'The Last Fallen Star' Review

[dancingadopteethoughts]

The Last Fallen Star
by Graci Kim
Genre: fantasy, middle grade
Content warnings: death, discrimination (challenged), adoption
Description: "Riley Oh can't wait to see her sister get initiated into the Gom clan, a powerful lineage of Korean healing witches their family has belonged to for generations. Her sister, Hattie, will earn her Gi bracelet and finally be able to cast spells without adult supervision. Although Riley is desperate to follow in her sister's footsteps when she herself turns thirteen, she's a saram--a person without magic. Riley was adopted, and despite having memorized every healing spell she's ever heard, she often feels like the odd one out in her family and the gifted community. Then Hattie gets an idea: what if the two of them could cast a spell that would allow Riley to share Hattie's magic? Their sleuthing reveals a promising incantation in the family's old spell book, and the sisters decide to perform it at Hattie's initiation ceremony. If it works, no one will ever treat Riley as an outsider again. It's a perfect plan! Until it isn't. When the sisters attempt to violate the laws of the Godrealm, Hattie's life ends up hanging in the balance, and to save her Riley has to fulfill an impossible task: find the last fallen star. But what even is the star, and how can she find it? As Riley embarks on her search, she finds herself meeting fantastic creatures and collaborating with her worst enemies. And when she uncovers secrets that challenge everything she has been taught to believe, Riley must decide what it means to be a witch, what it means to be family, and what it really means to belong.​"

From the moment I learned an adoptee starred as the main character, I was hyped to read this book. Fortunately, Graci Kim's middle grade novel The Last Fallen Star exceeded my expectations. This story enraptured me in its warmth and ferocity. The ingenuity of the fantasy world Kim has created is astounding and it's hard to finish the last page of this book without feeling empowered and seen.

What I enjoyed:
-The way this book handles the bond between sisters is incredible. Right away, I was moved by the love between Riley and her adoptive sister Hattie. I am a huge fan of stories about family, particularly sibling relationships, and this book gives a fascinating look at how far two sisters may go for one another. Even when the sisters are separated, you can still feel their bond.
-The message this book emphasizes about belonging is one that any person who has ever felt left out can relate to and particularly rings strong for me as an adoptee. I love how Kim acknowledges that ache to belong within Riley, but also makes Riley more complicated than that struggle. Adoption is a messy, complex thing and I appreciate how Riley's character exemplifies that. 
-The plot itself is also enjoyable. I loved how I was always on my toes wondering what new twist would happen in the story. Some twists were more predictable than others, but even then, things rarely went exactly how I thought they would go and the characters really breathed life into the story.

What I thought could be better:
-Nothing major. I wish we were able to get to know Riley's parents more as that would make Riley's family feel even more well-rounded. While Riley's mother is given some characterization, her parents seem pretty generic. Of course, the story is much more about Riley and Hattie than about their relationship with their parents, so it's not a huge loss.

The Last Fallen Star was a pleasure to read with its strong themes about belonging and sisterhood and its exhilarating plot. I recommend the novel to anyone searching for a feel-good fantasy story about identity, friendship, and family.