I'm not sure how to feel about this book. I stayed up all night to finish it. It's remarkably well written.

But, it's also exceedingly dark, so much so that I wonder who the target audience is supposed to be. When are you fathoming life and death and injustice the way this book does?

I found it mostly depressing, isolation and unfair circumstances coloring most of the story. I'm not sure if the happy ending was happy or devastating.

I think there's an audience for this. I think people will love it. I'm not sure it was for me.

Actual rating: 2.5

I started out loving this but then realized the story was dragging out with unnecessary information by the 15% mark. This book is long, over 500 pages, and it chronicles Hazel's life from a child up to her teenage years. The summary is misleading since I expected the royal court plot to be the story. Instead, the first 38% is filled with Hazel growing up from a child to a teenager. Once she actually made it to the castle to cure the king, my interest was waning. The love interest Leo didn't even catch her eye until the last 15% which was another disappointment. I regret not liking this as much as Craig's other books, but I feel this would have been better with the unnecessary details edited out or split into two books where the first features Hazel's years leading up to going to cure the king and the second book with Hazel at the royal court. Thank you Edelweiss for an ARC.

Erin A. Craig (The House of Salt and Sorrows, Small Favors) is an excellent storyteller. Through her masterful hands, fairy tales take on new life and new possibilities open up.

The Thirteenth Child reads like a Gothic fantasy. From the beginning, Craig sets the tone. You are suddenly in Hazel’s world where her parents hate/ignore her, and a mysterious godfather comes and goes as he pleases.

Hazel is a pragmatic girl who grows into a skilled healer. At the center of the story is Hazel’s literal relationship with death. She is forced to live by Merrick’s rules and learns the hard way when she works around them.

Merrick was the surprise character. In him, Craig crafts a nuanced character that is both known and an enigma. He’s really the piece that makes this book special.

The Thirteenth Child is a book you don’t want to put down. Craig’s writing has a familiar, welcoming quality to it that moves the story forward, even in the slower spots. It’s got elements of magic, adventure, mystery and romance, making it well worth your time.

I enjoyed every page!

Hazel is the thirteenth child in her family and treated like she’s not wanted by anyone except her brother Bertie who is one year older. When Hazel is twelve, her godfather takes her so she can train to become a great healer while Bertie is sold to a temple to pay off their father’s debts. Hazel learns that her duties as a healer also include helping people pass onto their deaths as gently as possible. She feels that this is a curse and not a blessing. When she’s nineteen, Hazel has become the healer of the royal family after she saved the king’s life from a plague; she was supposed to move him onto death but didn’t want his children to be orphans. Now that the king feels well, he is becoming an unpredictable, angry tyrant and Hazel knows she made the wrong choice by healing him. Will she be able to make this right before he destroys the kingdom?

Likes/dislikes: I loved every bit of this story! Amazing character development and wonderful world building. Hazel is strong and kindhearted.
Mature content: PG-13 for fondling (only two sentences out of the 512 page book).
Language: PG-13 for 14 swears and no f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody deaths.
Ethnicity: Hazel and her family are white. Merrick, Hazel’s godfather is obsidian skinned, Hazel’s friend Kieron has chestnut skin.

This book was so special. I loved everything about how the world was developed, the story line, her relationship with death, it was all just perfection. This was a wonderful fantasy book that I would highly recommend! There is so much more to say but I don’t want to give any spoilers! Just pick it up and read it!

I found The Thirteenth Child to be utterly magical, captivating, and beautifully written. Erin Craig pulls on your heartstrings from the very beginning as she weaves a gothic, romantic, and fantastical fairy tale retelling of “Godfather Death”.

As I probed Hazel’s world, I discovered a rich and immersive story that explores the complexities of life, love, and the consequences of one’s choices. A story that was atmospheric, enchanting, and unpredictable. Reading this novel was an emotional rollercoaster (in the best way), the epilogue had me near tears. Craig weaved a story, unlike anything I have ever read. The Thirteenth Child is the third novel of Craig's that I've read and I am a fan of how she crafts her stories. They are mesmerizing, sweeping, and haunting and I will be thinking about this one for a while.

Those who delight in fairytale retelling, cottage-core settings, and stories of self-discovery will enjoy this book. Fans of Thornhedge (Kingfisher), The Last Tale of the Flower Bride (Choski), and Juniper & Thorn (Reid) will particularly love this novel.

The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig is a hauntingly beautiful tale that intertwines magic, mystery, and the complexities of family. Craig's lyrical prose paints an enchanting world filled with rich imagery and emotional depth, pulling readers into its captivating embrace. The characters are vividly crafted, each facing their own fears and challenges in a spellbinding narrative. This exquisite story lingers in the mind, leaving a lasting impression long after the last page is turned.

I loved this book. The writing was beautiful. The story had the echo of the fairy tales I grew up loving, but with a new, fresh element. I have already recommended it to several of my students, and they are excited to read it!

Wow! This book was excellent! I dragged out, finishing it for a few days because I didn't want it to end. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting. It was so much more. The characters are so fleshed out. It's atmospheric. The plot is so unique. The godly/magical elements are intriguing and so well done. I don't know how I've gone this long without reading an Erin A. Craig book. She's seriously a fantastic writer. The ending got me, I was teary-eyed the last few pages. It was such a satisfying ending.

