One of the things I love about Erin Craig’s retellings is she often uses the little known fairy tales as her starting point. Many of you have probably never heard or read Godfather Death, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying this retelling. It is dark and captivating with characters you will love, and a story that will leave you breathless with every page.

Hazel is the main character and the only point of view. We follow her life from a very early age to her late teens. Her journey is full of heartbreak and loneliness, but she grows into a strong and independent young woman in the end. Her younger years are shaped by a somewhat cruel, but mostly indifferent family. Her parents made a bargain with Death before she was born, and that shaped their relationships with her. But their indifference made her stronger and able to handle what life throws at her.

I also adored Merrick, Death, who even though he was a god often seemed to be very human as well. He was often baffled by human emotions and struggled with understanding why Hazel struggled with her loneliness and need to connect with other humans. They had a very loving relationship if a little bit on the strange side as well.

There are lots of secondary characters and I enjoyed many of them, especially the other gods that we meet. There is a romance of sorts. Hazel becomes the royal healer and she and the prince develop feelings for each other. I liked the romance, I liked them together, but there did seem to be a little something missing from it as well. I appreciated how Hazel would always call Leo out on his bullshit, but I also liked that he listened to her and tried to change.

The story was amazingly well done. The pacing was perfect and the twists and turns of the story especially at the end, were totally unexpected. I loved how she took a fairly short and simple fairytale and fleshed it out into this amazing story of loss and choices. The writing is so atmospheric and the world building is perfect. I have only one small complaint though, and that had to do with the ghosts that are following Hazel around. She finally tells Merrick about them, and they then just disappear. It just felt a little abrupt and unfinished. But the ending of the story is just perfect, and while it doesn’t fully follow the original tale, it was a happier and satisfying ending to Hazel’s story.

Fans of this author will just love this newest addition to her fairytale retellings. I think she will gain a lot of new fans through this book as well. If you enjoy your retellings dark and yet at the same time hopeful, then this is one you want to make sure you pick up.

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this on ebook to review through NetGalley..

Thoughts: This book ended up being quite a bit different from what I thought it was going to be, but I still enjoyed it. The synopsis makes this sound like Hazel spends most of her time navigating the royal court. In reality, nearly half the book is spent following Hazel as she learns her healing skills and grows up. She does spend time at court in the second half of the book. The book is more about navigating the will of the gods and how little gods understand humans than anything else. Before reading this, I had also read Craig's "The House of Salt and Sorrows" (which I thought was okay), and "Small Favors" (which I liked).

Hazel is unwanted by her parents and, as a thirteenth child, ends up given to a god Merrick....the Dreaded End. Much of her early life is spent in destitution, being ignored and abused by her parents. Her parents expected Merrick to take her when he claimed her, but he has disappeared, and no one has any idea when he will show up to claim her. As a result, Hazel's parents see her as an unexpected burden. When Merrick finally does show up, he has plotted out Hazel's whole life; she will be an amazing healer. Of course, Hazel doesn't have any say in the path her life is going to take, and she must tread carefully so she doesn't anger the god of death himself.

The synopsis makes this sound like most of the story takes place at court. Instead, this story follows all of Hazel's life, not just her years at court. We watch her grow up from one of many children (and an unwanted one at that), to a pre-teen struggling to meet Merrick's expectations and fight through solitude, to a young adult learning to work and heal people, to an adult navigating the royal court.

There are a lot of very well done characters in here, and I enjoyed the story overall. I do wish Hazel had done more to take control of more of her life...I found that a bit frustrating, but she is in a tough position. I did enjoy the look at a god, Merrick, who thinks he is trying to do good by his human but is being very heavy-handed with decisions in her life. The contrast between Merrick's viewpoint as an immortal god and Hazel's perspective as a human was incredibly well done and explored in an intriguing way.

This is well written and easy to follow. While it wasn't at all what I came in expecting, I did enjoy it.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. There are some wonderful characters here, and I loved how the different perspectives of an immortal god and a human were contrasted. I was surprised at the long breadth of time that this explored and expected this to have more intrigue. I wasn't expecting a story of a girl whose life is planned out by a god. I continue to have somewhat mixed feelings about Craig's books, there are things I like about them and things I don't enjoy as much.

