(Poll Ballot Tally) Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede - 4 stars

[annapi]

Everyone knows that a seventh son of a seventh son is not only extraordinarily lucky, but also exceptionally good at magic. But superstition also says that a thirteenth child is bad luck.

Eff is a thirteenth child, and her twin brother Lan a double seven. All her life Eff has been teased and bullied, not just by other children but by ignorant and superstitious adults, even among her numerous relatives. Because of that, when an opportunity arises for her father to work on the frontier, their parents take the young children and move.

Life on the frontier is dangerous, particularly so for the pioneering settlements close to the great magical barrier that keeps out dangerous wild and magical animals, but Eff and Lan flourish here.

I really enjoyed this interesting alternate history fantasy where magic is a normal part of life, and how the author weaves this with frontier life in the Wild West. History is given a unique twist - Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin were great and famous magicians, for example. The characters are well drawn and fascinating, the plot very intriguing. It's a great coming-of-age story and I am looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.

[Cora]

I liked this one too. I will probably get to the sequel some time this year.