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reader4evr's review against another edition
4.0
I read this in one sitting. I liked Maggie and her family.
Overall I liked the storyline but I felt like the ending lacked a little but I liked the graphics, wish there was more color in it somewhere.
Overall I liked the storyline but I felt like the ending lacked a little but I liked the graphics, wish there was more color in it somewhere.
bookph1le's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
I really liked the main plot of this book and thought the characters showed a tremendous amount of growth, but I didn't see the plot of the ghostly subplot, and I think the title makes no sense.
I really liked the main plot of this book and thought the characters showed a tremendous amount of growth, but I didn't see the plot of the ghostly subplot, and I think the title makes no sense.
hobbitfreddie's review against another edition
4.0
Well I'm a sucker for more casual slice of life stories with some good themes and characters. And this does deliver, it's pretty short for a coming of age story. My main gripe would be how simple it is and that not much happens. But it does do it's job of having a story to tell. It's a very Hicks book, I've only read two of her other books, but they all have a similar fast paced but simple structure. So if you enjoyed Ellsmere and Pumpkinheads this is a good edition.
Read this if you like a nice laid back coming of age story with a bit of supernatural.
Art: Hick's style took a bit to grow on me, it's not anything too special, but it is quite good. This is an earlier work of theirs, but I think it's still pretty good. I think the black and white coloring works, as there is some shading. So even with the limited color pallete the panels still look very good, they're a fix of simple and detailed. My one gripe is the use of quiet moments, panels with no dialouge. But here they're used so much, that it feels like nothing's happening. I love quiet moments, but I've never seen them used in excess like this so it was pretty jarring.
Character: For a single volume, the medium size cast of characters is quite good. You actually get individual traits and arcs for most of them. While Maggie isn't the most interesting main character, she's balanced out by the rest of the cast. I also like how the brothers aren't just plot devices or background characters, they actually feel like a family. A nitpick, I feel like some characters were kinda pushed to the side for a bit until the end.
Story: Again it's really simple. But while still being simple, it's able to establish and resolve several character arcs. And I really think that makes the comic worth reading. Those arcs prevent the reader from thinking nothing happened. However the supernatural stuff while cool in concept, felt unresolved at the end. And kinda like a macguffin at that point.
Read this if you like a nice laid back coming of age story with a bit of supernatural.
Art: Hick's style took a bit to grow on me, it's not anything too special, but it is quite good. This is an earlier work of theirs, but I think it's still pretty good. I think the black and white coloring works, as there is some shading. So even with the limited color pallete the panels still look very good, they're a fix of simple and detailed. My one gripe is the use of quiet moments, panels with no dialouge. But here they're used so much, that it feels like nothing's happening. I love quiet moments, but I've never seen them used in excess like this so it was pretty jarring.
Character: For a single volume, the medium size cast of characters is quite good. You actually get individual traits and arcs for most of them. While Maggie isn't the most interesting main character, she's balanced out by the rest of the cast. I also like how the brothers aren't just plot devices or background characters, they actually feel like a family. A nitpick, I feel like some characters were kinda pushed to the side for a bit until the end.
Story: Again it's really simple. But while still being simple, it's able to establish and resolve several character arcs. And I really think that makes the comic worth reading. Those arcs prevent the reader from thinking nothing happened. However the supernatural stuff while cool in concept, felt unresolved at the end. And kinda like a macguffin at that point.
noragrace89's review against another edition
3.0
A quick fun read, I really enjoyed the family dynamics.
x_librarian's review against another edition
3.0
A wonderful story about surviving High School. I still don't really understand the ghost plot line, but the story was still delightful.
soramun's review against another edition
3.0
This was quite an interesting read. I first have to say I love the art work. The panels were easy to follow and the style is unique but familiar. In a good way.
The story follows a girl named Maggie just entering high school from a long time of homeschooling. Her older brothers have always been by her side so she never needed friends, but when their mom leaves, everything changes and Maggie is forced to face her reality. The ghost who haunts her doesn't make things any easier.
[SPOLIERS]
I kinda felt like the ghost didn't have unfinished business for herself. I think she stuck around to help Maggie because she didn't seem to care for her husband's prosthetic hand. And at the end she seemed to "move on" when Maggie became happier. I also feel like the ghost was a woman because she represented Maggie's mother leaving and the questions Maggie had about feminism and not wanting to act or be like a girl.
