I adore the artistic style of Raina Telgemeier. It’s simple yet distinct and absolutely fitting of her middle grade graphic novels. Ghosts is no exception. This book was her first venture into fantasy and her illustrations adapted well to convey the eerie atmosphere of the fictional rainy coastal town, Bahía de la Luna.
BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR by Julie Maroh
Right from the first beginning we’re told that the main character, Clementine is dead. We relive her life through her diary entries. It was evident right from the start that Blue is the Warmest Color is a sad book but it wasn’t cheapened by shocking anyone with Clementine’s death. No, this graphic novel focused on the journey. In doing so, it shed light on her hopes and dreams, and struggles and despair.
FRIENDS WITH BOYS by Faith Erin Hicks
For the most part, I enjoyed Friends with Boys but… there are two buts. Firstly, the title is infinitely deceiving. Boys shouldn’t be plural. The boys in her life were her brothers. The boy who was a friend wasn’t the focus either. I’d say a more appropriate title would’ve been this: Finally Friends with a Girl. Secondly, were did the ending go to? Quite literally, I thought my copy was missing pages.
DRAMA by Raina Telgemeier
Some of you might recall that I blogged about Drama being under review at my local library. It was in their online catalogue but listed as “under review” for over half a year. I had placed a reservation for it and trouped down to the library to collect it after I received an allocation notification. The librarian told me that there was a system error. She couldn’t tell me either when this title would be available again. When I could get my hands on Drama at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October, I pounced on it. It’s only natural to want what you otherwise can’t have, aye?
SECONDS by Bryan Lee O’Malley
Life choices, second chances and changing the past are major themes in Seconds. That’s why I think it’s a graphic novel that appeals to a wide audience, even if the medium isn’t something one usually reads. It’s natural to wish things had gone differently, lamenting that everything could’ve turned out better, dwelling on the perpetual if only…
