The Thirteenth Tale ~ Reviewed by Elizabeth Barnes

"Once upon a time there was a fairy godmother, but the rest of the time there was none. This story is about one of those other times."





"Sometimes when you open the door to the past, what you confront is your destiny.

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 her 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."

Every once in a while, I have the luck to stumble upon a truly gifted author. An author who can almost do it all: like craft a spellbinding story that ultimately refuses to loosen its grip on the reader, conjure up a space and time and send the reader into another world, give birth to vivid characters that can almost leap off of the pages, or wield the written words with as much artistry as a master painter with his colors. I stumbled on such and author that is Diane Setterfield.

Let me begin by saying that I do not know what I loved most about this novel. First of all, the story was molded very well. With the use of flashbacks, Ms. Winter spun her story to young biographer Margaret Lea, but the present time also had its twists and turns as Margaret conducted her own research into Ms. Winter's life. The slipping between past and present was exciting.

Just when Ms. Winter's flashback story of her strange and disturbing childhood pulled me in, I couldn't wait to see what happened next. The author would switch to present time, building my curiosity. I did not mind the change in time because the present time was just as compelling. I had very little clue to where I was being led to next at any given point, but wherever and whatever it was, I wanted to follow. I never guessed the truth of Ms. Winter's life until the author laid it out. I felt like it was a joy to be totally surprised. Even though I hate surprises most of the time.

This was a fantastic book to read for book club especially being written with an atmosphere of a different age. If you are a fan of Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, etc. you must simply read this engaging novel. It pulled me in and I felt like I was apart of the story.

I give this novel a 4.5 out of 5 stars.