Book reviews

The Thirteenth Tale
Diane Setterfield Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Diane Setterfield Books
New book search
Diane Setterfield Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of The Thirteenth Tale
"England's best-loved living novelist, Vida Winter, with 56 best-sellers to her name, contacts Margaret Lea to write her biography. Margaret has never read a Vida Winter novel, perferring instead any work published in the 19th century. She finds Winter's best-selling book, Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation, in her father's used book store. Margaret reads it and is captivated, especially when she finds there is no thirteenth tale in the novel. Agreeing to meet, Margaret travels to Vida's home. Margaret knows Vida has never told any interviewer the truth about her life and childhood.

Beginning with a tale of twin sisters, Adeline and Emmeline, the mystery of Vida's life mesmerizes Margaret. However, Margaret doesn't take Vida's story at face value, instead trying to confirm facts through newspaper accounts, records and a visit to Angelfield, Vida's childhood home."

Jan Lamers, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Thirteenth Tale
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - present (2000-2010)
Internal struggle/realization? Yes
Struggle over - search for family/history
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - writer
Age: - 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Nationality - British
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 60's-90's
Profession/status: - writer
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a substantial amount
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - physically sick

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 3 ()
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK
Small town? Yes
Small town people: - nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Misc setting - fancy mansion

Style
Person - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - touching of anatomy
Unusual Style: - written like a journal/diary/letters
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to The Thirteenth Tale
Summer's Child by Luanne Rice
Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber
Eve Green by Susan Fletcher
Family News by Joan Barfoot
Shadow Baby by Alison McGhee


Click here for more information about this book


Diane Setterfield Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Jan Lamers  

SCHOLARS:


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Literature books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal story

Crime & Police story

Ethnic/regional/gender life

Exploring into the wild

Family, caring for ill

Family, loving relations

Family, struggle with

Internal struggle/realization?

Job/Profession/Status story

Kids growing up/acting up?

Political/social activism

Poverty, surviving

Pregnancy/Child rearing

Religion theme?

Romance/Romance Problems

Sports Story?

War/Revolt/Disaster on civilians



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Norah Lofts 12:50:53 AM
Suzanne Weyn 4:47:34 PM
Wilma Counts 1:23:32 PM
George W. Bush 5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Anonymous 12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino 10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls 10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan 9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi 9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine 9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington 9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody 9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden 9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 9:55:48 PM

More message boards