When Margaret Lea opened the door to the past, what she confronted was her destiny. 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.
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Studied this for book club. Suspenseful intricate story with a surprise ending.
Was a book club pick, I found it enthralling.
This is an unusual read … fascinating and obtuse … great character definition … takes you out of the mundane and into another sector entirely … keeps you guessing … adding this one to book club list
Loved this gothic tale!
This book grabs you right from the first paragraph.
Great cozy, creepy read. Loved it.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. A little annoying, but “Good” read.
Eccentric characters in a creepy setting.
Diane Setterfield’s first book is a winner – this is a book I will definitely read again – written like a classic and reminded me of Rebecca – this is on my favs list for sure!
I read this with book group several years ago. We all enjoyed it.
The characters were odd, but very interesting. There were chapters of the book that I just had to finish! And then I would move to the next chapter even though I wanted to break!
I loved this book!
By Babbi-Dan on May 8, 2013
Format: Hardcover
Oh my goodness! This book has multiple stories going on all at the same time, but they are all related and easy to follow. It was hard to put the book down! The story stayed with me and had me thinking about it constantly. I stayed up late reading it thinking I could figure out where …
An excellent read! I couldn’t put it down! The story had wonderful twists and turns that I didn’t expect.
If you like gothic novels, this one’s for you! Fabulous writing that immerses you in the story, body and soul. It is my new favorite book for this year. Perfect for a book club.
A slow start, but turns into a page turner.
This was an amazing book. I felt like it started kind of normal and unassuming and built to a pretty wild finish. There were many more mysteries within the story than I expected. The narrator’s relationship with books and that influence on her story telling was very satisfying. This was one of the best books I have read in a while.