Read This!: The Thirteenth Tale

By Diane Setterfield

I had read a few things about this book online and it intrigued me so I decided to ask for it for Christmas. Luckily, I received it.

First off, as soon as I started reading, I realized this book was more literature-y than my everyday read. This was OK. Sometimes it is a nice change of pace to read something more intellectual.

So let's get into it. The Thirteenth Tale tells two stories going backward and forwards in time (you know how I love this if you read this blog). In the present day, an antiquarian bookseller and biographer named Margaret Lea is asked to write the biography of the most popular English writer of today, Vida Winter. Not much is known about Miss Winter. In the past, she has always made up stories about herself when interviewed. But, now closing in on death, she is determined to tell the truth which is the main story in the novel. As Miss Winter tells her past, she reveals the secrets of the Angelfield family and Angelfield house particularly concerning the strange twins Adeline and Emmeline. Secrets are revealed and the story becomes more and more mysterious and intriguing culminating in a big reveal.

I have to confess, I didn't see the big reveal coming AT ALL. And when Margaret finally gets it and says "OH!" in her realization, my first thought was "I hope they explain this because I have no idea what the mystery is". Setterfield does explain it and I was not disappointed. I was more like "What???!"

I recommend this if you like a good mystery with a gothic twist. I couldn't put this book down and when I told Mr. I finished it, he looked up in surprise because I had basically devoured the majority of this book while sitting, in one session, on the couch. Ha!