it looks good but what i heard it was terrible.

This book ws terrible. I had to read it for a class assignment. It seemed like a great book from the summary but the plot skips constantly making the storyline confusing. The story is really quite pointless. It is simply a book about Eff's life growing up thinking she was unlucky. Nothing exciting about this book. Ugh. Just terrible. DO NOT READ!!

Great pick for YRCA. Reminds me a bit of "Harry Potter on the Frontier." I am looking forward to reading the sequel!

Eff's growth was very fast, but the action and fun parts of the story were too slow and too short. It annoyed me very much when it suddenly got exciting and then it would suddenly all be over and it would be the next winter or summer already. I know this was supposed to be a record of her life and how she copes with having the burden of the 'curse' of being a thirteenth child, but i wished there was more suspense, she came to with her 'curse' faster, and used her enormous amount of magic already!!!! But i'm definetly reading the next book. Hope there's more action!!

Most of the book was really great, but the end fell kind of flat for me.

i loved it. can't wait for more

I loved this book, with it's over-explanations of pretty much everything, because I like knowing everything going on in the book. Also, the unique plot was amazing. What really made me fall in love with the book, was the point of view. It really shows that the environment a child is in, and how that child is treated, really affects them. Eff was berated by her pompous, arrogant, ignorant old geezer of an uncle, and it made her modest, while Lan became rather big-headed.

Loved the plot. Hated the pacing. Eff's growth is too fast.

Really great book. At times it was a little slow, but only because the author explained everything in detail (or over-explained). I found myself at certain points unable to put it down. I would definitely recommend it. Will most certainly be reading Book 2.

very good book would recomend it