[END OF SPOILERS]
I don't know if there's a second book but if there isn't, I wish there was. I really want to know more. The story overall was very simple and it didn't give me everything I wanted from it. It ended kinda on a weird note. There was no definite ending and I think the author might have wanted readers to interpret it themselves which I'm not a big fan of, but, overall, I think this was a fun and thought inspiring read.
The story follows a girl named Maggie just entering high school from a long time of homeschooling. Her older brothers have always been by her side so she never needed friends, but when their mom leaves, everything changes and Maggie is forced to face her reality. The ghost who haunts her doesn't make things any easier.
[SPOLIERS]
I kinda felt like the ghost didn't have unfinished business for herself. I think she stuck around to help Maggie because she didn't seem to care for her husband's prosthetic hand. And at the end she seemed to "move on" when Maggie became happier. I also feel like the ghost was a woman because she represented Maggie's mother leaving and the questions Maggie had about feminism and not wanting to act or be like a girl.
[END OF SPOILERS]
I don't know if there's a second book but if there isn't, I wish there was. I really want to know more. The story overall was very simple and it didn't give me everything I wanted from it. It ended kinda on a weird note. There was no definite ending and I think the author might have wanted readers to interpret it themselves which I'm not a big fan of, but, overall, I think this was a fun and thought inspiring read.
dembury's review against another edition
4.0
*Art style reminded me of Brian Lee O'Malley meets Jillian Tamaki, who are two of my favorite graphic novelists! Visually this was superrrr pleasing to me because I loved the art style. It had sort of this fluid, urban, inky feel to it that was enjoyable to see. The character designs and silhouettes are so well drawn! Alistair and Lucy look really cool here!
*This is a somewhat mild storyline. Simply put, it's a high school coming-of-age story. Less simply put, it follows Maggie as she attends public high school for the first time after being homeschooled by her mother. She has three brothers who also attend, and they each kinda sorta have their own tiny plots. It's mainly about Maggie finding her place in school and coming to terms with the fact that her mom is no longer a part of her life.
*Honestly, this isn't a super phenomenal or dramatic graphic novel. It's pretty subtle, and something about that hooked me. I liked this! Again, it's simple, but Faith Erin Hicks has captured a lovely picture of the melancholy feel that comes with growing up and the hope that comes with new friends and family. Plus, there's a cool little ghost element to it!
*This is a somewhat mild storyline. Simply put, it's a high school coming-of-age story. Less simply put, it follows Maggie as she attends public high school for the first time after being homeschooled by her mother. She has three brothers who also attend, and they each kinda sorta have their own tiny plots. It's mainly about Maggie finding her place in school and coming to terms with the fact that her mom is no longer a part of her life.
*Honestly, this isn't a super phenomenal or dramatic graphic novel. It's pretty subtle, and something about that hooked me. I liked this! Again, it's simple, but Faith Erin Hicks has captured a lovely picture of the melancholy feel that comes with growing up and the hope that comes with new friends and family. Plus, there's a cool little ghost element to it!
inook_u's review against another edition
5.0
I love this one!!! It has an amazing storyline and it comes from same company that brought us Anna Ghost!!! Love It
katieinca's review against another edition
4.0
Devoured it in one day.
I'd give it 5 stars if it weren't for the feeling, when it ended, that it wasn't over. I thought there must be a volume 2 somewhere, but apparently it neither exists nor is in the works. Nothing huge, it works as a standalone, but... it has that written-as-a-serial feeling where things are raised that maybe don't get resolved or explored as much as you'd expect, that doesn't happen as much when a work is revised with the knowledge of what's in the whole thing, including the end. If that makes sense.
Anyway, it was darling, and well done, and I'm going to loan it out to friends who I know will also love it.
I'd give it 5 stars if it weren't for the feeling, when it ended, that it wasn't over. I thought there must be a volume 2 somewhere, but apparently it neither exists nor is in the works. Nothing huge, it works as a standalone, but... it has that written-as-a-serial feeling where things are raised that maybe don't get resolved or explored as much as you'd expect, that doesn't happen as much when a work is revised with the knowledge of what's in the whole thing, including the end. If that makes sense.
Anyway, it was darling, and well done, and I'm going to loan it out to friends who I know will also love it.