In a Nutshell: An impactful OwnVoices graphic novel highlighting toxic parenting and intergenerational trauma, through the narratives of a granddaughtIn a Nutshell: An impactful OwnVoices graphic novel highlighting toxic parenting and intergenerational trauma, through the narratives of a granddaughter, a mother, and a daughter. Loved the triple timeline approach, each with its own powerful point to make. But some more elaboration could have elevated this story even further.
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Plot Preview:
2000. Toronto. Roz is a typical teen, nerding out on alien fiction, evaluating her college options, and looking forward to the prom. But as she is plus-sized, her body weight is her constant worry, exacerbated by her mother’s demands that she eat less. When her estranged grandmother arrives unexpectedly, the relationship between the trio is further weakened. The plotline is mainly focussed on Roz, but there are two other timelines – 1972 Hong Kong and 1954 Guangdong – detailing her mother’s and her grandmother’s backstories respectively.
In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel about two lion dancers who realise the value of team spirit. Excellent information on lion dancing. Great In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel about two lion dancers who realise the value of team spirit. Excellent information on lion dancing. Great lessons on working as a team. Good characters. Straightforward story. Wonderful illustrations. Recommended.
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Plot Preview:
Wei had always dreamt of becoming a champion lion dancer just like his dad. He enjoyed training as the ’lion head’, with his best friend Hung performing as the ‘lion tail.’ However, after Wei’s dad suddenly passed away, the friendship as well as the dream shattered. Now, two years later, Wei is stuck in a rut of frustration. Though great in studies, he has no talent for any sport. When he discovers the existence of a junior lion dance training group nearby, he reignites his old passion. The only problem is that Hung is also part of this group. Now Wei and Hung need to overpower their animosity and learn to work together as a team.
In a Nutshell: The title doesn’t do this justice. It is so much more than a typical “Learn to Draw” book. Much recommended to aspiring comic artists aIn a Nutshell: The title doesn’t do this justice. It is so much more than a typical “Learn to Draw” book. Much recommended to aspiring comic artists and CPC fans. (This is a biased review because I adore the CPC series.)
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I used to be fond of drawing in my younger days, but have long given up on the hobby due to time constraints. However, I didn’t grab this title to reignite my passion for artwork. Rather, I pounced upon it because I am a newly-minted super fan of the ‘Cursed Princess Club’ graphic novel series, which I read earlier this year on Webtoon and consider one of the best graphic novels, ever!
I thought it would take me about 10 minutes to breeze through this book. After all, how much time does it take to look at instructions on drawing? I was so wrong! In reality, it took me over an hour to complete, because the content was fascinating, and so much more than I had anticipated.
The book begins with an introduction to the Cursed Princess Club. There’s a little interview with the author (She’s self-taught!!!) where she speaks about her inspiration for the series. Next, we meet the main cast of the series: the Pastel Kingdom siblings, the Plaid Kingdom siblings, and some members of the CPC itself, including my favourite Prez. (Laverne fans, don’t fret; her majestic greatness is also a part of this book.) This character introduction offers us a brief bio about their personalities and the HEX colour codes for their distinctive anatomical features such as their hair, eyes and skin – a great help for digital artists..
Once the author details out the tools required for sketching whether in paper or digitally, she begins with the tutorial for sketching the characters. And my, is she thorough or what! Height charts, head dimensions, eye traits, bodily attributes, facial expressions, posture: every important aspect of sketching the character accurately is covered. She also includes the characters’ fashion preferences so that you can sketch them in their favourite outfits. The drawing tips are perfect for teens and above; they might be a bit too tricky for younger artists, though they too can certainly give this a go.
Once the character-specific instructions are done (this covers a range of the main characters, though not all), the book ends with tips on how to make your own webtoon series. This will be of great assistance to aspiring digital creators.
One thing I really enjoyed was learning about the subtleties involved in each character’s face. While reading graphic novels, we know that characters have a singular look. But this book demonstrated the extent of thought that goes into even supposedly basic character components such as eye shapes. I hadn’t even realised the distinctiveness of the eyes when I was reading the comics, probably because I had been struggling for time and had to complete the whole set in 4 days flat. Truly, my awe for the author has increased further after reading this book.
While I have no intention of following up on her detailed instructions and trying my hand at sketching any time soon, my younger daughter, who is more artistic, is very inspired by these techniques. She is determined to try out LambCat’s tips for drawing CPC characters as soon as she gets a chance. Even if she isn’t successful, I think the book has done its job by stirring up the passion needed to attempt something so complex.
All in all, an amazingly enlightening tutorial that far surpassed my expectations. It is informative without being overwhelming.
Definitely recommended to aspiring comic artists, and to fans of the Cursed Princess Club series. (If you haven’t read the graphic novels or the Webtoon series yet, do note that this ‘Learn to Draw’ book contains minor spoilers related to the characters’ backstories.)
5 sparkly stars as bright as Prince Jamie!
My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for the DRC of “Learn to Draw Cursed Princess Club”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who is haunted by her inner demons while also dealing with the anxiety of starting at a new sIn a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who is haunted by her inner demons while also dealing with the anxiety of starting at a new school. Explores many complex themes about mental health in this age group. Quite a nice book; no major complaints.
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Plot Preview:
For quite some time, ten-year-old Olivia Tong has been ‘haunted’ by the shadowy Viola, who is a personification of Olivia’s anxiety. Now, with her joining a new school, Viola’s judgemental remarks are further messing up Olivia’s nerves. She finds relief only when she indulges in her favourite activities such as reading, sketching, and cooking with her mom. Even her new friendships at school are somewhat helpful. But when the pressure from home as well as school starts building up, Viola grows more menacing than ever. Will Olivia learn how to handle her?