Erin Craig has quickly become one of my favorite authors. After loving House of Salt and Sorrows. I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to read The Thirteenth Child. What a beautifully written story of life, loss, death, family, found family, servitude. I was again blown away by the writing and just thought it was perfectly done. I will forever recommend Erin Craig. This would be a perfect fall read for any fantasy readers. Thank you again so much for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC of this book!

Erin Craig does it again. A fairytale like world where the thirteenth child of a family is given to a god to be looked after, only to continuously feel like she's alone. She's alone with her family and alone in the world once her god comes to get her and bestow power on her. Year of loss, love, and loneliness culminate in a hauntingly beautiful story.

Wow! What a unique read and perfect stand alone book! It totally fits the vibe of other works by this author. I love the concept of a 13th child being extra special for the gods in this book. The FMC is a 13th child and she becomes the god daughter of the death god!! Really unique story with a perfect ending.

I have loved everything else I have read by Erin A. Craig and this was no different! The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig is a gripping and atmospheric fantasy novel that captures the reader's imagination from the first page. Set in a world where magic and dark forces intertwine, the story follows a young woman named Hazel who discovers her own hidden strengths while grappling with the mysteries surrounding her family and their cursed legacy. Craig's world-building is richly detailed, creating a vivid backdrop for the novel's suspenseful plot. The character development is strong, with Hazel's journey being both compelling and relatable. The blend of eerie enchantments and emotional depth makes The Thirteenth Child a captivating read for fans of dark fantasy and intricate storytelling.

I think this is the most inventive story from this author to date! It’s incredibly creative, and both dark AND whimsical.

There is something very special about a thirteenth child and our protagonist learns this the hard way. Raised into a family where she is constantly looked over and forgotten, she has always been promised that on her birthday, her godfather will take her away… What that entails, or if it’s even really true weighs heavy on her mind, until the birthday he finally arrives.

At a young age, she is thrown into a brand new world, shown wonders, and instructed to learn… because she will be an incredible healer. The balance of life and death is a heavy subject in this book. Through trials and tribulations, our young protagonist will become a woman and learn exactly who she is, and what she is capable of.

Erin A Craig is a master of re-writing classics and making them so much more than they started. I love that we're still following these dancing princesses and getting so much more depth of story. This book did not disappoint,

This book was magical and terrible all at once. Hazel is a thirteenth child. Her parents don't want to keep her, so she's given to one of the gods. Of course, he doesn't come right away, and she is a burden on her parents anyway. Living a life of neglect, Hazel has learned to expect little from life.

When the god finally comes back, she's taken away and bestowed upon with great and terrible gifts. She will be a great healer, but the cost is so very high. As she learns and becomes proficient, her godfather continues to move her around. She must make horrible decisions and break her own heart. She will make sacrifices for others, and long for a different life.

Will she finally get one thing, just one, for herself? This book was so dark and broke my heart so many times, but it was so good!

As the thirteenth child, Hazel has never gotten much, especially since her parents promised her to a god called The Dreaded End, as a means of offloading her (and getting some money) - only it takes until she's nearly a teenager to show up and claim her. Now Hazel finds herself in a magical cottage that cares for her every need, learning to be a healer. In her training she learns that if she sees a Deathshead, she must kill the patient - and her ability to do that will be tested when she is brought on to heal the king of a mysterious illness.

I'm not at all familiar with the fairytale "Godfather Death," but this certainly had the feel of a fairytale retelling. I loved this as much as [book:House of Salt and Sorrows|39679076] and [book:Small Favors|55835986] - I felt transported into this magical universe. Hazel was an easy protagonist to identify with, especially for those of us with many siblings. While her parents didn't get a redemption arc, there was a level of explanation of addiction as to why they behaved as they did. With thirteen siblings, it's hard to really make each of them a fully fleshed character, but really this story was more about Hazel being on her own than about her actual family, and about the games gods play with human lives. The worldbuilding was quite intriguing and visually lovely - a bit dark for cottagecore but close.

