Thirteenth Child
131. Patricia C. Wrede, Thirteenth Child
This novel, set in an alternate-universe Wild West, creates a world where magic is everywhere. Fantastical creatures menace the settlers as they head west, so nearly every settlement includes a magician to cast protective spells around it. In this world, numbers also have extremely important meanings: seventh sons are thought to have strong magical powers, and thirteenth children are notoriously unlucky. Eff is a thirteenth child, and as such she’s always felt like she’s cursed. To make matters worse, her twin brother Lan is the seventh son of a seventh son, and thus presumably will become a great magician. Eff has spent most of her life believing that she’ll never be able to do magic; but when she and her family move to a settlement in the far West, she eventually discovers that her own unique talents might actually be useful after all.
I think my summary is a bit misleading, since it focuses so much on the world of the novel. While Wrede does create a very interesting alternate-universe America (called Columbia in the book), she does so unobtrusively through Eff’s first-person narration. Most of the plot concerns Eff and her family’s journey west, and the various challenges they face when they get there. I was fascinated by the world of this book, and Eff is a very likable character. My only complaint is that I want to know more about Eff and her family, as well as the magical systems described in the book. Fortunately there’s at least one sequel, Across the Great Barrier, and I look forward to reading it as well.