An intriguing premise hampered by underwhelming execution.
Courtly love is queered in this Arthurian graphic novel.
All is not well in Camelot. Merlin is missing, and people suspect foul play; and the fae have begun attacking Camelot, despite Uther long since banishing them. At a loss, King Arthur and Queen Guinevere summon Morgan, Arthur’s half sister. They persuade Morgan, a traveling mage who studied under Merlin, to embark on a rescue mission accompanied by young knights Lancelot and Tristan. They make a reluctant trio, but cheerful, generous Lancelot is determined to get to know brusque, impatient Morgan and taciturn Tristan, whom he’s long had a crush on. As the three outsiders reckon with their origins, burdensome pasts, and possible futures, they become a team; Morgan finds friendship with the knights, who begin to fall for each other in a well-crafted budding romance. The book equally centers Morgan’s journey toward self-acceptance and community. Some of the revisions to Arthuriana work well: Guinevere has a place at the Round Table, and Lancelot’s and Tristan’s platonic relationships with their traditional lady loves are thoughtfully portrayed. Other elements, such as the portrayals of Queen Mab and primary antagonist Nimue (clad in a notably anachronistic outfit), are clunky. Queen Mab’s brief arc as a power-hungry, vengeful villain leads to a heavy-handed, underdeveloped message about human greed and environmental destruction that feels forced. The art sometimes feels flat, with a visual narrative style that’s akin to superhero comics. The main cast present white.
An intriguing premise hampered by underwhelming execution. (Graphic fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 4, 2024
ISBN: 9780358541240
Page Count: 336
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2024
An action-packed tale for those thirsty for more superhero stories.
Grammy Award–winning artist Keys co-authors a YA superhero graphic novel bearing the title of her hit song.
Smart, quiet 14-year-old Loretta “Lolo” Wright struggles to stand up for herself until, on what should be a routine trip to a convenience store, her 16-year-old brother, James, is mistakenly accused of stealing by the police. When the officer slams her brother to the ground, Lolo’s powers manifest for the first time. Meanwhile, Michael Warner, who lives in the same Brooklyn housing projects as the Wrights, is rejected from the football team for being too small. He develops exceptional fighting abilities and shortly afterward gets involved in working for a drug dealer named Skin. When Skin sees a video of Lolo levitating the cop who assaulted James, he wants to recruit her as well, and he tries to extort protection money from Lolo’s dad, who owns a moving business. Lolo must convince Michael to choose a different path; it’s only by working together that they can defeat Skin. Featuring dizzying shifts among multiple perspectives, this full-color graphic novel presents vibrant, expressive characters set against mostly simple, bright backgrounds, with extreme violence depicted in gory detail. The narrative briefly explores class issues and racial stereotypes, but while the setup is intriguing, the momentum fizzles and the pieces never quite come together. Most main characters are Black; Skin reads as White, and secondary characters appear racially diverse.
An action-packed tale for those thirsty for more superhero stories. (Graphic fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-302956-9
Page Count: 256
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Atmospheric and compelling.
In the early 20th century, a young woman yearns for greater mysteries and adventures than she can find aboard ship, but when a new owner takes over, there may be more of both than she’s ready for.
Neeta Pandey, who’s of Indian descent, grew up on the Lark as the ward of the British captain and in the company of his son, her best friend Emery Botwright. Neeta’s late mother was Emery’s ayah, so Capt. Botwright favored her, paying her school tuition and offering her a room on the ship during holidays; her brother, Aamir, meanwhile, works in the galley. Tired of the crossing between Liverpool and New York, she dreams of going on a grand tour of Europe after she graduates. But Emery is ready to follow in his father’s footsteps—and he wants Neeta with him. When Mr. Honeycutt, the crass, sexist new owner from America, arrives, the friends are driven further apart. The wealthy first-class passengers seem unaffected, but Neeta can see that the staff and crew are suffering under Honeycutt’s harsh ways. Neeta turns to mysterious passenger Warwick Farley, who shares her concerns, and together they try to figure out the terrible things happening aboard the Lark. This satisfying graphic novel, which is lightly infused with horror elements, has dynamic illustrations that feature an effective use of color to evoke mood. The themes of class and power imbalances are masterfully handled and timely. Most characters present white.
Atmospheric and compelling. (playlists) (Graphic supernatural. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2025
ISBN: 9781454950240
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
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