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lawbooks600's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Representation: Latino/a, Asian and implied Brown, Black, multiracial and First Australian/Canadian characters
Score: Seven points out of ten.
I wanted to read The Last Cuentista for a while but never got around till now. I saw it a few months back at a library before someone transferred it to another. Months later, I transferred it back for me to read it. The blurb made The Last Cuentista seem intriguing. It appeared that the book was a dystopian targeted at a younger audience. I've read novels like that, with mixed results. Fortunately, this one was enjoyable.
Spoilers ahead. I've warned you.
It starts with the first character I see, Petra Peña, leaving Earth in 2061 before a comet destroyed it and most of humanity. Only a select few get to board spaceships whose destination is Sagan, a new home planet for humanity to restart themselves. The only catch is that during the journey, an organisation formed: The Collective, whose sole mission is to erase all traces of Earth so no one remembers their history when they arrive on the new celestial body, all in the guise of removing all struggles, wars and pain. Only a few pages in, Petra discovers the organisation has purged her parents, much to her dismay, but conveniently, she survives, alongside a handful of other minor characters. The Last Cuentista shines in its intriguing worldbuilding and how realistic the science fiction elements are, like when I saw how humans have built spaceships, but none of them can go faster than the speed of light--they haven't discovered wormholes yet so it takes a while for them to get anywhere. The middle was enjoyable, but the conclusion was less so. All the characters were likable, but I couldn't connect or relate to them. They didn't have much depth beyond their protagonistic nature. At least it was heartwarming as Petra escapes The Collective and hears another community (the first settlers,) but it unsatisfyingly peters out.
Score: Seven points out of ten.
I wanted to read The Last Cuentista for a while but never got around till now. I saw it a few months back at a library before someone transferred it to another. Months later, I transferred it back for me to read it. The blurb made The Last Cuentista seem intriguing. It appeared that the book was a dystopian targeted at a younger audience. I've read novels like that, with mixed results. Fortunately, this one was enjoyable.
Spoilers ahead. I've warned you.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Genocide, and Murder
Full trigger warnings: Implied murder and death of parents in the past and mass death mentioned, near-death experiencenikspandya's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
my favorite part of this book is the theme of time - ancestry, the present, and the unknown - and how higuera weaves her story through both excitement and terror (yes, this book is at times terrifying). Through Petra's eyes, we get to have all the thrill of a high stakes mystery without any of the substantial worry. Her passion for storytelling and folklore is written so beautifully in her perspective, and the way she updates her grandmother's stories to be relevant for the kids on the ship was genius. Liftike, Petra is lowkey a politician and played the game so well, good for her tbh. There are a lot of twist and turns in this story as well, some predictable and some that punch you in the freaking gut. It's deep space sci fi and dystopian, has Latine/Indigenous folklore, brainwashing, a whole ass coup, and tear jerking revelations. I'm not surprised at all that it's an award winner
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Murder
crizzle's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement and Toxic relationship
Minor: Vomit, Drug use, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Genocide
sunday_evening's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Definitely more on the younger side of YA, but I enjoyed it still! Ending is kinda rushed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Murder, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: Drug use and Injury/Injury detail
abrdoodle's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I feel weird about giving this book a rating because I'm not the target audience; I'm in my twenties. I decided to read this book in the first place just because the premise seemed so interesting and, let's be real, the cover is beautiful. I'll give my thoughts anyway, but prospective readers should definitely defer to reviews of middle graders.
What started as a really exciting premise and intriguing first section of the book ended up leading to a plateau that remained relatively consistent until the pop of the conclusion. After waking up, I thought Petra's time aboard the ship was not very interesting, and her plans were not very complex or thrillingly executed. I just think there was a lot more room for Higuera to raise the stakes and give Petra exciting plot points to cover.
I liked the twist with her family! I also liked how complex of a villain Nyla was. Villains are so much more interesting when you can see their point of view and understand why they want to accomplish a specific goal. I certainly did not agree with her 100%, but I think there's something to be said for the utilitarian idea of maximizing the wellbeing of the greatest number of people. There's some interesting philosophical debate to be had here about utilitarianism vs free will and individuality.
Overall, not a bad book! Petra made for a strong and compassionate main character. I wish there had been more planet exploration, more of a showdown with the Collective, and more action for Petra in general. However, I still think it's a sweet story with nice themes of love, bravery, and preserving and honoring your culture.
What started as a really exciting premise and intriguing first section of the book ended up leading to a plateau that remained relatively consistent until the pop of the conclusion. After waking up, I thought Petra's time aboard the ship was not very interesting, and her plans were not very complex or thrillingly executed. I just think there was a lot more room for Higuera to raise the stakes and give Petra exciting plot points to cover.
I liked the twist with her family! I also liked how complex of a villain Nyla was. Villains are so much more interesting when you can see their point of view and understand why they want to accomplish a specific goal. I certainly did not agree with her 100%, but I think there's something to be said for the utilitarian idea of maximizing the wellbeing of the greatest number of people. There's some interesting philosophical debate to be had here about utilitarianism vs free will and individuality.
