This was a really good story with a really good plot. I thought it was really cleverly written and it had great characters. I was really hooked into this book and I struggled to put it down. This was my first book by this author but I’ll definitely be looking out for more

The Last Storyteller was unlike anything else I've ever read. I have been on the lookout for children's sci-fi after discovering a couple of titles I enjoyed, and so when I saw that this was myth and folklore combined with a futuristic space journey I had to read it! I will say that it is darker than I anticipated, and I would probably warn a child/parent of this fact before recommending it, but it's a really good story. The tensions of the present situation Petra wakes up to are beautifully balanced with the past stories she tells herself and others of her family and the tales her abuela would tell her. It is an ode to storytelling and the way it is such a big part of who we are as humans and how is creates society.

Simply breathtaking! The story is so moving that you cannot avoid being swallowed inside it. Think if your planet were to end tomorrow and only a few are allowed to leave. Think about leaving all that you love behind for an uncertain future and then waking up pretending you have no memory of yourself. Your loved ones and your identity. There are no work to describe this kind of future yet the author excels at it!

I found that I only kept reading because I liked the main character but I found the pacing slow and also felt like there was a lot of information rammed in. The ending was disappointing.

I think it’s fairly obvious that I was drawn in by the beauty that is this cover. I was also quite intrigued by the synopsis, so it wasn’t all my shallow tastes that made me request this book. However, it didn’t really live up to the breathtaking vision that is its exterior.

Petra Peña wants to be a storyteller just like her abuelita but the Earth has been destroyed. Only a few scientists and their families have been invited to journey to another planet to continue the human race and Petra is lucky to be onboard the ship with her parents and younger brother. But centuries later, she is the only one that can still remember Earth. A group of people wanting to delete the sins of humanity have either killed everyone on the ship or erased the memories of the survivors. But Petra’s head is still full of stories and this could mean she’s a threat, if she were found out.

The new planet cannot possibly simulate the beauty of Earth and I did enjoy the appreciation that this book showed for our planet. It’s true that no amount of technology could ever simulate the scent of an autumn morning or the feel of fresh snow. It gave me a fresh reminder of why we need to do all that we can to protect it before it is gone forever like Petra’s Earth.

I also really appreciated the love of stories and the depiction of the power they can have. I would have loved this to be the focus of the book, as the title suggests. Although stories are present, I really felt that they were taking a back seat as the book became more about the birth of a new hostile world and fighting against that. As it was, Petra didn’t really tell many stories and while I understand she was trying to hide for most of the book, as an aspiring storyteller, I really thought that she would (at least secretly!).

I’m afraid I lost interest around halfway through the book because it wasn’t the story that I thought it was going to be. I don’t dislike post-apocalyptic books but they’re not generally what I reach for. I also didn’t really connect with any of the characters enough to care about the ending. I’m sure fans of darker stories about new worlds will enjoy this book a lot more but for me, it missed the mark.

This book felt important. It presents big ideas about learning from mistakes and dictatorships, showing Petra fighting against brainwashing and a society that would try and erase all differences and it showed the power of stories, as a powerful force that can fight back against such things. Woven with beautiful south American folklore, it was a beautiful story full of power and difference.

For a story that had so much culture and imagination in it, it actually took place in a small amount of time, in a small space. So much of it happens on the spaceship or on the tiny bit of the planet that they're trying to inhabit, but it really didn't feel like that. It was so bursting with life and stories, that I found it really absorbed me and took me away from reality for a while.

The folklore was fascinating and the Spanish phrases that were a big part of the stories she told were an important part of that. It was wonderful to see her taking her heritage with her so far from Earth. I enjoyed the stories she told and her relationship with them immensely.

Futuristic and thought provoking. Great read exploring ideas about climate change, and progress, with family at its heart.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my review.

