If you liked Gene Luen Yang's "American Born Chinese" or "Boxers & Saints" this should appeal to you too.
Valentina Tran used to love Valentine's Day, If you liked Gene Luen Yang's "American Born Chinese" or "Boxers & Saints" this should appeal to you too.
Valentina Tran used to love Valentine's Day, the holiday she was named after until an unfortunate event causes her to question that love.
The book follows her on her journey to find true love or seemingly die alone, all the while facing challenges around fitting in and finding her place in the world.
It's a nice book with some great art by LeUyen Pham, and while the ending doesn't come as surprise it's still a nice journey....more
This is a nice continuation of the first volume, Jin has been kidnapped so his sister Kaya ventures across the land to rescue him. We get some nice baThis is a nice continuation of the first volume, Jin has been kidnapped so his sister Kaya ventures across the land to rescue him. We get some nice backstory on their relationship as well as learning how Kaya got that rad arms of hers.
The story itself continues on in that classic coming of age fantasy way, but it's really the art style that keeps me engaged. ...more
This is a cute middle-aged kids book about a thoughtful, considerate Squire who is constantly overshadowed by his boss Sir Kelton who bumbles headfirsThis is a cute middle-aged kids book about a thoughtful, considerate Squire who is constantly overshadowed by his boss Sir Kelton who bumbles headfirst into every adventure. It's a shtick I've seen many times before in things like Inspector Gadget but the artwork is cute and it has a nice charm to it.
So while it isn't the most unique idea the artwork is appropriately cartoony and the characters are likable enough to keep the reader entertained....more
This is one of the most frustrating comics I've ever read.
Volume five was released two years ago, and each volume is comprised of four issues so it's This is one of the most frustrating comics I've ever read.
Volume five was released two years ago, and each volume is comprised of four issues so it's a very quick read. And it's not like these are self contained stories despite what the blurb on Goodreads says, this volume is a direct continuation of the previous story arc, so if I hadn't re-read volume five relatively recently I would be completely lost.
The story itself was also fairly disappointing. The team are continuing to learn about their opponents while getting little moments of character development in between. There's an annoying large focus on Jesse Coste's cousin for some reason which feels like unnecessary filler at this stage. Normally I wouldn't mind but if we're only getting four issues every two years I'd really like it to count for the main characters.
The most frustrating part is that Nicholas and Seiji get a couple of nice moments, as does Harvard for a change but it all feels so brief and anti-climactic.
See you again in another two years I guess....more
A very French coming of age story about a 13 year old boy on holiday with his family who develops a crush on a 16 year old girl staying with the familA very French coming of age story about a 13 year old boy on holiday with his family who develops a crush on a 16 year old girl staying with the family.
I'm really curious about the reviews for this one because it there are some uncomfortable moments involving sexuality that some readers will want to shy away from, particularly when you take into consideration the age gap between the two characters when it comes to the more adult themes of sex, drinking and drugs.
But again, it's French and they have a very different perspective on coming of age stories. The actions of the characters aren't judged, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's being endorsed.
I really liked the strange artwork, but this also may turn readers off.
It's not for everyone, but I suspect after reading a few reviews you'll get an idea if it sounds like it's for you or not....more
Once again it follows a teenage indigenous Australian boy who is struggling with who he wants to be and who he doesn't, as well as the usual racism, dodgy cops and family dramas.
It's very heartfelt and the characters, particularly Jamie the protagonist feel very real, especially when he does something he knows he shouldn't because he just can't help himself.
As long as Lonesborough continues writing books like these, I'll continue reading them....more
A really beautifully drawn memoir of the formative years of a Deborah, a Korean-American teen. In some ways it's a far more dramatic version of Phil WA really beautifully drawn memoir of the formative years of a Deborah, a Korean-American teen. In some ways it's a far more dramatic version of Phil Wang's memoir "Sidesplitter". Deborah feels out of place among other Americans as well as other Koreans, stuck in between both worlds without ever really fitting in.
