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misswitch's review
3.0
While I enjoyed the book and found it interesting, it didn't seem to have a central plot or story to really ground it. The unfocused nature of the book left me thinking "And?" as I read the last page. Eight years of someone's life is a lot to cram into 344 pages, yet that is exactly what was done here.
nataliealane's review
3.0
For the first almost-half of the book I was a bit underwhelmed and disappointed because I thought I would be reading something with lots of adventure, Magic, etc., but it was a lot of home/daily life, coming of age style content. I wasn’t planning on eating it as highly, before I decided to re-read the synopsis (it had been a long while since I first did that—-even before I checked the book out from the library). The synopsis confirmed that it was more of a growing-up story rather than one that was action-packed, so after that I began evaluating the content based on what it really was. I found it largely satisfying. Eff was relatable, and the narrative voice/Eff’s voice was clear and consistent—-the writing style Kent well to the impression of someone who grew up on the frontier in the 1800s. The Alternate history aspects were cool, and I had some fun matching book locations and names to their real-life counterparts. I like how Eff is the 13th “unlucky” child, rather than the “star of the show” double-seven child like her twin brother, Lan. It’s a bit of fresh air compared to a lot of YA fantasy where the protagonist is some prophesied/rare/unique person with super-strong magic. Yes, the underdog MC is almost equally as common, but I felt like this aspect of Eff shaped more than just her actions, but also her thought processes and self-perception. I did find the pacing a little off for me; I think some of the events could have occurred a bit earlier on the plot, such as
Additionally, the magic systems weren’t as clearly developed or explained as in other fantasy books I’ve read, nor was it as prominent as I was expecting. However, I’m more ok with the amount of Magic present since it is much more of an alt-history coming of age story with magical elements, rather than a magical focus. I also didn’t pick up on girl-hate/cattiness or a constant focus on beauty/physical appearance (the “plain but beautiful”/“model but doesn’t know it” girl, or constant comparison to/jealousy of more beautiful and usually more popular girls). There also wasn’t a major focus, or even a sub-plot even, on a romantic interest. William and Eff have a solid, platonic relationship going on, so there was more room to explore community and family dynamics, as well as some frontier politics. Other than some of the pacing/placement of events and the vaguer magical systems, the only other thing I would like to be better is for Eff to maybe have a female friend outside of her direct family circle. You do kind of get that with Ms. Ochiba, but not a ton. Overall, it was a satisfying read and a solid start to a series. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel (I have the whole trilogy from the library and am series-sprinting!)
Spoiler
Rennie eloping with Brant and causing a bunch of family dramaAdditionally, the magic systems weren’t as clearly developed or explained as in other fantasy books I’ve read, nor was it as prominent as I was expecting. However, I’m more ok with the amount of Magic present since it is much more of an alt-history coming of age story with magical elements, rather than a magical focus. I also didn’t pick up on girl-hate/cattiness or a constant focus on beauty/physical appearance (the “plain but beautiful”/“model but doesn’t know it” girl, or constant comparison to/jealousy of more beautiful and usually more popular girls). There also wasn’t a major focus, or even a sub-plot even, on a romantic interest. William and Eff have a solid, platonic relationship going on, so there was more room to explore community and family dynamics, as well as some frontier politics. Other than some of the pacing/placement of events and the vaguer magical systems, the only other thing I would like to be better is for Eff to maybe have a female friend outside of her direct family circle. You do kind of get that with Ms. Ochiba, but not a ton. Overall, it was a satisfying read and a solid start to a series. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel (I have the whole trilogy from the library and am series-sprinting!)
amibunk's review
4.0
I had forgotten how extraordinarily talented Patricia C. Wrede is at world building and what an amazing storyteller she is. This book reminded me once more, I can't believe I waited so long to read it.
sleepgoblin's review
4.0
I was unaware of Wrede as an author before owning this book, so I came into it without any comparisons to her other works. Thus, I cannot give you any insight in that regard.
Frontier Magic, as the series seems to be called, is a good indication as to what you'll find here. While the main point of the story, the fact that Eff is an unlucky Thirteenth child and her twin brother is the seventh son of a seventh son, is not an original idea in the world of magical literature, the combination of the rest of elements in the novel make it both unique and interesting.
The setting is easy to imagine if you are familiar with early frontier America. This is helpful, since the book did not come with a map of the world, something I almost expect out of fantasy. It is important to keep in mind that this is not actually set in the US. The history and geography mentioned in the book is just similar enough to give a sense of both reality and familiarity, and to allow a basic understanding of the starting point of the world without too much background writing. This allows what is different and important about Wrede's world to be forefront and yet still be easily understood as a whole.
