The Thirteenth Child
4.5/5 rating
Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s.
I’ve read all four of Erin A Craig’s novels, and not once has she disappointed! She’s a master at creating lush and fast-paced stories with lovable main characters that I cannot help but root for. I immensely enjoy that the romance in her novels is never the main priority, which I feel is often sorely lacking in the Young Adult community.
Hazel was a very believable main character. Her choices and their consequences felt real, and I found myself trying to problem-solve along with her. I also enjoyed the side characters and gods. The descriptions of The Divided were especially fascinating, and I would love to see other stories, including them, in the future.
I’m giving this a 4.5 and not a solid five because I wish we could have gotten just a bit more from Hazel and Merrick’s relationship.
Overall, this story is beautiful and incredibly well done, with a bittersweet yet satisfying ending. I cannot wait for more Erin A. Craig novels, as she has definitely solidified herself as a must-read author for me.

Hazel is a Thirteenth child, wanted by each of the gods for various purposes. But the Dreaded End, death, has chosen to be her godfather and promised to take her away from her abusive, alcoholic, neglectful parents. She waits for many years but finally he whisks her away and gives her a great gift, healing.
Then one day she is summoned to try to heal the king when no one else could. His strange illness makes gold ooze from his pores. But is it a curse for his sins or a regular illness? Though Hazel is no fan of the dictator who kept her family and so many more in poverty, it's her job to save him.
But will she, at the request of his children, or let him die and his son become king, a boy she once hated but who is becoming a frenemy?
Dark horror fantasy fiction with a bit of decaying zombie gore, and sad tragedy, not for those with weak stomachs and vivid imaginations or those who are overly compassionate.
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are solely mine.

A deliciously lush and atmospherically gothic, dark fairytale of a read that follows Hazel, the thirteenth child in a struggling (and rather neglectful) family, who becomes the goddaughter of Death and compelling cast of characters (the good, bad and morally ambiguous) that really made this a such an intriguing read.

Overall, a satisfyingly nuanced and emotionally complex feast for the senses, with a powerful underlying message about life and the human condition— that gothic, fairytale loving fantasy fans are almost certain to enjoy. Though I do recommend checking the TWs. I have read two of Erin A. Craig’s ARC’s from NetGalley and have read all her books so far. They are all equally amazing!

Book Name: The Thrineeth Child
Author: Erin A Craig

ARC
Thank you to Netgalley and [**Random House Children's |](https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/publisher/27557) Delacorte Press** for an ARC

Stars: 5
Spice: 0 YA

Standalone
Fast Paced
FMC Single POV
High Fantasy

- Thoughts.
- Gothic Grimm Fairytale Retelling
- Light Romance Elements
- Lots of Death and Tragedy
- SAD BOOK BLUES
- Feels Deeply Depressing
- Strong depictions of poverty, neglect, and emotional abuse in the first half
- Themes of Overcoming Hardship,
- Theme: The Lives We Touch
- Very Sad and borderline depressing Book. I would be careful with this and younger YA audiences.

I loved this book. it wasn't so much a dark fantasy or horror as much as it is deeply weighty and a bit depressing overall. I would be careful with this book and younger YA audiences as it has very LOW vibes compared to Erin A Craig's other works. I loved this but it brought my mind to a lower place. it is a very enthralling and evocative world and Carig can write characters that deeply resonate. this resonates a bit of a sad song.

Erin A. Craig's expertise in crafting dark fairy tale retellings shines through in her gothic and dark adaptation of "Godfather Death," which I consider a masterpiece. The intricacies of the relationship between Hazel and her Godfather, the Dreaded End, known as Merrick, are both strange and endearing. The world-building, particularly the world between where Hazel trains to become a skilled healer, and Merrick’s cave, is immersive, making me feel like I was right there with Hazel. From the moment Hazel discovers the consequences of defying death to the bittersweet conclusion, "The Thirteenth Child" is flawlessly executed in every aspect.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children's for the ARC. Erin Craig is pretty much an instant read for me as I love her Sisters of Salt novels. I was super excited about this one, and I was very excited that I was able to get approved for an ARC. The Thirteenth Child follows Hazel when she's a small child and shows how she grows up in a house where her parents really don't want her. She's the Thirteenth Child, and when she was born, she was promised to The Dreaded End, Merrick, who essentially is the god of death. When she's 12, Merrick comes for her, and since her family is beyond dirt poor, her mother doesn't even bat an eyelash with Merrick gives her a lot of gold for Hazel's upkeep for the last 12 years. Makes one feel real warm and fuzzy inside.

In the span of the book, we see Hazel become a healer and learn about love, life, and loss. She meets her first love only to lose him to a head injury. Then she's called upon by the king because an oracle had a vision that Hazel would be able to save him and his family from this mysterious disease. She meets the prince, they become barely acquaintances to maybe friends to them being in love with each other. Cue drama, betrayal, spoiled princesses, charming princes, and mad kings.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I really wanted a book where Hazel got into shenanigans as a healer in her little house and the town she was helping. Also, the pacing of this felt a little off. As soon as she goes to the palace, everything happened quickly and not quick enough. Also, Hazel is the most gullible character on the planet. The way she took everyone at their word BUT the prince was laughable. She grew up with the world's worst parents, but she was so trusting. Too trusting for me to be believable. Especially with the other gods. Like ma'am. Are you for real? Please use some discernment when it comes to PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW.

Also, we got a lot of "told but not seen". Something would happen, and then Hazel would tell us what happened later. It made the pacing of this book feel too fast because everything happens and we're fast forwarded a week later where we're given a story of what happened after an incident in the last chapter. I expected better considering how much I loved Craig's other books, but this was a weaker story to me.

