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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
I want to start by saying thanks to RB Media and NetGalley for supplying me with an ARC of “The Last Carolina Girl” for an honest review of this novel which is available on shelves everywhere starting Thursday, March 28, 2023.
Now, moving onto the nitty-gritty of the book: It was giving… a lot of things. It was giving… “Where the Crawdads Sing”. It was giving… southern historical fiction. It was giving… the impression that I would be drawn into a story that would make me cry, and fall in love with our character. But despite all it was giving… it wasn’t giving enough for me.
The Plot: I am not going to lie I was really drawn into this novel because of the plot. In the novel: “The Last Carolina Girl” we follow the tragic events of 14-year-old Leah as she is torn from her simple dedicated life in her beloved coastal Carolina bungalow after a tragedy strikes during a storm and kills her father. From there, Leah is kept apart from the only other people she has ever considered family and forced to act as a helpmate for the well-to-do household. As Leah strives to adjust nicely to her new life, accept who she truly is, and find out more about her unknown past we are watching as she slowly comes to age.
What I Loved: The one thing that I felt that this book did AMAZINGLY had to be creating and showing what felt like such a genuine friendship between our main character Leah and her dearest childhood friend: Jesse. I wish that there was more in this story about their relationship to some degree. I would also like to add that as an audio edition, the narrator was delightful and added a truly delightful “southernness” to the story as it was being told.
What I Wish was Different: Honestly, I wish that there were a lot of things that were different about this book. The book was slow to get into, which I can get over, and the middle definitely speeds up but I really expected to connect and care about our devastated Leah but I just never found her interesting enough to deeply feel emotions alongside her as the story progressed. The eugenics subplot was interesting but like the rest of the book, it was once again not enough. It felt like there should have been a deeper commitment to exploiting that devastating part of history. Then, the ending - it wrapped up so fast? I felt like there were just continued missed opportunities around every corner.
Overall, I give it 3 stars for the sheer quality of the writing and the beauty of the narration itself. I would love to read more by this author but this book just seems to have a few too many “misses” in the plot for me to fall truly in love with it.
Now, moving onto the nitty-gritty of the book: It was giving… a lot of things. It was giving… “Where the Crawdads Sing”. It was giving… southern historical fiction. It was giving… the impression that I would be drawn into a story that would make me cry, and fall in love with our character. But despite all it was giving… it wasn’t giving enough for me.
The Plot: I am not going to lie I was really drawn into this novel because of the plot. In the novel: “The Last Carolina Girl” we follow the tragic events of 14-year-old Leah as she is torn from her simple dedicated life in her beloved coastal Carolina bungalow after a tragedy strikes during a storm and kills her father. From there, Leah is kept apart from the only other people she has ever considered family and forced to act as a helpmate for the well-to-do household. As Leah strives to adjust nicely to her new life, accept who she truly is, and find out more about her unknown past we are watching as she slowly comes to age.
What I Loved: The one thing that I felt that this book did AMAZINGLY had to be creating and showing what felt like such a genuine friendship between our main character Leah and her dearest childhood friend: Jesse. I wish that there was more in this story about their relationship to some degree. I would also like to add that as an audio edition, the narrator was delightful and added a truly delightful “southernness” to the story as it was being told.
What I Wish was Different: Honestly, I wish that there were a lot of things that were different about this book. The book was slow to get into, which I can get over, and the middle definitely speeds up but I really expected to connect and care about our devastated Leah but I just never found her interesting enough to deeply feel emotions alongside her as the story progressed. The eugenics subplot was interesting but like the rest of the book, it was once again not enough. It felt like there should have been a deeper commitment to exploiting that devastating part of history. Then, the ending - it wrapped up so fast? I felt like there were just continued missed opportunities around every corner.
Overall, I give it 3 stars for the sheer quality of the writing and the beauty of the narration itself. I would love to read more by this author but this book just seems to have a few too many “misses” in the plot for me to fall truly in love with it.
3.5 stars
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for the complimentary copy.
This was an enjoyable and very quick read, but I was left wanting more. The synopsis describes Leah as a wild Carolina, I didn't see that. Strong, yes... but wild? Not really. Unless a connection to nature counts her as wild?
