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alli_the_bookaholic13's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to Disney Books and Rick Riordan Presents for sending me an ARC via netgalley for an honest review.
4/5 stars
I really enjoyed reading this one! I loved learning about the Hmong culture and folktales, and I thought the author did a wonderful job of bringing the fantastical elements of the story to life.
We follow 11-year-old Pahua whose best friend is a kitten spirit (Miv) and mostly hangs out with her younger brother. Pahua feels likes she’s not good enough, and she also feels like she doesn’t fit in anywhere. She can also see spirits of all kinds. Because of this, she does a lot of pretending, and most of her pretending involves things like being a shaman warrior, or leading troops into battle. I really related to Pahua’s thoughts of not fitting in, and even though it was for different reasons, I think that the emotions are the same. I also think that a lot of younger readers will also connect and relate to Pahua’s pretending and feelings of not fitting in.
The story really kicks off when Pahua meets an angry bridge spirit and accidentally untethers her soul. Later that night Pahua discovers that her brother is sick and she fears that the bridge spirit has stolen his soul. This sets her off on a journey to rescue him. Pahua was motivated by her love for her brother, and her fear of losing him, and I liked that it continued to be the most important thing to her even as she was discovering things about herself.
Pahua’s journey takes her into the Spirit Realm where she meets all kinds of different spirits and runs into all sorts of problems. With the help of her best friend Miv and a shaman-warrior-in-training named Zhong, Pahua has to face her own spirit in order to rescue her brothers.
Pahua was a really amazing character. She was brave, strong, and she looked for alternatives to violence, but she also doubted, and she struggled with believing in herself. This made her feel relatable and realistic. I loved her relationship with Miv, and it had me laughing even in moments where the situation was stressful and tense. Zhong was a good character to balance Pahua, and I loved seeing their friendship develop.
I felt that the pacing was really good. The plot was super interesting, and I was engaged the whole time. It was a bit slow at times, but it didn’t drag on, and I thought there was a good balance between action and excitement and some of the slower but necessary moments.
Overall this was a really fun and exciting read. I loved learning about a new culture and their folktales, and I can’t wait to see what happens to Pahua next!
4/5 stars
I really enjoyed reading this one! I loved learning about the Hmong culture and folktales, and I thought the author did a wonderful job of bringing the fantastical elements of the story to life.
We follow 11-year-old Pahua whose best friend is a kitten spirit (Miv) and mostly hangs out with her younger brother. Pahua feels likes she’s not good enough, and she also feels like she doesn’t fit in anywhere. She can also see spirits of all kinds. Because of this, she does a lot of pretending, and most of her pretending involves things like being a shaman warrior, or leading troops into battle. I really related to Pahua’s thoughts of not fitting in, and even though it was for different reasons, I think that the emotions are the same. I also think that a lot of younger readers will also connect and relate to Pahua’s pretending and feelings of not fitting in.
The story really kicks off when Pahua meets an angry bridge spirit and accidentally untethers her soul. Later that night Pahua discovers that her brother is sick and she fears that the bridge spirit has stolen his soul. This sets her off on a journey to rescue him. Pahua was motivated by her love for her brother, and her fear of losing him, and I liked that it continued to be the most important thing to her even as she was discovering things about herself.
Pahua’s journey takes her into the Spirit Realm where she meets all kinds of different spirits and runs into all sorts of problems. With the help of her best friend Miv and a shaman-warrior-in-training named Zhong, Pahua has to face her own spirit in order to rescue her brothers.
Pahua was a really amazing character. She was brave, strong, and she looked for alternatives to violence, but she also doubted, and she struggled with believing in herself. This made her feel relatable and realistic. I loved her relationship with Miv, and it had me laughing even in moments where the situation was stressful and tense. Zhong was a good character to balance Pahua, and I loved seeing their friendship develop.
