Rainbow Rowell’s Pumpkinheads, with art by Faith Erin Hicks, is a light and visually stunning graphic novel that captures the cozy, festive vibes of a Halloween-themed pumpkin patch. While the story was pleasant enough, it ultimately didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. 

The artwork is truly the standout feature of this book. Hicks' vibrant illustrations bring the pumpkin patch to life, full of whimsical charm and autumnal warmth. It’s clear a lot of love went into the visual storytelling, and I found myself lingering on certain pages to soak in the gorgeous details. 

Rowell’s writing is as easygoing and conversational as ever, perfectly suited for the dialogue-heavy interactions between the main characters, Deja and Josiah. Their banter feels natural, like listening to two close friends chat during their shift at a seasonal job. However, the plot itself left much to be desired. It was predictable, repetitive, and, at times, dull. 

The most memorable part of the book for me wasn’t the central love story or the friends’ final night of adventure—it was Buck the goat. Released by a group of rogue children, Buck runs wild throughout the pumpkin patch, stealing scenes and injecting some much-needed humor into an otherwise uninspired story. The fact that a running gag involving a mischievous goat stood out more than the actual plot says a lot about how unremarkable the rest of the book felt. 

The ending was sweet and tied things up nicely, but it wasn’t enough to make me fully invest in the story. While Pumpkinheads wasn’t a bad read by any means, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. That said, if you’re looking for a quick, visually stunning, and seasonally appropriate read, this might be worth picking up. Just don’t expect it to be a game-changer.