The Thirteenth Tale is a novel in the Gothic style, which was written by Diane Setterfield. This book is exceptional because you expect from it quite a different impression and emotion than you get in the upshot. It seems all the reviews promise a family saga against the backdrop of a huge number of books, but they do not tell the whole truth. The whole book is an understatement. That is why Setterfield called the novel The Thirteenth Tale, as well as the non-existent thirteenth story from the edition of fairy tales of the heroine Vida Winter. The book is “turned inside out”, because the Beginning, the Plot Development and the Denouement, which are usually should be hidden in the plot and readers will have to find them during reading, are directly defined by the author.
The Thirteenth Tale is one of those novels for which discussion of the plot of which is not only useless, but also dangerous – you can just confuse or frighten off the potential reader. It is enough to say that this is a story in the second story, as a mosaic in a kaleidoscope periodically makes a smooth movement and makes up a new figure of already familiar elements, helps the reader to look at the overall picture from a new, unique side.
The main action really develops in the literary sphere in the book. The leading heroine Margaret Lea decides to write a biography of the popular writer Vida Winter. To put it differently, two key figures of the novel are inextricably connected with the books. In addition, their tenderness in relation to their favorite works and writing is a pleasure for any reader, who appreciates the literature. The theme of literature and books teaches readers to appreciate this kind of art.
The book has everything – a tangled story, many secrets and mysteries, a little mysticism, a detective investigation, which is connected with twins Adeline and Emmeline March. There are also elements of a Gothic novel such as a neglected old homestead, family ghosts and a feeling of something supernatural that is in the air. There are cruelty, madness and asceticism – all the negative traits of some main characters that show that inhumanity will reduce to death. The only things, which are lack here, are romance and love. Although there is love between sisters, which is shown at the end of the book. Moreover, Setterfield used her philosophy that affirms a person always has a story, and it is a continuation and addition to someone’s second story.
The book is should be read for several times, because there are so many small and intangible moments that it will be very interesting to read the novel again and try to catch all the hints hidden by the author. It shows the relationship of brothers and sisters. The book teaches readers to appreciate and love our families, because it is fairly hard to live alone without the blood kin. A person begins to suffer from loneliness. We should respect each other, because the blood feud is very cruel with the unspeakable consequences.