In a Nutshell: A purr-fect book for all cat lovers, though the ending is somewhat bittersweet. Much recommended!
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I grabbed In a Nutshell: A purr-fect book for all cat lovers, though the ending is somewhat bittersweet. Much recommended!
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I grabbed this graphic comic book for the title (Love the use of “Woe!” as a substitute meow!), the cat on the cover (I adore dogs, but cats come a close second), and the author (loved her graphic memoir: Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos) In other words, I didn’t read the blurb and totally judged the potential of the book based on these superficial factors. And guess what?! This time, it worked!
I have not had the pleasure of reading Knisley’s online Linney comics as I am rarely aware of web-based comics. But apparently, this is a hardcover edition containing all Linney comics, collected in a single book for the very first time.
Linney was adopted by the family at an older age, so she came preloaded with catty attitude. She knows that her requirements are foremost, and the humans exist merely to service her demands. I love how Linney is given a somewhat royal tone, so every time a speech bubble comes in her first-person perspective, she sounds just as condescending and snooty as cats would if they could talk.
You don’t need to be an ailurophile to enjoy this book, though being one would certainly help you understand Linney’s behaviour even more. The author’s fondness for Linney is very clear, as is her understanding of the cat’s personality. Be it Linney’s thoughts or emotions or actions, the author seems to have captured everything with perfection.
The author's preschooler son also makes a regular appearance in the book, raising the cuteness factor exponentially. There is also a friendly dog whose enthusiasm for Linney is as hilarious as Linney’s repugnance for him.
Most of the story is cute and funny, but the ending is somewhat bittersweet. This doesn’t reduce the impact of the book as there is a foreshadowing of what’s to come in the introductory note as well as repeated references to Linney’s being an older cat. But it is still sad to read. I can’t imagine how the author dug up the mental fortitude to pen that section; it must have been so painful. I hope she found healing by sketching it.
As the above might lead to some tears while reading, I am glad the book doesn’t end at that point, but proceeds to a finish with a happier memory.
The illustrations are quite simple, but funny and totally apt for the book. As the author rightly says, cats have no predefined shape, so you don’t draw a cat, but you draw the personality of a cat. Goes without saying that the author has nailed Linney’s royal personality in every sketch.
The only thing I am not sure about is why this is labelled a teen book. While there is nothing age-inappropriate in the story, the content is universal and will appeal to every cat lover. At the same time, the ending might be a little upsetting to some sensitive kids. I would rather label this a generic/adult graphic novel than as a children’s or teen’s title.
A teeny complaint: I wish a photo of the actual Linney had been included at the end of the book.
This book was read jointly with the two not-so-little readers at home and the three of us loved it equally. We laughed heartily at Linney’s pompous dialogues and her antics, and had a sad smile on our faces at the end.
Definitely recommended to all cat parents, pet parents, and animal lovers and to those who enjoy funny animal books.
4.5 stars, gladly rounding up.
My thanks to Random House Graphic and NetGalley for the DRC of “Woe: A Housecat's Story of Despair”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
This over-hyped graphic novel series is turning out to be a huge disappointment.
This second graphic novel covers episodes 26-49 from the Webtoon seriThis over-hyped graphic novel series is turning out to be a huge disappointment.
This second graphic novel covers episodes 26-49 from the Webtoon series. Total episodes: 285. (280, if you don't include the extra content.)
❀ No consistency in character development right from the start. Persephone is still a befuddling character. Hades has turned into a major red flag, except for his love of dogs.
❀ We get a good glimpse of Cerberus, Hades’ three-headed dog, in this section. The canine motivation helped somewhat.
❀ The plot is replete with toxic relationships. Why the heck are people going gaga over this?
❀ Lots of typos. I ignored a couple of mistakes in the initial set but the frequency is greater now. I don’t know if the graphic novels also have the typos, but to see these many spelling errors and missing words in a published digital edition is annoying.
❀ Appreciate the innovativeness of the contemporary twist, with Olympus being ultra-modern but earth still being in the classic era.
❀ Feeling very sorry for Minthe. But she seems like a character with will, so I am curious to see how her arc develops.
❀ The graphics are okay. Same complaints as last time. This isn’t my kind of art. Sexy poses while talking casually look so weird. Then again, art is subjective, so this might work for others.
❀ The budding relationship between Hades and Persephone is simultaneously too cutesy and too shallow to feel genuine.
❀ There's constant emphasis on how Persephone is just a teenager and yet that doesn't stop Hades from propositioning her. The age-gap problem turns a hundred times weirder with this!
❀ Would have been easy to read as a contemporary (toxic) romance ignoring all the original Greek myth titbits, except that regular references to age and immortality and “godly” jobs don’t let us forget the original canon.
Verdict: I still don’t get the hype. So far, this is nothing but a collection of toxic relationships. I know that Greek Mythology is also a collection of mostly toxic relationships, but it doesn’t hide the toxicity with a veneer of “tweeness.” This romanticising of negative tropes is irritating.
I bid goodbye to the series with this. No way I can handle 230+ more episodes of this.
Yet another Webtoon read. I’ll share a proper review only once done with the final book. Until then, just penning some random thoughts on each graphicYet another Webtoon read. I’ll share a proper review only once done with the final book. Until then, just penning some random thoughts on each graphic novel. (As is evident below, I can’t be brief even when I am penning random thoughts.)
This first graphic novel covers episodes 1-25 from the Webtoon series. Total episodes: 285. (280, if you don't include the extra content.)
❀ A graphic retelling of the story of Hades and Persephone with a contemporary twist.
❀ Better if you have some basic familiarity with the original characters because introductions aren’t present often.
❀ Balance of seriousness and humour. But the content is as sexist as you would expect from Greek Mythology.