Overall, not a bad book! Petra made for a strong and compassionate main character. I wish there had been more planet exploration, more of a showdown with the Collective, and more action for Petra in general. However, I still think it's a sweet story with nice themes of love, bravery, and preserving and honoring your culture.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Confinement
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Death, and Murder
Minor: Body horror
katrinarose's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a fantastic middle grade sci fi/dystopian. I don’t read a lot of middle grade books, but I’d recommend this one. It is very obvious with its themes and societal warnings but it doesn’t shy away from real and heartbreaking consequences. As long as you’re not expecting it to compete with an adult dystopian I think it’s a unique and interesting read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Murder
a_ab's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Maybe even 4.5*s. This is a great book about the ultimate truth that no noble goal can ever be reached through ugly methods.
There were elements I found clunky and too convenient and the writing seemed rough in patches - like awkward translations or rough draft passages that slipped through the editorial reviews.
This book gave me a very nostalgic feeling - it reminded me of the early 20th century literature I read in college - utopian cautionary tales and the stories about the dangers of complacent uniformity.
The saddest part about this book, which is already full of sadness and grief, is that it is as relevant and necessary today as similar stories were nearly 100 years ago.
There were elements I found clunky and too convenient and the writing seemed rough in patches - like awkward translations or rough draft passages that slipped through the editorial reviews.
This book gave me a very nostalgic feeling - it reminded me of the early 20th century literature I read in college - utopian cautionary tales and the stories about the dangers of complacent uniformity.
The saddest part about this book, which is already full of sadness and grief, is that it is as relevant and necessary today as similar stories were nearly 100 years ago.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Confinement, Death of parent, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Genocide and Murder
Minor: Vomit
immovabletype's review
adventurous
dark
tense
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? No
2.5
i really respected what this book was trying to do. it did occasionally come close, but ultimately its reach was beyond its grasp. i think the downfall for me was the tone, which seemed to want to be darker than it was allowed to be. one of the biggest strengths of middle grade is its use of metaphor and sparsity of language to address heavy topics for a young audience. but there wasn't much in the way of metaphor here. it was all clearly laid out for the reader, nothing to really read between the lines — a problem not just because it makes for a less immersive story, but because in this case it tended to create more questions than answers. and yet, so very, very predictable. there were no revelations save one that i didn't see coming. i may have a leg up as a more experienced reader than its intended audience, but i also believe a truly good novel for children can be just as wonderous for grown ups. i found myself wishing it weren't middle grade so the author could delve a little deeper into the effects of its themes on the characters. but that's not really the right wish, because it can still be done. ultimately there was some lovely stuff that hinted at what this book could have been, but the rest wasn't it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Confinement, and Murder
Minor: Ableism
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.
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.
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
lilifane's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? No
4.0
I really liked this, but it was definitely more action packed and heavy than I had expected from a middle grade book.
This is a story about Petra, a 12-year-old girl who has to leave earth with her family when a comet is on the trajectory to hit and destroy the planet. Only a small percentage of earth's population can be rescued on one of the 3 generational ships that will be travelling for over 300 years to their destination, a new livable planet. Petra's parents are scientists that will help build a new home for humanity. Petra's family as well as the other scientists and their families on the ship will spend the voyage in a long sleep and wake up with all the knowledge to rebuild society. But when Petra wakes up, nothing is as it was supposed to be.
I love the fact that there is a sci-fi middle grade story centered around a female Latinx protagonist with a disability. I also like the themes discussed in the book like the strength in diversity, the importance of one's past, of storytelling (be it oral or in books). The difference between equality and sameness. But also topics like grief, finding one's place and value in the world.
I just have to say parts of the plot were quite disturbing, and I don't know how I would have felt reading these scenes as a kid. A lot of death and destruction and life-threatening situations. And it was tense! I was very stressed throughout the whole second half of the book.
This is a story about Petra, a 12-year-old girl who has to leave earth with her family when a comet is on the trajectory to hit and destroy the planet. Only a small percentage of earth's population can be rescued on one of the 3 generational ships that will be travelling for over 300 years to their destination, a new livable planet. Petra's parents are scientists that will help build a new home for humanity. Petra's family as well as the other scientists and their families on the ship will spend the voyage in a long sleep and wake up with all the knowledge to rebuild society. But when Petra wakes up, nothing is as it was supposed to be.
I love the fact that there is a sci-fi middle grade story centered around a female Latinx protagonist with a disability. I also like the themes discussed in the book like the strength in diversity, the importance of one's past, of storytelling (be it oral or in books). The difference between equality and sameness. But also topics like grief, finding one's place and value in the world.
I just have to say parts of the plot were quite disturbing, and I don't know how I would have felt reading these scenes as a kid. A lot of death and destruction and life-threatening situations. And it was tense! I was very stressed throughout the whole second half of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Ableism, Genocide, and Murder