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.

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.

Magic Meets Old West

Taking place in a wonderfully imagined setting, Thirteenth Child is a fantastic story the whole family can enjoy. Coupling cowboys and wizards, dangerous creatures both ordinary and magical, this setting provides an enchanting backdrop for the coming of age story of a humble girl raised in the plains of the undeveloped west. Emerging from discrimination and superstitious bullying, Eff learns that your perspective on the world makes all the difference.

Amanda Ronconi's slow southern drawl and her talent for creating the perfect voice to compliment each character makes it a great listen. I highly recommend the whole trilogy. It's a story that I keep coming back to enjoy all over again.

A Western Story with a twist of magic

Where does Thirteenth Child rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It is above average for fictional works.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked how the author told a classic western story and added the component of magic.

Which character – as performed by Amanda Ronconi – was your favorite?

Eff, the thirteenth child. This book is Eff's story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I found the book amusing. The author also used names in this fiction that are found in American History, but not always used in the "historical" manner.

Any additional comments?

This book is an alternate history. Is a cross between Lord of the Rings and classic western story;

A Fitting Tribute to Laura Ingalls Wilder

Would you listen to Thirteenth Child again? Why?

I in fact have listened to it and its two sequels again, multiple times. The narrator's voice is calm and soothing but still conveys emotion and humor, AND she's fantastic at doing lots of different voices.

The story itself is light - it's not one of those dark, gritty stories, nor is it a hair-raising thriller. It's just a lovely story about a girl named Eff and her life, as she lives it - there are adventures, to be sure, in both this book and the sequels, but the big climatic problems and resolutions, interesting as they are, pale in comparison to the world building and depth of character Wrede portrays.

What other book might you compare Thirteenth Child to and why?

There are definitely similarities to Laura Ingalls Wilder's works, which lends even more verisimilitude to the story.

What about Amanda Ronconi’s performance did you like?

Her voices! The story itself is in first person, and she portrays all of Eff's emotions and wry humor in an easy, effortless manner that really makes it sound like someone just telling you their own life story. That she could give other characters such distinct voices, even in the midst of large amounts of dialogue, was also very impressive - I like full cast readings, how much realer they seem, and she practically was a full cast in of herself.

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

The very first scene Eff describes, one she goes back to again and again throughout the book and even occasionally in the later books, stuck with me just as much as it stuck with Eff, which I think is testament to the skill of Wrede's writing. (not described here because I think you should hear it for yourself.)

Any additional comments?

I'm almost sad this was the first new audiobook I got from audible, because it's set the bar so high - I can listen to this series again and again and enjoy it every time, and it's disappointing to then listen to other books and just enjoy listening to them the once.

Couldn't you be as lovely to listen to as these books, other audiobooks? I'd really appreciate it. (Although I suppose my wallet might not.)

I do have to add a disclaimer here that I do regularly re-read and re-listen to my favorite books so it's not like it's a completely unique experience for me - although I have never listened to a series repeatedly like this before, where I started listening to the first book again the moment the third was done.

Good but took a little to get into it

What made the experience of listening to Thirteenth Child the most enjoyable?

Good after I was able to get into it. All the explanations at 1st were difficult to get into.As it was a different beginning to the US frontier than what I was used to I had to think a little different to understand. After I got further in it made more sense. Ready to read the 2nd in the series.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Eff

The Wrede I remember

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

Oh yes, especially a friend with who I shared a childhood reading list.

What did you like best about this story?

A strong female heroine without any forced romance.

Any additional comments?

As a fan of 'dealing with dragons' as a kid, I was not disappointed in Wrede's strong female characters who were interested in things other than boys. A bit of prior knowledge about old west customs and female expectations within those customs may be needed to enjoy this read.

A charming story with a great narrator

Great characters and terrific world building. it really took me back to the Little House books that I loved as a girl but with the added zing of magic. I look forward to starting the next book in the trilogy.

Couldn't pause!

Bonus points: dangers of invasive species and loved the narrative the world built around it

Wild Magic in the Wild West

Any additional comments?

Eff is the twin sister of the seventh son of a seventh son. She is also a thirteenth born. In this alternate universe just after the War of Secession, birth order is an important factor in this world where magic and ordinary live in uncomfortable partnership. From her birth, members of the family point out everything bad as her fault and are waiting for her to turn evil. She begins to believe it. In contrast, her brother's exalted magical status makes him lucky and magical beyond belief.

When the twins are five years old, their father gets a job as a professor of a college on the western frontier. Their father, a professor of magic, is an exciting addition to this college. The twins and the other siblings grow up and flourish in this environment. Eff learns confidence, makes friends, and learns to think through the negative message about her birth order.

There are lots of adventures and explorations in this entertaining novel of a world and history not-quite-ours.

This was an audio book and the narrator did a wonderful job capturing the different accents, genders, and the character of Eff.

Magical Children

Have you heard of the 7th son of the 7th son? What about the 7th daughter of the 7th daughter? What about the 13th child? Is this child doomed to be evil? This is the story of the 13th child.

This is a wonderful story and I enjoyed it very much, and I hope that you will too.