I felt that the pacing was really good. The plot was super interesting, and I was engaged the whole time. It was a bit slow at times, but it didn’t drag on, and I thought there was a good balance between action and excitement and some of the slower but necessary moments.
Overall this was a really fun and exciting read. I loved learning about a new culture and their folktales, and I can’t wait to see what happens to Pahua next!
katbotdiaries's review against another edition
4.0
Very enjoyable read! I had never heard of the Hmong culture before and it was a great introduction to read about it in this text. Pahua is a sixth grader struggling with feelings of belonging in her school and accidentally sets off a chain of events that lead to her brother being kidnapped and a long imprisoned god in danger of escaping. There are twists and turns in the story, but the best part for me is that Pahua always finds an unusual way to solve problems and often surprises even herself. She's a very resourceful and insightful protagonist and I enjoyed watching her grow throughout the story.
msmazz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kristine2467's review against another edition
5.0
THEY WERE PELTED WITH KNOWLEDGE! Omg I can’t even. Best line. :-) There were many amusing, whimsical, unique and intense moments that focused on family, belonging, and a sense of self. Strongly recommend for all young readers.
Lori Lee’s family immigrated from Southeast Asia to the US when she was a baby. While I don’t have first hand experience or knowledge of the culture, her story seems to give a realistic, interesting, and overall a fabulous portrayal. Thank you for sharing this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney publishing for the ARC.
Lori Lee’s family immigrated from Southeast Asia to the US when she was a baby. While I don’t have first hand experience or knowledge of the culture, her story seems to give a realistic, interesting, and overall a fabulous portrayal. Thank you for sharing this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney publishing for the ARC.
tader_horkan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jemofabook's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
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? Yes
3.5
Rating: 3.5, Enjoyed It
This book tells the story of Pahua, a young Hmong girl who accidentally unleashes a bridge spirit who then steals the souls of children to the Spirit Realm, causing them to fall into mysterious comas. This would be bad enough, but Pahua's brother is one of the children whose soul is stolen. We follow Pahua as she teams up with a shaman warrior in training to journey to the Spirit Realm and send her brother's soul back. Along the way she comes to terms with her own magic.
This book was a lot of fun. It was a great adventure, and I loved the Hmong mythology that was the backbone of the story. I thought that it was a magical and transportive adventure. I love the Rick Riordan Presents line for introducing so many new cultures to children and also providing heroes and heroines who can present underrepresented groups with a character on the page like them.
I will say that the humor in this fell a little flat for me and it felt a little bit too long/drawn out for the story that was being told. I think it could have definitely been 150 pages shorter. But even then, I think this is an important story and I definitely enjoyed it. I look forward to checking out the author's YA series as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing/Rick Riordan Presents for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book tells the story of Pahua, a young Hmong girl who accidentally unleashes a bridge spirit who then steals the souls of children to the Spirit Realm, causing them to fall into mysterious comas. This would be bad enough, but Pahua's brother is one of the children whose soul is stolen. We follow Pahua as she teams up with a shaman warrior in training to journey to the Spirit Realm and send her brother's soul back. Along the way she comes to terms with her own magic.
This book was a lot of fun. It was a great adventure, and I loved the Hmong mythology that was the backbone of the story. I thought that it was a magical and transportive adventure. I love the Rick Riordan Presents line for introducing so many new cultures to children and also providing heroes and heroines who can present underrepresented groups with a character on the page like them.
I will say that the humor in this fell a little flat for me and it felt a little bit too long/drawn out for the story that was being told. I think it could have definitely been 150 pages shorter. But even then, I think this is an important story and I definitely enjoyed it. I look forward to checking out the author's YA series as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing/Rick Riordan Presents for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
vanislandcircus's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Book Group for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
One of the many reasons I love and highly recommend books under the Rick Riordan Presents Imprint is how amazing and unique each author is. Lori M. Lee is no exception and has woven a fantastical tale of Hmong culture and mythology into Pahua and the Soul Stealer, of which I had known very little of and am now completely enthralled with.
