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• 7 people find this helpful

  • Dark but not unnecessarily sensational

  • They say The Thirteenth Tale is a modern tale of gothic suspense. That term is not familiar to me, but if suspension means refraining from giving away even the slightest clue of the mystery, this book certain did its job. Riddles and mysteries are laid early on, but readers would not get it until th ... Continue

    They say The Thirteenth Tale is a modern tale of gothic suspense. That term is not familiar to me, but if suspension means refraining from giving away even the slightest clue of the mystery, this book certain did its job. Riddles and mysteries are laid early on, but readers would not get it until they get to the ending. In this regard I did not give it an unreserved 4-star-ranking before I got to the last 70 pages. Captivating from the outset almost all thru the end, there are parts that I found lengthy or not so riveting at best, but I can assure you it is rewarding once those parts (which aren't that much really) are endured.

    Carefully crafted, no unnecessary playing around with words, yet the words are as captivating as the content itself

    There were indeed a few minor 'flaws' about the plot, for instance, the way how things are solved eventually, and how Margaret Lea came to decipher them seemed a little bit 'too easy' for me, and hence in a sense not convincing enough.

    I did not expect it, but towards the end tears did come to my eyes. Less a haunted story than one of bereavement to me. It took me days to totally come out of the books upon finishing it.

    Added to my pleasure was a motivation more subtle and private - its obvious I shared with the author an obsession with words (names) starting with letter A - Aurelius; Angelfield; Ambrose; Adeline; at any rate I cant rule out the possibility that I am simply too sensitive.

    Did the book live up to all the hype? O yes this one certainly did.

    

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• ― Sumire Camus said on Oct 17, 2007 about the Others edition| 2 feedbacks| 2 feedbacks

• 4 people find this helpful

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  • This book is extremely well written with many twists and turns. The plot is meticulously contrived and the writing fluid, easy to read. The dialogues are crisp and memorable. Be prepared for a surprise ending.

    The characters are not adorable. In fact, they are quite sick and morbid. But t ... Continue

    This book is extremely well written with many twists and turns. The plot is meticulously contrived and the writing fluid, easy to read. The dialogues are crisp and memorable. Be prepared for a surprise ending.

    The characters are not adorable. In fact, they are quite sick and morbid. But this does not detract from an enjoyable read.

    If you love Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and alike, you will love this.

    

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• ― Tracy W said on Apr 11, 2007 about the Others edition| 1 feedback| 1 feedback

• 2 people find this helpful

  • The Thirteenth Tale

  • The Thirteenth Tale is the first book to keep me up reading till deep into the night since My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult more than half a year ago.

    Although this book is not exactly a thriller with real ghosts and action, the excitement and tension given are no less at all. While reading ... Continue

    The Thirteenth Tale is the first book to keep me up reading till deep into the night since My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult more than half a year ago.

    Although this book is not exactly a thriller with real ghosts and action, the excitement and tension given are no less at all. While reading this book, I felt as if there was a heavily-wrapped parcel in my hands. And as I progressed through the novel, it was as if I was unwrapping the countless layers of mysteries and secrets one by one, each with a rather curious knot which tied each layer tightly. And near the end, I felt the very last layer being torn apart too abrutly, and I literally felt a tinge of horror as I stared at the words that held the key to the whole mystery. And before I knew it, it seemed to me that as my hand reached the dull emerald, the heart of the whole parcel, it turned in to dust and disappeared as the wind caught it and flew far away forever.

    Although it really is a little strange how Margaret Lea was able to uncover all the smoke screens and little secrets and discover the true secret behind it all so suddenly, the book has left me spellbound and made me decide to comment on this book immediately after I finished it, which is just some minutes ago when my mom told me it was time for lunch.

    However, I must admit here that there are times that The Thirteenth Tale lost its magic on me, when I actually felt confused on who was really the one narrating. I think that you must be quite patient at times when your eyes do not wish to glue themselves to the pages of the book anymore.

    But ultimately, this is a very special experience. With tears building up in your eyes, the uncomfortable aftertaste of the violent secrets still hang on to your mind stubbornly for quite a while. But yet, I enjoyed this book very, very much, I must say. I can probably say that it is nothing I have ever read before, or none other books have made such an effect on me.

    

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• ― agnes.b said on May 2, 2008 about the Hardcover edition| Add your feedback

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  • I listened to the audiobook (unabridged version) and it was a real delight. Fabulous book, well written and very entertaining!
    Characters that stay with you for a long, long time!

    

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• ― Nini said on Oct 26, 2009 about the Paperback edition| Add your feedback

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  • Sulle tracce di Jane Eyre

  • Apertamente ispirato ai classici ottocenteschi inglesi, ne condivide molti temi ricorrenti: amori incestuosi in dimore di campagna, manoscritti scomparsi, figli segreti abbandonati sulle soglie, gemelle la cui identità si fa sempre più confusa, fantasmi e allucinazioni... Mi rendo conto che non è pa ... Continue

    Apertamente ispirato ai classici ottocenteschi inglesi, ne condivide molti temi ricorrenti: amori incestuosi in dimore di campagna, manoscritti scomparsi, figli segreti abbandonati sulle soglie, gemelle la cui identità si fa sempre più confusa, fantasmi e allucinazioni... Mi rendo conto che non è pane per tutti i denti, ma se avete sognato sulle pagine di Jane Eyre, vi troverete catapultate in un mistero affascinante. decisamente ben scritto e ben congegnato (come un delitto…).

    

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• ― Katia Morgana said on Oct 15, 2009 about the Hardcover edition| Add your feedback

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  • Too much melodrama.
    The writing is not bad and the story is quite plausible, but this is not my kind of book, my kind of heroine.
    Another strong, self-confident woman in the world, unaware of her charm.
    She is one like thousand others, boring.

    

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• ― Alice (pienilammas) said on Sep 23, 2009 about the Hardcover edition| Add your feedback

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