The Thirteenth Tale-Diane Setterfield

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jemado
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The Thirteenth Tale-Diane Setterfield

Post by jemado »

I recently finished reading this book and I thought it was really great. The story was an intriguing mystery and Setterfield wrote some really beautiful lines. I found myself going back at times and rereading paragraphs just because they were so thought-provoking. There are references to classic literary works, which I found interesting though might be confusing to someone who isn't familiar with the works (the most commonly referenced novel is "Jane Eyre"). A part of me was a little dissatisfied with the ending, just because I thought it could have been a little more neatly wrapped up. Nevertheless, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery story.
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victorian.noire
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Post by victorian.noire »

I finnished that book not too long ago and recommended it to a few friends. i also found it mysterious and delightful to read. i thought the ending was just fine, as not everything in the world has a clear and precise ending. but yeah, beautifully written and i would for sure read it again :)
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Bowlie
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Post by Bowlie »

I thought it was just ok. I bought it and The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton at the same time and thought The Forgotten Garden was much, much better.
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The Mythwriter
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Post by The Mythwriter »

I have frequently seen this book, I think it's haunting me until I read it.
"The world has been printing books for 450 years, and yet gunpowder still has a wider circulation. Never mind! Printer's ink is the greater explosive: it will win." - Christopher Morley, "The Haunted Bookshop."
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Amelia
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Post by Amelia »

I didn't love this book.
I read it quite quickly a few months ago, so my memory of it is a bit hazy (which says a lot, when you think about it), and while I found it entertaining, especially at the beginning, I think it got a bit silly towards the end.
A LOT of twists, which is ok, but I tend to loose the feeling of "Wow, I did NOT see that coming", and lean more towards "Good lord, AGAIN?".
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jemado
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Post by jemado »

Amelia wrote:I didn't love this book.
I read it quite quickly a few months ago, so my memory of it is a bit hazy (which says a lot, when you think about it), and while I found it entertaining, especially at the beginning, I think it got a bit silly towards the end.
A LOT of twists, which is ok, but I tend to loose the feeling of "Wow, I did NOT see that coming", and lean more towards "Good lord, AGAIN?".
I can understand that. After a little while all of the twists got to be a bit much. I guess I just really liked her writing style, even if the story itself didn't pan out as nicely as it could have.
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Cavl5
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Post by Cavl5 »

I personally have read this book over a dozen times and every time is just as great as the last. I loved Setterfield's style of writing, and the plot was absolutely great. Even though I do agree with you that the ending wasn't the best but it Setterfield definitely tied up all of the loose ends. I for one give this book two thumbs up and definitely 4/4 stars :D
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Post by Alynnes »

It is difficult to find a book that, at once, has both a captivating plot and a beautiful literary voice. I enjoyed the characters and was impressed by all this book had to offer, though I also admit the plot did fall into a unbelieavable, cliche hook you have all mentioned.

Despite that, it's a book I would definitely recommend, even if only for its lovely descriptions of language and reading. I plan on reading it again, as I am curious to know my reaction to a second reading.

Also, if anyone has any recommendations to similar books, I would be interested! I really liked the mysterious plot and heavy descriptions!
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Post by Eustacia Tan »

Time to revive a thread! I just finished this and I absolutely loved it!

I really liked this quote:
Silence is not a natural environment for stories. They need words. Without them they grow pale, sicken and die. And then they haunt you.
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casjak
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Post by casjak »

I kind of have mixed feelings for this book. It took awhile for me to get in to it, and I put it down so many times to switch to a different book. Finally tired of looking at it on my bookshelf, mocking me, I picked it up and finally read the whole thing. It was an interesting book, beautifully well-written, and intriguing once I actually got into it. I may try reading it again at some point.
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Kourtney Bradley
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Post by Kourtney Bradley »

I bought this book a few months ago, but have yet to read it. I'll have to check it out. Based on some of the comments on here, it sounds like something I'm sure I'll enjoy!
Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light. :techie-studyingbrown:
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gaporter
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Post by gaporter »

It's been awhile since I've read this book, but I remember being slightly conflicted with it as I read but ultimately deciding on loving it. I need to pick this up again! I'm sure I'll appreciate it more now than I did when I was in high school.
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