Since the narrator begins life in the "civilized" east before moving to the frontier, the reader is introduced to what makes this world different as the narrator experiences it herself. You learn about magic as she learns about magic, and you discover what fantastic animals lurk along the frontier as she does. This in particular was one of the elements of the book that I enjoyed, as it allowed the story to progress without feeling like it needed to stop to explain itself.
Generally speaking, the story reads like a first person journal or narration of a young girl as she progresses from childhood to young adult. The language and sentence structure matches this mentality, which is why it feels more like a journal. However, there are times when the narrator makes comments about current events in a way that clearly foreshadows future events. This is the one thing about the book that I truly did not like. While it definitely seemed as if some of the language used was meant to be a reflection of the different way people speak in this world, it often felt like I was just reading the words of a thirteen year old girl. This feeling did not mesh well foreshadowing, as that would make the narrator over 18. The language was the only aspect of the book that made it seem a children's or young adult book, rather than just a fantasy book that happens to be a coming of age story.
Aside from the language, I very much enjoyed reading this, and look forward to seeing how the series develops. This book only just began exploring the "unknown" world, as its main purpose is to set up the series. With half of the continent literally unknown, the potential for this series seems grand. The main character is now a young adult, which may change the tone of future books, something I think will help them. The atmosphere, magic, and character development are well worth further reading.
Frontier Magic, as the series seems to be called, is a good indication as to what you'll find here. While the main point of the story, the fact that Eff is an unlucky Thirteenth child and her twin brother is the seventh son of a seventh son, is not an original idea in the world of magical literature, the combination of the rest of elements in the novel make it both unique and interesting.
The setting is easy to imagine if you are familiar with early frontier America. This is helpful, since the book did not come with a map of the world, something I almost expect out of fantasy. It is important to keep in mind that this is not actually set in the US. The history and geography mentioned in the book is just similar enough to give a sense of both reality and familiarity, and to allow a basic understanding of the starting point of the world without too much background writing. This allows what is different and important about Wrede's world to be forefront and yet still be easily understood as a whole.
Since the narrator begins life in the "civilized" east before moving to the frontier, the reader is introduced to what makes this world different as the narrator experiences it herself. You learn about magic as she learns about magic, and you discover what fantastic animals lurk along the frontier as she does. This in particular was one of the elements of the book that I enjoyed, as it allowed the story to progress without feeling like it needed to stop to explain itself.
Generally speaking, the story reads like a first person journal or narration of a young girl as she progresses from childhood to young adult. The language and sentence structure matches this mentality, which is why it feels more like a journal. However, there are times when the narrator makes comments about current events in a way that clearly foreshadows future events. This is the one thing about the book that I truly did not like. While it definitely seemed as if some of the language used was meant to be a reflection of the different way people speak in this world, it often felt like I was just reading the words of a thirteen year old girl. This feeling did not mesh well foreshadowing, as that would make the narrator over 18. The language was the only aspect of the book that made it seem a children's or young adult book, rather than just a fantasy book that happens to be a coming of age story.
Aside from the language, I very much enjoyed reading this, and look forward to seeing how the series develops. This book only just began exploring the "unknown" world, as its main purpose is to set up the series. With half of the continent literally unknown, the potential for this series seems grand. The main character is now a young adult, which may change the tone of future books, something I think will help them. The atmosphere, magic, and character development are well worth further reading.
magnetarmadda's review
4.0
I really enjoyed the story and the way magic works here, and I am excited to read more. I liked the rewriting of world and American history. But I’ve got to say: it doesn’t sit with me well how slavery was brushed over and given a thick coat of “everything’s better now” and Native Americans don’t exist at all—that feels like laziness on the author’s part, and since she put so much effort into rewriting history and creating three types of magic, I’m just confused by the choice to exclude an entire race of people.
mrs_enosplagmann's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing coming of age story
This book was well told and an intriguing story. It had me gasping, crying, and angry in all the right moments. Definitely recommend.
This book was well told and an intriguing story. It had me gasping, crying, and angry in all the right moments. Definitely recommend.
golden_lily's review against another edition
2.0
Read This Review & More Like It At Ageless Pages Reviews
As a long time reader of Patricia Wrede's work, I have to say I was disappointed. There's no humor like the Enchanted Forest Chronicles or the Cecelia and Kate series, but there's also really no spirit of adventure like the Lyra books. Overall, Thirteenth Child is flat and depressing.
I had high hopes for the book. A low/alternate fantasy set not in medieval or Victorian England? Sign me up. Unfortunately, the world building was confusing and messy. All of the countries and continents have been renamed, but somehow George Washington, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson are all a)born, b)given the same names, and c)found a new country, but except this time, they're wizards?
