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A review by sunzreads
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
5.0
Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale brings readers an eerie experience through the story of twins, a ghost, and the people that came before them in the huge house with an unexpecting twist in the end. The author makes the characters come alive and places become vivid with her skillful technique in describing them. The well-written story is also telling of what happens when the very basic need of a human being is not met -- the love of a family.
Even though I was not captivated by all characters, some left a great impression on me especially the two narrators, Vida and Margaret. Vida's stories are more than their face value. Discernment is crucial in identifying which parts of her stories are the truth and which are the lies. On the other hand, as a reader, Margaret reminded me to be careful in believing all the details of Vida's lore.
All in all, the book was a great read. The Thirteenth Tale is one of the most unique stories I've ever read. It encompasses a wide range of themes such as identity, family, belongingness, survival, and love. It has a different kind of scariness that is rooted in the depiction of the dark side of humanity set in a huge dwelling of anger, madness, and filth, which the storyteller adeptly used in conjuring a tale that appears to be haunting.
Readers who love stories about family and loss with a Gothic feel would surely enjoy The Thirteenth Tale.
Even though I was not captivated by all characters, some left a great impression on me especially the two narrators, Vida and Margaret. Vida's stories are more than their face value. Discernment is crucial in identifying which parts of her stories are the truth and which are the lies. On the other hand, as a reader, Margaret reminded me to be careful in believing all the details of Vida's lore.
All in all, the book was a great read. The Thirteenth Tale is one of the most unique stories I've ever read. It encompasses a wide range of themes such as identity, family, belongingness, survival, and love. It has a different kind of scariness that is rooted in the depiction of the dark side of humanity set in a huge dwelling of anger, madness, and filth, which the storyteller adeptly used in conjuring a tale that appears to be haunting.
Readers who love stories about family and loss with a Gothic feel would surely enjoy The Thirteenth Tale.