I was excited about this, love the author's other work, but the pacing in this one is soooo sloooow. I had to urge myself to pick it up
There are a lot of little things happening and I really liked the side characters and the atmosphere but Hazel was kind of lackluster to me

As the thirteenth child, chosen by the god known as the dreaded end, Hazel started life a bit lonely. When she’s finally claimed by her godfather, she discovers she is meant to be a healer renowned across the land. Can she use these skills to truly mark her way through life? Or will she remain haunted by those she couldn’t save?

Everything I’ve ever read by Erin A. Craig is always incredible. I don’t know what she puts in her stories, but you just can’t stop reading them. Like always, she’s created an incredible story with great atmosphere and characters.

I loved following Hazel on her journey, discovering her ability to heal, overcoming the obstacles as she learned and growing into a stronger person as the book progressed. I did not want the book to end.

Highly recommend to anyone who’s read any of her other books and loved them, or anyone who enjoys retellings woven into something you can’t stop feasting your eyes upon.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Children and Delcorte Press for the e arc!

5/5 stars

This was such a captivating, beautiful story. It has a darker, gothic vibe, which is perfect for the fall time.

Hazel is the thirteenth child that has been neglected by her family. I felt that the story really began to take off with the arrival of her godfather, Death, to come and take her away from her family. I loved the dynamics of Hazel and Death as they develop a father-daughter relationship.

As Hazel develops her gifts, she learns that there are sometimes harder choices to make when being a healer. Hazel also learns that there are consequences to her choices that can have a lasting impact on people’s lives and those around them. The author did a great job with allowing characters to be flawed, but also allowing them to learn and grow at times.

The ending was so well written and brought tears to my eyes. This had a perfect ending. This story is beautifully crafted and resonates on multiple levels. I wholeheartedly recommend this book!

The cover for this book is so good I just want to take a bite out of the hardcover. This was so atmospheric, and is a retelling of a fairytale I don't hear often discussed--"Godfather Death". This was so tonally fantastic, the vibes were immaculate. If you love fairytales, gothic dark vibes, mystery and fantasy then you're definitely going to love this. Erin A. Craig is quickly becoming an author I keep my eyes peeled for.

Fans of dark fairytales and romance will enjoy Erin A Craig's newest offering. An atmospheric take on an old Grimm's fairytale "Godfather Death", this has all the autumnal, spooky, atmospheric vibes. The author definitely has a talent for such tales, and her fans will not be disappointed.

I really enjoyed reading this Brothers Grimm inspired story and read it in 2 sittings. The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig is a dark take on a fairy tale that follows the life of Hazel, a girl born a thirteenth child. She is chosen by the Dreaded End -the god of Death, to be his adopted daughter and gifts her the ability to cure sickness. After spending years alone learning her craft, she becomes the village healer and is called upon to cure the King of a mysterious ailment. As she lives in the castle and learns more about the royal family, she begins to question her abilities and how she can use them and balance her worth by healing a dangerous person or the person she loves. This novel is a wonderful blend of folklore, magic, and mystery in a gothic and atmospheric tale and perfect for lovers of fairy tales. #TheThirteenthChild#NetGalley

𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉 𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑬𝒓𝒊𝒏 𝑨. 𝑪𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒈

𝘔𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘱𝘵, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘯. “𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵.”

What a beautiful tale. The Thirteenth Child is this enchanting mix of dark fairytale and romance, a true heroine’s journey of self-discovery. If you’re needing something that’s full of autumnal atmosphere and gorgeous writing, then you need this book.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ dark tale called “Godfather Death” - this is the story of Hazel, a thirteenth child.

Once lonely and forgotten, Erin weaves a heartfelt story of how a young Hazel finds herself at the center of court life as a renowned healer to the king as well as the goddaughter of none other than Death himself.

This story evokes that lush, fairytale vibe full of touches of the macabre alongside thoughtful, quiet moments. The characters are so well written and the story just transported me there, to the Between, and back again.

“𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯.” “𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯,” 𝘐 𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘥, 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺. “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯?” 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦. “𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.”

Erin will grab you by the heart and gentle lead on an incredible journey alongside Hazel. It’s a story I won’t soon forget and I am so lucky to have read it. Highly recommended.

Thank you Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for the review copy.

Erin Craig doesn't miss, and The Thirteenth Child is up there with all of the rest of her books. The descriptions are so gorgeous, and she just has a way of pulling you into this creepy world that I love!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Since childhood Godfather Death has been my favorite of Grimm's tales, and this retelling was absolutely incredible. Erin paints beautiful pictures of the world through which Hazel moves, all while narrating the grown of each character... even Death himself! I'm delighted to have been lucky enough to snag a signed copy!

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Ms. Craig for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

First of all, let me just say, the cover of this book is gorgeous. Well done, graphic artist! I believe the person was thanked at the end but I forgot who it was 🤦🏻‍♀️

I've long been a fan of Erin Craig's atmospheric fantasy. Sometimes it crosses the line into spooky but usually it hovers around gothic. I think this one was slightly less gothic than usual - more of a straight-up fantasy in a France-inspired setting. Of course, Hazel's godfather is the God of Death; I was expecting more death and haunting but it really was very straightforward. I did really love Hazel's relationship with Merrick and I wished that had played a bigger role in the second half of the book.

Most of the drama lies in Hazel's ultimate existential crisis of deciding if her healing talent must comply with the gods' directions, or if she has agency to decide for herself what to do. For all that this was a long book (500 some pages?) I felt like they flew by. It wasn't my favorite of hers - House of Salt and Sorrows and its followup, House of Roots and Ruin, are tied for first - but it was very enjoyable and I would recommend it happily.

⭐⭐⭐⭐