A large chunk of the book is dedicated to Deborah's complicated relationship with their mother. It's complicated through Deb's eyes but to me it just seems like verbal and physical abuse. Deb's father sometimes make excuses for his wife but I really don't see how it's not a cut and dry issue.
And that's one of the interesting aspects of the book, my upbringing is completely removed from this kind of situation so I have no idea how I would feel in the same situation. I find it fascinating to see what "normal" looks like to some people. And it never comes across like Deb is anything other than an unfortunate victim, despite how Deb may feel.
The artwork is beautiful, haunting and extremely sad, but definitely worth reading....more
There are some authors who can't quite get a handle on how to write like a teenager. The books are fine but there's just something off about the way tThere are some authors who can't quite get a handle on how to write like a teenager. The books are fine but there's just something off about the way the characters speak, a phrase or a little bit of dialogue that just makes it sound like it's an adult giving it their best guess.
That is not the case with Holden Sheppard, his characters sound exactly like the kids I remember from my own teenage years. The casual swearing, the poor grammar, the attempts at deep emotion without really knowing how to put it all into words.
It was apparent in Sheppard's previous novel Invisible Boys (which I loved), and it's just as apparent here.
The book alternates between three narrators: Leonardo, a wimpy, nerdy outcast who was once friends with popular kid Jared and really wants to get back to that friendship somehow; Mason the jock who is trying to figure out his sexual desires for Jared; and Kaiya who is dealing with being the perfect daughter while her sister recovers from drug addiction, and also not really knowing where she fits as the best friend to Val, the alpha girl and girlfriend of Jared.
So there's a lot of angst and anger and confusion going on as these characters and more all bundle off on a "spring break" style holiday.
All three narrators have different problems but all align on some key factors. None of them are the "cool" kids, Mason and Kaiya are cool-kids-adjacent but not quite part of that clique. All three have to deal with various elements of toxic masculinity, bullying and the pressures of being in that phase of being done with high school but unsure of what's next.
It feels like there are a lot of characters here, but they are all pretty well fleshed out as the story progresses so that even the most dispicable gets his moment of sympathy.
Around the halfway point the story shifts gear and I found that a little sudden, but it does highlight how quickly things can turn to shit at that age (or any other really).
"Invisible Boys" has more of a personal connection to me with the multiple gay narrators, but I love that we get a broader view of the struggles of kids here with a straight male, straight female and gay male narrator.
Definitely looking forward to seeing what's next for Holden Sheppard.
This is such a weird read, which to be fair I had already assumed from the title. But the weirdness is more the tone, as I'm not sure who the intendedThis is such a weird read, which to be fair I had already assumed from the title. But the weirdness is more the tone, as I'm not sure who the intended audience is, and whether this is supposed to be a drama with comedic elements or a comedy with dramatic elements.
The metaphor is pretty on the nose, which makes me assume it's for a younger audience but then there's a small amount of sexualised content that makes me think it's for older teens and adults.
So while it's a weird story I did enjoy it, I like the overall message around accepting and loving yourself, I sympathised with the main character and enjoyed the art....more
Dylan is an eight year old boy who spends his time playing with his grandpa as Red Rocket and Kid Cosmo. When his mother tells him that his grandpa caDylan is an eight year old boy who spends his time playing with his grandpa as Red Rocket and Kid Cosmo. When his mother tells him that his grandpa can't play with him anymore because he's gone to a "better place", Kid Cosmo is off on an adventure to find him.
This is a nice book about emotional growth, family and dealing with grief. Dylan is a likeable, dorky kid protagonist that gives me Calvin and Hobbes vibes with his overactive imagination, turning his little red cart into a spaceship and seeing various adults as allies or enemy aliens.
I like that Duane Murray gives equal focus to Dylan's single mother, who is trying to explain it all to Dylan. She's not doing a great job, but she never comes across as a villain, just someone else struggling with their own grief.
