The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield Review

The Thirteenth Tale

by Diane Setterfield

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All children mythologize their birth… So begins the prologue of reclusive author Vida Winter’s collection of stories, which are as famous for the mystery of the missing thirteenth tale as they are for the delight and enchantment of the twelve that do exist. The enigmatic Winter has spent six decades creating various outlandish life histories for herself–all of them inventions that have brought her fame and fortune but have kept her violent and tragic past a secret. Now old and ailing, she at last wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. She summons biographer Margaret Lea, a young woman for whom the secret of her own birth, hidden by those who loved her most, remains an ever-present pain. Struck by a curious parallel between Miss Winter’s story and her own, Margaret takes on the commission. Margaret succumbs to the power of Vida’s storytelling but remains suspicious of the author’s sincerity. She demands the truth from Vida, and together they confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves.

 

 

A little over a year ago, I picked up a Diane Setterfield novel for the first time. It was Once Upon a River, her latest release, and from the first page of that novel, I was swept up in her fantastic writing. Setterfield is an incredible storyteller, one I was eager to read more from. 

The Thirteenth Tale was highly anticipated, I couldn’t wait to fall into whatever world Setterfield conjured. I gave little thought to what I remembered of the premise or where the story would go—I knew it would be compelling, but, mostly, I knew her writing would not disappoint. 

One of the aspects I loved the most about Once Upon a River was the sense of storytelling within it. I love reading a novel that truly feels like I’m being told a story. A similar sense of storytelling was felt throughout The Thirteenth Tale, partly because readers are being told a tale by Vida Winter, though it comes from more than just the simple set up of the story’s narration. It’s something within the writing itself, something that feels effortless as it sweeps readers up into the folds of the story. I fell headfirst into The Thirteenth Tale’s quiet, intriguing world and didn’t want to reemerge. It was mysterious and atmospheric, the type of story I would love to read on a crisp, cloudy autumn day when the world itself feels slightly more mysterious. With the settings of Margaret’s father’s bookstore, the Angelfield estate and Vida Winter’s current home secluded in the English moors, The Thirteenth Tale almost constantly feels like it’s in a world away from others. It’s secluded and quiet, even in the setting, and this ever-present sense of isolation is one that enriches the atmosphere.

The Thirteenth Tale is a quietly compelling story. The premise was fantastically intriguing but its execution was perfection. It’s a slower story, the kind that cannot be rushed. It takes its time unfolding, pulling you along all the way as it delves into the strange circumstances of Vida’s past and wraps you up in it. Margaret,  who is tasked with writing Vida’s story, speaks of how she feels absolutely consumed by the story, how there is little else that occupies her mind as she lives and breathes Vida’s past. This effect on Margaret is understandable and my reading experience was only a slightly watered-down version of what she experienced—I didn’t want to put the book down, I didn’t want to leave the characters or the writing, I didn’t want to stop until I understood Vida’s past. The plot of this novel and the details of Vida’s story are specifics I’m choosing to not elaborate on, as much as I’d like to. Any thread I could point to within this complexly woven tale could perhaps plant an idea in your mind of this story’s plot when I think it would be best to approach this book untainted by expectations. I will tell you this: The Thirteenth Tale is utterly engrossing. It’s gothic and complex, a strange and unexpected story. Knowing Vida in the current day gives a sort of touchstone to where the story could go but in many ways it only causes readers to ask more questions. Setterfield leads you down a winding path, never quite giving enough for you to fully understand where you will end up. There were also suggestions of the supernatural that kept me guessing about the true nature of the story. It’s simply enchanting.

A fantastic balance is struck between keeping readers intrigued by not just Vida’s past but the present we see through Margaret’s POV. The mystery of the past was only further enriched and made more intriguing by what we knew of the present and what we learned in the present. Margaret’s own life even has its own mysteries and questions that make readers wonder what is truly going on. I really enjoyed the themes of sisterhood and the unique way it’s shown and explored throughout the novel as well. 

The characters in The Thirteenth Tale felt so very real. They’re complex and though many of them are just secondary characters, you feel you have a full understanding of who they really are. They’re interesting people, though some of them are certainly stranger than others. A few, however, are easy to connect with and feel affection for. The Thirteenth Tale is very much a book focused on its characters and their complexities and oddities. Again, I won’t get into specifics but they are fascinating and compelling and just so, so intriguing. We spend varying amounts of time with different characters but the attention to fleshing them out and the way in which the introduction of new characters can feel like a sudden shift in where the story is going makes it seem like every single character gets main character treatment, even if we only spend a short time with them. They’re very well written.

As many readers know, being a reader often feels like more than just being someone who reads a lot. It feels like a personality trait, this love for books and stories and words. The Thirteenth Tale works this fondness for books and stories and words into the very essence of this novel. It feels like something present within the two main characters but also within the storytelling itself. I loved it. 

I loved The Thirteenth Tale. The story was unique and quite unexpected, a mystery that kept me engrossed the whole way through and surprised me despite what I thought were good guesses on my part. Setterfield’s words reach out and suck you into a story and atmosphere you won’t want to leave. She is an absolutely masterful writer and this novel is spellbinding.

There isn’t a thing I would change about The Thirteenth Tale. I so enjoyed the experience of reading it and highly recommend it. 

5/5

Have you read The Thirteenth Tale? Would you like to? Let me know what you think in the comments!

Thanks for reading, 

Madison