The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

So, I have been meaning to read this book for about a year now. It has come up several times at book club and for whatever reason it has never been chosen. I have to say that I was annoyed in the beginning because it was yet another novel by a writer who is writing about a writer who is writing about a writer - enough already! I get annoyed when authors describe the authors in their stories as being "brilliant". Really? Is the original author so unloved and insecure that they have to assure me of what a great and brilliant writer they are? Ugh!

That being said, the story, the twists, turns and surprises made up for my initial annoyance. It is truly "eerie and fascinating" as it says on the cover. I recommend it. There were a few bumps in the plot that I thought were implausible - but overall it was a good story.

It was interesting that I chose this book directly after reading Rebecca because I thought Rebecca shared many characteristics with Jane Eyre and in this book Jane Eyre is referenced several times. It (The Thirteenth Tale) has its own parallels to Jane Eyre as well. These three books in conjunction make for a sort of gothic trilogy that not only solidifies Jane Eyre as a true classic worth reading but also illustrates how influential good writing is on subsequent generations of writers. Actually, if you want the whole truth, I recommend all three!