A fantastic coming of age story set on the magical frontier. Wrede has created characters and a world that I'm eager to explore, can't wait for more books.
Re-read #1 (5/23/12): I had lost track of this series after adoring book one, and the cover reveal for book 3 reminded me that I was much too far behind. A hasty eBook purchase of THIRTEENTH CHILD and ACROSS THE GREAT BARRIER lead to a hazy of happy reading, as I devoured them in two consecutive days. In contrast to some of the other YA fiction I've been reading lately, THIRTEENTH CHILD shines all the more brightly. Eff is a wonderful blend of potential and flaws. Her family relationships and personal growth are interesting and well written. There's also no beating the world building that goes into this frontier.