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A review by tallangryplanet
True Loaf by Lauren Johnson
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I picked up this audiobook because of how interesting the concept sounded. I know nothing about Balklan folkore except for Propp's studies, which are mentioned in the bonus content, but it was still a very nice read.
The story itself is not inspired by any particular tale, but rather by the common themes and structures of folklore: a girl is sent on a quest, finds she can't complete her task alone, and the rest is history. It is a very short story (just about 15 minutes of audio) that has the simplicity of traditional fairytales, but with all the necessary elements to engage the reader and leave them satisfied in the end, which, even before listening to the explanation in the bonus contents, made me feel like the author really knew what she was doing. I would have liked some more context or less ambiguity in the end, but that didn't hinder my entertainment that much.
As for the audio, I think the narrator was an excellent pick. Her voice is what you'd expect from a lovely grandma telling the kids a story, and she had a great sense of tone and emphasis to maintain the listener's attention.
All in all, I enjoyed this short story. You don't really need to know anything beforehand to read it, and it's short enough to just do it while having a break and a cup of tea.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The story itself is not inspired by any particular tale, but rather by the common themes and structures of folklore: a girl is sent on a quest, finds she can't complete her task alone, and the rest is history. It is a very short story (just about 15 minutes of audio) that has the simplicity of traditional fairytales, but with all the necessary elements to engage the reader and leave them satisfied in the end, which, even before listening to the explanation in the bonus contents, made me feel like the author really knew what she was doing. I would have liked some more context or less ambiguity in the end, but that didn't hinder my entertainment that much.
As for the audio, I think the narrator was an excellent pick. Her voice is what you'd expect from a lovely grandma telling the kids a story, and she had a great sense of tone and emphasis to maintain the listener's attention.
All in all, I enjoyed this short story. You don't really need to know anything beforehand to read it, and it's short enough to just do it while having a break and a cup of tea.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.