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.

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!