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A review by lastblossom
The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
A fairy tale retelling with a truly magical world building and atmosphere. Some of the character relationships in the second half could use a little more time to develop.
Thoughts
Erin A. Craig is absolutely incredible at creating atmosphere. Creeping dread, shadowy mysteries, and what lurks in the dark? It's all here in delicious, immersive detail. There's also an indulgent amount of plant life, things that grow, and a touch of cottagecore that my heart loves. Magic and gods feel very real in this space, and the world building feels exactly like a fairy tale come to life. The relationship between Hazel and Death was also surprisingly tender, and I enjoyed all the moments between them. And yet through all of this, the pacing really threw me off. Other reviewers have mentioned that this feels like two books, and I would agree. The first half moves at an even pace, carefully building the world and all the people in it. The second half takes off at a pace that is great for the plot, but not necessarily great for the character relationships. A year passes between chapters, and now two characters are as close as sisters, but we have to take the narration's word for it, because we never get to see it happen. Romance in particular takes a hit with this, as a lot of the character development takes place off screen. It's a trade off to cover a huge amount of plot, and I see why it happened, but I wish we could've spent more time with the characters and their personal lives. And I guess if the worst thing I can say about a book is that I wish we got more, that's probably not a bad thing.
Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
A fairy tale retelling with a truly magical world building and atmosphere. Some of the character relationships in the second half could use a little more time to develop.
Thoughts
Erin A. Craig is absolutely incredible at creating atmosphere. Creeping dread, shadowy mysteries, and what lurks in the dark? It's all here in delicious, immersive detail. There's also an indulgent amount of plant life, things that grow, and a touch of cottagecore that my heart loves. Magic and gods feel very real in this space, and the world building feels exactly like a fairy tale come to life. The relationship between Hazel and Death was also surprisingly tender, and I enjoyed all the moments between them. And yet through all of this, the pacing really threw me off. Other reviewers have mentioned that this feels like two books, and I would agree. The first half moves at an even pace, carefully building the world and all the people in it. The second half takes off at a pace that is great for the plot, but not necessarily great for the character relationships. A year passes between chapters, and now two characters are as close as sisters, but we have to take the narration's word for it, because we never get to see it happen. Romance in particular takes a hit with this, as a lot of the character development takes place off screen. It's a trade off to cover a huge amount of plot, and I see why it happened, but I wish we could've spent more time with the characters and their personal lives. And I guess if the worst thing I can say about a book is that I wish we got more, that's probably not a bad thing.
Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Blood, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Terminal illness, Violence, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Alcohol and War