❀ Oddly funny to see the Greek “gods” gallivanting about with smartphones and fancy cars and partying in clubs.
❀ Hades looks promising. As yet, undecided about Persephone. Her portrayal isn’t consistent, randomly shifting between shy and overconfident, and also between virginal and provocative.
❀ Insta-love. *eye roll.*
❀ Age-gap relationship. And when I say ‘gap’, I mean ‘gaaaaaaaaaaap’. *my poor eyes still rolling.*
❀ Didn’t expect a sexual assault so early in the story. (Should have known better. Greek Mythology – Sigh…) It was handled as sensitively as is possible for a Greek myth retelling, but it was still hard to read.
❀ Not at all fond of the art style. A bit too overt for my taste in hues as well as physicality. The anatomy of the female characters seems needlessly sexualised, which is further exacerbated by their stance.
❀ This is aimed at teens and young adults, and that fact is giving me the ick. The story is clearly romanticising some abhorrent tropes. I hope youngsters reading it realise that there’s nothing romantic about *most* couples of Greek mythology, no matter what retellings claim.
Verdict: I don’t get the hype. The plot has only just begun, so too soon to confirm anything concrete. Obviously, I can’t expect a feminist story considering the original source. I can only hope it keeps the creepiness to the minimum because so far, it’s quite cringe-worthy. No matter what, I don’t think I’ll be a fan of the artwork. I’ll have to grit my teeth through the illustrations of the remaining episodes. (Unless I simply abandon the series out of extreme annoyance.)
In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel combining entertainment as well as value-addition. The title isn’t an exact indicator of the content, but In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel combining entertainment as well as value-addition. The title isn’t an exact indicator of the content, but don’t let this turn you away. Strongly recommended to the target age group.
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Plot Preview:
When Adèle hits puberty, the last thing she expects is the arrival of a new skill: the ability to interact with ghosts. No one had told her that she comes from a long line of mediums. Her grandmother isn’t happy that Adèle has inherited the family gift, but Adèle’s elder sister Helen encourages her to explore the gift and decide for herself. The interactions seem okay at first, but soon Adèle learns that the ghosts are trying to get in touch with her for an important reason.
In a Nutshell: An OwnVoices graphic novel telling us about the Nepali Civil War and its impact on innocent lives. I appreciate the intent and the effoIn a Nutshell: An OwnVoices graphic novel telling us about the Nepali Civil War and its impact on innocent lives. I appreciate the intent and the effort, especially as this is an indie work. However, the book needs finetuning to deliver a greater impact. Informative but to a superficial level.
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Plot Preview:
2003. Young Tara lives with her family in a small village in the foothills of the Himalayas. Her father is a farmer, and her mother, elder brother and younger sister help with the multitude of chores typical on a small farm. The “People’s War” instigated by the Maoists had already begun in 1996, but the lives of those in the hinterland was largely untouched by the war until then. However, soon both factions come knocking at their door with various demands, and the lives of all the family members change forever, especially after Sudeep, Tara’s elder brother, is taken by the rebels. The story is narrated retrospectively in Tara’s perspective from 2009.
Nepal is the immediate neighbour of India, sandwiched between India and China, with the Himalayas passing between the Sino-Nepal border. In my school years, I knew of it only as the country where Mount Everest is situated. I had not been aware of the political situation of Nepal until the year 2001 when the then-King Birendra and his entire family were massacred at the hands of his son Prince Dipendra, who then turned the gun on himself, and was in coma for three days, during which he was still the de-facto king until his death made a surviving uncle inherit the throne. It was a story too crazy to seem real. Even then, I hadn’t heard about a civil war. So when I saw this graphic novel, I knew I had to give it a try.
The book begins with a brief note on Nepal and its geographical and cultural diversity. While I liked the information (So surprised to see this small nation have more than 100 ethnicities and 90 languages!), the introduction could have done much better by informing us of the socio-political situation in Nepal and the events that led to the civil war. There’s no mention of the reasons behind the conflict in this note, in the book, and in the author’s parting note.
Next up comes a comprehensive characters’ list. This is erroneously titled “Major Characters” when it actually compiles every single character from the story with a one-liner caption introducing them. Minor characters such as those who appear only on a single page could have easily been left out from this list. But the biggest issue for me was that the captions reveal major plot spoilers, including character deaths that occur in the final section. So disappointing!
Tara narrates the story from 2009, but she begins her reminiscences from 2003. The civil war started in 1996. So we don’t get any idea about what led to the rebellion and what happened in that period of eight years. The focus stays on Tara’s family, and as she is just a teenager when the incidents affecting her family occurred, we get to see what happened but get no analysis of why it happened. The overall effect is hence very shallow. Simply knowing the whats of history without the whys is useless.
The lack of depth is not just in terms of actual facts but also in terms of plot points. Sudeep is a crucial character as his experience after his kidnapping would have offered more first-hand insight into rebel thinking. But we simply don’t get to hear his side of the story. At one point, Tara’s parents leave their children with some relatives and stay in the capital for an extended period to seek information about their son. How do these poor farmers sustain themselves in a city for such a long time without any source of income? No information.
All this doesn’t deny the sadness of the plot and of what happens to an innocent family because of some misguided rebels. Political upheavals affect everyone, even families that are far away from central locations or, as in this case, a poor farming family whose only material wealth is their transistor radio.
The book ends with a glossary of Nepali words, which, to my exasperation, I discovered only after I completed the whole book. When the list of characters was at the start, the glossary also should have been at the start! It took me ages to realise that “Luri” wasn’t the name of a different character but a form of addressing a thin girl, and hence a pet name for Tara.
