Patricia C. Wrede is an author that I am “aware of,” but had not actually read before. When I hear her name, I think “dragon” books. I have done her the disservice of confusing her with Tamora Pierce and I do not know why. Another author that I am aware of and have not read, but have become familiar with patron/parent requests asking for her books’ removal from our juvenile shelves. Both authors have books on my list that I intend to read when their time on the list arrives. Where am I going with this?
I was reading new books waiting to go out on the new book shelves and came across Thirteenth Child, Book 1 of Frontier Magic. I read the inside jacket and promptly stuck a note saying “Alissa, Please” within the pages. We only own one copy and this was a request that I would get it first after everyone else had the opportunity to glance at it.
And then it sat on my shelf for far too long while I labored through my books on “the list.” Why do I punish myself so?
This is a Librarian’s Choice novel - one that I chose because I was instantly interested in it without having read a review or having heard a recommendation. And I was pleasantly surprised. I did not want this book to end.
So what captured me? The thirteenth child is Eff. She has six older sisters and six older brothers. She has one younger brother, her twin, Lan. Lan is not only the seventh son, but he is the seventh son of a seventh son. Such a man is born with luck on his side and if he happens to be a magician, he is not only a natural, but he is also extremely powerful. He is both feared and followed.
Being related to Lan might have been difficult enough for a sibling. Lan will get all of the attention and most likely will be the favored child. It is harder for Eff. As much as Lan is revered, she will be shunned because of her ill-favored position of being the thirteenth born. Thirteenth children are considered to be unlucky and worse. They have a tendency to go bad. It might be better off to do away with them.
What captivated me? The language. Definitely the language. I found it lovely and lilting and nostalgic. Why can’t we speak this way? This is the kind of language I would aspire to myself. Think old world with a hint of frontier …
The world. Think parallel universe. We are no longer Americans, but Columbians. The Great Mammoth River empties into the Gulf of Amerigo near New Orleans. And the Great Barrier is the only thing holding the wild, and sometimes magical, beasts out of civilization. Magicians are required to hold the wilderness out and keep the settlers safe within.
The characters. One of the most influential people in Eff’s life is her magic teacher, a black woman. She is described as having black skin and that is it. She teaches Eff more than just the required Avrupan (European) magic, but also Aphrikan and Hijero-Cathayan. The woman is well-rounded and balanced and a welcome change.
Finally, the life. Everything is included here – life, death, illness, friendships, trials and triumphs. It is not “dumbed-down” or purified/sterilized for children. For instance, one of the sisters runs off and elopes when she discovers she is pregnant. The reader does not get all of the information, nor does the reader need it. It’s very much like real life. The reader witnesses how it affects the family and its various members, but it is a small, although integral, part of the story.
Highly anticipating Book 2.
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