The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield

 

Characters
Vida’s Story Vida Winter George and Mathilde Angelfield – grandparents Isabelle – twin’s mother Charlie – Vida’s father Emmeline and Adeline – twins   Ambrose Parker – Aurelius’ father?   “Missus” – Mrs. Dunne   John-the-dig   Dr. and Mrs. Maudsley   Hester Borrow – governess	Margaret Lea – biographer Lea’s Antiquarian Booksellers Father Mother Moira – Margaret’s twin, died at birth
Aurelius Alphonse Love – Emmeline’s son Mrs. Love – raised Aurelius   Karen – takes care of deer on estate, Ambrose Parker’s daughter, Aurelius half-sister Two children   Mr.  Lomax – family lawyer   Judith – Vida’s housekeeper   Dr. Clifton – Vida’s current doctor

 

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from hardback edition.

1.       When did you start to suspect there were three girls living in the house?

2.       Who was the twin’s father?  See page 351: “Two girls with nothing of their mother’s husband about them.  Cooper hair – just like their uncle.  Green eyes – just like their uncle.”

3.       As a test, Vida told Margaret a story about a man burning all the existing copies of classic books and asked her if she would shoot the man at the controls to make him stop.  What was the point of this story and question?

4.       What did you think about the experiment by Hester and Dr. Maudsley of separating the twins? 

5.       Discuss Emmeline and Adeline.  Why do you think they developed such opposite personalities.  Hester and Dr. Maudsley’s theory was that the twins “divided the range of emotions and behaviors into two and taken one set each” (page 179).

6.       There were two main stories – Margaret’s narrative of the interviews and Vida’s story of her life – as well as two others, Mrs. Love’s and Hester’s diary.  Were you able to keep everything straight and understand when the narration changed?

7.       In the middle of their series of interviews, why did Vida change and start to tell her story in the first person, using the word “I” (page 205)?

8.       Why did Adeline try to kill Emmeline’s baby?  Do you think she meant to burn down the house and kill herself?

9.       There were many references to reading and books throughout the novel.  Did this add to your enjoyment?  Which one did you particularly relate to?

a.       “Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has had time to close behind you?” (page 289)

b.       “And for me, what better way to get to know someone than through her choice and treatment of books?” (page 41)

c.       Pacing yourself when you know the end of the book is approaching: “my thumb and right index finger were sending me a message: Not many pages left.   The knowledge nagged more insistently until I tilted the book to check.  It was true.” (page 27)

d.       “There is something about words.  In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner.” (page 8)

e.       “I read old novels.  The reason is simple: I prefer proper endings.” (page 29)

f.        When Margaret was ill, Dr. Clifton told her she was “suffering from an ailment that afflicts ladies of romantic imagination” (page 302) and prescribed “Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes” (page 303). Do you think this would work?

10.   Vida said her books were popular “because they have a beginning, a middle and an end.  In the right order…it is having them in the right order that matters” (page 51).  Do you agree?  Have you read any books where this was not true and you still enjoyed them?

11.   Did this book have a satisfying beginning, middle, and end?

The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig

 

Characters

Root Life: Nora Seed Parents Joe – brother Ravi – The Labyrinth band with Joe Mrs. Elm – school librarian Dan – fiancé Neil – owner, String Theory Izzy – best friend Leo – piano lessons with Nora Mr. Banerjee - neighbor Voltaire - cat Ash – neighbor who found Voltaire alongside road   Book of Regrets: Quit swimming Didn’t take care of Voltaire Cancelled wedding with Dan Left band Backed out of trip to Australia with Izzy   Sample lives: Owned pub with Dan Back with Voltaire Australia Successful swimming career Artic researcher – met Hugo Lefevre, fellow “slider” Band with Ravi Working at dog shelter – Dylan, boyfriend Owned Buena Vista Vineyard – Husband Eduardo, son Alejandro Married to Ash – daughter, Molly

 

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from hardback edition.

1.       Did you like author’s writing style?  For example, Nora’s life at the pub was described as “a life where she put four exclamation marks in a row” (page 43) and the pub was described as “warm and characterful” (page 44).

2.       Did you like the references to different philosophers?

3.       At one point, Mrs. Elm, quoting Thoreau, said, “We only know what we perceive. Everything we experience is ultimately just our perception of it.  ‘It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see’” (page 219).  Can you think of an example of this from the book?

4.       Mrs. Elm told Nora multiple times to “Never underestimate the big importance of small things” (page 254).  What small things made a difference to Nora and to the other people in her life?

5.       Mrs. Elm also told Nora that “Even the bad experiences are serving a purpose, don’t you see?” (page 186).  What bad experiences did Nora have that helped her find her own life?  Have you had bad experiences that in the end led to successes?

6.       In the life where Nora was preforming with The Labyrinth, she was interviewed for an article.  In the interview, she made the observation, “we spend so much time wishing our lives were different, comparing ourselves to other people, and to other versions of ourselves, when really most lives contain degrees of good and degrees of bad” (page 179).  Is this true?  Was Nora unrealistically looking for the perfect life? 

7.       Did the author present the other lives fairly?  For example, could Nora have been happy as a successful swimmer or musician or in the life where she was married to Ash?

8.       In which of the various sample lives do you think Nora would have been the happiest?

9.       Did the author do a good job of describing what it was like for Nora to suddenly find herself in an unknown life?  How do you think you would have handled the experience?

10.   Would you recommend this book to someone else?  Why or why not?