Decent, if not top, marks for a budding hero’s relaunch.
As the only girl in training to be a page, Keladry of Mindelan has a rough year in this graphic adaptation of Pierce’s 1999 novel.
Readers who haven’t experienced Tortall in the original print version may find this sketchy, all-dialogue adaptation hard to follow, but Grayson does proper fan service—even to the point of retaining the crossover cameos from Daine and Numair, mages from The Immortals series. The original’s main strands and themes remain intact as well. The work quickly retraces Kel’s arduous training, her war against school bullies Joren and Zahir, her battles with deadly spidren, and her long struggle to prove to hard-nosed, skeptical schoolmaster Lord Wyldon that girls have what it takes to be knights. Also, in contrast to most women warriors in graphic fantasies, she really does look sturdy enough in Farrow’s clean, solidly modeled panels to compete with taller and heavier male schoolmates. An opening scene and the comprehensive cast list and glossary at the end will help bring readers unfamiliar with this world up to speed. Kel is light-skinned; the rest of the cast, as in the print versions, is racially diverse.
Decent, if not top, marks for a budding hero’s relaunch. (Graphic fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: July 2, 2024
ISBN: 9780307931566
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
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 lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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