Did the question of time affect your experience with the novel. Adeline steps forward as intelligent, wellspoken, and confident. It stays with you, taking up brain space, whispering incessantly, like the five notes of a song you cant place, but cant escape. This the thirteenth tale book is telling about biographer margaret lea returns one night to her apartment above her fathers antiquarian bookshop. Diane setterfield goodreads author topics about this book topics that mention this book. The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield questions issued by publisher. Diane setterfields the thirteenth tale has elements of old fashioned gothic novel, horror, and mystery, along with literary jane austen styled romance. The thirteenth tale was in part inspired by setterfields wish to return to the storytelling richness of the books she treasured in her youth. The narrator gives some hints, but never tells the exact date. Im very much looking forward to hearing what she has to say about her book. Most of the book club members liked the thirteenth tale, a story with gothic undertones about a young biographer, margaret lea, tasked with. But it is a remarkable first novel, a book about the joy of books, a riveting multilayered mystery that twists and turns, and weaves a quite magical spell for most of its length. The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield librarything. The thirteenth tale is a novel in the tradition of the bronte sisters by new writer diane setterfield.
The author leads the reader down a pathway of intriguing events. She gets a letter from one of the most famous authors of the day, the mysterious vida winter, whose popularity as a. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield is not a book you read then forget. The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield goodreads. Discuss margaret and miss winters relationships to books. The world famous author vida winter, who has always kept her past and personal life an absolute secret, is dying. When her health begins failing, the mysterious author vida winter decides to let margaret lea, a biographer, write the. I must say that the audio version of the thirteenth tale is the bestproduced audio book ive ever read. I need to know the theme of the book the thirteenth tale by diane setterfield. Oct 04, 2010 just finished this book last night and stumbled on your blog today i had very much the same reactions to the thirteenth tale as you did it seems. And even if you avoid gothic novels like i do, this one. Pdf download the thirteenth tale pdf book download the thirteenth tale pdf about the thirteenth tale book pdf. The gentle giant aurelius is a stock character, and the ending is perhaps a little too concerned with tying up all loose ends.
If youre looking for an interesting novel for your high school english students, check out diane setterfields the thirteenth tale. The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield is a rich story about secrets, ghosts, winter, books, and family. The reader finds himself heading a certain direction, and then suprisingly another. The 2006 gothic novel the thirteenth tale is diane setterfieldsfirst book. So, i listened to amore the first time i read this book, it was the unabridged audio book.
The fellowship of the worms is officially in session. The thirteenth tale could easily have become an overblown, sensationalist potboiler in the hands of a lesser author, but setterfield has managed to strike the perfect balance between a gripping plot full of surprises and an astute, sometimes heartbreaking analysis of what it means to live with what feels like a part of oneself missing. Which aspects of the book gave you a sense of time, and which seemed timeless. From the fictional book referred to in its title to margarets deep love of books deeper than her affection for most people to miss winters renown as a great author, books are the lifeblood of the plot. This bestseller is a book lovers book, with much of the action taking place in libraries and book stores, and the line between fact and fiction constantly blurred. Margaret has been reading a rare first edition from her fathers special locked case, but all subsequent editions of the book were given a different title.
I was also very relieved to know that it wasnt just me and that i hadnt just spaced off the time frame this happened in. Thanks to everyone who participated in our virtual book club which i introduced here. Former academic setterfield pays tribute in her debut to bronte and du maurier heroines. Her first book, a gothic mystery titled the thirteenth tale, has catapulted to first place on the new york times hardback fiction list. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Part a mystery, partially a ghost story, and undoubtedly one of those novels that will have readers burning the midnight oil, the thirteenth tale is perfect reading for students and book clubs alike. The main character, margaret lea, is invited to write the life story of bestselling author, vida winter, who has spent her entire career making up her past.
The thirteenth tale goodreads meet your next favorite book. This novel is the story of two women, both of whom claim to be twins for a large portion of the novel. Publishing simultaneously in 28 countries, the thirteenth tale is going to make setterfield, a former academic living in england, a very busy woman. The book was published by orion publishing in 2006 and appears to be a first edition though it is never specifically stated as such.
