So another thing I’m trying to do while Jason is out of town is to finish up some of the books on my reading list. I’ve promised myself that I am not watching TV while he’s away. There are so many other things to do! To start, I figured I should finish the book club book of the month. Diane Setterfield’s book, The Thirteenth Tale was a bit daunting to pick up. It’s a pretty thick book. Don’t let that stop you though, I couldn’t stop reading once I started. I got completely immersed in this dark tale of story within story.

Margaret Lea is a young budding biographer who works in the old bookstore with her father. The book begins with Vida Winter, an author who I would liken to our JK Rowling, contacting Margaret to write her biography. Vida Winter had woven many tales of her past for journalists, all of which were lies, because lies are stories and that is what she does. Vida wants Margaret to write her true biography. The rest of the book tells Vida’s story of twins, incest, twisted relationships and family which ends up surprisingly weaving with Margaret’s story, which she is forced to confront.

I really did enjoy this book; I felt completely entralled with the storyline as it seems to play out with the clarity of watching a movie. Although very dark and no clear ‘happy ending’, this book draws you in and keeps your attention.

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7 Responses to Book Club:: The Thirteenth Tale

  1. sara says:

    Hi there! I’m Jenn E.’s sis! She passed along your blog address to me because she thought I might like it…I kinda love blogging a lot :) And I totally LOVE your site! I recently read this book for my book club too! I totally agree with you…it was so good! It was unlike any story I have ever read…it was kind of dark and weird but I couldn’t put it down!

  2. elliek says:

    I absolutely loved reading this book! I was totally captured by it (at one point Jeremy came into the bedroom where I was reading and asked “do I even have a wife anymore?” It really was a surprisingly fast read – I think I read it in little over a week. I’m so excited to discuss it at book club, but it’s still over two weeks away! I’m afraid I’ll forget everything!

  3. Elizabeth says:

    Hi Sara! Thanks for visiting my site and the compliments – I am definitely addicted to blogging too!

  4. Amanda says:

    I think it is interesting how the books that we have chosen that are of the “thick” variety have ended up being some of our favs. :)

  5. Elizabeth says:

    I agree – it is interesting. I hope everyone else feels the same way!

  6. [...] and it’s a bit different than other books we have read. It may be most comparable to the Thirteenth Tale but I’d say this one is a little darker, more medieval, and has a lot more religious [...]

  7. [...] Devlin Diary by Christi Phillips – This was recommended to me by a friend that enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale and searched for similar books. I definitely feel that this book incorporated some of the feel of [...]

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