This book has both folklore stories and space travel so it was bound to catch my interest!
What a huge thing for a child undertake this journey, I can understand why Petra is scared to go and leave everything she knows behind. But even scarier is the idea of the Earth being destroyed, specially as it sounds so realistic. I loved Petra right from the start, she's so young but in many ways so grown up too, feeling responsible for her little brother and also keeping her grandmother's stories alive. What she goes though on waking is heart-breaking, I don't know how she finds the strength.
The whole idea of The Collective was terrifying but at the same time I can imagine some people believing in it. Considering how robotic the programming made people behave, I was quite surprised that Petra got away with so much. I expected the Chancellor to catch her out at any moment. The end had me in tears, I felt so emotional.

A poetic, brilliant, and well plotted story. A mix of fantasy and sci fi, great characters and storytelling.
The author is a great storyteller and the story of Petra is simply well done.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

We did enjoy this book and loved the main character but the children were not so keen on the ending. It was not obvious if there will be another book in the series of the ending is a bit ambiguous .They thought that the journey was interesting but wanted to know more. An interesting beautiful story with a less than satisfying end (unless there is another book ......)

This is a valuable book and I think for young readers, who are not aware of the literature already available in this genre, it will be a lovely addition. That said - it has been done before.

I loved the Latinx elements, the bilingual elements and the cuentos interspersed in it - but I felt these were not done justice - summarised and rushed through.

I felt so much was made about her visual impairment at the start and then it just kind of magically stopped being a real problem.

This story somehow stays with you like a dream, that crawling feeling under your skin, you can't shake. It's well written and full of twists and turns along the way. The topics have some serious thinking material, because what if? …

To give you an idea of the story, (as the description I got wasn’t much to go on) Most of Earth's population is doomed, due to planets colliding and there is nothing that can be done to save them.

However, it turns out that that in 2061 a few star ships were built and ready to launch. Petra's family, the Peña’s, are one of the lucky few families chosen to board (thanks to mum and dad Peña’s knowledge of certain subjects) make the several-hundred-year journey to a new planet. However as you might see coming.. there is a twist: The star ship is filled with a bunch of nutters called the Collective who believe the comet is an ideal opportunity for humankind to start afresh. The Collective takes over the star ship and tries to erase everyone's memories.

Unfortunately for them, it doesn’t seem to work with everyone during the hundred of years they try to reintegrate the people into their ‘new’ system, so they ‘Purge’ people. It turns out its also not working with Petra Peña and she is now the last person who caries the stories and knowledge of Earth.

Its a science fiction adventure, but also Petra becoming a storyteller, modelled after Mexican folklore. I very much enjoyed reading this book. easy to read and keeps you wanting to know more..

I don't know what I expected when I saw the cover of this book, or read the first chapter but it wasn't what I got, which was something unique. What you get from reading this intriguing book is a soulful, intelligent and engaging science fiction title which reminded me at times of Le Guin or L'Engle. There are many twists and turns in this story, providing many moments of peril and tension although the feel of the whole book is more of a thoughtful, 'quiet', speculative nature. There's a new rich seam of modern, contemporary MG sci fi and this book is one of it's newest shining jewels. I can't wait for fans of Applebaum, Edge, Chisholm, MacDibble and Delahaye get their hands on this brilliant book.

Thank you Bonnier Books U.K., Piccadilly Press and NetGalley for the arc of The Last Storyteller by Donna Barba Higuera in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

What a beautiful book, and yes I am biased. I have loved Mexican stories and fables since I was a teenager first learning Spanish with a wonderful teacher couple, one who taught and nurtured my love for all things Hispanic and another who supported me as I continued that journey through to completing my degree.

Starting Petra’s story with her grandmother Lita telling her the story of Nagual (Haley’s Comet,) Donna Barba Higuera sets the narrative and perspective for Petra’s journey which overflows with the truly vibrant colours and important messages of stories from Petra’s ancestors, passes to Petra by her Grandmother.

On first viewing the combination ancient myths and stories with a futuristic Sci Fi setting may seem like an oxymoron, the pairing delivers a beautifully human, emotional, powerful story that moved me greatly.

The Earth is at imminent risk of destruction from a comet strike, and Petra and her family are selected to board an evacuation ship that will take a multi-century journey to a Goldilocks planet called Sagan. However, during that journey, a rebel group who believe that individuality and uniqueness are key to the damage inflicted on Earth and its subsequent destruction, take control over the ship and all passengers in stasis. When Petra awakes, it is to far more than just a new world.

