A brooding, dark thrill ride that interrogates machismo.
Kriss is not like the other men in his remote medieval village.
With a sickly gray pallor, a lithe, decidedly nonmuscled physique, and long, lank hair falling over black-ringed eyes, orphaned Kriss was left to live in a Game of Thrones–inspired village with an uncaring farmer and his wife. Kriss’ solace is best friend Anja, who is beautiful, blonde, and unwaveringly loyal to him. After a viciously victorious fight with an enchanted wildcat, he is offered the gift of wrath, which manifests as a sinister internal voice. Kriss tries to carve a place for himself in the village, finding a knack for blacksmithing in Anja’s father’s smithy. However, when Anja’s machismo-drenched, square-jawed brother attempts to murder him in a fit of jealousy, Kriss is the one who finds himself ostracized when he defends himself. Alone again, Kriss ventures out to uncover his shadowy past and learn where he fits in to his world. Naifeh’s (Night's Dominion Vol. 2, 2018, etc.) graphic novel is an utterly enjoyable first volume with accessible worldbuilding and an eye-catching goth-tinged aesthetic. While the cast is abundantly white, Kriss thoughtfully explores male gender constructs and toxic masculinity. Most of the men Kriss encounters have some air of entitlement that he squashes with force, however he must confront his own violent impulses and bring his own accountability to the forefront.
A brooding, dark thrill ride that interrogates machismo. (Graphic fantasy. 13-adult)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-62010-661-7
Page Count: 120
Publisher: Oni Press
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
Flipping awesome.
After a wish goes wrong, a girl and her crush must figure out how to break a body-switching curse.
Chi-Chi Ekeh feels invisible. Like her previous crushes, hot varsity swimmer Flip Henderson—yet another rich white boy at her Texas boarding school—seems unaware of her existence. With only weeks until graduation, Nigerian American Chi-Chi’s friends Esther and Yesenia dare her to ask Flip to Senior Festival. But Flip accidentally shows her promposal video to the whole class—and immediately turns her down. Embarrassed, Chi-Chi flees, but her innocent remark—“I just wish Flip Henderson liked me”—has unexpected consequences. After falling and hitting her head, Chi-Chi wakes up in Flip’s body, and he in hers. Freaked out beyond belief and regularly switching bodies, Chi-Chi and Flip work with Esther and Yesenia to break the curse. Meanwhile, forced to see herself through someone else’s eyes, Chi-Chi must confront uncomfortable feelings. There’s much to love about this book. The fully realized and sympathetic characters, sincere and humorous development of friendships, and protagonist’s relatable and bittersweet emotional journey will keep readers engaged, eager to reach the resolution. Ukazu carefully balances tough topics like self-hatred, depression, and suicidal ideation with funny feel-good moments, deftly rendered in her characteristically expressive style. The dynamic and engaging illustrations bring to life a heartwarming story of self-love, acceptance, and true connection.
Flipping awesome. (author’s note) (Graphic fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9781250179517
Page Count: 320
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
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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