I don't know if I liked this book. How can I not know?

Mostly because I feel like I should read it again just to make sure it scans right, but I don't wanna.

One of my favorites from the last few years. Thirteenth Tale is a story within a story. A 30-ish book store proprietor and sometimes writer is summoned by a mysterious, best-selling author nearing end of life to write her biography. Why was she chosen? How did the author overcome her horrifyingly neglected childhood with her twin sister to become what she is today?

Much about writing and books from someone who clearly loves both.

Great book with a wonderfully complicated plot and beautiful prose. I couldn't put it down.

I was hooked from the first pages, which were magical to me. There were a few moments of implausibility for me, but I loved nearly every page. A haunting and gripping story that weaves in and out of the past, questions the truth of memory and what we tell ourselves/other people.

I really enjoyed this book - it had that great Gothic sensibility to it, all dark and "oh woe is me" delicate heroine. My only complaint is that once the story was over, it dragged on with pages of "I bet you're wondering what happened to x minor character!". Actually, no, I wasn't it. The story is over, I'm done. But that's a small quibble, when the rest of the book was just delicious.
Updated upon re-read: I liked this even more - the twists at the end still managed to be thrilling and sad, and I ended up enjoying the little updates this time around; I think I felt even more invested in the characters and their fates. Though the doctor could have been more fleshed out...

[PS Almost three weeks after writing this review, "Hiding in Plain Sight" popped to mind as a title for this post, if Goodreads reviews had space for review titles.]

I am a fan of gothic and Victorian novels so was quite prepared to appreciate Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale. Suffice it to say, it was more than appreciation; I was thoroughly absorbed by this story and duly impressed to discover it was her 2006 debut novel. In this interview Setterfield explains how The Thirteenth Tale came to be.

Everyone has a story in them. Some stories may sound simpler than others, but all are stories. Vida Winter's tale, as emerges to Margaret Lea, the woman Vida has entrusted with writing her biography, is anything but simple. It is complex, twisty-turny, unusual, and highly absorbing. And, as with (in my opinion) the very best of gothic tales, the strands all come together at the conclusion. Like envelopes being unsealed to reveal their contents, questions are answered, mysteries are resolved, and a nodding awareness creeps in - 'ah, yes, this makes sense.'

I winced, smiled, was hesitant on behalf of the characters, and mostly was awash in curiosity. Every word crafted by Setterfield felt like it was chosen with intent. Descriptive, incisive, exacting, no word is wasted.

Lovers of gothic tales, Diane Setterfield has you covered!

Pretty good. A little spooky, definitely twists in the story that surprised me. I liked the story in a story in a story concept.

Hmm, at times equally creepy, disturbing, haunting and yet thoroughly enjoyable, this book captured my interest from the first page and didn't lose it until the last. Quite suspenseful, and surprising to boot. How often do you find that combination? The protagonist being a book-loving, self-contained woman only helped the story, in my opinion.
As far as the cons go, I would say it was a bit drawn-out at times and certain situations seemed to be a little too coincidental. I wouldn't say those aspects particularly disturbed me, though.
Overall, a somewhat darkly entertaining book.