I expected a lot more of the eugenics side of the story, but that was just a mention here and there in the story, with one real appearance and then it was gone.
I also felt like 80% of the book was just build up, then there was a brief conflict and then the book was over. I needed that part to be much more fleshed out than it was.
Overall, a good book and I would pick up another by this author.
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for the complimentary copy.
This was an enjoyable and very quick read, but I was left wanting more. The synopsis describes Leah as a wild Carolina, I didn't see that. Strong, yes... but wild? Not really. Unless a connection to nature counts her as wild?
I expected a lot more of the eugenics side of the story, but that was just a mention here and there in the story, with one real appearance and then it was gone.
I also felt like 80% of the book was just build up, then there was a brief conflict and then the book was over. I needed that part to be much more fleshed out than it was.
Overall, a good book and I would pick up another by this author.
The Last Carolina Girl is a moving story of a young girl, Leah, living with her beloved father near Holden Beach, NC. They are quite poor and their home is a one-room shack, but they are very happy. Leah has a dream of living in a house right on the water in Holden Beach, which her teacher says is “not realistic.” She also has what she calls “flashes,” which are short periods of time when she freezes almost like a statue before coming back to reality. But she lives a beautiful life with her father and cherished friends. When tragedy suddenly strikes, she finds herself serving a coldhearted family as a “helpmate,” or basically a maid.
This is a well-written novel, which at the core of it exposes the way the poor were exploited and used by the rich back in the early 20th Century. The rich have always had power, but back then they could pretty much do whatever they wanted, body and soul, to a person. As Leah says, “…the ghosts of the real world were scarier than the imagined ones.” Based on a true story from within the author’s own family, this novel will shock, anger, and break the heart. But the beautiful imagery of the North Carolina coast and the love of true family also shines through.
I read both the ebook and audiobook versions. The audiobook is narrated by Susan Bennett, who does a great job. The Southern accents are true to the area and not overdone. The emotion of the book is well conveyed.
I received a free ebook from Sourcebooks and a free audiobook from RB Media. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded to 5 on sites with no half-star option.
The Last Carolina Girl will be released on March 28, 2023.
This is a well-written novel, which at the core of it exposes the way the poor were exploited and used by the rich back in the early 20th Century. The rich have always had power, but back then they could pretty much do whatever they wanted, body and soul, to a person. As Leah says, “…the ghosts of the real world were scarier than the imagined ones.” Based on a true story from within the author’s own family, this novel will shock, anger, and break the heart. But the beautiful imagery of the North Carolina coast and the love of true family also shines through.
I read both the ebook and audiobook versions. The audiobook is narrated by Susan Bennett, who does a great job. The Southern accents are true to the area and not overdone. The emotion of the book is well conveyed.
I received a free ebook from Sourcebooks and a free audiobook from RB Media. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded to 5 on sites with no half-star option.
The Last Carolina Girl will be released on March 28, 2023.
THE LAST CAROLINA GIRL by Meagan Church is set in 1935 in North Carolina, at a time when the state eugenics board was formed. Leah is 14 and newly orphaned, she is yanked from the only home she knows and sent to a foster home where she is not to go to school and instead be a maid for the household. The mistress of the house seems to hate her, and even worse when she discovers Leah's absence seizures. Without spoiling the story, Leah's story is one of profound loss: her parents, her home, her education and her autonomy. Great great story for fans of Southern stories, historical fiction and people that want to learn about medical violence. Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
What an emotional, heart-wrenching novel! Leah's story is one of sorrow, for sure, but also one of determination, love for family, defining what (who) family is, and a reminder of how far things have come. Leah lives a simple life with her father, yet after he tragically passes away, is sent to live with another family and become their helpmate. She is not treated well to say the least, and her story becomes intertwined with our country's history of the eugenics movement. Though the book was a bit slow at times, the writing was wonderful and the characterizations of Leah and the other children were captivating. I would definitely read more by Meagan Church in the future!
Also, I appreciated the author's note which shared about a dear family member's story as the inspiration for the novel. The author also shared about current day connections to eugenics/sterilizations in government and politics... even in my home city of Nashville. Appalling!
