A review by paulasnotsosecretdiary
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

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

3.75

The 13th Tale is a gothic novel about family secrets and legacies. The story touches upon the connection between twins, which has a little overall impact on the plot. The narrator, Margaret, is grieving over the loss of her twin and her mother. She works in her father's bookstore and writes biographies of notable scientists and others. Hired to write the biography of beloved author Vida Winters, Margaret untangles Vida's complicated family history, a history Vida has told in half-truths and outright lies in interviews. The truth is more terrible than Vida has let anyone believe, filled with incest, rape, child abuse, hunger, and physical and emotional neglect. Despite the split timeline of the story structure and parallels between Margaret and Vida's lives, by the end of the novel, we know little more about Margaret than we did at the beginning, but everything about Vida. The ending feels over-edited as though the author was strongly advised to conclude the book on a positive note with everything neatly tied up. However, the author's writing and pacing are on point, and a love of writing, words and books is a highlight of the book.
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