Today, I'm diving into a science fiction read. It's the last in a trilogy, and of course, I didn't read the other two books first. While I tend to do this quite often, I'm pretty sure it will cause some stumbles with this series, since it appears to be a very, well woven world with great characters...the reviews on the other two books have been more than amazing, so I'm assuming this. But I'm ready to give it a go, anyway, because I can always go back and visit the other two, right?
Anyway, let's just dive in and see what it holds. Oh, and it hit the shelves last week, so you can snatch up a copy right away if it seems like something for you.
FIRESNAKE
The Last Cuentista, #3
by Donna Barba Higuera
Levine Querido
YA Science Fiction
400 pages
New York Times bestselling author Donna Barba Higuera, Firesnake delivers a triumphant finale to the story that began with the Newbery Medal-winning The Last Cuentista and continued in the Pura Belpré Honor-winning Alebrijes.
Itzel has never known a life on Earth. Growing up on Sagan, the granddaughter of the Cuentista, her years have been spent among the dactyls, griblets, and billow seeds of their new planet. But when a mysterious message arrives from across the cosmos, Itzel realizes that the home they thought destroyed hundreds of years ago has survived...and with it, another community of humans. Will she and the other Saganites brave the journey back to Earth? And what will they find? For they are not the only ones who have received this message...
Master storyteller Donna Barba Higuera brings her beloved Cuentista trilogy to a close in a book full of old friends and new, jaw-dropping twists, and a journey to the stars and back.
Itzel has never known a life on Earth. Growing up on Sagan, the granddaughter of the Cuentista, her years have been spent among the dactyls, griblets, and billow seeds of their new planet. But when a mysterious message arrives from across the cosmos, Itzel realizes that the home they thought destroyed hundreds of years ago has survived...and with it, another community of humans. Will she and the other Saganites brave the journey back to Earth? And what will they find? For they are not the only ones who have received this message...
Master storyteller Donna Barba Higuera brings her beloved Cuentista trilogy to a close in a book full of old friends and new, jaw-dropping twists, and a journey to the stars and back.
MY TIDBITS
Expectations mix with anxiousness, tension, and a pioneering spirit with a character to connect with the entire way through.
First off, I did not read the first two books in the series and went into this aware that I'd be missing a lot. And I wasn't wrong. While the author does an amazing job at letting the world quickly unfold with the richness, and Itzel's character sinks right into the heart with her inspiring personality and naturalness, this is a complex world. We meet Itzel, her grandmother, and the rest as they are going through their daily lives on Sagan. Itzel has her concerns as her school days are numbered since she's at that age, but the big twist hits, when they have reason to believe that some humans have survived on Earth. Now, they're faced with the possibility of returning, which is a danger in and of itself but also holds the uncertainty of what awaits them when they do return. So, the plot comes full-circle to round off the series nicely.
The writing style is grabbing, and it's very easy to sink right into Itzel and her world. There's a lot going on, and it's handled nicely for the most part, keeping the story flowing quickly. There are some moments which speed by a bit quick and loose a little power because of it, and I did stumble on several characters, which are popped in...ones from one of the early books, it appears (my fault, though). But Itzel is a girl to cheer for and hope she makes it through. The world has an unique feel and creates an original atmosphere with familiar science fiction aspects to enjoy. I do recommend this for scifi fans, who enjoy a bit of heart.
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