Book Club Discussion Questions
For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, What is a Gothic Novel? and our BookBrowse Review of The Thirteenth Tale.
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
Summary
Margaret Lea works in her father's antiquarian
bookshop where her fascination for the biographies of the
long-dead has led her to write them herself. She gets a letter
from one of the most famous authors of the day, the mysterious
Vida Winter, whose popularity as a writer has been in no way
diminished by her reclusiveness. Until now, Vida has toyed with
journalists who interview her, creating outlandish life
histories for herself -- all of them invention. Now she is old
and ailing, and at last she wants to tell the truth about her
extraordinary life. Her letter to Margaret is a summons.
Somewhat anxiously, the equally reclusive
Margaret travels to Yorkshire to meet her subject. Vida's
strange, gothic tale features the Angelfield family;
dark-hearted Charlie and his unbrotherly obsession with his
sister, the fascinating, devious, and willful Isabelle, and
Isabelle's daughters, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline.
Margaret is captivated by the power of Vida's storytelling, but
she doesn't entirely trust Vida's account. She goes to check up
on the family, visiting their old home and piecing together
their story in her own way. What she discovers on her journey to
the truth is for Margaret a chilling and transforming
experience.
Questions for Discussion
- Much of the novel takes place in two grand estates --
Angelfield and then Miss Winter's. How are the houses
reflections of their inhabitants?
- As the story unfolds, we learn that Margaret and Miss
Winter are both twins. What else do they have in common?
- Margaret and her mother are bound by a singular loss --
the death of Margaret's twin sister. How has each woman
dealt with this loss, and how has it affected her life? If
her parents had told her the truth about her twin, would
Margaret still be haunted?
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- How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
- What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
- Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Washington Square Press.
Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.