Scan barcode
amlibera's review against another edition
4.0
Really 3.5 stars but I'm giving 4 because I genuinely enjoyed the entire series, the willingness to combine complex worlds with humor in a middle school series that was a joy for an adult to read. Overall, the logic of the story and the world didn't quite add up (especially at the end) so if you are looking for that sort of highly detailed, completely satisfying storytelling, it doesn't quite happen here - loose ends are tied up but not necessarily tightly and logically. But that's more of a quibble than anything for me as a reader.
ameserole's review against another edition
4.0
..I feel very confused after that ending.. but it was still a pretty good book.
The Map of Stars is sadly the last book of the York Series. I'm not sure how I feel about this all coming to an end but I guess I will have to adapt to it. Eventually.
This book took me on an unexpected emotional ride. I mean.. I really had no idea what Laura was going to throw at me and boy did she sucker punch me in the face. Repeatedly. In it, you will still be with the gang from the previous two books. It honestly brought me so much happiness because I didn't know I missed them that much. Which then brought to bittersweet moments because I knew it was all coming to an end. Ugh.
Besides being a hot mess, I am still slightly confused on a couple of things.. but maybe it's because so much was going on around me today that I couldn't truly focus. Will definitely have to plan a re-read for this series and maybe things will all start to fall into place for me. Or ya know.. make me even more confused. It's definitely a toss up that I will enjoy.
In the end, I'm sad that it's over and I now need a new series to be obsessed with.
The Map of Stars is sadly the last book of the York Series. I'm not sure how I feel about this all coming to an end but I guess I will have to adapt to it. Eventually.
This book took me on an unexpected emotional ride. I mean.. I really had no idea what Laura was going to throw at me and boy did she sucker punch me in the face. Repeatedly. In it, you will still be with the gang from the previous two books. It honestly brought me so much happiness because I didn't know I missed them that much. Which then brought to bittersweet moments because I knew it was all coming to an end. Ugh.
Besides being a hot mess, I am still slightly confused on a couple of things.. but maybe it's because so much was going on around me today that I couldn't truly focus. Will definitely have to plan a re-read for this series and maybe things will all start to fall into place for me. Or ya know.. make me even more confused. It's definitely a toss up that I will enjoy.
In the end, I'm sad that it's over and I now need a new series to be obsessed with.
cherri04's review against another edition
5.0
I will forever love the York book series. Such plot twists and deep chapters. You had to really think about each things that was happening and it felt like you were solving the Cipher right along with the three main characters. A must read and re-read.
rachelbookdragon's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
Let me just start off by saying that the audiobooks for this series are fantastic. The voice acting is top notch, giving different voices and dynamics to each character and infusing humor and fun into the story. I want to look up this voice actor and listen to more. My favorite voice he uses is for the robot 'Ohno' as he says his iconic lines "oh no" or "land of kings!"
Now, I knew going into this book, based on the ending of the prior book in the series, that there would be time travel or parallel universes coming into play and that was exactly what happened. Time travel always makes things a bit confusing and is difficult to manage, but I think it was done well enough, but the ending did cheapen the saga of this story a bit for me, hence the slightly lowered star rating. What also dragged it down was the villains being so easily defeated or erased at the end. It felt a little cartoon-y with people popping up to say 'I'm the big bad" and then someone else doing it again after them, like a Russian nesting doll of spineless villains.
Apart from the few things that brought down the story for me, it was a great continuation of this trilogy. The cipher continued to be a fun way to navigate the plot, providing interesting obstacles and characters along the way to create the ultimate end to the cipher (though one has to wonder how the Morningstars knew certain people would be in certain places after changing the timeline).
The main trio of characters continued to grow in their maturity and the side characters are some of my favorites in fiction. Aunt Esther with her never-ending work and travel expertise, Cricket for being precocious, Nine for being a mutant cat, etc. So much fun wrapped into the story, along with great Jewish representation.
Though this series is Middle Grade, it makes important assertions about money and power, justice, climate change, invention, sacrifice, love, friendship, and family. There is great commentary on the erasure of history, race and slavery, women's roles in history, etc. For books geared toward a younger audience, I enjoyed them immensely in my mid-20s because they do have so much to say and do the job well. Laura Ruby's prose is top notch and the jumping back and forth in time is well done.
