Sunday, June 22, 2008

Diane Setterfield - The Thirteenth Tale

I don't know what qualifies as a 'gothic' novel, but if it's always going to be as great as this one, count me in as a fan of the genre! Setterfield's prose had me hooked from the very beginning and always kept me wanting more. The fact that this is her debut novel is even more impressive. Setterfield has crafted a complex mystery and because of her remarkable story-telling skills, I did not bother to try to 'pick' the ending, but rather, to let the tale take its course. This would have been a perfect book to devour in one sitting; unfortunately, work and life prevented me from doing so and I found the disruptions annoying as I needed to recall what was happening when I picked up from where I left off. I plan to purchase a copy for myself as I think this is one of those books that will benefit from re-readings, where the reader can discover clues that were previously missed. The Thirteenth Tale truly was a brilliant read and I look forward to Diane Setterfield's next novel!

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