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annchmn's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The art was really cool!! It caught my attention with the two toned colour scheme. Though it was a bit chaotic at times (like too much packed into one frame), though it was cool to see all the details.
The premise of the story was interesting, but it could have been developed way more, whether it be the back story of the disaster, or the journey itself. It felt like I jumped straight into the story too fast, yet the plot was quite short (though it’s a series).
I also think the story telling could have been more selective and efficient, as the story felt too linear (don’t know if that’s the right description) and short compared to the book length.
The book was mainly told through dialogue, but I wish it was balanced out by thoughts or something. I also didn’t love the dialogue that much.
One last thing: I didn’t expect that frame of the dead bodies hanging by nooses which was a bit disturbing.
The premise of the story was interesting, but it could have been developed way more, whether it be the back story of the disaster, or the journey itself. It felt like I jumped straight into the story too fast, yet the plot was quite short (though it’s a series).
I also think the story telling could have been more selective and efficient, as the story felt too linear (don’t know if that’s the right description) and short compared to the book length.
The book was mainly told through dialogue, but I wish it was balanced out by thoughts or something. I also didn’t love the dialogue that much.
One last thing: I didn’t expect
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcohol and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cannibalism
bcheds's review
adventurous
dark
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Not bad for a middle-grade graphic novel, but, for some reason, I was expecting something more mature. I don't know why, maybe I was thrown off because it wasn't in the kids section of the bookstore, and instead in a separate graphic novel section right next to the adult fantasy.
It seemed too fast-paced for me, which might be a side-effect of it being a middle-grade book; 10-14 year-olds don't have the best attention span, so it should be fast paced, but as an "adult", I think it got in the way of a good story. There were some moments that should've lasted longer to give them the proper weight, and it was so fast there was no room for foreshadowing. For example, the kids meet Four Dollars, a guy with a boat and criminal ties, on page 145, and get scammed by him twice in the remaining 17 pages of the chapter. That's not too bad, right? Well, they hand Four Dollars a map of where they need to go on page 170, and he realizes he knows who they're looking for. He decides to scam them again by page 173, and the kids begrudgingly agree 2 pages later just in time for Four Dollars to look longingly out the window on page 177 (this is the only foreshadowing for what is revealed later, but this trope is so played out that you probably already know what the twist is). Page 179, Four Dollars leaves to look for the person the kids are paying him to look for, and comes back for the next 3 days (and 3 pages) increasingly drunk. On the 3rd night when he falls unconscious onto the floor, the kids find a note in his pocket that reveals that gasp Four Dollars is the uncle they hired him to look for (page 185)! But they don't discuss this huge revelation much before going to sleep. Uncle Four Dollars wakes up the next day and they all have an argument about stuff, Four Dollars goes out again on page 188, and the kids immediately follow him on 189. The kids get attacked by zombies or something on 192, Four Dollars saves them on the 193, and all is forgiven on 197.
I know it's a bit harsh to criticize it like that, listing the page numbers and all, but I do think it would've been better to have more than just 48 pages to sow distrust in Four Dollars, and only 12 pages to sit in their anger at his lie before it all goes away! And, remember, these are 6-9 panels per page, and 1-2 bubbles per panel, so it takes a lot of pages to get stuff done, but you go through the pages really quick.
Maybe, instead of having TK randomly pick up the kids in the beginning and hand them off to Four Dollars in the middle, it should've been Four Dollars from the start. Maybe he wanted to find and make up with Odessa after he left the Gogu and was too shocked by running into the kids to say anything (or, if TK needs to be there because she's gonna pay off in the sequel, have Four Dollars travelling with her as his guide). That way we have more time to get to know him, properly foreshadow the big mid-book twist that he's their uncle, and make it hit harder when he dies at the end.
With that said, I think I did like this book just enough to keep my eye open for the sequel. It's got some good worldbuilding, an interesting story, and fun, diverse characters to take you through it.
It seemed too fast-paced for me, which might be a side-effect of it being a middle-grade book; 10-14 year-olds don't have the best attention span, so it should be fast paced, but as an "adult", I think it got in the way of a good story. There were some moments that should've lasted longer to give them the proper weight, and it was so fast there was no room for foreshadowing. For example,
I know it's a bit harsh to criticize it like that, listing the page numbers and all, but I do think it would've been better to have more than just 48 pages to sow distrust in Four Dollars, and only 12 pages to sit in their anger at his lie before it all goes away! And, remember, these are 6-9 panels per page, and 1-2 bubbles per panel, so it takes a lot of pages to get stuff done, but you go through the pages really quick.
Maybe, instead of having TK randomly pick up the kids in the beginning and hand them off to Four Dollars in the middle, it should've been Four Dollars from the start. Maybe he wanted to find and make up with Odessa after he left the Gogu and was too shocked by running into the kids to say anything (or, if TK needs to be there because she's gonna pay off in the sequel, have Four Dollars travelling with her as his guide). That way we have more time to get to know him, properly foreshadow the big mid-book twist that he's their uncle, and make it hit harder when he dies at the end.
With that said, I think I did like this book just enough to keep my eye open for the sequel. It's got some good worldbuilding, an interesting story, and fun, diverse characters to take you through it.
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol