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2.5 stars! Spoiler free review.
I know you see 2.5 and may think I hated it, but I didn't. It's just "okay," you know, in the middle of 5. So I didn't hate it. But it wasn't a great read. A 2.5 rating from me isn't horrible.
Mini explanation of how I rate these books:
Riordan Presents books are very formulaic as are most of Riordan’s books himself. And there are certain qualities about these books that I look for when I’m reading: how badass is the MC, do I love the side characters, was the mythology component engrossing, was the plot complicated enough even though I ultimately know how it’s supposed to end, and did the stakes feel high/really pull at my heartstrings? Those are the main ones I can think of right now, and I must say I’m usually hitting 4+stars if those standards are met.
My thoughts on The Last Fallen Star:
This one fell short on nearly all of those components I mentioned above.
Riley and her side characters were rather weak as witches themselves, naïve even for children’s standards, and rather boring to boot. Even in her time of need, Riley cries in the middle, and then when she dusts off her shoulders to try again, it’s still anticlimactic. Then her second time to shine rolls around in the very end, and it’s all more talk rather than show.
I didn’t feel like I learned much of anything about Korean mythology. Maybe it’s because this is meant to be a series? But even so, this book can standalone, and I didn’t feel like I wasn't immersed enough in the Korean mythos.
The incorporation of this magic system within modern day was done well. Though that might also be because it was a very simplistic magic system. That, or I still don’t fully understand how it all works. I'll admit that.
The stakes felt real towards the end. Riley was forced to contend with a lot and forced to lose a lot. In the end, she didn’t get to check all her boxes and tie everything into a perfect bow, but she realized a lot about herself. She had some growth. And she endured some losses. I can appreciate that. Which is why it was a 2.5 and not a 1 star.
Altogether, it was just okay. Me not caring about any of the characters really puts a damper on my overall enjoyment of the story, so unfortunately I didn’t love it. There’s nothing I explicitly hate. Plus I am always glad to see more rep in children’s books. Hopefully another person will enjoy this for what it is, but that person wasn’t me.