Retrospective Wednesday is a new feature at My Head is Full of Books designed to give bloggers a chance to highlight a book that was published in previous years, in the hope that it will cause others to go back and read it. The featured book must have been published one or more years ago. Please leave a comment and link back to Headfullofbooks from your blog post. Join in the fun highlighting favorite old books.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.
Considered a tale within a tale, this mystery, set in England, kept me guessing until the very end. Every time I thought I had things figured out, a plot twist was introduced. This book was a book club favorite as we had a fabulous discussion over it. It was also an Alex Award winner in 2007. Alex Award books are adult books that have cross-over appeal for teens. If you like mysteries or just well-written books with interesting plots and engaging and interesting characters, this book would be a good choice for you.
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.-Simon and SchusterIf you have read this book, let me know what you thought of it in the comment section. If you have an old, favorite book you'd like others to read, feel free to join in and add a book to Retrospective Wednesday on your blog.
Believe it or not, Anne (since we always seem to love the same books), I didn't really love The Thirteenth Tale. Lots of my friends did, and I read it for one of my book groups, but just never really got into it.
ReplyDeleteI like your new feature - great idea! I look forward to more Wednesdays!
Sue
Great Books for Kids and Teens
Book By Book
My group rarely does mysteries so I think that several of the gals enjoyed it on that score.
DeleteI loved this book. Loved the mystery and the twists. I have it in my high school library, but I don't think it's circulated much. It's just not that appealing to teens.
ReplyDeleteBefore I became a teen librarian I thought that teens would want to read popular adult books. I was wrong. Very few adult books get much if any circulation in my library. A few exceptions are: Water for Elephants; The Help; The Time Traveler's Wife; anything by Nicholas Sparks. A few boys will read Tom Clancy and Michael Crichton. I placed my copy of The Thirteenth Tale in my library and I think that only teachers have checked it out.
DeleteI've heard nothing but great things about this book but I've yet to read it. I plan on reading it for my Alex Award reading challenge. I always have a hard time finding good adult books. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDelete