Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake

How I Heard About It:
*A reviewer I follow on GoodReads and InstaGram wrote a stellar review of this young adult novel.  I was in the market for a new YA book so I ordered it and began reading.  I would read a little, put it down, read something else, and come back to it.  I finished over my Thanksgiving break.  

What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
1. *Violet Larkin can't seem to get away from making mistakes that not only affect her, but her family as well. 

2.  *Violet's brother Sam, doesn't make as many mistakes, but can't seem to find the happiness he is looking for.  


3.  *After a horrible incident involving Sam, Violet is sent to Lyric; a town where her family has a lot of history, including a ship wreck.  

4.  *While spending time in Lyric, Violet decides to "look into" her family's history and see if she can locate the remains of the ship wreck that involved a family member many many years earlier.  

5.  *Violet tries to escape her past, make amends with both her parents and brother, while navigating new territory with a local girl in Lyric.  


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1.  *While reading I enjoyed the story of Violet, Sam, and Liv.  However, I wasn't drawn back to the story while not reading.  

2.  *There were some sections of the novel that I was completely absorbed in; while others seemed to drag a bit for my taste.  

3.  *I was fascinated by Violet's past, the choices she made, and the relationship she had with her brother Sam.  

4.  *As a reader, I always appreciate when a character gets a chance to start over and make their life better.  That is what Violet wanted while spending time in Lyric.  

5.  *The cast of characters she encouraged while spending time in the town with a "past", were strong, unique, and added greatly to the overall story.  


Who Should Read It:
*This is definitely a story for the young adult reader.  I could also see adult readers enjoying the Larkin family tale.  The plot can be a bit slow at times, so the reader that picks up this story will need to have some patience at times.  Happy Reading!  


Rating:   3 STARS out of 5 Stars

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