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A review by maecave15
The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier, Kate Reading
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content warnings for a couple instances of death and gun violence. Moderate scenes of basic sex scenes and runaway slaves.
To preface, I loved the other books by Chevalier that I have read, Girl with the Pearl Earring and Lady and the Unicorn, but this book just did not have the same quality of characters or story.
I was interested enough to finish the book but it wasn't great. The characters were kind of interesting but I didn't have strong emotions about any of them. That being said each character was different enough that you wouldn't confuse them, except maybe Adam and Jack, but there was no depth of character for most of them.
The main character, Honor Bright, I did like enough but that was mainly due to the narrator. She ended up making some choices that I would not have expected of her. My dislikes of the book started with her first poor choice, in husband. Then she made a weird choice at 8 months pregnant that led to an outcome she could have arrived at in a safer manner.
The plot itself was kind of slow to medium paced but relied heavily on Honor, and the inclusion of runaway slaves was really just there as a moral wedge between Honor and her husband's family, it had little bearing on the plot.
I wasn't sure how the book was going to end but what happened was both dramatic and boring at the same time. I half expected Honor to end up with the slave catcher, but his ending was.... unexpected to say the least.
The only reason this book received 3.5 stars instead of 2.5 was the narrator. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narration was on point. If I had been reading a physical copy, then I am not sure I would have finished the book.
3.5/5⭐⭐⭐✨
To preface, I loved the other books by Chevalier that I have read, Girl with the Pearl Earring and Lady and the Unicorn, but this book just did not have the same quality of characters or story.
I was interested enough to finish the book but it wasn't great. The characters were kind of interesting but I didn't have strong emotions about any of them. That being said each character was different enough that you wouldn't confuse them, except maybe Adam and Jack, but there was no depth of character for most of them.
The main character, Honor Bright, I did like enough but that was mainly due to the narrator. She ended up making some choices that I would not have expected of her. My dislikes of the book started with her first poor choice, in husband. Then she made a weird choice at 8 months pregnant that led to an outcome she could have arrived at in a safer manner.
The plot itself was kind of slow to medium paced but relied heavily on Honor, and the inclusion of runaway slaves was really just there as a moral wedge between Honor and her husband's family, it had little bearing on the plot.
I wasn't sure how the book was going to end but what happened was both dramatic and boring at the same time. I half expected Honor to end up with the slave catcher, but his ending was.... unexpected to say the least.
The only reason this book received 3.5 stars instead of 2.5 was the narrator. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narration was on point. If I had been reading a physical copy, then I am not sure I would have finished the book.
3.5/5⭐⭐⭐✨
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Slavery
Minor: Death and Gun violence