Let out your inner kid with these graphic novels!

June 2, 2018May 31, 2018 ~ Ellyn ~ 2 Comments

Hey guys, today I am coming at you with a new review. Today I want to talk about one of my favourite middle-grade series, this one being a graphic novel series! I have read all of these in the original novel format and I was super excited to read them all again in graphic novel format too!

Click on the covers to go to the Goodreads pages.

AND

★★★★☆

tags: middle-grade, graphic novel, spies

tw: murder, killing,

Thank you to Walker Books for supplying copies of these books in exchange for an honest review.

All opinions are my own.

I used to read this series when I was younger. The original series was one of my favourites, next to Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. I was constantly re-reading the books so you can imagine how excited I was to find out about the graphic novel series.

Each book in this series is amazing. I think it would be great for a younger reader, but it is still suitable for all ages, I mean, I’m an adult and I still loved them! I think this series is perfect for younger readers who enjoy video games or spy stories. This is particularly great if you enjoy the action with less of the details, more like you would get in a movie. In the books, you get more of the details, whereas, the graphic novels are more of the main outline of the story.

The artwork is also really amazing in this series, though the art and the colouring does change in book 5. The writing and art is really easy to understand so this is a perfect starting point to get kids into reading.

WHY MORE KIDS SHOULD READ GRAPHIC NOVELS!

This series is amazing like I said before, it can be a really brilliant series for kids getting into reading. I loved these books when I was younger, in my last year in primary school, I pretty much spent most of my time in the library just reading the Skeleton Key (book 3) graphic novel.

Unpopular opinion but, I think it’s more important for kids to read graphic novels before normal books. It makes sense, we start kids off reading picture books so reading graphic novels is a great next step. Graphic novels are also really fun, not only do they invite creativity in younger readers but, they help segway into normal novels. And besides, novels aren’t for everyone – a lot of people would much rather read a comic or graphic novel.

DO YOU ENJOY READING MIDDLE-GRADE?

DO YOU READ GRAPHIC NOVELS?

HAVE HAVE

Anne Of Green Gables The Graphic Novel| SPOILER-FREE ARC REVIEW

November 11, 2017November 11, 2017 ~ Ellyn ~ 2 Comments

Anne of Green Gables: The Graphic Novel

my rating: ★★★☆☆

tags: graphic novel, classic

goodreads rating: 4.19

I received an arc copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Schoolyard rivalries. Baking disasters. Puffed sleeves. Explore the violet vales and glorious green of Avonlea in this spirited adaptation.

The magic of L.M. Montgomery’s treasured classic is reimagined in a whimsically-illustrated graphic novel adaptation perfect for newcomers and kindred spirits alike. When Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert decide to adopt an orphan who can help manage their family farm, they have no idea what delightful trouble awaits them. With flame-red hair and an unstoppable imagination, 11-year-old Anne Shirley takes Green Gables by storm.

Anne’s misadventures bring a little romance to the lives of everyone she meets: her bosom friend, Diana Barry; the town gossip, Mrs. Lynde; and that infuriating tease, Gilbert Blythe. From triumphs and thrills to the depths of despair, Anne turns each everyday moment into something extraordinary.

THE GOOD

You know what this graphic novel really did for me? It gave me some serious nostalgia for Anne of Green Gables and made me go on a serious Anne x Gilbert binge!

This is a really cute and short read so I recommend it for that reason. It is also really easy to read and it flows pretty well. I would only recommend this if you already know the plot well though, if you’ve seen the film or any of the shows you should also be fine. This graphic novel is fun and a good half hour catch up of everything that happened in the novel if you forgot what happened.

The main thing I want to let you guys know though is that you really have to have read the book before the graphic novel. You will miss quite a bit of information as a lot of the scenes or conversations are boiled down to the main points and a few scenes are left quite out of context, so know that before you into it.

THE MEH & SOME ADVICE

First off, we should talk about the artwork. This is a graphic novel so the artwork is pretty darn important. I have to say that from the reviews I have read, a lot of people did enjoy the artwork, but personally, for me, the artwork is the main reason I would probably not buy this. Compared to other graphic novel adaptations, like they did with A Wrinkle In Time.

I think with the graphic novel there were more negatives than positives for me. however, I know so many other people really loved it so take my word with a grain of salt.

Aside from the artwork, my main issue with this was purely that it was so fast-paced. Anne of Green Gables is not a fast-paced novel but I was able to get through the graphic novel in half an hour. I will say though, this graphic novel really put into perspective how absolutely creepy one of the relationships (involving a teacher, you know what I mean guys) was and how much people didn’t care about it.

I said before that I think you guys all need to read the book or watch the movie before you get to this. That is because not all the scenes or conversations are explained and are often out of context like the author just skipped a whole chapter and we time travelled too far forward. It was annoying and I didn’t like it, I was only able to understand because I had read the novel so many times as a child.

