A review by lauren_miller
The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

in terms of vibes alone, this reminded me a lot of Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn, especially with respect to abuse and loneliness. Hazel is not solitary by choice,—she takes up the mantle of purpose superimposed upon her without question, and everything that happens after leads us down a long and winding path, with front row seats to the feeble, fallible, incredibly simple but oh so cruel and dramatic nature of human beings. I was engaged but not necessarily impressed by the first two thirds, but the ending really sold me, however expected—perhaps even cliché—it was. my biggest critique is that Hazel’s voice didn’t seem to change much despite how much she ages. that said, I found her an acceptable protagonist and did ultimately warm up to her choices, as well as her relationship with Leo. and despite my notes, truthfully I did binge this audiobook in less than 48 hours, so…