Friday, July 24, 2009

The Thirteenth Tale


Take generations of a wealthy, eccentric family add dark obsessions and secrets in equal parts, sprinkle with innocence and ghosts and let stew in the mind for several days and you have Gothic novel ala "Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield. An eerie story sure to keep haunting you for days after you've read the last page.
Margaret Lea is an obscure biographer who hides from a painful past in her father's bookstore. World famous author Vida Winter has sent a cryptic note asking Margaret to write her biography. Margaret is hesitant as Ms. Winter has a reputation for being less than truthful with biographers. In addition she is haunted by longing for her twin who died at birth and has carried the grief for many long years.
Miss. Winter's tale of the inhabitants of the Angelfield Estate is both fascinating and strange. Setterfield does a superb job of creating characters that will haunt you long after you've finished the book. From the repellent and pitiful Charlie and Isabella to Jane Eyre reincarnate, Hester, to the heroic Missus and John who try and save the Angelfield children from their twisted heritage Setterfield keeps the reader engaged and on edge.
"The Thirteenth Tale" explores various forms of love and family and what happens when grief and obsession are allowed to grow unchecked. Grief and obsession almost take on ghostly lives of their own in this book. Despite Angefield's penchant for darkness a few rays of light and truth break through the walls of decay and misery. Hester, the one and only governess at Angelfield heroically battles the evil that threatens Adeline and Emmaline and for a brief time succeeds. Think of Hester as the Jane Eyre that didn't succeed.
If you've considered pounding a stake through all four volumes of "Twilight" or are suppressing the urge to throw some dirt on the tidy lives of Darcy and Elizabeth then you need this book! (Thanks to good friend and reliable book reviewer, Sarah Coiner for recommending this book!)

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