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The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (view source)
Revision as of 12:50, 13 August 2020
, 12:50, 13 August 2020no edit summary
{{infoboxsortinfobox1
|title=The Thirteenth Tale
|sort=Thirteenth Tale
|author=Diane Setterfield
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Literary General Fiction
|summary=A tale of the uncovering of a family's dark secrets and what it means to be a twin. It's un-put-downable and superbly written. It comes highly recommended by Bookbag.
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=464
|publisher=Orion
|date=1 Nov November 2007
|isbn=978-0752881676
|amazonukcover=<amazonuk>0752875736</amazonuk>|amazonusaznuk=0752875736|aznus=<amazonus>0752875736</amazonus>
}}
Margaret Lea works with her father in his bookshop. She has a deep love of books and some skill as a biographer, but is still surprised when she receives an invitation from the legendary novelist, Vida Winter, to write her biography. Margaret isn't particularly attuned to popular fiction, but finds a copy of Vida Winter's 'Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation' in the bookshop. She devours the first twelve and then discovers that there is no thirteenth tale. What has happened to it?
I found it difficult to place the novel in any particular decade. There are none of the usual markers of wars, monarchs or historical events and this lends a certain timelessness to the book. It's a classic in the making.
I can't remember when I last enjoyed a book as much as I've enjoyed this one. If you think that this might be your sort of book then you'll also enjoy Carlos Ruiz Zafon's [[Shadow of the Wind]], which I think is only marginally the better book or Kate Atkinson's [[Behind the Scenes at the Museum]] which is not quite as good. This is a book which is keeping some very good company. You might also enjoy [[Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield]].
This book was sent to Bookbag by the publishers.
{{amazontext|amazon=0752875736}} {{waterstonestextamazonUStext|waterstonesamazon=43214390752875736}}
{{commenthead}}
|verb=said
|comment=
Somehow I don't think it's for me, though.
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{{comment
|name=lisaandkeanu
|verb=said
|comment= I loved this book it was so atmospheric what with the opening of the dusty bookshop.It was a book that is hard to put down and u have to grab these chances as it's not always so easy to get into some of them from the very start.I think your review is spot on.It kinds reminds me of what charlotte bronte would write.
}}