Anya Borzakovskaya has 1 friend, who isn't that nice. She has a massive crush on a boy from the basketball team (but he already has a girlfriend). She's dealing with her exploding body (mainly by refusing to eat the fattening Russian food her mother cooks) and trying to avoid the one other Russian-immigrant kid in school.
Then she falls down a well and meets the ghost of a girl who fell down the well and died 90 years prior. When Anya's rescued, the ghost follows her. At first, have a ghost BFF is pretty cool-- she can sneak around and see the answers the other kids are writing on their tests, she can sneak into people's lockers to come up with good conversation topics. But, it quickly becomes apparent that the ghost is more than a little unbalanced and has her own motives and goals. She'll stop at nothing to get them, so Anya has to deal with her, and fast, before things get deadly.
Brosgol's drawing style really reminds me of Reina Telegemeier's (whom I adore). Something about the way they do faces, especially in profile. The book is mostly black/white/shades of grey, but the grey sometimes veers a bit purple, especially in the scenes that are just between Anya an the ghost. I should probably go back and do an in-depth color analysis.
As much as the ghost tries to ruin Anya's life, their interactions and the consequences show Anya a lot about what's important and what's really going on in her relationships and with the people around her. As scary as the ghost is, Anya comes out on the other end as a much better person, but in a totally believable way.
I liked it.
Book Provided by... my local library
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Giuliano’s father has loaned them a garage to practice in, as long as the guys stay out of trouble. Alberto, the bassist spends his time worrying about his father. Alex, the drummer is obsessed with Hitler and his aunt scorns Giuliano’s family’s wealth. Stefano, the singer, is the trouble maker, but his father has him in contact with a record label. They have the garage, they have the contacts, they just need to cut their demo tape when their amp blows. When they steal a new one, their troubles really begin.
Painted in a muted watercolor palate with frenetic black line work, Gipi’s artwork captures the bleakness of their lives along with the energy of their music. There are several full page desolate landscapes composed mostly of brown sky to show what these young men are trying to escape. The back pages contain several preliminary sketches and character studies.
After reading Emiko Superstar, I was really excited to read this.
The book explores depression, love, friendship, and finding yourself (or not) in a small tale about a high school that overreacts when the popular girl is dumped by her boyfriend who then commits suicide. The details of the plot are really not important, because it's the characters, the dialogue, and the art that really make this book pack a punch.
Black and white drawings (pen?) that appear to be hand drawn without computer help are evocative of the early 90s era of the story. I especially liked the full-page panels and the ones without borders. Excellent use of negative space.
Rue's mother has been missing for three weeks and her father has just been arrested for murdering one of his students. Meanwhile, Rue is pretty sure she's going crazy because she keeps seeing weird things, like... faeries. Faeries that claim to be her mother's family.
I really wanted to like this, but I feel like the entire volume was just setting up the story that's going to happen in the later volumes. It was a little disappointing, but I have great faith in Holly Black, and there are a lot of interesting story lines to play with and I'm really hoping that it goes somewhere, because I think the later volumes could be really cool.
Also, I thought it was going to be in color. I don't know why I thought this, but I did. It's not.
Later this week: Fables, Jack of Fables, Sandman, and Rapunzel's Revenge! Stay tuned!
It's Graphic Novel week here at Biblio File, because I have a lot of graphic novels to review...
First up, is a nonfiction one, because it's nonfiction Monday!
Journey Into Mohawk Country Harmen Meyndertz van den Bogaert, artwork by George O’Connor, color by Hilary Sycamore
You know, I had to read this (not the comic book version, just the text) in high school. I could barely get through it. I think having pictures would have helped. Here's the review I wrote for school when I read this book this summer:
In 1634-1635, Bogaert set out from New Amsterdam’s Fort Orange to talk to the local Native American tribes who have starting trading their beaver pelts with the French. With the exception of translating, the text is unchanged from the journal Bogaert kept on his travels.
O’Connor's artwork brings out many things barely touched on in the text. His backgrounds add several elements to the story that are not included in Bogaert’s dry narrative—-traveling companions turn into comic buffoons and stolen glances add romantic intrigue. Sycamore’s color work helps establish Bogaert’s mood—-panels of trudging through the snow or being unable to start a fire are shown using only black, white and pale blue. Crowded longhouse scenes are reflected in the flames of the fire using palettes of oranges and reds. Includes a glossary and historical notes.
Anyway, completely unrelated, let's talk about some Graphic Novels. Yes, I know it's Nonfiction Monday, but I don't have an unblogged nonfiction, so you know... yeah.
Laika was the first living creature we sent into space, if by "we" you mean "The Russians."
Such a cute little doggy, that looks something like a mini-Sassy, he was found as a stray and given to the Soviet Space Program. After the success of Sputnik, Khrushchev wanted to continue to ride the PR wave and do something amazing in time for the Revolution anniversary.
Because of the speed, the program cut a lot of corners, including figuring out how to bring Laika home. We've always been told he was euthanized while up there. The truth is, some systems failed, and do to extreme cabin heat and stress on the animal, Laika died within 4 hours.
This is the story, meticulously researched and beautifully told of the Soviet system, of the scientists, technicians, and politicians involved, and how one dog touched their lives and the effect he had.
Beautifully moving. I especially liked the panels that reflected Laika's thoughts, a dog looking for love who knew when the humans around him were happy or sad, without knowing why.
I think there's a very good point made that one of the reasons Minx isn't a runaway hit is because it hasn't figured out it's target audience. Specifically, these are graphic novels NOT for current comic readers, but for YA book readers. These are stories that appeal more to fans of straight up books rather than graphic novel fans.
I'm frustrated because I'm a big fan. I love the concept and I've really enjoyed most of the titles so far. I want to see it succeed, but DC Comics keeps dropping the ball. Librarians, start your handselling!
Anyway...
Brody's a major surfer girl whose leg gets eaten by a shark. A few months after the accident, her loser ex-boyfriend moves in on her couch. Ick. Eventually she decides, with her best friend, to drive his lame butt back up to New York where he's from...
For a volume in imprint aimed at teen girls, the characters all have big boobs and skimpy outfits. Yes, I realize surfers hang out in bathing suits, but string bikinis seem not-practical for surfing. But, I'm not a surfer, so what do I know? Well, I do know that I was worried about these poor girls falling out of their top when they were just hanging around the top. I can't imagine what a little surf would do to them.
Overall, I was a little underwhelmed. I thought it could have been so much more than it was... eh.
Danni's mom moved them to the Pacific Northwest after Danni's dad disappeared. Her mom's taken up with a lodge owner with some anger issues. Hank's son, Haskell, is mysterious, and kinda hott.
Here is a great book about families, boys, and balancing friends with boys. It's also about logging vs. not logging-- environmental concerns vs. economic ones. Donner does a great job of presenting both sides of the issue without it seeming crammed in or over-crowding the actual story. The book leans towards environmentalism but recogizes the murkiness of the waters. You're also not sure if Danni continues to be a minor eco-terrorist because she believes in the cause, or if it's because she believes in Haskell's hotness.
A strong title for the imprint. Look for it June 17.
Anya's Ghost Vera Brosgol
