A beautifully illustrated reimagining of the Brontë sisters’ lives.
Sisterly bonds are eternal.
This black-and-white graphic novel opens at a point when the Brontë family is in desperate financial need. Their father is getting sicker each day while their heartbroken brother, Branwell, is ruining himself with opium and alcohol. Charlotte and Anne want to publish their writings to help bring in some income, but Emily refuses to join them, as she says that she writes only for herself. To relieve some of Emily’s concerns, her sisters suggest publishing under male pseudonyms, and the Bell brothers, Currer, Acton, and Ellis, are born. Despite some initial rejection and mixed reviews, praise and admiration grow for their published works. Recognizing the need to share who they truly are, the sisters reveal themselves to their father, brother, publisher, and, finally, the world. Soon after, tragedy strikes the family with the untimely deaths of Branwell, rapidly followed by Emily and Anne. In this account of the Brontë family translated from Italian, Santoni’s simple, energetic illustration style works well to convey the story’s tone. Every bold, sweeping line expresses the family’s dire situation and the Haworth parsonage. Each character is portrayed clearly and distinctly, giving sharp clarity to their individual feelings and desires despite the relatively sparse text.
A beautifully illustrated reimagining of the Brontë sisters’ lives. (character designs, timeline) (Graphic historical fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-72841-290-0
Page Count: 184
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told.
The 17-year-old son of a troubled rock star is determined to find his own way in life and love.
On the verge of adulthood, Blade Morrison wants to leave his father’s bad-boy reputation for drug-and-alcohol–induced antics and his sister’s edgy lifestyle behind. The death of his mother 10 years ago left them all without an anchor. Named for the black superhero, Blade shares his family’s connection to music but resents the paparazzi that prevent him from having an open relationship with the girl that he loves. However, there is one secret even Blade is unaware of, and when his sister reveals the truth of his heritage during a bitter fight, Blade is stunned. When he finally gains some measure of equilibrium, he decides to investigate, embarking on a search that will lead him to a small, remote village in Ghana. Along the way, he meets people with a sense of purpose, especially Joy, a young Ghanaian who helps him despite her suspicions of Americans. This rich novel in verse is full of the music that forms its core. In addition to Alexander and co-author Hess’ skilled use of language, references to classic rock songs abound. Secondary characters add texture to the story: does his girlfriend have real feelings for Blade? Is there more to his father than his inability to stay clean and sober? At the center is Blade, fully realized and achingly real in his pain and confusion.
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told. (Verse fiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-310-76183-9
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Blink
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
PERSPECTIVES
Hinds adds another magnificent adaptation to his oeuvre (King Lear, 2009, etc.) with this stunning graphic retelling of Homer’s epic. Following Odysseus’s journey to return home to his beloved wife, Penelope, readers are transported into a world that easily combines the realistic and the fantastic. Gods mingle with the mortals, and not heeding their warnings could lead to quick danger; being mere men, Odysseus and his crew often make hasty errors in judgment and must face challenging consequences. Lush watercolors move with fluid lines throughout this reimagining. The artist’s use of color is especially striking: His battle scenes are ample, bloodily scarlet affairs, and Polyphemus’s cave is a stifling orange; he depicts the underworld as a colorless, mirthless void, domestic spaces in warm tans, the all-encircling sea in a light Mediterranean blue and some of the far-away islands in almost tangibly growing greens. Don’t confuse this hefty, respectful adaptation with some of the other recent ones; this one holds nothing back and is proudly, grittily realistic rather than cheerfully cartoonish. Big, bold, beautiful. (notes) (Graphic classic. YA)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4266-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2010
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