Reviews

Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee

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heyshay07's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

tessaf's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Totally forgot this was out and then saw it on the library shelf. I liked Pahua, Miv and Zhong. They all actually reflect on their mistakes and communicate and honestly despite all the hiding of full truths going on it felt like they were learning. I liked the set up for the world. I think it's nice that this book ended with a set up for more questions and further examples. Fun romp. Great characters. Cool world.

anacereading's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

10year old loved this. Especially Miv the cat.

readuntilthelastpage's review against another edition

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adventurous funny fast-paced

3.0

evamadera1's review against another edition

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4.0

I'm so glad that I read this book as an audiobook so that I knew how to pronounce the Hmong words. I also really enjoyed Pahua as a main character and how Lee started her character development. Pahua stars as an isolated girl who can see spirits in a relatively new town separated from her family and culture. She explores a lot of this in the first book in this series but Lee leaves the door wide open for even more development in the subsequent books in the series.

kapulaga's review against another edition

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4.0

3.5/5

wonderful fantasy books based on folktales of Hmong. the worldbuilding is so good, but I found some things not enjoyable.

aprilyang1's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book holds a special place in my heart because it is the first time I truly felt represented in a book. The Hmong as a community often go unnoticed, unless you're from an area with a prominent Hmong community. Lori M. Lee's work is groundbreaking as one of the first, if not the first, Hmong authors to feature a Hmong character, endorsed by someone as influential as Rick Riordan (author of the Percy Jackson series). It's a feat I never even thought possible. Through Pahua Moua, Lori showcases that we are more than the stereotypes imposed upon us and more than our physical appearance.

Pahua is an exceptional character, embodying strength, confidence, and vulnerability all at the same time. She reminded me of myself so much it’s actually a little crazy. Lori does such a great job building the background to Pahua’s life and personal struggles while also creating this magical world that emulates Hmong culture. I found myself wondering how non-Hmong readers envisioned this world and Pahua’s experiences because it just felt so relatable to what I know and what I’ve experienced. I think everyone should read this book, no matter how old you are, to learn something new about other people and maybe even discover something about themselves.

Also, I want to point out that there have been two distinct moments where I felt truly represented and proud to be Asian: after watching 'Crazy Rich Asians' and reading the first few chapters of this book.

I truly truly hope that this series can become more known and readers can enjoy this series as much as Harry Potter or Percy Jackson 🫶🏻

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