Overall this series is a 5 star series. It ends on a happy note and has important messages and characters to meet along the way. It has inventive world-building with clever machines and technology and great puzzle mechanics. I would recommend the audiobooks to anyone at any age.
Let me just start off by saying that the audiobooks for this series are fantastic. The voice acting is top notch, giving different voices and dynamics to each character and infusing humor and fun into the story. I want to look up this voice actor and listen to more. My favorite voice he uses is for the robot 'Ohno' as he says his iconic lines "oh no" or "land of kings!"
Now, I knew going into this book, based on the ending of the prior book in the series, that there would be time travel or parallel universes coming into play and that was exactly what happened. Time travel always makes things a bit confusing and is difficult to manage, but I think it was done well enough, but the ending did cheapen the saga of this story a bit for me, hence the slightly lowered star rating. What also dragged it down was the villains being so easily defeated or erased at the end. It felt a little cartoon-y with people popping up to say 'I'm the big bad" and then someone else doing it again after them, like a Russian nesting doll of spineless villains.
Apart from the few things that brought down the story for me, it was a great continuation of this trilogy. The cipher continued to be a fun way to navigate the plot, providing interesting obstacles and characters along the way to create the ultimate end to the cipher (though one has to wonder how the Morningstars knew certain people would be in certain places after changing the timeline).
The main trio of characters continued to grow in their maturity and the side characters are some of my favorites in fiction. Aunt Esther with her never-ending work and travel expertise, Cricket for being precocious, Nine for being a mutant cat, etc. So much fun wrapped into the story, along with great Jewish representation.
Though this series is Middle Grade, it makes important assertions about money and power, justice, climate change, invention, sacrifice, love, friendship, and family. There is great commentary on the erasure of history, race and slavery, women's roles in history, etc. For books geared toward a younger audience, I enjoyed them immensely in my mid-20s because they do have so much to say and do the job well. Laura Ruby's prose is top notch and the jumping back and forth in time is well done.
Overall this series is a 5 star series. It ends on a happy note and has important messages and characters to meet along the way. It has inventive world-building with clever machines and technology and great puzzle mechanics. I would recommend the audiobooks to anyone at any age.
emromc's review against another edition
3.0
Well... the second one was so good, and this one just didn't cut it for me. Or at least, the final act didn't. I loved most of it. But the shark monster didn't need to happen. What?? In fact, most of the action there at the end didn't need to happen. The writing just fell flat there. In a series all about mystery and clues, this big battle scene just didn't make sense.
And who the heck is this Hunter Roberts?? Don't make Slant the big bad the whole time only to briefly introduce a random villain in book three to show up in the final scenes to be the REALLY big bad. Nope. Didn't work. I don't know him, didn't care about him, wasn't scared by him, just really confused why I was supposed to be invested in his villainy.
And the whole mirror dimension/time travel needed a lot more clearing up. I sort of got it, but for a series that has had such clear, fun, witty writing the whole time, being confused at the end of this book was disappointing.
Like I said, I loved 3/4 of this. Books one and two were great. But she dropped the ball on the last inning, and I'm disappointed.
I'll go write my own ending. Ha.
And who the heck is this Hunter Roberts?? Don't make Slant the big bad the whole time only to briefly introduce a random villain in book three to show up in the final scenes to be the REALLY big bad. Nope. Didn't work. I don't know him, didn't care about him, wasn't scared by him, just really confused why I was supposed to be invested in his villainy.
And the whole mirror dimension/time travel needed a lot more clearing up. I sort of got it, but for a series that has had such clear, fun, witty writing the whole time, being confused at the end of this book was disappointing.
Like I said, I loved 3/4 of this. Books one and two were great. But she dropped the ball on the last inning, and I'm disappointed.
I'll go write my own ending. Ha.
triznrd's review against another edition
4.0
This series was fantastic. Well written, well paced, good characters, all around great. I really enjoyed reading it. But when I finished this third and final entry of the series, I was disappointed. The ending was somewhat confusing and gave me more questions than answers.
Still, it's a good series, minus the ending. I rate this 4 stars versus the 5 stars I gave to the previous books.
Still, it's a good series, minus the ending. I rate this 4 stars versus the 5 stars I gave to the previous books.
haleybeck's review against another edition
2.0
Well that was disappointing. I actually was going to give this a bit of a better rating but then the ending was totally wacko. It wasn’t satisfying and made absolutely no sense. Final verdict: don’t read. But if you must, listening is better.
esther013's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75