Shawn Daley's art really captures the spirit of the book with a very cute, yet simple take on the story....more
One of my earliest thoughts about "Flamer" is how much it reminded me of Trung Le Nguyen's"The Magic Fish". Both are very personal, coming of age stoOne of my earliest thoughts about "Flamer" is how much it reminded me of Trung Le Nguyen's"The Magic Fish". Both are very personal, coming of age stories about a queer boy finding his place in the world. Both have elements of the author's past incorporated into them, and both are beautifully drawn.
This book hit close to home. I was also a Scout (we don't call them boy scouts in Australia as we allow girls) as a youth and was also figuring out my own sexuality around the age of 14 year old Aiden, the protagonist of this book.
Mike Curato really captures the spirit of the teenage years with that combination of happiness and fear. Aiden is bullied for being effeminate by those outside of his immediate group but has connections with everyone in his patrol. Even the jerkiest member of his group tries to help him in his own way.
There's also a nice moment where Aiden is sulking for legitimate reasons and one of his patrol, David asks him what's going on, and Aiden snaps back. David sarcastically responds along the lines of "Yeah my day sucks too, thanks for asking", just showing how inside his own head Aiden really is. He has friends and people who care about him, he's just scared they might not accept him if they know he's gay.
I adore the art. I've always loved a more cartoony looking comic, and this is deceptively cartoony. It'd be easy to assume it's your standard comic-strip format but there's so much more depth and shadow here. And when Aiden and Elias go on their moonlit canoe ride, it's simply beautiful.
There's one splash page that's just Aiden's face and despite the extremely simple design you know exactly what he's thinking, it's heartbreaking and incredible how much control Curato has over his art.
Definitely worth checking out for anyone interested in seeing the perspective of a confused gay kid growing up in the mid '90s....more
While I await the next volume of the comic "Fence" it's nice to spend some more time with some of the characters in this spin-off novel.
Set as a prestWhile I await the next volume of the comic "Fence" it's nice to spend some more time with some of the characters in this spin-off novel.
Set as a prestigious fancy private boys school the series follows a group on the fencing team with their various plots of romance, intrigue and team building.
Each chapter is narrated by one of the following:
- Harvard - the team's captain who is more concerned with the team's wellbeing than his own. - Aiden - his best friend and room-mate who spends most of his time romancing as many nameless boys as he can. - Nicholas - the poor scholarship kid with a secret past who is desperate to become the rival of: - Seiji - the emotionally distant former partner of Jesse Coste, the number one fencer in the State or area or whatever.
Nicholas is arguably the main character of the comic so it's nice to see a bit more of the inner monologues from the other three characters. That being said, I feel like the Aiden chapters made me dislike the character even more which is probably the opposite of what is intended. I was totally with Nicholas when he said he finds it hard to understand Aiden and just automatically tunes him out.
A bigger issue is that Harvard has a massive blind spot for all the shitty things Aiden does. It's one thing for him to be oblivious to everything else that's going on but for him to explain away Aiden's shitty behaviour to those around him is not an endearing feature for either character.
But it's worth getting through those chapters for the relationship between Nicholas and Seiji, as their frienemy dynamic is my favourite part of the comic and is carried on nicely here. Nicholas' desire to be friends, best friends and eventually rivals is pretty obviously a subconscious cover for his crush on Seiji, but going by how amusingly obtuse he can be, it might be awhile before he figures it out.
Either way Nicholas's devotion to Seiji is cute as hell, and Seiji's protectiveness of Nicholas is equally adorable. But I really dislike Aiden and Harvard's Aiden-sized blindspot is equally irritating.
It all makes me wonder how canonical this is when it comes to the comics. I guess we'll have to wait until volume five.
Edit: having now re-read the first four graphic novels I am more inclined to agree with some of the harsher criticism of this book. All four narrators with the exception of Aiden come across as developmentally challenged, on the spectrum or just plain stupid. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, I think it's good to feature characters from a whole range of backgrounds and attitudes, but it does seem to come out of nowhere when looking back at the original stories.
