Reviews

Thirteens by Kate Alice Marshall

directorpurry's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Child death, and Kidnapping

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

witbeyndmehsure's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

blackrose0197's review

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

lilytucker's review against another edition

dark lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

danilanglie's review against another edition

3.0

I'm not really a horror fan, and obviously this is a middle grade book, so in two different ways I am not the intended audience. I don't think anything is wrong with this book at all! It just wasn't my cup of tea.

That said, I love a good slow-burn of worldbuilding, and I can see the way this book connects with Marshall's earlier Rules for Vanishing, and the newer release Our Last Echoes which I have yet to read. That's cool, I love the idea of having YA and middle-grade books in the same extended universe, and can't wait to see what it all builds to.

karina_dreamsinwords's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

What a fun & spooky little book this was! The perfect vibes for spooky season. 

I look forward to what this friend group gets into next. 

femkepemke's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

suspiciouspinecone's review against another edition

4.0

The writing in this book wasn't special, but everything else was.

I loved the plot (even though I could see the twists coming), the concepts, everything. What I really loved was the three protagonists, and not a single neurotypical among them (I don't normally go off about this, but Otto is autistic, Pip has ADHD type 2, and Elanor has PTSD [all headcanons that you can pry from my cold dead fingers]). I cannot wait to read the sequel.

CW: Creepiness, monsters, cults, abusive parents, fire, bird attacks

fountain_ken's review against another edition

3.0

Decently spooky! Could've used a bit more fleshing out, but it was fine.

katiethepenguin's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Great read if you like Locke & Key, Small Spaces, and Coraline.