To those of you looking for a carbon copy of the experience you had reading The Thirteenth Tale, this book is NOT for you. Just because an author has variety doesn't mean they've betrayed you in any way. It's not fair to the author nor to the novel to take those feelings out on them. I read and loved The Thirteenth Tale of course; that's why I picked up this book the first chance I got. This book has none of the stark portrayal of women, none of the intrigue of a mystery in the past unraveling in the present, and none of the unexpected turns that drove me from chapter to chapter in TTT. Instead, I was driven through this book, finishing it largely in one night, by Setterfield's complex portrayal of a version of Randian objectivism. In its portrayal of death, this book is a reflection of TTT. Where TTT showed the perseverance of life through relationships, even in the face of tragedy and death, B&B shows the ubiquity of death and tragedy against even the most productive, and the macabre consumerist view which dominates our society's handling of death and tragedy. TL;DR: This book is worth a read for its philosophy and portrayal of death, not as a follow up to The Thirteenth Tale. I liked this book. I think. But I can see why some people didn't: it's verrrrry quiet. There are no super dramatic twists or action sequences. Interest in the minutiae of a Victorian cloth mill and 19th century mourning customs is a plus if you're planning on reading. It's also not a ghost story like the cover says - more like a fable / historical drama - which probably confused some readers. But the writing's nice and the ending's nice, and some of the imagery is striking, and it's all just NICE, ya know? :) My sister liked it even more than I did. She said it was a relaxing book, which seems like a perfectly valid thing for a book to be. Not everything has to be edge-of-your-seat thrilling.Also, now I want to read the author's first book, which I think has actual ghosts in it?
What do You think about Bellman & Black (2013)?
A beautifully written story, however I felt the ending could have been stronger or more defined.
—bryannagreaves
Poe-esque but not as riveting. It's not a ghost story, but more of a psychological haunting.
—Taylor
A new twist on life's journey, I'll look at ravens in a whole new way.
—Michelle
Loved it, gave it to librarian to read and she loved it too.
—emilijamkd
Rather strange book though it was well written.
—TatyLopes
