Review – The Stone Girl’s Story by Sarah Beth Durst (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 336 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books
Release Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN-13: 978-1328729453
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Gift for Birthday
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Mayka and her stone family were brought to life by the stories etched into their bodies. Now time is eroding these vital marks, and Mayka must find a stonemason to recarve them. But the search is more complex than she had imagined, and Mayka uncovers a scheme endangering all stone creatures. Only someone who casts stories into stone can help—but whom can Mayka trust? Where is the stonemason who will save them?”

I was super excited to read this and it ended up being good but not great. The story was a bit slow and boring for me, but I think younger readers would find it more entertaining and interesting. This book would be great for kids of all ages.

Mayka is a girl carved from stone whose Stonemason died. While Mayka and his creations live on in the mountains, some of the creations are starting to wear out and fade. As a result of this, Mayka decides to begin her long journey down the mountain to find a Stonemason to help save her friends.

This is a unique concept and I loved the idea of stories carved into stone making stone alive and real. Unfortunately, I thought the whole thing was a bit oversimplified and never really engaged with the characters or story. This was a super simple and easy read that left me feeling a bit wanting.

I think younger kids will probably enjoy this story a bit more. It’s a simple story with some interesting concepts and some adventure.

Overall this was a good read but not as wonderful as I had been hoping for. The whole thing felt a bit simple and under-thought to me. I think younger readers will enjoy this more than adults.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Goodreads Reading Challenge
– Mount TBR Reading Challenge