13 Curses

Gr 5—8—Harrison returns to the world of fairies in this follow-up to 13 Treasures (Little, Brown, 2010). Two separate story lines about Rowan and Tanya, who can see fairies, run parallel and then intersect in the final pages during the search for the 13 charms from the bracelet introduced in the first novel. Unlike that book, this story seems way too long and complex for most kids, and then accelerates to an almost frantic pace when fairies challenge Rowan to find the 13 charms in order to save her brother, who was taken from her by the fairies. Tanya, the protagonist in the first book, becomes her ally. The search, which should have been difficult, seems almost ridiculously easy, and readers are left wondering about what the first three fourths were really all about. It is also never clear what the title means. Although this is an interesting and fresh look at the world of fairies, 13 Curses is too bogged down with depressing detail, giving way to a quick, unsatisfying conclusion.—Kathy Kirchoefer, Prince Georges County Memorial Library System, New Carrollton, MD