The gang tries to solve the mystery of the school's time capsule. This volume also gives us our first look at the outside world and a glimpse at the bThe gang tries to solve the mystery of the school's time capsule. This volume also gives us our first look at the outside world and a glimpse at the bittle-human ecosystem. I'd complained before about how the world didn't seem fleshed out with the only apparent profession being doll-model and we see that that's actually more of a glamour/celebrity profession (the influencer/social media star sort of thing) and bittles that aren't doll-models work jobs such as the ones shown at a textile and accessories manufacturing workshop. This hints at more of a social strata, classism, and possible belief-system of the bittle world, but that aside, the focus quickly becomes the mysterious time capsule that no one knows the location of--cue mystery scavenger hunt....more
This was sort of a meta retelling of the fairy-tale princesses trapped by their story narratives or doll toys attending school together that was trendThis was sort of a meta retelling of the fairy-tale princesses trapped by their story narratives or doll toys attending school together that was trending for a while. In this version, the setting (covered by the exposition) is one in which toys are based off of a real race of tiny fairy creatures that exist and were kept as pets/toys later replaced with less ethically conflicted dolls. After a civil rights agreement forged during the late 50s (the human civil rights movement goes unmentioned) an agreement is made where all toys are based off of a little fairy person (I don't think they're ever given a race name). It's best not to focus on the world building too much and treat it as a children's story dealing with expectations put upon characters by others.
Overall it was cute without the characters feeling entirely one-note and flat that often happens with such tales. I gave it three stars, but it's probably a little bit higher. My complaints were mainly that the world building left me with a lot of unanswered questions as to how livelihoods work for toy-people and if they exist solely as pseudo-celebrity/influencers living only by merchandising, which was more of a "me problem."
Aimless teen normie gets roped into an Addams Family/Nightmare Before Christmas setting babysitting gig. The art's nice enough Not bad, fairly average
Aimless teen normie gets roped into an Addams Family/Nightmare Before Christmas setting babysitting gig. The art's nice enough but there doesn't seem to be much substance. The explanation of bizzaro/reverse tastes (e.g. horrible = nice, stinky = good) felt dumbed down could have been better implied to the reader. Clocking in at less than 50 pages, it's more of a chapter/issue than a volume and it could be too early to judge....more
Pretty decent supernatural horror drama, my main complaint would be that characters act rather abruptly to expedite the pFast paced occult teen horror
Pretty decent supernatural horror drama, my main complaint would be that characters act rather abruptly to expedite the pacing which drained a lot of tension and emotional impact from the story....more
Two fast-friend galentines make psychedelic brownies to stick it to the mean girls with a bored small-town Nancy Drew3.5 depending on story trajectory
Two fast-friend galentines make psychedelic brownies to stick it to the mean girls with a bored small-town Nancy Drew on their heels. A mashup of Mean Girls, Nancy Drew, and a drug crime drama. I'm a sucker for fun stories focused on friendship (toxic or otherwise) but I'm always nervously waiting for that other shoe to drop of either romance or funless drama. Vol 1 introduces the players and the conflict, but I feel liked there's a marked tone shift as rifts start to form setting up for the collision of events presumably in Vol 2....more
This volume definitely feels more like an TTRPG campaign. Lots of lucky encounters despite harsh odds lend a feeling of contrivance, but overall aOkay
This volume definitely feels more like an TTRPG campaign. Lots of lucky encounters despite harsh odds lend a feeling of contrivance, but overall an alright read....more