBR pile.) But I'm glad you read it and loved it, too.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, you need to read it again so we can discuss it! Unless you think you can remember it all well enough to discuss it now. I have my mind set on what I think happened, but I was reading some other people's comments (Goodreads wins again!) and there are a lot of diverging opinions. Such a good book.
DeleteI sold a basquillionty copies of this when I worked at Barnes & Noble, so many in fact that I became thoroughly turned off to the idea of ever reading it.
ReplyDeleteYou've done it. You've convinced me to give it a try. It sounds delightful. Apparently there's a reason that every book club and their dog's book club does this at one point or another.
I loved this book too. And like others, find myself going back to it, even though its been almost three years since Ive read it. Amazing story, great writing.
ReplyDeleteJamie! You need to do a book review for the blog. I know you're about to welcome your little man into the world, but if you read something you want to review, let me know! I'd love it.
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