Pahua is an easily relatable character, with a rather unique gift in that not only can she see spirits, she can also talk to them. Each of the characters we meet in the story is well thought out with lovable traits and flaws that we can all relate to. Pahua’s journey of self-discovery and learning to believe in herself will resonate with all those that read this book. While the characters are unique, it must be mentioned that the world-building in this story is sensational and only add to enhance the telling of Hmong mythology and its mythological elements.
Miv (“Cat” in the Hmong language) must be mentioned, I for one, think that if your best friend is going to be that of a talking spirit cat, it should be Miv.
I highly recommend Pahua and the Soul Stealer and cannot wait to see where Pahua’s next adventure takes her.
One of the many reasons I love and highly recommend books under the Rick Riordan Presents Imprint is how amazing and unique each author is. Lori M. Lee is no exception and has woven a fantastical tale of Hmong culture and mythology into Pahua and the Soul Stealer, of which I had known very little of and am now completely enthralled with.
Pahua is an easily relatable character, with a rather unique gift in that not only can she see spirits, she can also talk to them. Each of the characters we meet in the story is well thought out with lovable traits and flaws that we can all relate to. Pahua’s journey of self-discovery and learning to believe in herself will resonate with all those that read this book. While the characters are unique, it must be mentioned that the world-building in this story is sensational and only add to enhance the telling of Hmong mythology and its mythological elements.
Miv (“Cat” in the Hmong language) must be mentioned, I for one, think that if your best friend is going to be that of a talking spirit cat, it should be Miv.
I highly recommend Pahua and the Soul Stealer and cannot wait to see where Pahua’s next adventure takes her.
sundayswithka's review against another edition
2.0
**I was provided an ARC from the publisher in exchange of an honest review**
Pahua isn't like most kids in her town (or most kids for that matter). She's one of the few Hmong people in town and she can see spirits. When a trip to the local haunted bridge goes wrong and her brother is spirited away to the spirit realm, Pahua embarks on a journey with a shaman warrior to get him back.
Pahua is witty, quick on her feet, and we really get to see her grow as the story progress. As a Hmong woman, I am ecstatic (to say the least!) to see a Hmong heroine! I love Pahua's character and complexity; I loved seeing the Hmong culture and language threaded throughout the book. It was so much fun to read about the folklores and Gods I heard about growing up. Thank you, Lori!
Unfortunately, the story did fall flat for me. The world building felt lacking and the plot felt a bit all over the place. While it was easy to follow, there were a lot of things that happened that I wasn't sure we needed, resulting in me losing interest. The story also relied heavily on telling vs showing (Zhong telling/educating Pahua (and the reader) on everything). Even as a Hmong person, I thought there was a lot of info dumping that could get confusing, especially for non-Hmong readers.
That said, I still loved how Lee was able to educate the reader about bits and pieces of the Hmong culture. Although I didn't connect with the story itself, I still really enjoyed reading about Pahua's journey! It was very exciting and refreshing!
Pahua isn't like most kids in her town (or most kids for that matter). She's one of the few Hmong people in town and she can see spirits. When a trip to the local haunted bridge goes wrong and her brother is spirited away to the spirit realm, Pahua embarks on a journey with a shaman warrior to get him back.
Pahua is witty, quick on her feet, and we really get to see her grow as the story progress. As a Hmong woman, I am ecstatic (to say the least!) to see a Hmong heroine! I love Pahua's character and complexity; I loved seeing the Hmong culture and language threaded throughout the book. It was so much fun to read about the folklores and Gods I heard about growing up. Thank you, Lori!
Unfortunately, the story did fall flat for me. The world building felt lacking and the plot felt a bit all over the place. While it was easy to follow, there were a lot of things that happened that I wasn't sure we needed, resulting in me losing interest. The story also relied heavily on telling vs showing (Zhong telling/educating Pahua (and the reader) on everything). Even as a Hmong person, I thought there was a lot of info dumping that could get confusing, especially for non-Hmong readers.
