crusoe's Reviews (239)

I have adored the Adventure Zone for years and couldn't wish for more from a graphic novel adaptation. The visuals are stunning and are used very effectively to both literally and metaphorically convey what happens in the story. 

In light of the last TAZ arc, Carey does a great job at sprinkling in more hints to the ending than the podcast was able to. This graphic novel keeps the structure of the podcast intact, while refining what made it so brilliant in the first place. 

Magnus' character arc in this volume particularly always hits me right in the feels. It's fantastic. 

Positives. This book is really charming and great if you need a light, comforting read. The premise is original, the characters funny and the ending unequivocally happy. Furthermore, the way grief is portrayed is beautiful and well-written.

Negatives. The author really tries to give the characters interesting and grounded personalities as this allows you to empathize more with them. However, where she fails -I think- is in translating personality into action. We are told over and over again how certain characters should be but their actions (while oftentimes in line with their personality) are understated and disproportionate to the circumstances they find themselves in. 

Positives. World War Z is a brilliant piece of speculative fiction that realistically explores how a war on zombies (or any major world war for that matter) functions. The interviews with different individuals who survived the war feel extremely realistic, from their different approaches to the war rooted in their culture and personal experience, to the easy ways in which they talk about their expertise. It is fantastically written and showcases every angle and emotion you might find in a war like this without getting lost in the detail.

Dislikes. Many characters are introduced throughout the interviews and at the end, when they are revisited, this makes it harder to keep track whose story is being continued. Other than that, no notes. 

The story has two wonderful layers; one on the surface and a hidden one. The first is the essay style chapters that are truly reminiscent of the 1980s in their descriptive style of everyday life. These layed-back, short chapters have a great eye for detail and focus on the comfort of mundane reality which makes for a splendid relaxing read. 

This focus on the perception of daily reality leads to the second layer: the message that we should value the small blessings of daily life whose value we only realise once they're gone. 

Positives. Harklights reads like a modern children's classic and remixes fairytale tropes with a relevant ecological message. Although some of the tropes feel overplayed (like an evil lady running the orphanage), I can imagine that a child who is unfamiliar with those tropes would be impressed. Especially since the magic and mystery of the Forrest feels fresh and imaginable. 

Negatives. The cover is beautiful and I like the inclusion of images but the style does not suit the story, especially since the pictures are in black and white. They deserve to be as vibrant as the story they accompany. 

Quote. "A home isn't just a place where you keep yer things. It's where yer part of a family- where you feel loved, where you feel like you belong."

Positives. The art is absolutely gorgeous! The style and story reminds me of adventure cartoon series like amphibia or the owl house and the characters have very distinct personalities. 

Negatives. This graphic novel is aimed more towards kids which results in the story lacking some depth. Then again, this is the first volume in a series so that might improve as Alidade, Blue and Lewis dive into new adventures. Unfortunately, the print quality of the print version is not great. This can make it hard to see the details of some detailed panels. 

Positives. This book has an amazing concept: Victorian lady pirates with flying houses and dastardly banter?? Sign me up! The humour was fantastic and the characters were quirky in their own unique way. 

Negatives. In spite of the great premise, I was left disappointed. The book had a flying start but by the end it had committed the greatest crime of all: it was boring. The story slowed down greatly near the middle of the book and never recovered. It's not a good sign when you're left wondering what could happen to draw out the story for another hundred pages. I was also disappointed in Cecilia's character development: she was a great main character with lots of agency but had accomplished little by the end. Instead of keeping an adventurous touch, this novel devolved into a cliché romance story and that was not a great choice in my opinion. 

Positives. As far as short stories go, this one is very strong. It is a story of a beautiful woman coming into her own as someone who is more than her beauty; she is curious, daring, intelligent and a loving mother. All of which is spoiled by her abusive husband who would rather see her as an obedient object of lust without thoughts or personality. The ending is devastating: while her last act gives her back her agency and stops her from being an object of lust, it also deprives her of the future she deserves. 

Negatives. This story would have worked better as an addition to a collection or anthology. Ovid's stories are well known for connecting back to a larger theme. If you want to thoroughly critique Ovid's work, creating an anthology with an overarching theme would be the way to go.