The simplistic story flow might have worked well for older middle-graders and young teens, had it not been for one shocking scene where a character attempts to hang themselves to death. This should have come with a trigger warning at the start as it’s quite troubling to see. Then again, we already know the character’s future thanks to the story being narrated in retrospect, so the suspense about whether the character survives the suicide attempt is also spoilt prematurely.
Somehow, a sixth sense told me that the art wouldn’t be to my taste, and sadly, that spidey-radar turned out to be accurate. It is not just that the art style is simplistic, befitting a children’s story than an adult graphic novel. But the nuances that make a graphic novel striking are missing. The colouring style is too straightforward. The captions don’t always match the panels, sometimes coming before or after the particular action occurs in the illustrations. The facial expressions seem a bit off at times, not matching the tone of the lines. Some of the characters are sketched in the same outfits throughout, even though the story takes place over years. That said, art is subjective, so this feedback won’t be applicable to all readers.
This book was originally conceived as a trilogy, and the first volume was released in 2023. However, the author subsequently decided to release this complete version in a single book. I think this is a good call, because the story is too brief to merit three separate volumes, and at just 120-odd pages, can easily be read at a go. The three chapters in this book flow well from each other. However, the QR-code adverts in between the chapters were distracting and annoying. This content should have been at the end of the book.
All in all, I expected to learn a lot more from the story than I actually did. I admire the sincere efforts put into bringing this OwnVoices story about a rebellion that we have barely heard about to the public eye, but perhaps a little tweaking would have helped it deliver a greater impact.
As I have specified before in my nonfiction/semi-fiction reviews, my ratings are always for the content and not for the intent. I find myself torn over this rating as I want to support South-Asian and indie literature, but if I still don’t know what exactly led to and conspired during the Nepali Civil War, the book didn’t meet its purpose.
To readers looking for a simplified narration of a historical event and to those seeking to embrace diverse literature from the smaller nations of the world, this could be a good starting point.
2 stars.
My thanks to Restart Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for the DRC of “Justice: A Tale of the Nepali Civil War”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.
In a Nutshell: By far, among the best graphic novels (series) I have read. An astounding combination of plot, characters, social issues, and art. ThisIn a Nutshell: By far, among the best graphic novels (series) I have read. An astounding combination of plot, characters, social issues, and art. This review is for the ENTIRE fourth season and not specifically for this graphic novel.
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NOTE: I'm reading this book on the WEBTOON app, but as Goodreads doesn't have that option, I'll be updating my progress against the graphic novel entries. The first two graphic novels corresponded with the first two seasons of the webcomic. However, from the third book onwards, the paths diverge. This unreleased fourth volume of the graphic novel series is based on episodes 78 to 93 of the webcomic, which means season three (which ends with episode 106) is still going on the physical books. My review, however, is for the entire fourth and final season, so it will go far beyond the content of this graphic novel.
The plot continues from the events of the third season, and should NOT be read as a standalone work. No plot preview, as I don’t want to go into spoilers.
All feedback from the first three books is applicable for this one as well. I have already spoken about the characters and the themes in my earlier reviews. As this is the final season, I shall focus on the overall plot development and execution.
First off, anyone who thinks that this is a straightforward story with a linear plot and suitable only for young girls is SO wrong! There are various subtracks in the storyline, partly connected to the characters and partly connected to the group they belong to. So the basic plot demarcation is the Pastel Kingdom, the Plaid Kingdom, and the Cursed Princess Club. Then you have the character-oriented subplots, such as the “princels” (note the word play with 'incels') who love to hate not just women but also Blaine and all he stands for, elder children such as Blaine and Calpernia who are stressed out by the role they need to play as future rulers, or even shy Gwen who is so comfortable in her own skin until someone calls her ‘ugly” and destroys her self-image, literally. The story arcs span romance, humour, satire, fairy tale, mystery, dark fantasy, coming of age, and in the finale, even a thriller.
This was the longest season, not just in terms of number of episodes but also wrt the length of each episode. The start of the season is a bit complicated as there is so much going on. Keeping track of everything is tricky, though the author does help with many clues and reminders of past incidents. I was a bit afraid that my rating for this would drop a little as the detailing was going at a slower pace. But once the events from all the arcs began to come together, it was mind-blowing!
What a nail-biting finish this was! I laughed, I cried, I yelled at the characters, and I rooted for (some of) them with all my heart! It was an amazing ending that ties every single thread of the plot neatly without going into clichés or OTT rainbow finales. There’s no cliffhanger, and no forced coupling.
I think the story ended at a good place, and there is no need of (or a hint of) any sequel or extension. But it should be apparent that if any new CPC story does come out, I will definitely read it.
I have praised the book enough through these reviews. As this is the final review of my CPC experience, I want to shower praises on the author:
In a Nutshell: Still going full-strength! Still recommended as heartily! The subplots are getting deeper now, and the episodes are correspondingly getIn a Nutshell: Still going full-strength! Still recommended as heartily! The subplots are getting deeper now, and the episodes are correspondingly getting longer. This review is for the ENTIRE third season and not specifically for this graphic novel.
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NOTE: I'm reading this book on the WEBTOON app, but as Goodreads doesn't have that option, I'll be updating my progress against the graphic novel entries. The first two graphic novels corresponded with the first two seasons of the webcomic. However, from this book onwards, the paths diverge. This third volume of the graphic novel series is based on episodes 62 to 77 of the webcomic. However, season three ends at episode 106. My review is for the entire third season, so it will go far beyond the content of this graphic novel.
The plot continues from the events of the second season, and should NOT be read as a standalone work. No plot preview, as I don’t want to go into spoilers.
All the feedback I wrote in my review for the two books is valid for this third book as well. The first review highlighted the key themes while the second review spoke of my favourite characters. In this review, I shall focus on some of the special features that elevate the plot from the good to the outstanding.