Petra’s story illustrates with childlike candour, overlaid with the wisdom of stories of the ages just how important lessons from the past are for the future, and the vitality and essence of humanity lies in our uniqueness, and ability to hope and strive to ge better.

Whilst this is a book aimed at middle-grade readers, it has a truly beautiful and vital message for all, and I can’t recommend highly enough picking it up. Stories are as essential as oxygen for our imaginations and our hearts, and this is a truly wondrous story.

I would have loved this when I was younger. As an adult, I found it quite predictable. However there is some interesting world building and I'd be interested in a sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review!
Actual rating: 3.5/5*
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When I saw the cover for The Last Storyteller, I couldn't help but let it take my breath away. It's beautiful, and if that alone won't make you pick it up, I'll be surprised!
The story follows our 13 year old hero, Petra, as she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to escape certain tragedy. However, not everything is as it seems and when she's the only one left, how can she save the people she needs to and escape with her life?

I should start this review by caveating that TLS is middle-grade fiction, so I made some allowances for certain plot areas, such as convenience in storyline and some motivations for characters.
TLS starts as a beautiful story of love, loss and hope, weaving a clever sci-fi theme through a coming of age story. It is captivating and the storytelling from both the author and her characters is engaging and unique.

However, the longer I read, the more I found myself wanting more. Petra's adventures feel a little flat as we progress through her story, with a lot of exploring and not much actual action until the final few chapters of the novel. Equally, everything seems to take place across the space of a week once the story really begins, which feels a little unbelievable in the circumstances Petra finds herself in. There's very much a sense that all the action and adventure is condensed into the last few pages, making it a strange pacing throughout.

Petra herself is an interesting character, although I couldn't help but think she's shockingly competent and well put-together for a 13 year old. I can forgive this based on the target audience and certain plot points, though, and it definitely made her fun to read. She comes across well in the pages and despite some of the pacing issues, I enjoyed reading her interactions with others - she has a lot of heart. Our other characters struggle to make much of a mark, but I feel that towards the end, I was really beginning to like them all too.

My biggest issue with TLS is the ending. Now, no spoilers, but I was just left wanting more. TLS is very much about the journey rather than the destination, meaning that when we reach the end of the book, there's a lot more still to be told, with no indication that we'll get it. It makes the actions of the book feel a little less exciting, because we'll never know if the characters have achieved their aims or not. Sometimes, I love an ambiguous ending, but here? I couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Overall, TLS is a beautiful concept with some clever storytelling, interwoven with beautiful folk and fairytales that mirror the character's situation well. The imagery is stunning and the characters are loveable (or hateable, depending on who you're thinking of!), but the pacing and the conclusion left a little to be desired. I wouldn't always read middle-grade fiction, but this was perfectly readable even by a 27 year old woman - and I can see it making a real mark on younger readers with a thirst for stories.

The Last Storyteller begins with the telling of a story about Haleys comet - a narrative that sets the tone of the story. Woven throughout Petra's story are the vibrant colours and messages of her Grandma's stories.
This is deeply moving and powerful narrative. Set to the backdrop of Sci-fi, it explores the humanity of the future. Petra is told that she and her family are the lucky ones, they've been selected to leave planet Earth before the comet strikes. What follows is Petra's startling realisation that we can only have limited control over ourselves and trying to eradicate the past only serves to remove the very essence of what makes a person an individual. The stark reality of this story is one that I truly believe is never far from becoming a reality. I love how Petra holds on to who she is. She is determined that others should know themselves. I feel that as I have gotten older the more precious family stories are; the more precious are the stories of my heritage and the stories of individuals and events that have shaped how my family came into being. These stories are part of my DNA and I love how this truth is explored through Petra's eyes.
Using the author's own words,  "Even with all our differences in this world, story has a magic power to connect us. Even if the world is sometimes a place of darkness, it is from this place of hope that I believe we will find one another."
We are all story tellers and this is one such magnificent story.
Huge thank you to Piccadilly Press & NetGalley for this early read.