Entrusted to the care of a god, the future of a particular thirteenth child is to be a great healer in court but there will untold costs in Erin A. Craig’s The Thirteenth Child.
Born the thirteenth child to a family already struggling to make ends meet, Hazel was promised by her parents to the god the Dreaded End and she spends her childhood mostly forgotten and waiting for the god to come claim her. By the time he does on her twelfth birthday, the Dreaded End, who is called Merrick by Hazel, has laid out Hazel’s future as a healer, providing her with a life three times as long as most and a gift to instantly be able to see what’s needed to cure an ailing patient; however, the gift comes with a price and Hazel can see when Death has come for someone by the deathshead that marks them, indicating that it’s instead her job to end their suffering rather than treat them, but she’s then haunted by those whose lives she ends. When she’s eighteen, Hazel’s summoned to court to treat the king’s mysterious illness, and she officially meets the prince, Leo, who she embarrassingly encountered once as a young child and who still infuriates her. In assessing the king, Hazel faces a dilemma as he’s marked to die – she could do as Death demands, which would throw the kingdom more firmly into the war that’s been looming, or she could save him by sacrificing some of her life, defying the will of Death and following her heart.
Depicting the fickle whims of gods, the convoluted politics and plotting within court, and seeking to live a meaningful life, a tale of grand scope is presented with one girl as the focus whose life is meddled with by others while she finds and fights for the agency to forge a path of her choosing. Through the ability to see the cure for ailments and the deathshead there’s magic presented but there’s also the realm of the gods where Hazel both spends years of her life and traverses in blindingly brief moments that offers an atmosphere of otherworldliness to the story that easily conveys the fairy tale nature of the narrative. While the courtly intrigue and plotting drove a major story decision point forward toward the conclusion, and there was clear foreshadowing peppered throughout the text to indicate a perpetrator, the motivations behind it felt rushed when contrasted with the lengthier development time devoted to Hazel’s life learning to be a healer, making the narrative as a whole seem unbalanced. Within this lushly imagined world dysfunctional relationships seem to be the norm, between the gods, between Hazel’s family, between the royal family, and in any combination thereof so much so such that moments of fond sentiments and bonds formed between characters, however brief, become incredibly sweet and cherished.
Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Erin and the publishing team for allowing me to read this as an ARC! I love the fairytale vibe, this was a good break in my usual horror/thriller read. Kept me focused and wanting to finish the book. Loved this one just as much as the other books of Erin's I have read.

I've loved every Erin A. Craig book I've read, and this one is no different! She never misses. I love the gothic atmosphere, the folk tale influence - there was so much to love. Excited to read whatever Erin has in store for me, but I do wish she would also write Adult fiction.

What a story! This is my first Erin Craig story, and I can’t wait to read her other stories.

The Thirteenth Child is a haunting fantasy that gripped me from the start. I love Hazel. What a wonderful character. Her journey of self-discovery is filled with trials and tribulations and all the turns of events throughout this story had me glued to pages. I was filled with anticipation of what was to come and how everything would play out.

With wonderful characters and a mesmerizing plot, The Thirteenth Child is sure to take you on a journey of emotions and awe.

The Thirteenth Child was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and I was beyond excited to get an ARC (I actually squealed out loud when it came through)!

This was the perfect read to kick off autumn! It was magical, dark, atmospheric, spooky, mysterious, and emotional in the best way. I adored Hazel, Merrick, and so many of the side characters. The only thing it was missing (for me personally) was an extra chapter in between the last chapter and the epilogue to wrap up some things that happened towards the end. Other than that it was perfect!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Delacorte Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I was excited to read another book by Erin A. Craig, and I did think this one was good, just not as good as the others. I felt like the pacing was less than ideal in some parts.

In the afterword, Craig talks about everyday moments and how those are what makes up a life. I liked reading about Hazel's everyday moments, but then the climax came, and it felt like a scooby doo episode where the villains were explaining all of their dastardly plans, many of which seemed to come out of nowhere. Had there been a degree of mystery, or even some hints leading to the reveal, I think it would have made for a more complex and even more engaging read.

As it is, I enjoyed the book and the world it was set in. This was a nice introduction to a new-to-me fairytale.

This was very accessible and a fun read. Strong characters, good writing, sweeping romance. A good book to pick up this fall!

The premise of this book sounded interesting but I didn’t connect to the characters at all. I love the author’s writing and the way that she weaves unique stories out of retellings, though.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Delacorte Press for an ARC of this book!

As you all know, I'm a HUGE fan of Erin Craig. I will pretty much love anything and everything by her, and this book is no exception to the rule.

This book was such a cool take on death and gods and deities, and I felt that it heavily pulled from folklore as well. It's almost like it is familiar -- yet not? It's very hard to explain, but the book itself was entirely addictive.

Hazel has to be one of my favorite characters. I loved her strong personality, but I also loved that she was human too, and I think that was what a big part of this book was about -- mortality vs immortality.

This was an absolutely atmospheric gothic fantasy, definitely trending a little more onto the horror side than previous works.

I thought it was a beautifully written story about death, life and the balance in the world.

This book resonates with you, and it left me thinking after I had put it down. Still thinking about it -- still digesting.

Definitely one to add to your TBR if you love gothic fantasy!

If you have enjoyed Erin A. Craig's other offerings thus far then you will definitely want to pick up The Thirteenth Child. It's everything you have come to expect from Craig. Fantastic read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy.

The Thirteenth Child is a dark fairytale retelling following the goddaughter of Death. I loved every second of this book and felt transported to each setting, and Merrick is bound to be a character I remember forever. Erin A. Craig once again delivers a gothic fantasy masterpiece.

I received an ARC from Random House Children's | Delacorte Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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.