This got really dark and went in some unexpected directions, but I didn’t love it. It was okay, and I’m moderately curious about where subsequent volumes will go with this story.

not my thing

A graphic novel with a fun post-apocalyptic/western vibe. Hill's art creates a mood and a lot of emotion, even in this three-color format. The story... worked less well for me. There's some confusing worldbuilding -- contradictory dates and so forth. A lot of the dialogue is just bickering, which somewhat tracks, as three of the main characters are siblings, but it's not a dynamic I enjoy over a long period. The biggest frustration for me, however, was that the whole purpose behind the quest -- Ginny deciding she wants to find her mother -- never feels meaningful enough to warrant the cost. (At least not in this volume: yup, this is secretly part 1/?) Quite a bodycount racks up around these kids, and in service to stakes that do not feel justified.

This review feels complainy. That may be unfair: this book was fine! It's diverse, queer, and there are some imaginative pieces. I just didn't love it.

Set at an unknown time in the near future, Odessa tells of an American West Coast that has been left devastated by a massive earthquake. Many people died in the quakes and many more died in the dangerous wasteland of a society that is left behind. People survive by trading goods and scavenging in ruined buildings. Ginny is a young woman who lives with her father and two younger brothers. Ginny's mother left shortly after the quake, but when Ginny receives a package from her mom, she decides to go in search of her. She sets off south towards what remains of San Francisco.

This was an adventure of a book. Life is not easy in Ginny's world, with much of the west coast ruled by violent gangs. Ginny runs into many dangers while searching for her mother. The book presents a mostly realistic world but with some definite elements of fantasy thrown into the mix. The post-Earthquake scenario was a nice change up from the other "end of the world as we know it" books that I've read lately which have mostly been about climate change and rising ocean levels.

The book was written and illustrated by Jonathan Hill and he did a great job with both the artwork and the storytelling. This was an #ownvoices story featuring Vietnamese American main characters. The characters were a little flat but I still enjoyed the book. I liked that the color scheme was all black, white, and pinkish/peach. It definitely helped give the book a certain vibe.

3.5 stars.

What to listen to while reading...
Earthquake by Deerhunter
Apocalypse by Cigarettes After Sex
Spectre by Radiohead
Something in the Way by Nirvana
Too Late to Say Goodbye by Cage the Elephant
Wildflower by Beach House

Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy of this book!