I don’t know when it happened, but Erin has become one of my favorite authors. It’s easy to see how, though, when her dark-fantasy tales are so beautifully written.

Erin Craig is such a brilliant author! Her books are so atmospheric and the story lines are so fascinating. I really enjoyed this new book by her. The plot was so cool from page one. Her characters are so vibey. I really can't wait to see what she puts out next.

A fantastic book, wonderfully written and full of memorable characters. Though it starts off a little slow, once it picks up, the story refuses the stop until the final page. Hazel's journey seems to encapsulate the entirety of human emotions and the human experience. I was not ready for this book to be over. Though the book finishes up nicely and a ribbon tied around it by the end, it follows the old saying, Leave them wanting more.

What a beautiful and dark fairy tale retelling this was. I was swept away into Hazel's world and I didn't want to leave. A dark YA fantasty with some romantic elements, this was a beautifully created world. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Thirteenth Child is a retelling of the fairytale “Godfather Death.” In this version, Hazel is the thirteenth child born to a poor family that can not take care of her. Three godlike entities ask to be her godparent. Her parents choose Death who goes by the name Merrick. Hazel becomes a healer and has a gift that lets her know how to save a person or if they must die. She is told that she must not interfere with the fate of mortals because their will be consequences. Eventually she is called to treat the King at his palace. He is suffering from a strange illness she has never dealt with before and this illness is spreading while kingdom is dealing with a rebellion. Hazel sees that the King must die, but intervenes to change his fate with devastating consequences. Hazel must figure out a way to save herself and the kingdom, along with Prince Leopold, who she has fallen in love with. I have never read a retelling based on this particular fairy tale. Erin A. Craig continues to write books that I really enjoy!

The Thirteenth Child is a dark fantasy with elements of romance. The narrative is captivating and has a timeless quality, reminiscent of classic fairy tales, yet it still feels quite contemporary. Every time the page turned, I was genuinely on the tip of my seat with anticipation.

Every character in this novel was wonderful, but my favorite was Hazel. She is a strong, independent woman who aspires to be in charge of her life. It was simple to love her and be interested in following her journey because of how powerful each of her interactions with others was. I enjoyed Merrick and Hazel's connection because, although being a god, Merrick seemed extremely human at times.

I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of the God of Death, and the other god figures were interesting to read about. I would have wanted to read even more about these characters because I loved their complexity!

Erin Craig writes in such a lovely, eerily atmospheric way that it nearly seems like a spooky song The world-building is deep and engaging, and the writing skillfully combines elements of a dark fairytale with rich details.

I will always and forever be a fan of this writer, and I can't wait to read whatever she writes next. Anyone who enjoys fairytale retellings and all of its associated elements should read The Thirteenth Child!

I've enjoyed Erin A. Craig's past books and The Thirteenth Child definitely does not disappoint! Hazel is an unwanted thirteenth child whose impoverished parents make a deal with Merrick, the personification of Death. Merrick promises to give her a long and successful life, although he doesn't immediately take her, so she must live with her abusive parents. Hazel is such an amazing character, I was horrified by how her birth family treated her, and I really enjoyed watching her grow as she was able to leave them. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes gothic, haunting, atmospheric novels, or fairytale retellings!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I’m not sure how to describe this book except that it has a wonderful mash up of fantasy and mythology all centered around Hazel, a family’s unwanted thirteenth child, who becomes the godchild of death and a healer. Everything else just adds spice and loads of flavor to the story.

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Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, I'm a HUGE fan of all of Erin A. Craig's works.
Secondly, this book is the absolute BEST she's written yet. 5/5 stars!
The characters are great- they are well developed and don't feel flat at all. The FMC is likable and with her backstory, you just want to dive into the book and give her a huge hug.
The plot is *chef's kiss*. I don't want to give any spoilers, but there's a BIG twist that I did not see coming at all.
I love how she incorporated the deities into the book so seamlessly.
I'm not a big crier when I read, but the end is so moving that I actually cried.
All that to say, you should ABSOLUTELY read this book!

I somehow didn't realize this is a YA romance horror, but I really ended up liking it quite a bit. I don't purchase for the YA collection, but will recommend our teen librarian purchases it for the collection. Thanks!