Entertaining in style and humor but ultimately disappointing for its elevation of a lovelorn male protagonist at the expense...
A furry, bestselling Brazilian comic-strip star makes his U.S. debut.
Vincent, an anthropomorphized dog, is unlucky in love. The socially awkward high schooler (who lives in a world of anthropomorphic animals) falls hard for Lady, a cat he spots during his bus ride. Despite his extreme attempts to woo Lady, she overlooks him in favor of her ex-boyfriend. Vincent bounces back by falling for someone new on his bus route, a panda named Princess. What follows is the dream of every nerdy boy who feels entitled to female attention—Lady and Princess both (somewhat inexplicably) become infatuated with Vincent and he is left happily juggling their affections. Those who can swallow the cringeworthy depiction of cardboard-cutout female characters will have the chance to be charmed by the graphic novel’s accessible full-color art and sarcastic humor. The omniscient narrator’s snarky tone lets readers in on the joke that is Vincent’s life, while the pup’s advice-dispensing female monkey best friend offers a levelheaded and relatable perspective. The text-heavy panels are full of punchlines, evidence of the book’s beginnings as a syndicated comic.
Entertaining in style and humor but ultimately disappointing for its elevation of a lovelorn male protagonist at the expense of his female love interests. (Graphic fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: March 19, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5458-0534-3
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Super Genius
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2018
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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