A review by tasharobinson
Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede

4.0

A neat fantasy, probably aimed at children, but sophisticated enough for older readers. Set in a sort of magicized version of early America, where homesteaders have to deal with the constant threat of aggressive magical creatures as well as the other usual difficulties of eking out a living in the wild. Reminded me a lot of Diana Wynne Jones — this book doesn't draw on slapstick and screwball comedy the way she does, but has an interesting take on magic that I think she'd like, as something halfway between a complicated science that's different for each culture, and a complicated instinctive thing. First in a trilogy, with the third book due out in August 2012.