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The Thirteenth Tale cover art

The Thirteenth Tale

By: Diane Setterfield
Narrated by: Jenny Agutter
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Summary

The Thirteenth Tale is a compelling and emotional mystery, in the timeless vein of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, about family secrets and the magic of books and storytelling.
©2006 Diane Setterfield (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Thirteenth Tale

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Atmospheric and gripping

I couldn't stop listening to this wonderfully atmospheric story. The pleasure greatly enhanced by Jenny Agutter's accomplished narration. It's difficult to pigeon-hole the book: it delves into psychology and the paranormal; into a quest for the truth about identity and echos some of the themes in Jane Eyre. It's one of those books that sucks you into it's world and leaves you wishing it hadn't ended.

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59 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Hot sweet tea, Jane Eyre and cocoa

A frumpy story. Despite the mellifluous narration of Jenny Agutter, I almost stopped listening half way as the constant references to hot sweet tea, Jane Eyre and cocoa were too annoying.
This is a very slight story wrapped up in all the tropes and repetitive detailing found in Victorian classics.
Aside from why there are so many glowing reviews for this book, the biggest puzzle is when it was supposed to be set.
It seems deliberately vague- presumably wanting to give it a timeless air- but I’m plumping for the 1950s, with a yearning for a century earlier.

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55 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Jo
  • 27-03-11

A Fabulous Twisting Tale

I first came across this book in paperback form and although it was a bit of an epic novel I waded my way through hooked by its secrets and saga. I really wanted to experience the story a second time but just didn't have huge chunks of time to sit down and read it so I purchased the audio version and it is as wonderful as I remember it!

The book takes place over two time periods and I must admit it is the older era which I find the most enrapturing and interesting. By the end of the audiobook the twists and turns will have you on the edge of your seat and you will want to listen to the whole thing again in order to consume every little detail.

Fantastic!

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46 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

A great reader but a dodgy plot.

Although the author spins a good yarn, this book left me feeling dissatisfied.
We do not know what year it is and the themes of the story are unmistakenly gothic. It has an engrossing atmosphere but the convoluted plot left me wondering if I'd got it right by the time I reached the end.
The main strength of this audiobook is the excellent narration by Jenny Aguter. This is what kept me listening.

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21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Undecided

There is no doubt that this is a wonderfully inventive book very well read - but oh dear I found it extremely depressing. I may go back and finish it - as I'd like to know the ending - but for the moment I've had to give it a break.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Riveting, disturbing, amazing

A little way into this brilliant, Jenny Agutter narration I started to realize that I had seen a TV drama version and could just about remember the basics of the plot. It says something about the strength of the writer that this did not undermine my enjoyment of it one bit! Even the twist, the gist of which I was waiting for.
I'm not certain the plot really adds up to something entirely credible but that doesn't matter at all as one is swept along on this unsettling gothic ghost story.
The framing device of interviewer and interviewee and the rather common place, unlikely heroine of the latter day story, to me, perfectly offsets the darkly unfolding family saga of ages past. Angelfield House is not a place one would wish to reside for very long. It is a relief to be whisked back to the present day from time to time.
This is also a book about books. About publishing and the experience of both writing books and reading them. A rich literary feast which haunted me for some time after it had ended.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book, well written.

I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it. There is a twist to it and I didn't see coming but when he arrives you realise that it was there all the time. It is well written and well narrated. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

literary diet pudding

Saved by the narrator. I persevered but had to give up. OK if you need background noise.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Goes on too long ..........

I was 4 hours from the end of the story when I thought “this must be the end” I struggled to finish the book 😕.
So many false endings. Not an enjoyable book, unlike ‘Once upon a river’ which was superb.
I love Jenny Agutter but felt that the different characters could have been emphasised more so we knew who was who.
I know I could have returned the book but based on ‘once upon a river ‘ I kept thinking that it would get better 😕

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Too much gloom & over dramatised doom

I had to give up on this book by Chapter Five, I found the prose slightly ridiculously over dramatic, for example, feeling pain in every cell of the body and so on. I usually don't mind suspending disbelief a bit but his story was so stuck in one doom laden mood I just wanted to get out.

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7 people found this helpful