A review by artemishi
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I love an unreliable narrator and a twisty mystery, and this had plenty of both. It's not a quick read, though it's well-paced and with good character development, but it was engaging throughout most of the story. 

I was more caught up in Vida's story than Margaret's, though I think that was by author design- there's far more meat (including disturbing familial events) in Vida's history which make the large gap between her young childhood and her now elderly circumstances that much more intriguing. Margaret, on the other hand, is mostly soggy toast who doesn't eat or feel or seem very aware of herself. She's caught in some grief loop about what she's lost, but it was a bit tiresome given it's her only character quality. The dynamic between the two- one pretty much lifeless, the other quite sassy and mysterious, works well to keep the story from feeling melodramatic. 

The relationship between Margaret and her father was particularly touching, an the whole thing left a solid impression in my mind even days after finishing it (and I'm tempted to re-read it someday). 

I definitely recommend it for fans of mysteries, history, and nuanced storytelling. Be aware, the story contains references to self-harm, incest, suicide, sexual assault, child neglect, child abandonment, and Alzheimer's. 
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