Le, Vanessa. Last Bloodcarver, The. Roaring Brook, 03/2024. 384pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-2508-8152-6. Paper $12.99. 978-1-2503-6269-8. GRADES 8–12. LOW ADDITIONAL.
Nhika lives on society’s margins, isolated by prejudice and personal loss. Captured and sold to a wealthy family, she finds herself at the center of a murderous conspiracy. There is much to admire in the author’s imaginative Vietnamese fantasy world and Nhika’s character, while evincing some tired tropes, crackles with intensity. But the overwritten prose bogs down the plot. Virtually every action is explained, giving readers no opportunity for inference or deduction. Words are frequently misused, for example, “vehemency” (a noun) in place of “vehemence” (an adjective). A morally bankrupt plan meant to achieve justice goes tragically wrong, setting up the duology for a dark and dramatic ending. Characters read as varied Asian ethnicities with a range of skin colors.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired