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A review by theboundless_bookworm
The Last Stars in the Sky by Kate Hewitt
5.0
When hope is all but gone, how much can one family bear?
Alex and her family had no choice but to settle in her parents' tumbledown cabin in rural Ontario for six weeks. Everything in her life has been thrown into disarray after her husband lost his job, which meant losing their home. Plunged into a sudden downturn - to somehow survive in an old cabin without a Wi-Fi connection, saving on electricity that runs on a generator, and the next neighbor miles away - life couldn't get much bleaker than it is. But just as Alex and her family barely settle into their new routine, they face a new challenge again. This time, the challenge looms larger - one altered by a nation's collapse where chances of survival appear grim.
One thing about survival stories is that the readers know what to expect because they typically follow the same familiar structure. There were instances when I wavered between reading on and pausing to think about how horrible the characters' circumstances would end up. Survival stories like this will always have different versions of grief - one I wanted to avoid but knew I had to absorb because that's what this particular genre hopes to convey.
In terms of writing, the author wrote in such vivid detail that some readers would find it hard to "unsee" the level of authenticity conveyed by the plot. The dual narrative structure also allowed for more emotional connection, and I appreciate how the alternating perspectives also built suspense and tension. Ending each character's perspective with a cliffhanger made this book even more compelling.
While 'The Last Stars in the Sky' might seem like another gripping and poignant tale of survival, I can assure you it's anything but that. Connecting with the characters becomes hard to refuse as they reveal vulnerabilities that reflect our own. My only misgiving is that the narrative could have been more extended. Emotions are abundant from this aching piece of speculative fiction - one that will surely haunt its readers for a very long time and one that may come in handy, too. After all, a dystopian future is no longer a fictional concept - it is a reality that currently exists in nations where oppression and inequality persist.
Thank you #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for the opportunity to read this book in advance in exchange for an unbiased opinion. Although I received this book for review, the opinions shared are purely my own.
Alex and her family had no choice but to settle in her parents' tumbledown cabin in rural Ontario for six weeks. Everything in her life has been thrown into disarray after her husband lost his job, which meant losing their home. Plunged into a sudden downturn - to somehow survive in an old cabin without a Wi-Fi connection, saving on electricity that runs on a generator, and the next neighbor miles away - life couldn't get much bleaker than it is. But just as Alex and her family barely settle into their new routine, they face a new challenge again. This time, the challenge looms larger - one altered by a nation's collapse where chances of survival appear grim.
One thing about survival stories is that the readers know what to expect because they typically follow the same familiar structure. There were instances when I wavered between reading on and pausing to think about how horrible the characters' circumstances would end up. Survival stories like this will always have different versions of grief - one I wanted to avoid but knew I had to absorb because that's what this particular genre hopes to convey.
In terms of writing, the author wrote in such vivid detail that some readers would find it hard to "unsee" the level of authenticity conveyed by the plot. The dual narrative structure also allowed for more emotional connection, and I appreciate how the alternating perspectives also built suspense and tension. Ending each character's perspective with a cliffhanger made this book even more compelling.
While 'The Last Stars in the Sky' might seem like another gripping and poignant tale of survival, I can assure you it's anything but that. Connecting with the characters becomes hard to refuse as they reveal vulnerabilities that reflect our own. My only misgiving is that the narrative could have been more extended. Emotions are abundant from this aching piece of speculative fiction - one that will surely haunt its readers for a very long time and one that may come in handy, too. After all, a dystopian future is no longer a fictional concept - it is a reality that currently exists in nations where oppression and inequality persist.
Thank you #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for the opportunity to read this book in advance in exchange for an unbiased opinion. Although I received this book for review, the opinions shared are purely my own.