The Thirteenth Child - by Erin A Craig (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An instant #1 New York Times and USA Today bestseller! - Drawing on the Grimm Brothers' dark fairytale, "Godfather Death," this new novel from the bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows is a sweeping, fantastical saga of actions and consequences.

The stunning "Hazel" special edition first printing features exclusive printed endpapers and a beautiful gold-and-red foil-stamped case.

All gifts come with a price.

Hazel Trépas has always known she wasn't like the rest of her siblings. A thirteenth child, promised away to one of the gods, she spends her childhood waiting for her godfather--Merrick, the Dreaded End--to arrive.

When he does, he lays out exactly how he's planned Hazel's future. She will become a great healer, known throughout the kingdom for her precision and skill. To aid her endeavors, Merrick blesses Hazel with a gift, the ability to instantly deduce the exact cure needed to treat the sick.

But all gifts come with a price. Hazel can see when Death has claimed a patient--when all hope is gone--and is tasked to end their suffering, permanently. Haunted by the ghosts of those she's killed, Hazel longs to run. But destiny brings her to the royal court, where she meets Leo, a rakish prince with a disdain for everything and everyone. And it's where Hazel faces her biggest dilemma yet--to save the life of a king marked to die. Hazel knows what she is meant to do and knows what her heart is urging her toward, but what will happen if she goes against the will of Death?

From the astonishing mind of Erin A. Craig comes the breathtaking fairy tale retelling readers have been waiting for-- what does a life well-lived mean, and how do we justify the impossible choices we make for the ones we love? The Thirteenth Child is a must-read for fans of dark fairy tales, romantasy, and epic fantasy alike.

Review Quotes

Praise for The Thirteenth Child

"A haunting, deeply romantic tale of life and death, and one girl who walks the fragile cord between them. Steeped in folklore and rich in atmosphere, I was enchanted from the very first page."--Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning

"Sumptuous, gothic, ornate--yet bracingly fresh and alive. Erin Craig writes fairy tales that feel both magical and real, marrying epic arcs with intimate, human stories, each making the other more potent and thrilling."--Melissa Albert, NYT bestselling author of The Hazel Wood

"Craig delivers yet another enrapturing masterpiece. I loved every minute of it!"--Lauren Blackwood, NYT bestselling author of Within These Wicked Walls

"Utterly enchanting. There are few greater pleasures than setting off with Craig's clever heroines through glittering Gothic realms."--Kirsten Miller, author of The Change, a Good Morning America Book Club pick

"At once a deliciously dark fairy tale full of complicated families, dysfunctional deities, and impossible bargains, and a candle-lit journey of love, sacrifice, and becoming, The Thirteenth Child is a brooding, sensuous delight, told with the brambly magic of a woodland spell and the gilded grace of a royal masquerade."--Kiyash Monsef, New York Times bestselling author of Once There Was

"I think I speak for everyone when I say we want Erin A. Craig to tell us bedtime stories every night. Until that happens, at least we can lose ourselves in the darkly wondrous fairytale romance of Hazel and her deathly godfather."--Kiersten White, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the And I Darken series

"Sinister and beautiful, this dark fairytale swept me away to a decadent world of capricious gods and gold-limned danger."--Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge

"A stellar, eerily enchanting journey that feels like it was written with rosewater on black pages, The Thirteenth Child features dark, adoring gods, hungry spirits, palace intrigue, and much more."--Johnny Compton, author of Spite House

"All hail the queen of gothic fantasy! The Thirteenth Child is Erin Craig at her very best, bestowing readers with a compelling heroine, ruthless gods, and forbidden romance. Beating fiercely within its gilded cage, the dark heart of this brilliant and sinister reimagining will haunt you long after you close its pages."--Mara Rutherford, author of A Multitude of Dreams

"Death and life interweave in this lush, glittering fairytale, showing us that they maybe aren't so opposed. Erin Craig's The Thirteenth Child is a masterful story that suspends time--and makes us think about how valuable it is."--Autumn Krause, author of Before the Devil Knows You're Here

"An intriguingly conceptualized story." --Kirkus Reviews

"A strong choice for fairy tale fans." --Booklist

"A sweeping and atmospheric addition to the slate of YA retellings." --School Library Journal

"Craig is a master at developing her characters, giving them real-world obstacles to work through while adding a hint of magic to keep readers on their toes." --BookPage

About the Author

ERIN A. CRAIG is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows, Small Favors, and House of Roots and Ruin. She has always loved telling stories. After getting her BFA in Theatre Design and Production from the University of Michigan, she stage-managed tragic operas filled with hunchbacks, séances, and murderous clowns, then decided she wanted to write books that were just as spooky. An avid reader, decent quilter, rabid basketball fan, and collector of typewriters, brass figurines, and sparkly shoes, Erin makes her home in West Michigan with her husband and daughter.