Aiden is done pretty badly in general. He's portrayed as entirely uncaring and selfish, which is a part of his character in the comics but it's taken to the absolute extreme here where he's entirely unlikable, which is not an impression I got in the comic. I outright hated him most of this book, but in re-reading the comics he's kind of a loveable jerk.
Harvard is a strong, caring leader, and he does have a bit of a blind spot for Aiden in the comics but here he's potrayed as stupid, particularly when it comes to romance and especially when it comes to how badly Aiden treats those around him. Also he and Aiden appear to be in a semi-abusive relationship, so there's that.
Also Nicholas and Seiji do occasionally come across more like ten year olds rather than the fifteen year olds they are, as other reviewers have pointed out. Seiji flat out appears on the spectrum, which as I said is fine but it's definitely not how he's portrayed in the comic. And honestly I had less of a problem with this because they still have a very cute relationship.
Part of the problem seems to be that in the comic the characters aren't given that much time to develop, so while all of the above may be entirely within character, it's all stuff that we haven't experienced up until now....more
How embarrassingly true. The team at King's Row gets invited to a prestigious fencing training camp to "Addictive soap opera." - School Library Journal
How embarrassingly true. The team at King's Row gets invited to a prestigious fencing training camp to see just how much the prodigy Seiji is carrying them. Nicholas sees just how much he has to grow. The other characters... are there too.
I love this book during the couple of hours it takes me to finish it but then I'm disappointed that it's over because I have to wait another year for the next part.
Waiting is fine but each volume moves the characters at such glacial pace, I have an instant "IS THAT IT?!" reaction at the end of each book.
I'd love it if either the characters could evolve a little quicker or the books took less than a year to come out.
Of course C.S. Pascat is a master at revealing just enough to keep me hooked....more
"When I was young, I never saw myself represented on television, in movies, in magazines, or in books. At times that made me feel like I was the only "When I was young, I never saw myself represented on television, in movies, in magazines, or in books. At times that made me feel like I was the only boy in the world who was attracted to other boys, and often it simply made me feel invisible and incredibly lonely. It's why I've made it my mission to write books I desperately needed as a queer kid growing up in the rural South."
- Greg Howard, afterword.
A twelve year old boy dies at an old abandoned plantation under mysterious circumstances, and finds himself in a weird netherworld where he can't leave or remember how he died or even how long he's been there. His only company are a bunch of other lost souls, that is until a group of visitors arrive who may just help him figure out why he's stuck there.
My introduction to Greg Howard was "The Whispers" about another confused boy growing up in the South. It became one of my favourite books of 2019, so I was pretty happy to check out what seemed to be a spirtual successor.
The thing I really appreciate about Howard's books is that they that suit middle grade kids but that are also appealling to readers of all ages. He talks about issues he faced when he was a kid, issues that unfortunately kids today still face and he does it in a very charming way. You can't help but sympathise with his protagonists.
It's pretty clear that Howard had a sad childhood at times, and he discusses issues in this book that perhaps a lot of other books aimed at middle grade kids would avoid. Messed up home lives, abusive parents, bullying, suicide are all very heavy topics but are handled with a gentleness and realism.
I think the only thing I really had to force suspension of disbelief is around the ghost and how they can apparently interact with humans pretty easily, so where the hell is all the proof? But it's fine, it's a book for middle school kids so even if there is an explanation it's really not that important.
Like "The Whispers" I really like the protagonist and it's nice that there are authors out there writing books they wished they had as a kid.
This is written from the perspective of a mother Tomoko, who (as the title suggests) suspects her teenage son Hiroki might be gay. The son in questionThis is written from the perspective of a mother Tomoko, who (as the title suggests) suspects her teenage son Hiroki might be gay. The son in question will often talk about getting a "boyfriend" which he quickly corrects to "girlfriend", talks about a male friend at school quite a lot and does a few other things that raises her interest.
