I just finished a book yesterday called "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield. I started it probably a month (or more) ago. At first I was enjoying it, but a few chapters in I started finding it to be completely dry. Nothing about it was capturing my attention. So instead of reading for hours each night like usual, I would only read a chapter or two every few nights. I would have stopped reading it altogether, but I hate quitting things, so I knew I was going to have to finish it no matter what.
The story is basically about a woman who is called on by an elderly author to come and write her "true" biography. The elderly woman is notorious for telling stories and lies and no one knows her true story, but now--on her deathbed--she decides that she finally wants to tell the truth to someone. (It's a very similar plot line as "The House at Riverton" by Kate Morton, but the story is very different, of course.)
Interesting enough plot, right? That's what I thought, too. And it is an interesting plot, but the writing is too dry for my taste. I like a story that keeps me on a constantly inclining roller coaster with lots of action and some big, shocking twist ending--and that's definitely not what this book was offering.
Well . . . by the time I reached the 80% complete mark in the book, it actually started getting really interesting. And once I hit that point I finished the book in one sitting. And the ending was astounding!
Let me just say that the writing in the book--though dry--is full of artistic metaphors and descriptions; which I like, but that in-and-of itself doesn't make a book interesting. There were plenty of seemingly useless details throughout the book that I had wondered why bother even put in there at all . . . until the ending came and tied everything together; just as a good book should.
Suddenly I found myself wishing I had read the book faster so I could remember more of the details that had suddenly become crucial to the tale. I think I may actually have to read it again now that I know the mystery.
If you are looking for something to read, I would ultimately recommend this book, but it comes with the warning that you may or may not enjoy it until the very end. So if you start it . . . finish it. I promise it'll be worth it.
The story is basically about a woman who is called on by an elderly author to come and write her "true" biography. The elderly woman is notorious for telling stories and lies and no one knows her true story, but now--on her deathbed--she decides that she finally wants to tell the truth to someone. (It's a very similar plot line as "The House at Riverton" by Kate Morton, but the story is very different, of course.)
Interesting enough plot, right? That's what I thought, too. And it is an interesting plot, but the writing is too dry for my taste. I like a story that keeps me on a constantly inclining roller coaster with lots of action and some big, shocking twist ending--and that's definitely not what this book was offering.
Well . . . by the time I reached the 80% complete mark in the book, it actually started getting really interesting. And once I hit that point I finished the book in one sitting. And the ending was astounding!
Let me just say that the writing in the book--though dry--is full of artistic metaphors and descriptions; which I like, but that in-and-of itself doesn't make a book interesting. There were plenty of seemingly useless details throughout the book that I had wondered why bother even put in there at all . . . until the ending came and tied everything together; just as a good book should.
Suddenly I found myself wishing I had read the book faster so I could remember more of the details that had suddenly become crucial to the tale. I think I may actually have to read it again now that I know the mystery.
If you are looking for something to read, I would ultimately recommend this book, but it comes with the warning that you may or may not enjoy it until the very end. So if you start it . . . finish it. I promise it'll be worth it.
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