That said, I still loved how Lee was able to educate the reader about bits and pieces of the Hmong culture. Although I didn't connect with the story itself, I still really enjoyed reading about Pahua's journey! It was very exciting and refreshing!
literacyedprof's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
libraryjen's review against another edition
4.0
Pahua Moua is an 11-year-old Hmong girl who doesn't fit in at school, spends all her free time looking after her little brother Matt, and can see spirits. When she accidentally sets a bridge spirit free one afternoon, the bridge spirit steals Matt's soul and hides in the spirit world. Pahua is determined to find Matt's soul and bring it home, but in doing so, she calls a demon and must be rescued by Zhong, a shaman-in-training. Despite their obvious differences and rough start, Pahua and Zhong must learn to work together to save Matt before his soul turns into a demon. The adventures they have together as they travel through the different dimensions is a lot of fun.
I have enjoyed everything I've read from the Rick Riordan Presents Disney imprint, but I was particularly interested in this one because I recently read the book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman. Fadiman tells the true story of Lia Lee, a Hmong child born here in the US who develops epilepsy and the incredible conflict and misunderstanding between US culture and Hmong culture and between modern western medicine and traditional Hmong shaman medicine and spiritual beliefs. There's a fair bit of Hmong history and Hmong mythology in Fadiman's book, too, so I jumped at the chance to read about this mythology by an #OwnVoices author.
Pahua and Zhong are both strong characters in their own right, but they have their weaknesses and worries, just like everybody else. I enjoyed their relationship and how it progressed. I enjoyed the adventure and especially the strength they found to solve their problems. I loved the lessons from the book in being true to ourselves and recognizing our own talents and weaknesses. There is a lot of good stuff to enjoy here!
The Hmong believe in a LOT of different spirits and it was hard for me to keep track of them all. The spelling of the Hmong words is confusing (an nothing is pronounced the way it's written!), but nothing can be done about that so be sure to check the glossary at the back for help. Even with the background I have of recently reading a non-fiction book all about Hmong beliefs and culture, I still had a hard time keeping all the spirits straight so I think the target audience for this book (middle grade) will have a hard time with it, too. Hence, I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because the mythology did get a bit overwhelming to keep track of as the book progressed.
Still, I definitely recommend this book and look forward to the sequel! (Please tell me there will be a sequel!!)
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I have enjoyed everything I've read from the Rick Riordan Presents Disney imprint, but I was particularly interested in this one because I recently read the book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman. Fadiman tells the true story of Lia Lee, a Hmong child born here in the US who develops epilepsy and the incredible conflict and misunderstanding between US culture and Hmong culture and between modern western medicine and traditional Hmong shaman medicine and spiritual beliefs. There's a fair bit of Hmong history and Hmong mythology in Fadiman's book, too, so I jumped at the chance to read about this mythology by an #OwnVoices author.
Pahua and Zhong are both strong characters in their own right, but they have their weaknesses and worries, just like everybody else. I enjoyed their relationship and how it progressed. I enjoyed the adventure and especially the strength they found to solve their problems. I loved the lessons from the book in being true to ourselves and recognizing our own talents and weaknesses. There is a lot of good stuff to enjoy here!
The Hmong believe in a LOT of different spirits and it was hard for me to keep track of them all. The spelling of the Hmong words is confusing (an nothing is pronounced the way it's written!), but nothing can be done about that so be sure to check the glossary at the back for help. Even with the background I have of recently reading a non-fiction book all about Hmong beliefs and culture, I still had a hard time keeping all the spirits straight so I think the target audience for this book (middle grade) will have a hard time with it, too. Hence, I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because the mythology did get a bit overwhelming to keep track of as the book progressed.
Still, I definitely recommend this book and look forward to the sequel! (Please tell me there will be a sequel!!)
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.