Saturday 30 August 2014

August's Book - Hard To Swallow

Diane Setterfield "The Thirteenth Tale"August's been a lean month for reading: just Daine Setterfield's "The Thirteenth Tale".  This was a book I'd apparently given to my Mum, which she hadn't managed to get through!  I have no memory of that, so it must have been a while ago but I was up for a challenge!  However, I could quite see why she got bored with it, as the first half is uphill all the way with too many hints at secrets, too much atmospheric description and very little actually happening!  In the end it did acquire a bit more pace, but left me cold, despite a twist at the end.  Two narrators, two time-lines, two authors (Diane Setterfield and her character Vida Winter) ... to be expected in a book featuring twins I suppose.

Here's hoping that September's books are a little lot livelier!

4 comments:

Melissa said...

What a bummer when a book turns out to be hard to swallow! August was a great reading month for me & I just finished posting reviews of several books I really enjoyed. Here's hoping September will be a great reading month for you!

Alison said...

I'm sure I have read it...but I can honestly say I can't remember a thing about it! I have just finished 'THE LIGHT BEHIND THE WINDOW' by LUCINDA REILLY...now that WAS. A good read!
Alison xx

Lesley G said...

One to miss then!? Thanks for the tip - I've got my reading urges back and have 100s of books to get through!!

alexa said...

You did admirably to get all the way through. If I lose interest in a book for more than a few pages (no author can be expected to keep me on board ALL the time!), then I am afraid I close it firmly. I do like that cover, though!