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The Thirteenth Tale (Abridged): A Novel Audiobook
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(3.00) - 122,078 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Winner of the 2007 Audie Award for Literary Fiction and Finalist for Multi-Voiced Performance
Instant #1 New York Times bestseller
“Readers will feel the magnetic pull of this paean to words, books and the magical power of story.”—People
“Eerie and fascinating.”—USA TODAY
Sometimes, when you open the door to the past, what you confront is your destiny.
Reclusive author Vida Winter, famous for her collection of twelve enchanting stories, has spent the past six decades penning a series of alternate lives for herself. Now old and ailing, she is ready to reveal the truth about her extraordinary existence and the violent and tragic past she has kept secret for so long. Calling on Margaret Lea, a young biographer troubled by her own painful history, Vida disinters the life she meant to bury for good. Margaret is mesmerized by the author's tale of gothic strangeness—featuring the beautiful and willful Isabelle, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline, a ghost, a governess, a topiary garden and a devastating fire. Together, Margaret and Vida confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves.
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"Any book that can keep me on the treadmill for my entire lunch hour is a winner! The story just sucked me in, the moors, the ruins, the books, the secrets,the storytellers....a little suspense, sadness, romance, and the promise of a happy ending for some of the characters. Including Shadow the cat."
— Mary (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Setterfield, a former professor of 20th-century French literature, is a deft stylist and talented technician. Both her love for literature and the depth of her learning enliven her debut novel.”
— Washington Post -
“Beautifully written and highly intelligent. Blissful escapism for literate (and literary) females who love an old-fashioned story.”
— Times (London) -
“Setterfield proves a mistress of the craft of storytelling and her musings about the pleasures of reading are beguiling.”
— Guardian -
“Setterfield’s first novel is equally suited to a rainy afternoon on the couch or a summer day on the beach.”
— Library Journal
Awards
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A #1 New York Times bestseller
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A 2007 Dilys Award Finalist
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Winner of the 2007 YALSA Alex Award
The Thirteenth Tale Listener Reviews
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" I liked the genre--an English mystery. "
— Diana, 2/19/2014 -
" Excellent! Lots of twists! "
— Michellelynnhooper, 2/2/2014 -
" Drags on and on and on... "
— Christy, 2/2/2014 -
" One of my favorite books to date! "
— Renae, 1/31/2014 -
" Beautiful and mysterious. "
— Mandey, 1/12/2014 -
" utterly utterly beautiful "
— Ruby, 12/19/2013 -
" It was a really good read! I could hardly put this down. It does get a little bit first book-ish at the end, but still a very haunting tale. "
— Tsukiori, 12/11/2013 -
" I LOVED this book. This is one of those books you want to read for the first time over and over again. "
— Courtney, 12/1/2013 -
" It was sometimes hard to keep up with. My book club - no one agreed about the ending but.... I think that is one of the things that makes it a great book. It is a book that I still think about from time to time. "
— Tara, 11/29/2013 -
" Very quick read, very similiar to The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morten. Definately recommend it! "
— Diana, 11/4/2013 -
" Fantastic fiction. "
— Renee, 10/15/2013
About Diane Setterfield
Diane Setterfield is a former academic, specializing in twentieth-century French literature. She lives in Yorkshire, England.
About Lynn Redgrave
Lynn Redgrave, a member of Britain’s greatest acting family, is internationally known for her work on stage, screen, and television. As narrator of the World of Philosophy series, she brings to life the timeless and vital themes of the world’s great philosophical traditions.