In a Nutshell: As excellent as the first season in content, art, and themes. An amazing book for challenging those stereotypes that you have and thoseIn a Nutshell: As excellent as the first season in content, art, and themes. An amazing book for challenging those stereotypes that you have and those that you don’t even know you have. Can’t recommend this highly enough! Not just to teens but to everyone who would enjoy a story that looks like fluff but is absolutely not it.
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NOTE: I'm reading this book on the WEBTOON app, but as Goodreads doesn't have that option, I'll be updating my progress against the graphic novel entries. This second volume of the graphic novel series is based on season 2 (episodes 30-61, plus four bonus shorts) of the webcomic.
The plot continues from the events of the first season, and should NOT be read as a standalone work. No plot preview, as I don’t want to go into spoilers.
All the feedback I wrote in my review for the first book is valid for this second book as well. In the first review, I focussed on the themes. In this, I’ll talk about some of my favourite characters and why they are so impactful. Each of these characters has something to teach us.
✨ Gwen: The youngest princess of the Pastel Kingdom dealing with low self-confidence and mental health issues. Has plenty of love for others, but none for herself.
✨ Maria and Lorena: Gwen’s older sisters who are exceptional beauties but are portrayed to be so much more than their appearance. They are Gwen’s biggest champions along with Jamie, and with their well-rounded personality, shatter the usual unidimensional detailing of beautiful girls in typical princess stories.
✨ Jamie: The only prince of the Pastel Kingdom, and always valued for his looks and for what he can offer as a food critic, than for his other traits. Uses his talent honestly, without bothering about others’ opinions.
✨ Frederick: The youngest prince of the Plaid Kingdom. Overshadowed in every way by his two elder brothers, he is trying to stand up for himself, but realises that change is neither easy nor instant.
✨ King Jack: A loving father who takes his ‘protective parent’ persona too far. Proves how helicopter parenting suffocates children.
✨ Prez: The president of the Cursed Princess Club, who uses her past to improve not just her future but that of many others. Shows the beauty of working for others.
✨ The other princesses (and prince) of the CPC: Each with their own quirks, and yet so supportive and accepting of each other. Demonstrate how true friendship is balanced rather than blind.
✨ Laverne the llama: Should be the model for L’Oreal because she knows “she’s worth it” and doesn’t settle for less.
Basically, no one and nothing in the book is stereotypical. So many a time, I felt my mind jumping to cliched perceptions about a character, only to have the plot set me right.
The storyline is amazingly intricate, and each subplot questions our notions and challenges many social perceptions. I love how beautifully it highlighted the importance of self-love and familial support.
I am so glad teens today have access to such a brilliant series, but I wish some older readers would also pick this up. Many of us need to be more openminded about people and situations, and this book offers this lesson brilliantly, along with many other life lessons.
Kudos to the creator of this webcomic! I am truly impressed. Till season 1, I was reading this for my daughter. Now, I am reading it for myself.
Strongly recommended to one and all. This is one of those YA works that has appeal beyond the target age group.
4.5 stars.
My thanks to the WEBTOON app for this free access to the story!
In a Nutshell: A well-crafted storyline combined with attractive graphics. The title doesn’t indicate how intricate and intelligent the storyline is, In a Nutshell: A well-crafted storyline combined with attractive graphics. The title doesn’t indicate how intricate and intelligent the storyline is, so my reading experience went much beyond my expectations. Great for all graphic novel lovers. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
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Plot Preview:
Teenaged princesses Maria (18), Lorena (17), and Gwendolyn (16), live with their brother Jamie (also 16) and their overprotective father, the King of Pastel Kingdom. Maria and Lorena are everything you would expect from typical Disney princesses, but Gwendolyn is not so blessed physically. When she overhears her potential fiancé calling her ugly, Gwen runs into the forest, only to stumble into some members of the ‘Cursed Princess Club’. And luckily for Gwen, these are exactly the people Gwen needs to tell her that life is more than looks.
NOTE: I'm reading this book on the WEBTOON app, but as Goodreads doesn't have that option, I'll be updating my progress against the graphic novel entries. This first volume is based on season 1 (episodes 1-29) of the webcomic.
Many of you might glance at that title and the cover, and dismiss this as a flippant princess story for youngsters. I confess, I was also in the same boat. The only reason I grabbed this was that my daughter insisted on my reading it. Boy oh boy, was I wrong in my assumption! ‘Never judge a book by the cover’ is almost always true, but especially so in this case.
The story starts in the usual ‘princess story’ way that made me wonder why I was compelled to pick this up so urgently. But once Gwendolyn stumbles her way into the Cursed Princess Club, the plot development amps up to a masterful level.
Here are some themes/topics you will find in this first volume of the graphic novel series:
In a Nutshell: A hardhitting graphic novel about the world’s largest nuclear disaster. As horrifying as you can imagine, though the artwork luckily toIn a Nutshell: A hardhitting graphic novel about the world’s largest nuclear disaster. As horrifying as you can imagine, though the artwork luckily tones down the gruesomeness thanks to the chosen colour palette. A bit rushed in execution, but still, a good starting point to know about the Chernobyl catastrophe in 1986.
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When blind nationalism supersedes common sense, the result is disaster. Chernobyl is the biggest proof of this.
This graphic novel retells the events of the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl in April 1986 and the aftermath of the same. It covers the impact on the first respondents, the ordinary citizens and the responsible parties, while also highlighting the series of illogical decisions that led to the disaster.
The book begins with a spine-chilling reference table indicating radiation levels and their effects. This indicates how radiation is actually everywhere, what constitutes a dangerous or a fatal dose of radiation, and what dose was received by the people in Chernobyl on that fateful day. The numbers are enough to induce nightmares.
