Vividly rendered.
A fictionalized graphic biography of Siddhartha, from sheltered prince to founder of Buddhism.
Readers meet young Siddhartha as a boy shielded from the outside world by his father, a king who fears the negative influences of the world and seeks to protect his son from pain. Siddhartha’s compassion for an injured swan sets the tone for a life of kindness and determination. Though living within the protected walls of a palace, young Siddhartha remains curious about the world. Unsatisfied by the imposed separation from the people he will one day serve as king, he disguises himself and sneaks into the city. There, he witnesses harsh realities that change his perspective, fueling his quest for understanding. Even meeting Yashodara, the princess he later marries, doesn’t quell his concerns about the world, suffering, and impermanence. Siddhartha leaves the safety of home to join a teacher, following a spiritual path of meditation and restraint. After six years, he realizes neither indulgence nor denial provide clarity. Once he grasps the relationship between desire and suffering, Siddhartha’s path to enlightenment unfolds in flowing images of the eightfold path. The Awakened One inspires disciples and returns home, not as king but spiritual leader. The book conveys complex concepts in an accessible way and will appeal to readers who are curious about the origins of Buddhism. Ediriweera’s atmospheric illustrations include monochromatic, soothing blue watercolor-style backgrounds, and single-color accents of brown and orange highlight the crisp linework.
Vividly rendered. (further reading, developmental sketches) (Graphic historical fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781665903110
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
A fast-paced dip into the possibility of a world without human emotions.
A teenage girl refuses a medical procedure to remove her heart and her emotions.
June lives in a future in which a reclusive Scientist has pioneered a procedure to remove hearts, thus eliminating all “sadness, anxiety, and anger.” The downside is that it numbs pleasurable feelings, too. Most people around June have had the procedure done; for young people, in part because doing so helps them become more focused and successful. Before long, June is the only one among her peers who still has her heart. When her parents decide it’s time for her to have the procedure so she can become more focused in school, June hatches a plan to pretend to go through with it. She also investigates a way to restore her beloved sister’s heart, joining forces with Max, a classmate who’s also researching the Scientist because he has started to feel again despite having had his heart removed. The pair’s journey is somewhat rushed and improbable, as is the resolution they achieve. However, the story’s message feels relevant and relatable to teens, and the artwork effectively sets the scene, with bursts of color popping throughout an otherwise black-and-white landscape, reflecting the monochromatic, heartless reality of June’s world. There are no ethnic or cultural markers in the text; June has paper-white skin and dark hair, and Max has dark skin and curly black hair.
A fast-paced dip into the possibility of a world without human emotions. (Graphic speculative fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: June 13, 2023
ISBN: 9780063116214
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
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