Thirteenth Child

Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The Thirteenth Child is a unique story told from the point of view of Eff, a thirteenth child, who is supposed to be bad luck because of her birth order as number 13. She is the twin sister of Lan, who conversely has special powers because he is the 7th son of a 7th son, so she always feels less than. She receives a reprieve from the extended family ridicule when her father, a professor of magic, takes a position at a college out west, but her feelings about being an unlucky 13th child travel with her. This alternate version of American history where there are magic steam dragons and other monsters to deal with as part of the settlement of the west is kind of a fun read. We follow Eff from age 5 to age 18 as she learns magic and has to determine if what she has always believed about herself is true.



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