But the main nightmare is when you see not just the disaster unfolding on the page, but the events that led to the disaster. What can one say when people who know nothing about nuclear energy are put in charge of building and running such huge nuclear power plants? Or when deadlines are made so crucial that quality is compromised for speed? Or when the general population is considered expendable for the larger good of proving your country’s worth to the world?
I have watched the brilliant miniseries “Chernobyl” and though I had vaguely known about the disaster even before, it is the TV series that first showed me the actual terrifying nature of the event. If you have already watched the series, the book doesn’t offer much new information. It would anyway be tough for a graphic novel to compare with an audio-visual medium, but to a certain extent, this book succeeds in its purpose of reminding us of that haunting calamity.
What I especially liked was how the novel depicted the “socialistic” approach towards getting work done. The author doesn’t hold back in his criticism of the Russian oligarchy, being quite blunt about how their uppity attitude, their blind adherence to party dictates, and their overconfidence in their skills created a goof of such a monumental scale.
Another thing I loved was its simplified analogy of how exactly the reactor exploded. This was a clever way of explaining the cause to general readers without going too jargonistic.
At the same time, the book feels somewhat rushed. It is only 112 pages long, including the initial publisher material: too short for such a topic. Some pages have graphic panels without any text. As such, the content, while accurate and comprehensive, also feels superficial, with only a brief glimpse of the trauma that awaited the Chernobyl victims. It flits across various issues without going deeper into most. The main focus of the book is to point fingers at those who created the disaster, directly or indirectly, but I would have liked an equal focus to be on the victims as well. The human, animal, and environmental cost of the disaster is still being paid today, but this isn’t covered in that much detail.
The illustrations work in favour of the storyline. The blue and yellow colour palette, probably to doff a hat to the Ukrainian flag colours (with Chernobyl being in present-day Ukraine), also serves to lessen the visual brutality of the more severe effects of the explosion and subsequent radiation. The scenes are scary enough to watch even with this muted colour tone. A few of the words in the background illustration are in Russian; I wish the English edition had the translated version of these as well.
In short, this is a heart-breaking yet impactful graphic novel depicting a catastrophe that took place almost four decades ago but that continues to affect lives today. To those who have already read nonfiction novels on Chernobyl such as Adam Higginbotham’s ‘Midnight in Chernobyl’ or Svetlana Alexievich’s ‘Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster’ (both of which are on my TBR list), or have watched the HBO miniseries, this graphic version might not add much. But it would be a great option to readers seeking broad information on the catastrophe without wanting to invest too much time.
Needless to add, this graphic novel is only for adults. Too many disturbing events in here for younger hearts.
4 stars.
My thanks to Palazzo Editions and NetGalley for the DRC of “Chernobyl: The Fall of Atomgrad”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
In a Nutshell: Not exactly as I had expected, which is actually my fault as I should have read the blurb. This is a picture book for adults, containinIn a Nutshell: Not exactly as I had expected, which is actually my fault as I should have read the blurb. This is a picture book for adults, containing six poems covering various adult/workplace-related issues. Some motivational, some humorous. Most were not my cup of tea, though.
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I had grabbed this only by a look at the cover. (I know, I know!!!) What corporate professional wouldn’t resonate with the expression on that mouse’s face, as he stares at his comp? I assumed this to be a collection of funny comics related to the workplace, maybe something on the lines of Dilbert.
While this is still an illustrated book, the content isn’t a collection of comics but six poems. This was the first hurdle for me. I am NOT a poem person, and I had not anticipated this book to be written entirely in rhyming verse. Moreover, the poems are in AABB pattern, which, to be frank, is great for kiddie poems, not for adult verses. Some of the rhymes are too forced, further adding to my dissatisfaction. I think adult poetry lovers will find the poems too simplistic.
Secondly, I thought this would be a funny read, but the general vibe is more motivational than humorous. I don’t read inspirational books as this genre doesn’t work for me.
The poems are on varied topics somewhat connected to work, but not necessarily corporate jobs. One is like a motivational verse, aiming to inspire you to focus on yourself first rather than spending all hours at your workplace. Another talks of the travails of an overactive brain that awakens you at night and leaves you drowsy during the day. The third speaks of the wandering heart (the most vague poem of the set), the fourth shows an artist’s uncertainty over his painting, the fifth is about a professional’s quandary over how to end his email, and the final one is about a clown who entertains others and considers it his calling.
How does all this fit under “Encouraging Tales of Resilience”, as promised by the tagline? I honestly don’t know. As you can see, the poems and their core topics are not even close to each other in theme and hence the effect is very disjointed.
I did partly agree with the message in the first story (mental health is important). And I enjoyed the humour of the fifth poem titled “Sincerely Yours”, because I too have spent many minutes wondering if a ‘Sincerely’ works better than a ‘Take care’ or a ‘Thanking you in anticipation’. This poem was my favourite of the bunch, and the only one that made me smile.
Basically, I was the wrong reader for this as I am not a fan of such nonfiction, nor do I enjoy poetry. The illustrations could have saved the book for me to some extent, but I didn’t even like the artwork. Art is subjective, of course; I just wish the graphics had been more like that on the cover. However, only one of the poems had animals in the illustrations; the rest were ordinary humans, and in too simplistic a style.
This book is from the makers of the webcomic ‘War and Peas’. I am not a reader of webcomics, so I am not sure if this content is indicative of their general offerings. Perhaps fans of the comic might like to read this and see how it goes. But it sure wasn’t the right fit for me, sorry. The cover and the title do not represent the content accurately.
2 stars.
My thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “Once Upon a Workday”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
In a Nutshell: A humorous compilation of tips and strategies designed to make you tackle housework without stressing out. An entertaining read not to In a Nutshell: A humorous compilation of tips and strategies designed to make you tackle housework without stressing out. An entertaining read not to be taken seriously, as is clear from the title.
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One of my favourite quotes comes from Claire Oshetsky’s ‘Chouette’: “Housekeeping is nothing more than a losing encounter with entropy.” In a world where every home on social media looks spic and span, seeing the endless chores lying ignored in our own homes can lead to dismay and depression. After all, all of us want a clean house, but none of us wants to work tirelessly for it, right?
The root of the problem is perfectionism. But have you ever tried following the concept of ‘good-enoughism’? It works so much better for you and for people around you. The ‘good enough’ part of this title immediately made me grab it. (Not to forget that the tagline also had a strong appeal! ...more
In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel focussing on emotions and their positive manipulation through a “happy shop” selling feelings. A wholesomeIn a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel focussing on emotions and their positive manipulation through a “happy shop” selling feelings. A wholesome story but might be a bit too intense or deep for little minds.
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Story Synopsis:
Eleven-year-old Darcy isn’t happy about moving to a new town where the people and the weather both seem unfriendly. While running an errand for her mother, she discovers a quaint store named “The Happy Shop”, which sells happy feelings. When Darcy accidentally breaks one of the magical jars, she is allowed to make it up to the shop owners, sisters Frida and Flora, by working there after school to help with the cleaning and simple chores. Darcy soon discovers that the shop isn’t doing so well. Can she help Flora and Frida save the shop? Along the way, she also learns how happiness works.
In terms of concept, the book is fabulous. Understanding that happiness isn’t the only important emotion, and that there is “relative happiness” is an important life lesson for children, and this book presents it well.
That said, I feel that the complexities of emotions as explored in the book won’t be completely understood by younger middle graders. As the story comes from a middle grader’s perspective, the concept is put forth mainly through her eyes. But the philosophy of the book , though accurate, is deep, and thus, it might be better understood if read with adult guidance.
This might be one of the few times where I liked the morals more than the core story itself. The plot takes the title seriously and focusses mainly on “the happy shop”, with a minor focus on Darcy’s home life. As such, one crucial aspect of the child’s life – her experiences at her new school - is skipped out. Many minor elements are not included or quickly revealed within a single sentence, leaving much for the reader to gauge on their own.
The magical jars are an important conduit for the sale of emotions. I like how their functionality is depicted without going into technicalities. But there is a lot left to the imagination. Where do Flora and Frida get the jars? How do some of the more specific feelings provide happiness to their buyers? I wish there were a bit more detailing to this aspect.
The text is quite simple and at the level of the target age group. Many of the pages have only graphics and no text, thereby making this a quick read.
The illustrations were decent enough - not bad, but not excellent as well. They might work better for middle graders, but I have read far too many graphic novels by now to be mesmerised by a simplistic art style. Graphics are an important part of a graphic novel experience for me, and in this instance, I am somewhat disappointed. But the cover art does match what is inside, so at least it was not a case of false promises. What you see on the cover is what you get inside – I appreciate that.
I read this book with my younger daughter, who fits the target age group. She found the story “too simple and better for kids.” (Ahem!) However, I found the basic concept quite deep. So something clearly went awry between reading and processing in her mind. Or, it may just be, as I said earlier, that the philosophy of emotions is a bit too complex for children who haven’t experienced that many negative feelings yet.
All in all, a decent one-time read. But not too memorable for my middle-grader or me.
3.5 stars, rounding down because the in-house MG boss wasn’t impressed.
My thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Happy Shop”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
In a Nutshell: A cute little graphic novel for little chapter book readers. Loved the characters and the message. Definitely recommended!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~In a Nutshell: A cute little graphic novel for little chapter book readers. Loved the characters and the message. Definitely recommended!
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Tootie the turtle loves to play tag, but all the other turtles in Turtletown prefer their own pastimes. Tootie feels quite lonesome, until Teeny comes into her life… almost literally. Teeny loves tag, and she also loves her one best friend Tootie. But she somehow senses that she doesn’t fit in Turtletown. Can she continue to be friends with Tootie even if she … gasp…. isn’t a turtle?
There are plenty of reasons to invest in this graphic novel for the little ones in your life.
In a Nutshell: From the gorgeous cover and title and the intriguing premise, I expected much more. Liked the story okay, but couldn’t connect with theIn a Nutshell: From the gorgeous cover and title and the intriguing premise, I expected much more. Liked the story okay, but couldn’t connect with the graphics. Might work better for those with a preference for more abstract topics.
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Story Synopsis:
After the sudden death of his mother, teenaged Kunal has been sent to a boarding school in the hills. Until the hostel situation is settled, he needs to stay with his distant aunt Tara, who is a music teacher in the same school. Kunal has yet to come to terms with his grief, and the change in location isn't helping. Tara herself is battling grief over the death of a close friend many years ago. While music has helped her to a certain extent, what's affecting her mind is that she can always see a strange figure known as 'Death'. Though both Tara and Kunal aren't comfortable talking about their grief, they realise that the journey ahead will be better if they share their pain with each other.
I've been a fan of graphic novels for many years now, but not once had I read an Indian graphic novel. So when the opportunity to read this offering came up, I was thrilled. The cover graphics were very soothing, and the prominent place that music has in the art made me expect a strong story where music helps process grief – a theme that’s much appealing to my music-loving heart. To a certain extent, this particular expectation was met.
