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A review by cassroberts89
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for theme and initial world building
⭐️⭐️ for pretty much everything else
This was not my favorite. I get what the author was trying to do, it just wasn’t done very well. We are asked to swallow some pretty big “truths” in order to make the plot work. I think this whole premise would have worked better as a novel geared toward an older crowd/higher reading level. It needed far more character development (and growth) and setup in order to be believable enough to enjoy. I had to really make myself but so much. A perfect example is the very beginning when Petra just happens to be the only person who doesn’t quite fall asleep all the way. Why? There really isn’t a good explanation. The science behind pretty much everything is also extremely weak, but it is middle grade.
This was a book club pick for the tween book club I run at the public library. We have yet to discuss so I’m curious to see how the target age received it, but it’s not one I’ll be coming back to myself.
⭐️⭐️ for pretty much everything else
This was not my favorite. I get what the author was trying to do, it just wasn’t done very well. We are asked to swallow some pretty big “truths” in order to make the plot work. I think this whole premise would have worked better as a novel geared toward an older crowd/higher reading level. It needed far more character development (and growth) and setup in order to be believable enough to enjoy. I had to really make myself but so much. A perfect example is the very beginning when Petra just happens to be the only person who doesn’t quite fall asleep all the way. Why? There really isn’t a good explanation. The science behind pretty much everything is also extremely weak, but it is middle grade.
This was a book club pick for the tween book club I run at the public library. We have yet to discuss so I’m curious to see how the target age received it, but it’s not one I’ll be coming back to myself.