A tremendous finale to a singular trilogy
Claudia Jones’ spell at Blithedale High comes to a close—and, just as abruptly, the otherworldly teen’s purpose is apparent.
But what of the others? Unearthing her confidence as a gay teen, Paula prepares to proclaim her newfound identity publicly. Johanna, meanwhile, is not quite ready for their blossoming relationship to be exposed. Left to address her faults, Emily retreats inward and reflects on her former friendship with Paula. Nigel’s parents now seem happier with each other, and Nigel wonders if it’s all thanks to his mysterious crush, Claudia. After his mother passes away, Brett isolates himself further, struggling to reconnect with his best friend, Johanna, as well as his estranged father. All fired up, Celine decides to confront her rapist the only way she knows how. On the margins, but just as integral in this tale, is Paula’s spurned ex-boyfriend Darren, a survivor (and perpetrator) of abuse whose inner demons may decide the fates of everyone involved. Truthfully, Volume 3 contains an overabundance of momentous moments to untangle, but MariNaomi’s (Gravity’s Pull, 2019, etc.) skills as an artist shine on through humor and sensitivity to the subject matter at hand. Each teen in this diverse cast ends up on the cusp of something greater, somewhere better, even as the specter of U.S. school shootings threatens to overwhelm the overall intent. The series’ eclectic artwork—always evolving, never dull—remains a delightful highlight.
A tremendous finale to a singular trilogy . (Graphic novel. 14-18)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5124-4912-9
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2020
PROFILES
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
A sparse, beautifully drawn story about a teen discovering her heritage.
In this YA graphic novel, an alienated Métis girl learns about her people’s Canadian history.
Métis teenager Echo Desjardins finds herself living in a home away from her mother, attending a new school, and feeling completely lonely as a result. She daydreams in class and wanders the halls listening to a playlist of her mother’s old CDs. At home, she shuts herself up in her room. But when her history teacher begins to lecture about the Pemmican Wars of early 1800s Saskatchewan, Echo finds herself swept back to that time. She sees the Métis people following the bison with their mobile hunting camp, turning the animals’ meat into pemmican, which they sell to the Northwest Company in order to buy supplies for the winter. Echo meets a young girl named Marie, who introduces Echo to the rhythms of Métis life. She finally understands what her Métis heritage actually means. But the joys are short-lived, as conflicts between the Métis and their rivals in the Hudson Bay Company come to a bloody head. The tragic history of her people will help explain the difficulties of the Métis in Echo’s own time, including those of her mother and the teen herself. Accompanied by dazzling art by Henderson (A Blanket of Butterflies, 2017, etc.) and colorist Yaciuk (Fire Starters, 2016, etc.), this tale is a brilliant bit of time travel. Readers are swept back to 19th-century Saskatchewan as fully as Echo herself. Vermette’s (The Break, 2017, etc.) dialogue is sparse, offering a mostly visual, deeply contemplative juxtaposition of the present and the past. Echo’s eventual encounter with her mother (whose fate has been kept from readers up to that point) offers a powerful moment of connection that is both unexpected and affecting. “Are you…proud to be Métis?” Echo asks her, forcing her mother to admit, sheepishly: “I don’t really know much about it.” With this series opener, the author provides a bit more insight into what that means.
A sparse, beautifully drawn story about a teen discovering her heritage.Pub Date: March 15, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-55379-678-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: HighWater Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 28, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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