This is a good catch up if you’re about to read book 2 but don’t want to read the first.
Short, easy, not too many words
Weird artwork (just my opinion!)
I probably won’t ever re-read this.

Have you read Anne? D you prefer graphic novels or the original text?

fridges

[Graphic Novel Review] Decelerate Blue

January 14, 2017March 19, 2020 ~ Ellyn ~ 3 Comments

Decelerate Blue by Adam Rapp 

Rating: 4/5

I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“From revolutionary and award-winning playwright Adam Rapp and veteran cartoonist and animator Mike Cavallaro comes a dark, breath-taking new vision of an all-too-plausible future for America.”

Decelerate Blue is set in a new world, a world where everything is done quickly and efficiently. Everything is accelerated.

If you liked The Giver or Fahrenheit 451 I think you would really enjoy this.

“The future waits for no one.”

One day, this famous book called ‘Kick the Boot’ mysteriously finds its way under the main character, Angela’s chair at school. This is a book that inspires rebellion and is supposed to have been destroyed by the Government years ago.

Angela loves the book and after visiting her sick grandfather she goes to collect something from under a tree for him and ends up being dragged into an underground society – a society where everyone is decelerated. No one is running in their sleep or shortening their words.

Angela is recruited into this new society where she feels more at home, like she can finally slow down and be herself. The key to being a part of this movement is to live a life of relaxation and contentment. Everyone is laid back and calm, they read books and stare at cows. What a life, right?

The thing is, everything above ground is hyper and fast, whereas everything below is slow and relaxed.

Above ground, everything is too fast and too hyper. Nobody thinks about what they’re really doing they just want to be fast and to better their guarantee. If they get too slow then they are sent away from the community.

Below ground, everything is different. The society that lives under the ground purposely does everything differently. Everything is slower and more relaxed, which is good but it’s also terribly boring. Sometimes they literally sit around and stare at a cow for hours. This might be just me, but that doesn’t sound like the most fun thing to do, which is really saying something because I love cows.

I think that this story makes it clear that it’s okay to slow down sometimes but it’s also okay to be fast. It sends a good message while letting us enjoy an interesting story.

Sometimes, no matter how good the plot and story is I just can’t get past the artwork. Luckily, this wasn’t the case with this one. I really enjoyed the artwork and thought the black and white really suited the story.

The only negative thing I have to say about the graphic novel is that the romance wasn’t believable. Yes, it was LGBT which was great but the two girls fell in love in under a week. It was a bit weird to read about. Even though the romance was unrealistic it’s not the main focus of the story and isn’t overpowering in any way so please don’t let that deter you from picking up the graphic novel.

This graphic novel is short (around 200 pages) and engaging. I definitely recommend that you give it a go.

Decelerate Blue comes out on the 14th of February, 2017.

[Graphic Novel Review] Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life

August 27, 2016March 19, 2020 ~ Ellyn ~ 5 Comments

Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life (Scott Pilgrim, #1) – Bryan Lee O’Malley

Rating: 4/5

I’ve known about this graphic novel series for years but have never even thought to pick it up before now. Oh boy, do I regret not picking it up earlier.

The artwork is awesome. I read the black and white version but there is a colour version (it’s more expensive though), the art is really simplistic so anyone can enjoy it. And while that’s the same for the text little kids really shouldn’t be reading these graphic novels There isn’t a sex scene in this volume but I believe there is one in a later volume. There might be some swearing, I don’t really remember.

Plot

The plot of this volume is absolutely ridiculous and I expect I will say the same thing about the other volumes.

Spoilery plot summary?

Boy meets girl – girl is high schooler – girl meets boys band – girl gets obsessed with band – boy meets new, way cooler girl – boy wants to dump high schooler but is a wuss and hates confrontation – new girl is still cool – battle of the bands – Wallace is amazing as per usual – new girl’s ex shows up and demands a fight.

Gotta fight the exes, 6 more to go!

All of the volumes are short so naturally we didn’t get too far in the first volume but volume 1 gave us a pretty good idea of everyone’s personalities

Scott

Scott is a 23-year-old male, he’s in-between jobs and he lives with his roommate Wallace. Wallace and Scott are very poor so they have to share bed. Scott is immature and a bit douchey but he cares about his friends and is pretty much a great guy.

Wallace

[One of the bands @ Wallace] “this song is for the guy who keeps yelling from the balcony, and it’s called ‘we hate you, please die.”

Wallace is amazing. He’s one of those characters that acts like he doesn’t care but when his best friend’s band is playing is in a competition he’s the guy shouting abuse at the other bands. Wallace is there to sort of keep tabs on Scott’s actions and to try and stop him from messing up his life too badly. Scott’s dating two people at once so Wallace tries to get him to see reason and to breakup with the high schooler.

Side note: I’ve not seen the movie and if I’m honest I didn’t even know there was a movie but I’ll definitely be watching it in the near future. Have you guys seen it?