Friday, February 02, 2007

Book Review: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield


It isn’t very often that I read a book and want everyone I know to read it so I can talk to them about it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think it’s one that most people would enjoy…and when I say I “enjoyed” it, that kind of freaks me out because it is rather creepy for the first half, but so well written that you’re sucked into the tale and don’t want to put it down. I’m assuming this is why I’m so tired today!

The premis of this book is that the most popular British writer, Vida Winter, is dying and wants to tell her life story to a woman, Margaret Lea, who runs an antiquarian bookstore with her father. Ms. Lea doesn’t embark on the task very willingly, but does so anyway because she loves reading and having discovered Ms. Winter’s work, she is excited to find a complementary soul.

I don’t want to tell much more about the plot other than that because to do so would be to spoil the book. It is about family, facing your demons, class system (it IS a British novel after all), and most importantly the love of reading and a good story. It is a book that came to me through many different channels until I finally admitted that I couldn’t avoid reading it. I’m glad I didn’t because it may just be my favorite recent novel.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I recently read this book and thought it very good. I loved the writing style of the author. I'm always partial to books in the first person anyway. I've got Laura & Sheila reading it now.

Auntie J.