The Last Girl on Earth by Alexandra Blogier
Actual Rating: 2
*Thanks to NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
The cover for this book is SO BEAUTIFUL, but the blurb for this is a bit misleading. The synopsis for The Last Girl on Earth speaks of an Earth in which all humans have been wiped out. The planet has been taken over by Abdoloreans, beings who have special abilities. The story centers on Li, and shockingly, she is the last girl on earth. She grew up in hiding, blending in with her fellow aliens. But at a point, Li will come of age. And it is time to take the tests that will decide her future. Everything becomes a little more complicated when Li meets Ryn, and for the first time, she has someone to live for.
It’s true that the genre is science fiction, and the author did create a world that was original, but it wasn’t fully explored and the plot focused solely on the romance, making the book seem a little more like one of those teen chick-lit dramas. There was some of the world-building aspect of the book that contributed to Li’s future, and it reminded me a bit of the competition in Nyxia, except I kept waiting for the action-adventure to start, but it never did. Instead, it was brought up near the ending, but I wished it had played a much larger part in the story.
The characters were okay; I felt like the romantic relationship definitely moved super fast, since it was the focus of the book. Personally, I never really felt a deep connection with anyone, and I think Li’s feeling of loneliness of being the only human left in the world could have been further developed, perhaps turning into determination or courage that could be intertwined with a more action-driven adventure. Some of the side characters also made decisions and said things that were simply frustrating to read, and I felt like in this world they could have focused on things that were more important than stereotypical teenage romantic drama.
The writing style was really good though. I actually really enjoyed the writing, especially at the beginning of the book. I do think that simply if the book had been longer and the focus had been more on the “last girl on the earth” part instead of the “falling in love” part, this could have been really great. The book is a little short, and the ending makes me wonder if there is a sequel that can actually explore the world more.
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