Graphic Novel

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands / Kate Beaton

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Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands
By: Kate Beaton
Genre: Graphic Novels, Memoir
Number of Pages: 430
Published: September 13, 2022
Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly
Dates Read: November 14, 2023 - November 17, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: misogyny, sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape

To help pay off her student loans quicker, Kate Beaton takes advantage of Canada’s oil rush and gets a job in the oil sands. Being one of only a handful of women amongst thousands of men is both a culture shock and a smack of harsh reality; trauma is an everyday occurrence but is never discussed. In this graphic memoir, Kate Beaton describes her experience working the oil sands between 2005 – 2008.

This graphic novel broadened my knowledge on the Canadian oil sands (which, okay, went from 0 to what I was given by Beaton). I never even knew this type of work was in Canada. Having no knowledge of that going into this book, I believe this captured the experience, during that particular time, of one female worker wonderfully.

The subjects aren’t preachy and Beaton doesn’t really input her current thoughts on her experiences until the very end, but you see her experience come out organically and her realization of just how toxic the environment is. That being said, Beaton is also very clear that she had nicer relationships with some men – including ones who would be fatherly towards her.

Overall, I know this book won’t be for everyone, but I do think people should read it. For not only the information on the oil sands of Canada, but also what it’s like for women in a male dominated work environment.

My Brilliant Friend: The Graphic Novel

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My Brilliant Friend: The Graphic Novel
By: Chiara Lagani (Author), Mara Cerri (Illustrator), Ann Goldstein (Translator), Elena Ferrante (Original author)
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 256
Published: October 10, 2023
Publisher: Europa Editions
Dates Read: November 3, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

This graphic novel is a coming-of-age story about two girls, Lila and Lenù and their complex, mostly toxic, friendship.

So, I haven’t read the original book or series, I grabbed this graphic novel to read to hopefully get a faster reading of the story to understand it better for my book groups I help manage. That being said, I felt like this was super condensed and I was missing pieces of the story – or rather, not getting the full intensity of it.

The art of this is intense and beautiful. I really enjoyed how dramatic it was – even if I wasn’t fully understanding what was happening, I could still get the intensity of it all.

Overall, I think this would be a good companion piece to the actual novel itself. Which means I still need to get my hands on that and read it and then possibly come back to this graphic novel.

*Thank you Europa Editions and Edelweiss+ for an advance digital copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

The Out Side: Trans & Nonbinary Comics

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The Out Side: Trans & Nonbinary Comics
By: The Kao (Compiler), David Daneman (Compiler), Min Christensen (Compiler)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Nonfiction
Number of Pages: 176
Published: September 26, 2023
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Dates Read: November 1, 2023 - November 3, 2023
Format: Paperback

The Out Side is filled with comics from 29 trans & nonbinary artists as they share their personal journeys of self-discovery and acceptance. 

This graphic novel doesn’t just focus on coming out, but some talk about the later processes of their life and what it means for them now.

There’s 29 different artists, so there’s 29 different styles of art and stories. Some I liked more than others, but I still enjoyed and loved this as a whole.

Highly recommend, especially for those who are trans and nonbinary as they will most definitely see themselves within these pages.

*Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Guardian of Fukushima / Fabien Grolleau, Ewen Blain (Illustrator)

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Guardian of Fukushima
By: Fabien Grolleau, Ewen Blain (Illustrator)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Nonfiction
Number of Pages: 144
Published: February 23, 2023
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Dates Read: October 28, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook

On March 11, 2011 a massive earthquake triggered a devastating tsunami, which in turn, destroyed the core three reactors of the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Farmer Naoto Matsumura is unwilling to abandon his beloved animals and the animals left behind by those who evacuated. 

I love the weaving of Japanese folklore into this story to not only give you a history of the very tragic event of the 2011 tsunami, but to also give you the history of Japanese culture as well.

I was aware of a farmer staying behind in a village after a nuclear issue, but I wasn’t aware of Naoto Matsumura’s full story and I’m so glad I picked this novel up to read it. 

