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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
So much better than Where the Crawdad Sings! Compared to Where the Crawdad Sings the prose about nature is not heavy handed where the reader gets bashed over the head with scenery details. Readers don’t need to be consistently slapped in the face with point blank details which can subdue their own imagination and thinking. Both books are set in North Carolina but Church’s novel feels more authentic and better researched compared to Owens’.
My only complaint for Church is that the climax and the ending felt rushed.
My only complaint for Church is that the climax and the ending felt rushed.
3 stars for all the emotional turmoil. My god this book was BLEAK! The themes are haunting, the history is compelling, but it is so sad. I cried through the first 9 chapters, survived the next 9, and battled through the rest in hopes this young girl got to hold her sweet cat again in peace.
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Last Carolina Girl follows Leah, a wild spirit in the 1930s that dreams of owning her own house on the beach some day. She lives with her father in a small cabin that resides on his boss’s property and spends her time running through the trees and looking at the stars. Her wildness separates her from the other children in her small coastal town and she never quite fits in. When tragedy strikes and her father dies, she is sent away to an unknown family to be their “helpmate.” The lady of the household, Mrs. Griffin, treats Leah with disdain and trepidation. There is a sinister feeling to the narrative and while Leah fruitlessly tries to be the best helpmate, there is always trouble afoot. The oscillating tug and pull between Mrs. Griffin and Leah culminates in an unspeakable trauma and leaves the reader gut wrenched. The enormity of the novel sinks in when the author's note reveals that this historical fiction is based off the true story of her great aunt. After this revelation, the full magnitude of the story sinks in. The Last Carolina girl is a deeply heartbreaking novel, one that explores the troubling history of this country and leaves little room for joy. However, the strength of Leah and the solace she finds in the end, makes the journey worthwhile.
dark
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