But the most disappointing thing of all is Wrede's take on Native Americans. That is to say, there aren't any. She's quoted as saying:
"The *plan* is for it to be a "settling the frontier" book, only without Indians (because I really hate both the older Indians-as-savages viewpoint that was common in that sort of book, *and* the modern Indians-as-gentle-ecologists viewpoint that seems to be so popular lately, and this seems the best way of eliminating the problem, plus it'll let me play with all sorts of cool megafauna). . . ."
Nope, not OK. Not even a little. I also had a problem with how the African-American characters were portrayed. They fit too easily into the "Magical Negro" trope.
I did like the magic system and how fleshed out it was. Eff, once she grew up, was an interesting character with goals and skills beyond magic. I realized as soon as the It was pleasing that it didn't take the characters hundreds of pages to also realize that.
Overall, I don't think I'll read the second, because the story didn't really hook me, but more importantly, because I can't support something so unthinkingly racist.
As a long time reader of Patricia Wrede's work, I have to say I was disappointed. There's no humor like the Enchanted Forest Chronicles or the Cecelia and Kate series, but there's also really no spirit of adventure like the Lyra books. Overall, Thirteenth Child is flat and depressing.
I had high hopes for the book. A low/alternate fantasy set not in medieval or Victorian England? Sign me up. Unfortunately, the world building was confusing and messy. All of the countries and continents have been renamed, but somehow George Washington, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson are all a)born, b)given the same names, and c)found a new country, but except this time, they're wizards?
But the most disappointing thing of all is Wrede's take on Native Americans. That is to say, there aren't any. She's quoted as saying:
"The *plan* is for it to be a "settling the frontier" book, only without Indians (because I really hate both the older Indians-as-savages viewpoint that was common in that sort of book, *and* the modern Indians-as-gentle-ecologists viewpoint that seems to be so popular lately, and this seems the best way of eliminating the problem, plus it'll let me play with all sorts of cool megafauna). . . ."
Nope, not OK. Not even a little. I also had a problem with how the African-American characters were portrayed. They fit too easily into the "Magical Negro" trope.
I did like the magic system and how fleshed out it was. Eff, once she grew up, was an interesting character with goals and skills beyond magic. I realized as soon as the
Spoiler
bugs were introduced, they ate magic.Overall, I don't think I'll read the second, because the story didn't really hook me, but more importantly, because I can't support something so unthinkingly racist.
spetestar's review
4.0
It's weird how a book about an alternate world's frontier can make me homesick, but this book REALLY made me homesick for Minneapolis.
However, during my reading I was really distracted by the fact that there weren't any Native Americans. I am sure this was intentional (but why?), but if the rest of the world was there, why weren't America's indigenous people? And was it just that no one lived in the plains and the West (and what about Canada?) but there were still indigenous people in Mexico and South America, or had they never made the crossing from the Eurasian continent at all? Maybe it'll be explained in the later books?
However, during my reading I was really distracted by the fact that there weren't any Native Americans. I am sure this was intentional (but why?), but if the rest of the world was there, why weren't America's indigenous people? And was it just that no one lived in the plains and the West (and what about Canada?) but there were still indigenous people in Mexico and South America, or had they never made the crossing from the Eurasian continent at all? Maybe it'll be explained in the later books?
scarletviolet's review
2.0
I really wanted to like this book. The premise was great. A thirteenth child living on the frontier where magic and nature clash. The world building was great and the premise was super solid.
But somehow this book managed to make that kind of...dull.
Eff as a character didn't seem to have any real arc. She was hemmed in by tradition and by the roles outlined for girls and women on the frontier. Rather than overcome the limitations imposed on her gender, she just unproblematically accepted them. She spent a lot of time watching the boys do cool stuff while washing their clothes and making their beds. She never challenged her role as homemaker in waiting - never even seemed to chafe at the restrictions it imposed on her. I kept waiting for her to show some spirit and start carving out her own place in the world, but it just never happened.
All in all, the book was just kind of dull.
But somehow this book managed to make that kind of...dull.
Eff as a character didn't seem to have any real arc. She was hemmed in by tradition and by the roles outlined for girls and women on the frontier. Rather than overcome the limitations imposed on her gender, she just unproblematically accepted them. She spent a lot of time watching the boys do cool stuff while washing their clothes and making their beds. She never challenged her role as homemaker in waiting - never even seemed to chafe at the restrictions it imposed on her. I kept waiting for her to show some spirit and start carving out her own place in the world, but it just never happened.
All in all, the book was just kind of dull.
3dmelg's review
Fantastic writing as always. Stayed in character voice throughout the book. Slow plot. Never got a clear sense of the characters, or the impending disaster. Everything just sort of happens.
Fair warning - I read this book while tired, so the failure to relate to the story may be my own, not the author's. I do normally love her.
Fair warning - I read this book while tired, so the failure to relate to the story may be my own, not the author's. I do normally love her.