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.

I really liked it

Really liked this book and look forward to the next 2 books. Good story for your imagination

Very interesting and enjoyable

A different look at pioneering with a strong female lead, Whimsical and charming worth your time.

marvelous performance nice coming of age story

I would never have gotten this if it hadn't been on 3.99 special. This IS a YA story but its a good one, so it works for me. I think the Laura Ingalls meets Harry Potter tag is apt as far as it goes - but in this one Magic isn't a secret world - its a mainstream political issue. I am interested in seeing how the sort of "amish" no magic fringe plays out. Its always good to investigate ways of resisting.

Its a slow but engaging start - the pov girl is only 5 when the story opens but she hears things, and shes 13 or so by the middle.

I usually avoid female narrators. Not always, mind- there are several that I really like - its a tone/ pitch thing I think- but this performance is great. There are subtleties of accent and pitch that are mindblowing and shes never ever squeaky.

Little House on the Prairie meets Harry Potter

Wow, I really enjoyed the first book of this series. As I understand it, imagine the 1800's and the Wild West mixed in with wild unbelievable creatures (including mammoths!) and magic as part of the everyday lives of these pioneers. The author does a great job at the world creation of this alternative reality, and though the descriptive aspect of the series might turn off some readers, it's well balanced with good character development and some adventure. The reader, Amanda Ronconi, is a favorite of mine from the Molly Harper books, but she does a great job reading for this new series. It could use a little bit of romance, though there's a hint of something in the air, but I guess I'll need to read the rest of the books to find out if my feelings are correct. I really look forward to the rest of the series.

Fun, but not much plot

Read from August 02 to 14, 2014

What a fun book! I did find myself wondering several times while listening where it was going and what the point was, as there isn't really much of a linear plot to it; but it was engaging enough to overlook that for the most part. The audiobook had a sample of the second book in the series, too, and now I'm really looking forward to that one.

Awesome alternate history

I listen to my favourite books over and over, and Patricia Wrede's Frontier Magic Trilogy is one of my go-to series. I come back to it over and over. Sometimes several times per year. Since introducing this trilogy to my children, I have even more reasons to come back to it, because they love it too, and will request it (especially my 7-year-old daughter.)
I can't imagine a better narrator than Amanda Ronconi for this series. She's one of my favourite female narrators. Her characters all have distinct voices, and she makes me believe that she IS Eff Rothmer, the supposedly unlucky thirteenth child.
#Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes #AlernateHistory #Magic #FemaleProtagonist #WildWest

An entire book of exposition

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It helped pass the time, but I did not feel enriched or entertained after it was over.

Would you be willing to try another book from Patricia C. Wrede? Why or why not?

Probably not. This book was clearly setting up a series, but never had any action to warrant another try. Although I was intrigued by the world she presented, it was often glossed over, and the story moved in fits and jerks.

Great read for young adults

This stories setting in s alternate realty to settling of the American West - one in which magic is the norm - is fascinating. The characters are believable and the reader immediately is immersed into their lives. I'm eager to continue this story and see which direction the "childlings" grow toward as they grow to adulthood.

fun middle grade story

this is a serious that will find its way into all elementaries. good for both girls and boys.

Alternative history

Any additional comments?

This book had so many things going for it but somehow just didn't connect. I found the main characters rather annoying. The world created was quite interesting...the creatures were fascinating, but the people were just oblivious. The book didn't work for me.