The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel
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- ISBN13: 9780743298032
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
Sometimes, when you open the door to thepast, what you confront is your destiny.
Ascetic leader Vida Winter, legendary for her collection of twelve enchantingstories, has spent the past six decades penning a series of alternate livesfor herself. Now ancient and ailing, she is ready to reveal the truth about herextraordinary being and the violent and tragic past she has kept secret forso long. Calling on Margaret Lea, a young biographer troubled by her ownpainful history, Vida disinters the life she meant to bury for excellent. Margaret ismesmerized by the leader’s tale of gothic strangeness — featuring the beautifuland 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 apt, finally, transformed by the truth themselves.Amazon.com Review
Settle down to delight in a rousing excellent ghost tale with Diane Setterfield’s debut novel, The Thirteenth Tale. Setterfield has revived the genre with this closely plotted, clever foray into a world of secrets, confused identities, lies, and half-truths. She never cheats by pulling a rabbit out of a hat; this atmospheric tale hangs together perfectly.
There are two heroines here: Vida Winter, a legendary leader, whose life tale is coming to an end, and Margaret Lea, a young, unworldly, bookish girl who is a bookseller in her father’s shop. Vida has been confounding her biographers and fans for years by giving everybody a different version of her life, each time swearing it’s the truth. Because of a biography that Margaret has written about brothers, Vida chooses Margaret to tell her tale, all of it, for the first time. At their initial meeting, the conversation starts:
“You have agreed nineteen different versions of your life tale to journalists in the last two years alone.”
She [Vida] shrugged. “It’s my profession. I’m a storyteller.”
“I am a biographer, I work with facts.”
The game is afoot and Margaret must spend some time sorting out whether or not Vida is really ready to tell the whole truth. There is more here of Margaret learning than of Vida cooperating wholeheartedly, but that is part of Vida’s plot. The transformative power of truth informs the lives of both women by tale’s end, and The Thirteenth Tale is finally and convincingly told. –Valerie Ryan
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This is the third TWIN tale I’ve read in as many weeks! But okay, it’s still excellent. And if you like language and books about books and mysteries and wonderful writing–stick around. Some of the twists at the end seemed contrived to me, but I still kept turning the page. The setting is wonderful and the family tree (but weird) will keep you riveted. For a tale about a girl who must choose between the woman who wants to adopt her and the mother who abandoned her, check out my first novel, RETURNABLE GIRL. Or come visit me at my web site: http://www.pamelalowell.com
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
. . . Leprosy of the spirit, that is.
This review is for people who still care about what they place into their minds and hearts; all others may skip it.
I was intrigued by this book’s tale line. In my innocence, I didn’t realize that such shocking horror awaited me in the pages of what looked to be a very promising tale. It ongoing out so perfectly, but abruptly altered.
The leader has turned her talent and lovely writing style to filth and depravity. I could not read beyond the first seventy or so pages. I returned the book to Amazon.
I do not know why anyone would write such dreadful things. I also do not know why anyone would publish it or want to read it.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
thinking that being on the best seller list was going to be enough….it was not……
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
I don’t usually run out and immediately buy a recently unrestricted book, but made an exception for this book based on reviews I read on Amazon. I was so really disappointed with not only the tale but the leader’s excruciatingly derivative narrative. Her obsession with Bronte, Collins and Austen only made me realize that she is merely a “wannabe” who has small of the talent or imagination of persons literary giants.
Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
Don’t know why it’s so highly priased……The plot was predictable, all the characters similar and predictable.
I reflect it’s being compared to the Brontes and others because Setterfield herself mention their names so many, many times in the tale. Maybe my expectations were too high from all the hype, but I’ve never dislike a book so much to be compelled to write a review…Anyways, I reflect I’ve already wasted enough time on this book.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5