The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield, signed abebooks. Nj from a cookie before dinner gives 31 ideas for intentional kindness. Our inaugural book club choice was the thirteenth tale by diane setterfield. Margaret lea grew up in a household of mourning, but she never knew why until the day she opened a box of papers underneath her parents bed and found the birth and death certificates of a twin sister of whom she never. As winters life story is slowly unraveled, lea gets caught up in the tale of ghosts, lies, and halftruths and is forced to come to terms with some of. Late one night, while pondering whether to accept the task of recording miss winters personal story, margaret begins to read her fathers rare copy of miss winters thirteen tales of change and desperation. One tells of the life of amateur biographer margaret lea and her exploration of the angelfieldmarch familys past. The 2006 gothic novel the thirteenth tale is diane. We book lovers have things in common, and margaret lea, the heroine of diane setterfields heralded debut novel, is one of us. So besotted is she by books that she makes sure she is sitting down whenever she reads, so as not to fall over and hurt. The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield margaret lea works in her fathers antiquarian bookshop where her fascination for the biographies of the longdead has led her to write them herself. Im going to throw out some discussion topics, and you can. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the thirteenth tale.
It is a classic writers axiom that a symbol must appear at least three times in a story so that the reader knows that you meant it as a symbol. Diane setterfield will keep you guessing, make you wonder, move you to tears and laughter and, in the end, deposit you breathless yet satisfied back upon the. This study guide consists of approximately 56 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the thirteenth tale. Ghost stories abound in the thirteenth tale, and in many american towns and cities as well. To ask other readers questions about the thirteenth tale, please sign up. I read french literature almost exclusively for more than a decade, she explains, so when i left academia, i really wanted to go back to the english classics which i loved so much as a teenager. I rather think, if im pushed, that id say it was set somewhere between the two world wars. The thirteenth tale is a book which shifts between two main stories.
Im going to throw out some discussion topics, and you can feel free to post your commentsabout these topics or other things you want to talk about. Starting on november 1 the author of the thirteenth tale will join in a discussion of her book with anyone who joins the book club. July 8, 20 katie words for worms blogging, book club, historical fiction 33. Buy the thirteenth tale new ed by setterfield, diane isbn. Reclusive author vida winter, famous for her collection of twelve enchanting stories, has spent the past six decades penning. The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield book club discussion. The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield book club. The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield is a rich story about secrets, ghosts, winter, books and family. Terri the first time i read this book, it was the unabridged audio book. Ghost stories abound in the thirteenth tale, and in. This offering is an unread copy of the thirteenth tale written by diane setterfield.
Setterfield has rejuvenated the genre with this closely. Former academic setterfield pays tribute in her debut to. I dont need a one word theme, i dont need a summary of the plot, i need the theme general statement about life or human nature. The thirteenth tale is a love letter to reading, a book for the feral reader in all of us, a return to that rich vein of storytelling that our parents loved and that we loved as children. A biographer, hearing the previously untold dark and disturbing life story of a dying novelist, is compelled to. She has given hundreds of interviews over the course of her career my genius is not so fragile that it must be shut away, but when it comes to the inevitable questions about herself. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
These book club discussion questions on the thirteenth tale will help you explore setterfields masterfully created story. Discuss the appearances and allusions to jane eyre and how this novel echoes that one. The story shifts significantly after the death of mrs. With janet amsden, alice barlow, isabel barlow, emily beecham.
Margaret lea works in her fathers antiquarian bookshop where her fascination for the biographies of the longdead has led her to write them herself. Settle down to enjoy a rousing good ghost story with diane setterfields debut novel, the thirteenth tale. Follows aging novelist vida winter, who enlists a young writer to finally tell the story of her life including her mysterious childhood spent in angelfield house, which burned to the ground when she was a teenager. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the thirteenth tale by diane setterfield. These two intertwined stories are occasionally interrupted by letters and notes of supporting characters. Reclusive author vida winter, famous for her collection of twelve enchanting stories. The thirteenth tale is very well written and combines the past and the present in a captivating manner. Erin collazo miller is a freelance book critic whose work has appeared regularly in the orlando sentinel. It is an adaptation of diane setterfields gothic novel the thirteenth tale. The title of this novel is taken from the title of miss winters first book, thirteen tales of change and desperation, a collection of twelve stories with a mysterious thirteenth left out at the last minute before publication. At the end of the book there is a list of questions suggested for book club readers, and one of these is about the date in which the story is set. The thirteenth tale is a british drama television film that first broadcast on bbc two on 30 december 20. Margaret lea is the lucky newbie writer who will be spending time with vida in order to put her amazing life story down on paper.
She is spellbound by the stories and confused when she realizes the book only contains twelve stories. Januarys selection was the thirteenth tale by diane setterfield. The thirteenth tale book club discussion questions thoughtco. Usa today sometimes, when you open the door to the past, what you confront is your destiny. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Not only is she scheduled for a 14city tour in the states, shell need to write her next novel quickly, because there is no doubt that we book lovers will be clamoring for more. Reading guide for the thirteenth tale by diane setterfield. Buy a cheap copy of the thirteenth tale book by diane setterfield.
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