I loved the concept of the story - a young boy who feels lost after his world turned upside down and a woman who feels like she is surrounded by Death, literally. The book tackles well the idea of how it takes time to heal from grief, how the healing isn't necessarily complete healing, how different people process loss differently, and how long-term pain can affect mental well-being. The story also highlights the pressure of expectations on young minds, and the role of art in alleviating suffering. One thing I found interesting was how the book used the stages of grief to depict the changes in the lives and thinking of Tara and Kunal.
Beyond this, I couldn’t really vibe with this book. The writing feels disjointed across topics, with grief playing the role of a backing track. The secondary plots of drug and cigarette smoking habit in teens, the rich father using his status and wealth to secure his intentions for his son, the backstory of Tara's friend - all of these felt more like distractions than value additions to the core plot.
The interactions between Death and Tara were introspective. Truth be told, I did like some of their conversations about the circle of life. But much of their talk is abstruse and somewhat repetitive. So, as someone who isn't too fond of philosophy and the 'meaning of life' kind of discussions, I kept zoning out during their scenes. This aspect might work better for readers who enjoy deeper philosophical topics.
I could still have rated this higher had I liked the art. This is a graphic novel, after all! Readers of this format don't pick up books only for the plot but also for the illustrations. But I'm sorry to say, the sketches just didn’t work for me. Seeing that the content had only B&W illustrations was the first step towards disappointment. There are too many onomatopoeic words in the graphics, most of which are distracting. The human figures are too stiff, having very rigid poses. In many panels, there is the same blank expression on their faces, no matter what the words in the text bubbles say. I also wasn’t a fan of the way the characters’ hair was drawn, especially for those sketches without black hair. Contemporary Tara is a brunette, but in the backstory, she was blonde (or some light hair shade?), so it took me long to understand that they were the same person, so dissimilar were the two depictions. Kunal’s hair made him look like a franciscan monk. Basically, I liked nothing about the graphics. Then again, art is a subjective preference, so what didn’t click for me might just work for you.
Overall, the story was just about okay, and while I appreciate the content related to grief and healing, the rest was not my cup of tea. The artwork didn't satisfy me at any level. Hence, this graphic novel and this reader weren’t a match made in the starry starry heavens.
I suppose the book might work better for someone who has a more philosophical bent of mind and doesn't mind simplistic graphics.
Do note that despite the presence of a young boy as one of the main characters, I wouldn’t recommend this book to kids because of some of the content. The official target age is readers aged 10+, but I would suggest it only to the 15+ segment.
2 stars.
My thanks to BlogChatter and author Nandita Basu for a complimentary copy of “Starry Starry Night”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry it didn't work out better.
In a Nutshell: A whimsical story that begins with a simple exploration of what happens to a soul after death, but develops into an intricate explanatiIn a Nutshell: A whimsical story that begins with a simple exploration of what happens to a soul after death, but develops into an intricate explanation. Imaginative in plot. Tricky to understand at times, but overall, a good read.
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Story Synopsis:
In some dystopian future, happy-go-lucky Charlie works at Eternal Recycling, a company that specialises in recycling the physical remains of loved ones after their passing. As the customer care associate, Charlie has to answer calls and help customers with their recycling plans. But everything changes when he receives a call from a little boy one day, wanting to know what happened to his mother’s soul after her death. Charlie has never thought about souls, so the boy’s query leaves him befuddled. He soon begins his own investigation into the matter, with unforeseen consequences.
This graphic novel was originally published in French as ‘Les Vies de Charlie’ in 2023. This English translation will be published in December 2023.
The highlight of this book has to be its quirky storyline. It starts with a straightforward premise: that of an employee doing his best to bring satisfaction to customers and helping them in their time of grief. However, once the investigation into a soul’s fate begins, the story takes a completely different route. While I enjoyed both sections, I think the transition was too sudden and the tone also was too disparate.
For once, the blurb restricts itself only to the initial section. So the path taken by the second half of the story came as a complete surprise. I did not expect romance to play a dominant role in this section. It is handled well enough; it just caught me unawares and so, was a mild downer for me. (On second thought, I should have expected romance because of that cover art!)
Charlie is a great choice as the central character. I loved his exuberance and his sincerity. He carries the story on his shoulders with aplomb. There are a few other interesting characters, but they don’t get this much page space, so their development is only to the extent necessary. We don’t get to see their motivations or the reason behind certain behavioural traits. Like, why does Luc always avoid Charlie? No idea.
Eternal Recycling can effectively be called the second lead of this story. Their business itself is enough to make them stand out. But even beyond this unusual “service”, their policy towards employees is excellently depicted. From mandatory walking time to laughing time, Eternal Recycling is very concerned about the health of its employees, or so it seems. The business is futuristic but the corporate culture is the same as in our real world.
The storyline is impeccable and imaginative, though it does take a while to make sense of it. The start is smooth, but Charlie’s investigation and its results are quite tricky to understand initially. If you have patience, the picture starts becoming clear soon enough, though not all of the plots gaps are filled up even by the end. Still, the ending is a beautiful one, and left me satisfied.
The artwork is stunning. The illustrator employs varies colour palettes across the story, though the art style remains the same throughout. There are monochrome pages at the start, light pastel pages in between (with the dominant colour constantly changing as per the situation), black & white pages for a flashback and a few panels with the full burst of colour. I love how the art offered hidden clues about the characters, though these become evident only retrospectively. The watercolour-style graphics suit the mood of the book.
All in all, this is a sweet story not to be overanalysed but to be enjoyed as is. It gives a whole new meaning to the idea of life coming a full circle and offers plenty to ponder over. Though it is a story about death and grief, the implementation is more hopeful than depressing.
4 stars.
My thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Many Lives of Charlie”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
Note: There are many pages with nudity, though the graphics are not sexually provocative. However, there are implied sex scenes, including orgies. Official target age: 15+.
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