Stunning and amazing artwork from Ewen Blain. So colorful and captivating, even the not-so-great- photos of the aftermath, it never looked muddy or overloaded.

Lights (Sheets #3) / Brenna Thummler

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Lights (Sheets #3)
By: Brenna Thummler
Genre: Graphic Novel, YA
Number of Pages: 
Published: 368
Publisher: Oni Press
Dates Read: October 15, 2023
Format: Library Book / Paperback

The 3rd book in the Sheets trilogy connects us back to Marjorie, Eliza, and Wendell as they try to uncover the secrets of Wendell’s human life and death. When they hear a rumor about Wendell’s death, they wonder if it might not have been an accident after all. Meanwhile though, Marjorie begins hanging out with the very girls who used to bully Eliza and it begins to put a strain on their friendship. Can they work together to find out the truth?

I was slightly worried about the ending of this series – the other two books were so good that I put a lot of pressure on this one to hopefully wrap the story up beautifully. Well, I worried for nothing, because Brenna Thummler did a wonderful and amazing job at taking the characters we loved throughout this series and giving them a beautiful ending they deserved.

I can’t with Eliza’s dad – he’s just a peach and such a supportive father. When Eliza mentions that Marjorie wants “normal friends” he breaks down what was said, mentions that friendship has to work both ways, and gives an idea of a Duncan family activity to invite her to. And then when Eliza asked for needle and thread in case she has to give her friend stitches, he simply replies with, “You’d be surprised at the medical expertise of the youth today”.

Thummler’s art is stunning as it was before – I can see myself using a few panels as phone backgrounds in the coming months. Her writing has also come a long way from the first novel, and even the second to be honest, I even forgot this was originally aimed at Middle Grade reading and not YA (not that YA readers won’t enjoy this either!)

Overall, a wonderful ending to a trilogy. I’ve been recommending the first novel since it came out for the artwork alone, but now that the series is wrapped up, I’ll be recommending it to all that like the gentle spooky Halloween reads (even though this one goes all the way through Thanksgiving).

Whisper of the Woods / Ennun Ana Iurov

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Whisper of the Woods
By: Ennun Ana Iurov
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror
Number of Pages: 96
Published: October 24, 2023
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Dates Read: October 14, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook

After his friend goes missing in Romania’s most supernatural forest, Adam disregards the local’s warnings about the spirit who prays on the men in the vicinity. There is even a witch who predicts his impending death. But Adam continues the search, even though, with each passing night he’s there, it becomes harder and harder to ignore the calling from the forest.

This was a very quick read and I kind of wish it was longer in a way. The story itself wrapped up well, I wasn’t disappointed in that. I just kind of wish I was able to get a little more in depth about the background of the characters – maybe find out the reason why his friend went there by himself to begin with…

Overall though – it’s a great graphic novel with creepy art.

*Thank you Mad Cave Studios for for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Infinity Particle / Wendy Xu

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The Infinity Particle
By: Wendy Xu
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 272
Published: August 29, 2029
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Dates Read: October 14, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: Emotional abuse

Clementine Change moves from Earth to Mars for a fresh start and to work her dream job with Dr. Marcella Lin, an AI pioneer. On her first day of work, Clementine meets Kye, Mr. Lin’s personal humanoid AI assistant. Clem has built her own robot – a moth-shaped companion named SENA, so she’s no stranger to artificial intelligence, but there’s something human about Kye. When the two begin working together, sparks begin. But Dr. Lin is enraged by Kye’s growing independence and restricts his freedom. Both Clem and SENA can tell there’s something different with Kye, that he’s possibly more than just your standard AI – but what is Dr. Lin trying to hide?

Firstly, this is all just adorable.

Secondly, when do we get to have our own “Build-A-Friend: Kiddie Robotics Kit”? I would also like to have my own SENA as my best friend. Seeing her expressions always got me to giggle at how cute she was.