It's pretty cute, particularly because the kid is blindingly gay, but his mother is still humouring his pretense. I really love that part of the story, that she figures he's a flaming homosexual but doesn't want to force him out of the closet... she just provides a loving envioronment for him, so he can come out in his own time.
I like the inclusion of the father Akiyoshi who is often away on business, he on the other hand has no idea and often makes those casually homophobic remarks we've all heard that keep kids hidden in the closet. He laments that his sons don't confide in him and feels disconnected. Tomoko doesn't tell him her suspicions because she doesn't think he'll take it that well, so it's an interesting dynamic.
The final member of the family is Yuri, the youngest son, who is often hilariously drawn with an indifferent look on his face while his mother and brother overact all over the place. I like the wise-old-man-trapped-in-a-kid's-body shtick.
I will say that if it turns out this is all a fakeout and Hiroki turns out to be a heterosexual who really does just misspeak, I'm done with this series... assuming that's not the case I look forward to the next book. It almost feels like it's designed for parents who are trying to figure out how to best approach their possibly-not-quite-straight kids....more
If you like: - Nerdy high school protagonist. - concerns over physical appearance, in this case being a weedy little short kid. - Two reliable best frienIf you like: - Nerdy high school protagonist. - concerns over physical appearance, in this case being a weedy little short kid. - Two reliable best friends. - School bully, well popular kid who gets jealous of anyone else getting popular. - Vapid love interest. - incredibly low stakes (must be popular!) that seem life or death-like to a high school kid. - An analogy for going through puberty. - A "just be yourself" message.
Then you'll love this book! It has everything a YA book needs and more!
Okay, it's not really fair for me to go out of my way to read a YA graphic novel and complain about its YA-ness. I think my issue is that it feels a little too pedestrian, I know it's YA but it doesn't mean it needs to fall into all of the usual tropes.
Besides, if you don't mind the YA tropes and just want a nice read, this is worth checking out.
Kami Garcia writes Gar as a mostly likable protagonist but he also comes across as a bit of a feckless idiot at times, so quite accurate as far as teenagers go. I guess my biggest issue is that he makes a lot of rash decisions and only ever really kind-of faces the consequences for them once.
Gabriel Picolo's artwork is perfect for this kind of story. It's not as flashy or over-the-top as a lot of modern superhero comics tend to be, it feels a lot more grounded and I really look forward to seeing more of his work.
I didn't realise this was part of a series, so I'll need to go and check out the earlier "Raven" book....more
A cute, well drawn family friendly adventure featuring two thirteen year olds. Iris, who can't wait to get out of this small, inconsequnetial town andA cute, well drawn family friendly adventure featuring two thirteen year olds. Iris, who can't wait to get out of this small, inconsequnetial town and Sam, her buddy who just wants to enjoy life right here and now. They stumble upon a hidden city beneath the recently dried up old lake. Iris wants to go adventuring but Sam isn't as sure. It's a nice exploration of friendship and second chances.
The artwork is cute, very cartoony and kind of reminds me of the picture books I used to read as a kid. Just really nice and wholesome.
It's refreshing to go back to this book and see how concise it all is. In the middle of the Great Depression, a mobster's hitman is betrayed and goes It's refreshing to go back to this book and see how concise it all is. In the middle of the Great Depression, a mobster's hitman is betrayed and goes on the road with his son on a quest for revenge. That's the story Max Allen Collins wanted to tell, so that's what we got. No fifty book epic, just a single straight forward story told well.
I remember when the movie adaptation came out and I learned it was based on a comic, it really opened my eyes to what comics were. Up until that point I thought they were all just Batman and Spider-Man, I had no idea there were whole genres of serious storytelling.
Richard Piers Rayner's artwork is quite unlike any I've seen before. It has a definite old timey feel, where it might as well be from a Dick Tracy comic, but then goes hyper-realistic at other times. It all works really well for the story. He has a fantastic use of lines in his art, particularly in the more grounded scenes where there's little action happening.
