The Thirteenth Tale

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2006

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Before You Read

Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-7

Part 1, Chapters 8-15

Part 2, Chapters 16-22

Part 2, Chapters 23-29

Part 2, Chapters 30-36

Part 2, Chapters 37-44

Part 3, Chapters 45-48

Part 4, Chapters 49-52

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

Setterfield layers events that initially do not make sense but are understood in retrospect, after the mystery is solved. Discuss some examples of this strategy. Why did Setterfield arrange the narrative in this way? How does it inform the reading experience?

How does Setterfield use classic gothic literature conventions throughout the novel? Why does she choose to draw these parallels? What do they reveal about Margaret and Vida’s stories?

In The Thirteenth Tale, Setterfield invokes the idea of two worlds existing side by side, separated by only a thin membrane. Margaret often feels this separation between our world and the world of the dead. Why does Setterfield develop this imagery? How does it deepen the reader’s understanding of Margaret’s story?