Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

10 reviews

dolores_madil's review

emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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? No

4.75

I love this book for the main message but also the under messages I was able to pick up as an adult. I also loved as a writer the message of storytelling and how it is apart of who we are. I defiantly think this is a upper middle grade though I also don't read many middle but it tackles some thought concepts. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Medical content

Moderate: Slavery, Genocide, and Racism

kalehouse's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? No

4.0

(audio book) 
i really enjoyed! definitely middle grade but still very entertaining. sci-fi/dystopian future with child(ren) as protags. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Grief, Death of parent, and Confinement

Moderate: Chronic illness and Medical content

gabydoesgrowth's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

This was my first middle-grade story as an adult and at first I felt a little silly reading it, but I really enjoyed it. The cover drew me in and I had to get it. It’s short and moves pretty fast so it kept me interested. 

Some of the sci-fi aspects are familiar, but it still felt fresh and original.

The writing was really well done and I loved learning about Petra and her family and how her heritage was such a central part of herself. 

I wish the story continued after its end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Murder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Child abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Ableism, Classism, and Colonisation

claudiamacpherson's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Death, Murder, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, Genocide, Death of parent, War, Confinement, and Colonisation

msgarber's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent, Medical content, and Grief

betweentheshelves's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? No

4.5

This book is such an interesting blend of science fiction and story-telling, which actually isn't what I would really guess from the cover. I love it when authors go across different genres, and this is a great example of that. I think it definitely trends a little older middle grade, and the writing is beautiful throughout. The writing itself is emotionally powerful and really focuses on the power of stories. Having also just read [book:Fahrenheit 451|13079982], that was an interesting juxtaposition.

Generally, while this is categorized as middle grade, I think the writing, the story, and the characters trend a little older to me. At least, that's how they felt reading through it. There are some gorgeous lines throughout this book, and Petra's emotions come through so well on the page. And in the audiobook. Because of the storytelling aspect of the story, I actually highly recommend the audiobook!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Confinement, and Grief

Moderate: Medical content, Death, and Ableism

Minor: Alcohol and Violence

sapphic_in_the_stacks's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

When a solar flare sets Halley's comet on a collision course to Earth, Petra and her family are among a handful of scientists, world leaders, and influential figures chosen for an interstellar voyage. She will be among those asleep for hundreds of years while the Monitors watch over her for generations. However, when she wakes up she finds that The Collective, a radical faction that formed in the last days of Earth and sought to eliminate war and suffering by creating uniformity among humanity, has taken over the ship. All memories of Earth have been lost, except for those inside Petra. Petra now has to find a way to escape the ship, and keep the memories of Earth alive by telling her cuentos. 

This book was incredibly well written, with a combination of flashbacks to Petra's life on Earth and chapters occurring on the ship. Petra is a kind and brave main character, trying to find her way in a confusing world that is completely unfamiliar to her. She must hide the fact that she isn't a programmed part of The Collective, and try to find a way to escape onto the planet, while also grappling with her grief for her family, and maintaining her own identity. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Murder, and Child death

internationalreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Confinement, Grief, Medical content, and Murder

breadwitchery's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Moderate: Ableism, Medical content, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcohol

joceraptor's review

medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Death of parent, Medical content, Grief, and Violence