A really nice, self contained crime thriller, I think it'd be a nice introduction for anyone curious about reading a comic that doesn't feature a superhero....more
Jackson is a seventeen year old Aboriginal boy living with his mother and brother on the Mish, a small tourist town in New South Wales. He spends his Jackson is a seventeen year old Aboriginal boy living with his mother and brother on the Mish, a small tourist town in New South Wales. He spends his days hanging out with his friends, trying to avoid getting into fights with racists and more or less staying out of trouble with the police.
His Aunt and his cousins come to visit one Christmas, in tow is a boy named Tomas who is being fostered by his Aunt. Tomas is a quiet, mysterious bad boy with a troubled past and an artistic temperament. While Jackson initially resents having to look after Tomas, their relationship slowly begins to evolve and despite Jackson's repeated declarations to himself that "I'm straight!", he finds himself more and more attracted to Tomas and unsure what to do with those feelings.
It's always hard coming to terms with being different, whether it's part of your sexual identity, or your race, and in Jackson's case he absolutely doesn't want to be "the gay one" to everyone in town. He just wants to fit in with everyone else. And he feels that added pressure that not knowing any other gay Aboriginals, he assumes that he'll become an outcast among his own people.
Look, I have a weakness for these gay coming of age books, partly because I didn't have anything like this when I was growing up to help sort shit out in my brain, but also partly because it's just a really sweet genre. So it's always interesting to read them from a perspective I'm not that familiar with. And I do say that with some amount of embarrassment as an Australian. While I've learned about the various cultures of Indigenous Australians, there's always more to learn and I have no excuse for not doing so.
This is a really sweet book, I found both Jackson and Tomas very likeable in their own ways, and empathised with their frustrations and fears. It's written in a very visual way too, I couldn't help but think of being out in the bush as they hiked up a mountain or sitting on the beach as they splashed about in the water.
It's genuine and heart felt and for anyone who enjoys this sub-genre, I highly recommend it. I'm always on the look out for lgbt themed novels written by First Nations people, so I'm glad I've found such a great one in "The Boy From the Mish"....more
"I don't want it to be a part of me! I want to be normal!"
Wynd is a fifteen year old boy living in a city where having any kind of magic in your blood"I don't want it to be a part of me! I want to be normal!"
Wynd is a fifteen year old boy living in a city where having any kind of magic in your blood is enough for you to be put to death, so he must hide his pointy ears at all costs from everyone but his closest friend Oakley and her mother.
He knows that there's a chance as he grows older the magic is going to become even more obvious and reveal itself in some sinister way. He regularly dreams of turning into a giant bird monster that is beaten to death by Oakley because she doesn't recognise him.
So he's scared and lonely, his only respite from it all is going up on the roof and spying on the pretty gardener's son Thorn during his lunch break.
When it seems he's about to be outed he needs to scramble to quickly leave town and everything he ever knew behind.
Michael Dialynas has a colourful, cartoony style of drawing which is occasionally punctuated by scenes of violence and death. But mostly it's colourful and cartoony.
I have always admired the way James Tynion casually includes gay characters as his protagonist, and he does it here once again with Wynd. Although the parallels between Wynd coming to terms with his magical heritage and an LGBT kid coming to terms with their sexuality is pretty blatant.
I sometimes get frustrated when a story does an allegory for LGBT characters without actually including them. Star Trek was guilty of this for a long time with the stories that are about how it's okay to be different (wink gay) without ever including a gay character (until recently). That kind of thing feels like they're throwing LGBT people a bone while also being able to court the homophobes.
So, I like the allegory while also featuring an LGBT protagonist. It's a nice one-two punch from Tynion.
It's a cute little story that feels aimed at a younger demographic but it's still one that can be appreciated by those who enjoy a classic hero's journey. ...more
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