1. Adeline and Emmeline grew up without their mother Isabelle's
attention. What role did the Missus and Hester play in their lives?
How did the women differ in their treatment of the twins?
2. There are many references to Jane Eyre and
Wuthering Heights in the novel. In what ways is
The Thirteenth Tale influenced by the tradition of
the Gothic novel? What Gothic themes and symbols stand out most
strongly in the novel?
3. Discuss Vida Winter both as a narrator and as a character.
What sort of voice does she have? How does she represent her own
actions? Does she seem to be a trustworthy storyteller? Are we
expected to accept her story at face value?
4. Early in the novel, Margaret explains, "I read old novels.
The reason is simple: I prefer proper endings. Marriages and
deaths, noble sacrifices and miraculous restorations, tragic
separations and unhoped-for reunions, great falls and dreams
fulfilled; these, in my view, constitute an ending worth the wait."
At their first meeting, Vida Winter makes Margaret promise not to
ask any questions or jump ahead through her story. The
Thirteenth Tale itself is structured into three parts -
"Beginnings," "Middles," and "Endings"-plus one. Why do you think
the author included another "Beginning" at the conclusion? Did the
story end for you there?
5. Margaret points out to Vida that the first time she uses "I"
in telling the story happens after the discovery that Isabelle has
died. Why do you think this is? What is the significance of Vida
Winter's transitions between different points of view?
6. The relationship of Adeline and Emmeline with their mother
was almost non-existent. Margaret speaks of her own strained
relationship with her mother. Compare the relationships of mothers
and daughters in the book.
7. Discuss the role the bond between twins plays in the
novel.
8. Margaret Lea is a consummate reader while Vida Winter is
presented as the most famous living writer in the English language.
They are connected through a love of books and stories. How do
books and storytelling play a constant role throughout the
novel?
9. Vida Winter states, "A good story is always more dazzling
than a broken piece of truth," while Margaret Lea notes, "I''m a
biographer. I work with facts." Aurelius visits Ms. Winter
disguised as a reporter and asks her for the truth. Discuss Vida
Winter's desire to finally share the truth. What does she hope to
accomplish by telling her true story?
10. The Thirteenth Tale has been described as a
"good old-fashioned ghost story." What techniques does Diane
Setterfield use to build suspense throughout the novel?
11. Characters throughout the novel are curious about the
missing thirteenth tale from Winter's book Thirteen Tales
of Change and Desperation. What is the thirteenth tale and
why do you think it was withdrawn from the collection?