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Also, I appreciated the author's note which shared about a dear family member's story as the inspiration for the novel. The author also shared about current day connections to eugenics/sterilizations in government and politics... even in my home city of Nashville. Appalling!
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
What was this? Why? The "twist" makes no sense. And then, the end? Who read this manuscript? Who edited this? Nope.
I am genuinely confused as to why people have enjoyed this book. Did I read a different book? There was little to no character development of anyone but Leah and because of this, their actions lack clear motive. Mr. Griffin is just a ... mindless scarecrow? Mrs. Griffin is salty, but we never learn why? They're just terrible people who exist forever?
I am genuinely confused as to why people have enjoyed this book. Did I read a different book? There was little to no character development of anyone but Leah and because of this, their actions lack clear motive. Mr. Griffin is just a ... mindless scarecrow? Mrs. Griffin is salty, but we never learn why? They're just terrible people who exist forever?
Quick and Dirty
-Southern historical fiction
-slow burn story
-perfect for lovers of Where the Crawdads Sing
-chosen family
Musings
I'm one of the rare folks who didn't love Crawdads. It was fine, but not spectacular in my opinion. So I was on the fence about this book when I read the synopsis and saw it compared to Crawdads. Lucky for me, I found this book much more enjoyable. The main character, Leah, was much more relatable as a character, and her story arc was more believable than Crawdads. The Last Carolina Girl is a heartbreaker of a story, with plenty of pain and grief to soften even the hardest of hearts. The loss this character experiences is palpable; you truly feel her pain throughout the entire story. I was riveted by the dynamics in this book and often found myself feeling strongly about what was happening to Leah at the hands of her foster family. As coming-of-age novels go, there are none better than those that incorporate chosen family. The love that Leah finds in her chosen family put a smile on my face, especially knowing how much she was made to sacrifice at the hands of the monsters in her life. The author's ability to transport the reader to the world of Leah both before and after the loss of her father is remarkable; I was completely sucked into this novel from word go. Overall, I think any lover of Southern fiction, particularly historical fiction, will find this story moving and a worthwhile read.
-Southern historical fiction
-slow burn story
-perfect for lovers of Where the Crawdads Sing
-chosen family
Musings
I'm one of the rare folks who didn't love Crawdads. It was fine, but not spectacular in my opinion. So I was on the fence about this book when I read the synopsis and saw it compared to Crawdads. Lucky for me, I found this book much more enjoyable. The main character, Leah, was much more relatable as a character, and her story arc was more believable than Crawdads. The Last Carolina Girl is a heartbreaker of a story, with plenty of pain and grief to soften even the hardest of hearts. The loss this character experiences is palpable; you truly feel her pain throughout the entire story. I was riveted by the dynamics in this book and often found myself feeling strongly about what was happening to Leah at the hands of her foster family. As coming-of-age novels go, there are none better than those that incorporate chosen family. The love that Leah finds in her chosen family put a smile on my face, especially knowing how much she was made to sacrifice at the hands of the monsters in her life. The author's ability to transport the reader to the world of Leah both before and after the loss of her father is remarkable; I was completely sucked into this novel from word go. Overall, I think any lover of Southern fiction, particularly historical fiction, will find this story moving and a worthwhile read.
This book started with Where the Crawdads Sing vibes but took on a life of it's own. Leah's story is powerful and explores belonging, family, and control over one's body. While I'd heard of eugenics, I'd never thought how it might have played out in history.
It’s giving Where the Crawdads Sing meets Harry Potter living with the Dursleys. I loved this book so much — partly because I’m from NC and partly because I’m horrified and amazed at how far eugenics went in the US, and we don’t ever really talk about it. This story was beautiful. I loved the author’s writing style, and the characters felt so lifelike. That being said, I wish there was MORE. The storyline felt surface level, and there could have been a bigger plot here. I needed more emotion and reckoning from all characters. The ending fell short and seemed rushed. I also would have loved if there was an author’s note at the end to discuss the eugenics movement in the US and how the author came about writing this story. I want more!
Audiobook notes: The narrator has a fantastic southern accent, but she says Appalachia wrong.
Audiobook notes: The narrator has a fantastic southern accent, but she says Appalachia wrong.