The Storyteller

3.3

0.0 (0)

522 0

Write Review Add to favorites

Author(s)

Kathryn Williams

Publisher

Harper Teen

Genre(s)

Age Range

13+

Release Date

January 11, 2022

ISBN

978-0063049390

Buy This Book

It’s not every day you discover you might be related to Anastasia…or that the tragic princess actually survived her assassination attempt and has been living as the woman you know as Aunt Anna.

For Jess Morgan, who is growing tired of living her life to please everyone else, discovering her late aunt’s diaries shows her she’s not the only one struggling to hide who she really is. But was her aunt truly a Romanov princess? Or is this some elaborate hoax?

With the help of a supremely dorky but undeniably cute local college student named Evan, Jess digs into the century-old mystery.

But soon Jess realizes there’s another, bigger truth waiting to be revealed: Jess Morgan. Because if she’s learned anything from Aunt Anna, it’s that only you can write your own story.

Editor reviews

2 reviews

The Storyteller is a tale about learning your own story

February 02, 2022

Overall rating

3.3

Plot

N/A

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

What I liked:
Anastasia historical fiction is a special kind of magic all its own, as we have the story of a princess steeped in mystery and tragic loss. Each tale takes the basic idea and puts its twist on it, along with a variety of historical information to support the theory that is being floated in the story, to the point where you think you are reading fact, not fiction. The plethora of historical components excerpts from journals written by Anatasia lends itself well to you believing the story you are reading. Jess grows a lot throughout her dive into her family history, from a girl who tries to mold herself into various people's images into a young lady who takes bold steps to assert who she is and wants to be to her family and friends.
Final Verdict:
Historical fiction at its best, supporting documents, characters that feel real, and an everyday situation that all teens can identify with as they follow the clues that Jess unravels. Jess is a likable character who acts like a natural teen trying to figure out who she is, separate from her parent's and friends' ideas. I like the romance between her and the translator. It was a sweet addition to the story. Williams does an excellent job with her descriptions and expansion of her historical research; you can tell how much research she poured into this story.