The artwork in this novel is beautiful and works really well with the complimentary limited pallet. Everything is clearly seen from panel to panel – even in the darker/evening time panels.

Overall – if you read Mooncakes and loved it, you’ll love this one. You’ll also love it if you like the age-old Sci-Fi question of : when is a being truly a conscious living thing? Also, again, cute and adorable companions.

The Faint of Heart / Kerilynn Wilson

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The Faint of Heart
By: Kerilynn Wilson
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 304
Published: June 13, 2023
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Dates Read: October 3, 2023
Format: eBook / Library Book

Not too long ago, the Scientist discovered that if you removed your heart, you no longer had to deal with sadness, anxiety, or anger. That’s all it took for everyone to line up. Everyone except June – but the pressure and loneliness is getting too much for her.

One day though, June finds a heart in a jar abandoned in an alley. The heart intrigues her and gives her an idea; an idea filled with hope. But the heart also brings her to a classmate, Max, who has a secret of his own.

The art of this novel is of muted colors with splashes of bright colors. It really works well to show what those without their heart look like. Some panels can be a bit much, because so much is happening in them, but it wasn’t enough to stop me from continuing to read it.

I think that those who like Coraline would enjoy this novel, as it gives out those vibes a lot. This story could relate to a lot of people – especially those who feel too much. Because as much as you would love not to feel the dark, that means you can’t feel the light either, and this book really shows that.

This is both a simple read and also a complex read. I feel like a lot of different people could enjoy this, again, especially those who are feeling big emotions that they may not want to be feeling. It let’s them feel seen but also gives the cautionary tale of what could happen if you don’t feel those things anymore.

Confetti Realms / Nadia Shammas

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Confetti Realms
By: Nadia Shammas, Karnessa (Artist), Hackto Oshiro (Colorist), Micah Meyers (Letterer)
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 196
Published: October 17, 2023
Publisher: Maverick
Dates Read: October 3, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook

On Halloween night a group of teens are transported from a graveyard into another realm where they must collect molars in order to return home.

I loved the art of this graphic novel – the cover alone is what caught my attention. Throughout the entire novel, the art was clear and smoothed allowing easy reading.

What I felt fell a little short was that they were in this crazy and a bit ridiculous world and we only ever get a glimpse at it. I would get lost within the panels a bit and not pay that much attention to what’s in the speech bubbles because I was more interested in the background. Which is kind of what brings me to the part where I had a hard time understanding the characters – to me, it felt like they weren’t flushed out as much as they could have been. A lot of their bickering was repetitive.

I’m also not entirely sure I know what happened at the end??

I’ll try and reread it one of these days, but right now it just wasn’t for me.

*Thank you Maverick for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Freaking Romance: Volume One / Snailords

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Freaking Romance: Volume One
By: Snailords
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 288
Published: September 26, 2023
Publisher: WEBTOON Unscrolled
Dates Read: September 26, 2023 - September 27, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook

What does one do when the cheapest, most affordable apartment you find also comes with a disclaimer it’s haunted? You move in and face your fears – just as Zylith does. But what happens when it’s “haunted” by a handsome stranger from another dimension who, if you touch him, disappears? Oh – not every relationship can be perfect…

I did think this was going to be more of a manga than a comic when I first picked it up. The drawing style did give that vibe off but with full color – at least on the cover, but then I began to read it and saw the difference (which I absolutely loved). The color palette especially grabbed my attention which is muted pastel. 

This story has such an interesting premise and not something I’ve really seen or read before. As this is only the first volume, we don’t know quite how or why the couple are able to see each other the way that they are.

I will say the last bit of the volume fell a little flat for me, as it was repeating the same bit of story, but with different POV, some of that I wished we may have received quickly after it originally happened so we weren’t jumping back and forth at the end. It didn’t stop me from still reading it though!

Overall, this is a cute romance graphic novel with beautiful artwork throughout. I can see a lot of readers who enjoy those genres devouring this story as well.

*Thank you WEBTOON Unscrolled and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review