Thirteenth Child

By: Patricia C. Wrede

Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 New York Times best-selling author Pat Wrede returns to Scholastic with an amazing new trilogy about the use of magic in the wild, wild west.

Eff was born a thirteenth child. Her twin brother, Lan, is the seventh son of a seventh son. This means he's supposed to possess amazing talent - and she's supposed to bring only bad things to her family and her town. Undeterred, her family moves to the frontier, where her father will be a professor of magic at a school perilously close to the magical divide that separates settlers from the beasts of the wild.

With wit and wonder, Patricia Wrede creates an alternate history of westward expansion that will delight fans of both J. K. Rowling and Laura Ingalls Wilder.

©2009 Patricia C. Wrede (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Refreshingly un-teen angsty

Let me start by saying I liked this book enough to read all of them in just a few days.

The book had been in my wish list for quite some time, and I just kept ignoring it fearing it was another teen romance just set in a new place (which it is not). I finally gave it a listen because of the narrator she is one of my favorites. There are a few that I am willing to try any book they have read Amanda Ronconi, Renée Raudman, Lorelei King, Cynthia Holloway, and Marguerite Gavin. I am happy I did.

This book has been compared with the Harry Potter series. I do not really get that (except for the magic). Rowlings is absolutely brilliant, and gives rich twisting details to her plot and characters, but the kid going to wizzarding school has been done before (not as well mind you). Wrede's story felt different to me. I am not sure I have read a book like it before.

The story follows Eff (don't let the name bother you like it did me it is a nickname). She is born the thirteenth child of a seventh son. She also has a twin that is the 7th son of the 7th son (which we have seen before). She is told for most of her young life that being the 13th is a bad thing. Through out the story the idea of the thirteenth child is explored, and through it Eff grows and starts to find out who she no matter what order she was born in.

I like the family dynamics in this book. It gave the story more depth. They were not all lovey dovey all of the time but they did love each other. From the twin who was the favorite whether he wanted to be or not, to the older bossy sister they enriched the story. I adored the parents. It was nice to have kind loving caring parents rather than the mean, indifferent, quirky, uncaring, or too busy parents that have been in a lot of the books I have read recently. This probably where the Laura Anne Wilder comparisons come in (that and the west themed)

I love a good western, and this was. Yes there was magic but you still had the horses and a lot of the other stuff that goes into westerns. What made it interesting is the idea that the town is along the Mammoth (Mississippi) River and that on the other side of it is all of these creatures from dragons to mammoths to wooly rihnasorous to bison. If you simply cross the river where the magic wall is you are taking your life into your own hands.

It was nice not to have a romance instead Wrede concentrated on Eff finding out who she is. I highly recommend this series

A wonderful begining to a series.

I was a little skeptical when I first chose this book but I quickly changed my mind. The story grabbed me an just held on. I was very thankful that the entire series was available on audible which is not always the case. Eff is fun and yet practical girls who happens to be the unlucky 13th child in her family. Her twin is a super "lucky" and important seventh son of a seventh son. Eff has to navigate growing up in a world where magic is just a daily given and all the stigma that comes with her birth order. The wonderful world that Patricia Wrede has developed for her is easy to get absorbed in as a reader. The magical creatures that she encounters are very cool. I couldn't get to the next book fast enough. The narration speed is a little slow, but that is easily fixed by speeding it up in the app a little.

Interesting story line; but, book ends abruptly.

This is clearly a book written for juveniles, which is not a bad thing. I have to say that I was rather surprised that the book ended suddenly; I kept thinking that I must have fast forwarded it to the end, which I did not. So, all I can say is that I disliked being led so blatantly to buy the next book in the series, which I will not. I would not recommend this book to others as a result.

very refreshing

Would you listen to Thirteenth Child again? Why?

yes. i thought the description of magic in this book was very interesting, a different approach than any other book. i also loved the parallels to real history and the way the author made changes, it was not crucial to the story line but made the listen much more entertaining and engaging.

Which scene was your favorite?

*spoiler*
when eff figures out how to solve the beetle problem. it shows how she is able to think in different ways than all of her magical counterparts.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

when eff was upset about len potentially hurting the classmates with the hot foot spell even though they had been antagonizing her she still showed compassion.

It's an ok book.

The story is some what interesting. The alternate reality, history, and world Wrede created keeps you listening. The heroine is a tad bland. Eff's supporting characters and surroundings often seemed more interesting than her. I support and like female led novels, but in this case I would have preferred it was her brother this book focused on. He seemed like he had more of a personality than Eff. The narration is plain and some what flat. I think it was done to reflect the practical minded heroine, but it just made the story duller. I think in the case of this book it would have been better to read it than listen to it.

LOVED this story

If you could sum up Thirteenth Child in three words, what would they be?

intriguing, encouraging, amazing

What was one of the most memorable moments of Thirteenth Child?

I would say when she realized that one day she would be the teacher, after Wash gave her the wooden charm.

What does Amanda Ronconi bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It feels like she is Eff. You feel more connected to the main character because of Amanda Ronconi.

Love the Magici

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would highly recommend this book. Good plot development of life in a frontier that uses magic to tame animals ( some prehistoric) and land it is alternative history of the U.S. Eff is the 13th child of a seventh son , making her a potential for evil in some people's eyes making her fearful of using her magic. Her twin brother Lan is born after her making him a double seventh son and more powerful. The story tells of the family growing up on the frontier when her father moves west to as a professor of magic.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the inclusion of different cultures of magic and how they worked. Creating spells vs observation and using actions based on observation. The concept of the animals having magic and the addition of the group that choses to try to open a settlement without magic.

What about Amanda Ronconi’s performance did you like?

Ranconi's performance enhanced my enjoyment of the story. It is a story that makes you want to lose to it in one setting.

Hmmm

Chapter 24 15:29 how was a hole drilled in the pendant is my real question

If the "Little House on the Prairie" had magic.

Interesting concept. I liked it enough to finish listening to it and ended in a place that suggests a sequel. Nothing terribly new or exciting for the fantasy reader. Might be a fun story for the fans of "Ann of Green Gables" or "Sara, Plain and Tall"

Nice Juvenal Novel

I'm sort of damning with faint praise. This was a perfectly pleasant read. It's a child's viewpoint, and it never really transcends that in a way that grabbed me. Nice premise. I'd like to see the next in the series just to see if a more adult character would have more substance.