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Edgar Allan Poe, H. P. Lovecraft, Anne Rice, Bram Stoker… Those are the
names that resonate immediately in the mind when someone says “gothic
literature.” It is not difficult to guess why.
Right now there’s an infinity of paranormal and/or dark stories, a try
to bring the gothic genre to the youth, comics with mysterious characters full
of magic, sinister movies, but hardly anything has been made from scratch in
any of this fields, a new proposal completely original.
Among s many books, it is difficult to know what is new and what is more
of what we already know, what is a novelty and what is a classic verging tired.
The Thirteenth Tale, the result of five years of work by Diane Setterfield,
dances between both sides.
The Book
The story opens with Margaret Lea, a woman that’s disappointed of life
and in love with old books, which are her only friends, and memories that come
to life when reading, reviewing past lives as her personal obsession.
Margaret suddenly receives a letter from Vida Winter, the most
successful English writer and one of the most sold and read worldwide, one
idolized woman by many readers and publishers, but hated in some way by
newspapers, to who never she’s revealed the story of her life before becoming a
writer.
However, this letter impacts our protagonist because Miss Winter
promises to tell solely to her, but on her own terms: Do not interrupt, do not
ask anything, and let her tell all at her own pace, not wanting to overtake it
in terms of acts.
Henceforth, she’ll let her know, and in great detail, the lives of the Angelfield
twins, the mansion where they live, their family, the servants, and the ghost
who lives with everyone, a story of gothic mystery that Vida Winter has kept under
the most absolute secrecy.
I will not risk saying anything more because the book’s really worth it,
although arguably there are some gaps in the narrative. The main idea, the
leitmotif of all and the double story that unfolds between the past and the
present is really original, full of beauty and drama.
However, the story becomes quite boring and even linear on more than one
occasion. It’s always good to give a background to the secondary characters, to
really know where they are from, what they want to do in the reading and why of
their actions, but when they’re put before the main story, the real reason for
the reading, the reader is misfit.
Continuing with the characters, I say yes, they are very different from
each other, but there comes a point where it seems that everyone takes the same
form of speaking, acting, thinking, among other things. It seems that many
different personalities exhausted the author and she ended up taking an output
power, not very noticeable if read carelessly, but evident paying sufficient
attention.
As for the gaps I mentioned, they are not very frequent, but I could see
two or three of them in key parts of the story, certain gaps I think
Setterfield should have taken better care of rather than pay attention to many
other capes not very important. It's good some mystery, but those that are in
the book are not very favorable.
Margaret and Miss Winter are so potential and different characters from
what we’re used to seeing it hurts to see them relegated to a secondary level
for almost the entire book, also it happens to the twins, who come and go
throughout the narrative. For traditionalists readers, a disaster, for those
looking for something new, interesting, and for those who are like me, people
in the middle, it’s a bittersweet taste.
The plot’s touched topics are already very repetitive, but an
interesting way, however, I don’t think "original" is the right word.
Death, inferiority complex, dysfunctional families, mental imbalance, and
self-destruction are already used themes, and although The Thirteenth Tale tries
to reinvent them, it stays halfway.
The only thing that really stood out was the love for books, as certain
scenes and views regarding stories, tales, famous novels, among other things,
made the reader think, facing a dilemma and show an underexplored side before.
Well there because reinvention isn’t easy to achieve, much less in a first
work.
The Movie
It all starts with Margaret Lea on her way to meet Miss Winter, and the
viewer has no idea what happened before, why did she chose her precisely. Hey simply
show a scene with the most essential, as to get away with trouble, and it's
over, we started with the actual plot.
Vida Winter is VERY FAR from Diane Setterfield’s original character. Her
anguish, fear, loneliness, despair showing in her first scene in the book, it
is simply replaced by a falser than a pirated disc arrogance. Vanessa
Redgrave's face is very similar to what I imagined for this role, but the
performance and changes doesn’t really make justice to the character in the book,
especially the color of her eyes, something that impacts Margaret at first. Was
it very difficult to buy some contact lenses?
Olivia Colman was another face that struck me. Margaret Lea is not a
girl or anything near, but I think they added her years in a very unnecessary
way with a high school girl’s attitude. Sure disaster, despite her few scenes
of maturity.
Before going further, I think I should talk about the girls, the twins I’ve
already mentioned and will keep mentioning. For girls, I was quite surprised by
those papers; girls really seemed as described in the book despite the
insufferable changes in adaptation. They made me shiver more than, and when it
comes to their more teenager, they earned my respect: faithful, original, just
how I imagined that as he read.
Emmeline and Adeline are not particularly easy to portray characters,
and to be both in charge of Madeleine Power was a very well worked risk. The
same happens with their grown up versions. The difference between them is
perfectly seen in the moment of the truth.
The photography is a meddle term that bothers me. It was a safe bet to
show what was needed and little more,
without betting on a different lighting, brighter colors or perhaps plans to
give a more interesting scenes look. One point that I think could have resulted
strong by risk taking. Bittersweet again.
Music? There’s neither here, or at least I don’t remember a scene full
of something different to home-like sounds, those you’re waiting to hear: the
house keys, car engines, steps, etc. In this case it was a wise move, because
not in vain is a slow film and requires close attention. It would have been
nice to include a song or two, but more than one will agree that this result’s
quite acceptable.
As for the costumes, it’s another safe bet, and the same changes made to
Vida Winter’s character, the colorful costumes and jewelry she usually wears
were not seen. It’s rather simple all together, something not very prepared
simply to cover the basics, give a simple aesthetic o the entire cast. Sad.
If there’s something positive of this movie so scared of innovation, is
the recreation of the stage. The library wasn’t very accurate, but it’s pretty
close to the image that the author intended to create in her novel.
The same applies to the Angelfield mansion. It exceeded the image the book
created me, it really made me see otherwise the twin and servitude’s house, in
addition to their appearance in both the present and the past is exactly as it
should be. Had an impeccable job, I'd say.
Are they worth it?
The book, yes, quite yes. It has its details and some missteps, but to
be the first work of a writer, I think it's pretty good. Yes, it was slow for
me, yes, I doubt I’ll read it again, but to kill time, entertain yourself and
start thinking and discussing with a friend, is a very good choice. May it even
inspire someone, something I say from experience.
The film, hardly. Doesn’t meet expectations, changes are too stressful,
many things were a safe bet and I think, of having opted for a TV series, more
faithful and cared of, they would have reached a much better result. It can
entertain the one who sees it, it’s a good way to kill time in the absence of
much better choices, but you’d neither should be filled with hope.
Remember that, as every week, you have a new chapter in my Wattpad's account. Amelia's story is over, but the end is not what you except, so give it a look and tell me what do you think!
Recuerden que, como todas las semanas, tienen un nuevo capítulo en mi cuenta de Wattpad. La historia de Amelia se terminó, pero el final no es lo que esperan. ¡Denle una mirada y díganme qué piensan!
Greetings and hugs!
¡Un saludo y un abrazo!
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