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jghand82's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
momogajo's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really liked both the art and the story.
The romance felt kind of rushed and forced. I probably would have like them to be friends, but that’s a minor plot point to the story as a whole so it wasn’t a big issue.
Additionally, the main character feels a little to perfect, but it didn’t come off as some perfect Mary Sue. They did a good job of explaining her motivations so her perfection felt more that she was the perfect person for this situation rather than someone who is just perfect.
The romance felt kind of rushed and forced. I probably would have like them to be friends, but that’s a minor plot point to the story as a whole so it wasn’t a big issue.
Additionally, the main character feels a little to perfect, but it didn’t come off as some perfect Mary Sue. They did a good job of explaining her motivations so her perfection felt more that she was the perfect person for this situation rather than someone who is just perfect.
catacombkitten's review
4.0
Review originally posted at Graveyard Picnic.
Will O' the Wisp tells the story of Aurora Grimeon, who becomes an orphan at the age of twelve due to her parents' getting mushroom poisoning. She is then sent to live with a grandfather she doesn't know on an odd island named Ossuary Isle. The place is filled with graves and a spooky atmosphere. She soon understands that the people on the island are... well, different. The entire place breathes Hoodoo and in order to save her new-found family and friends, Aurora will need all the information she can get on its practices and traditions.
The main character, Aurora, immediately wins any darkly inclined reader's heart, and not only because of her gothy looks. Even though she is only twelve, there is no trace of naivity in her character: Aurora understands the ways of the world and is curious about its workings. Even though her situation is everything but ideal, she tries to make the best of it and to pass the time, she starts exploring the island's traditions. Aurora is extremely likeable and the reader roots for her from beginning to end. That does not mean that the other characters are less interesting. Her grandfather and many of the other inhabitants of Ossuary Isle all have their own personality, and their own whims, flaws and oddities.
Not only are the characters interesting, they are also drawn very well. The illustrations are both charming and obscure and the depiction of the island makes for a lovely gloomy vibe. The entire look of the graphic novel is beautiful, both inside and out. Admittedly, there are a couple of gruesome drawings -think corpses, skulls and more dead things- but they are not treated as gross and they fit perfectly in the obscure plot. Ossuary Isle teaches Aurora many things, and also that death is a part of life.
One of the most fascinating themes in the novel is the Hoodoo tradition of the island. The reader gets many tips and tricks throughout the story and every chapter starts with advice straight from actual Hoodoo traditions. We also get to witness how Aurora learns a lot from Mama Nonnie, the authority of Hoodoo on the island and how she puts all this information into practice.
Overall, Will O' the Wisp tells a very creative and original story. It touches on some interesting subjects, the drawing style is very appealing and every single character has an interesting story to tell. Hopefully Aurora Grimeon has a couple more stories to tell.
Will O' the Wisp tells the story of Aurora Grimeon, who becomes an orphan at the age of twelve due to her parents' getting mushroom poisoning. She is then sent to live with a grandfather she doesn't know on an odd island named Ossuary Isle. The place is filled with graves and a spooky atmosphere. She soon understands that the people on the island are... well, different. The entire place breathes Hoodoo and in order to save her new-found family and friends, Aurora will need all the information she can get on its practices and traditions.
The main character, Aurora, immediately wins any darkly inclined reader's heart, and not only because of her gothy looks. Even though she is only twelve, there is no trace of naivity in her character: Aurora understands the ways of the world and is curious about its workings. Even though her situation is everything but ideal, she tries to make the best of it and to pass the time, she starts exploring the island's traditions. Aurora is extremely likeable and the reader roots for her from beginning to end. That does not mean that the other characters are less interesting. Her grandfather and many of the other inhabitants of Ossuary Isle all have their own personality, and their own whims, flaws and oddities.
Not only are the characters interesting, they are also drawn very well. The illustrations are both charming and obscure and the depiction of the island makes for a lovely gloomy vibe. The entire look of the graphic novel is beautiful, both inside and out. Admittedly, there are a couple of gruesome drawings -think corpses, skulls and more dead things- but they are not treated as gross and they fit perfectly in the obscure plot. Ossuary Isle teaches Aurora many things, and also that death is a part of life.
One of the most fascinating themes in the novel is the Hoodoo tradition of the island. The reader gets many tips and tricks throughout the story and every chapter starts with advice straight from actual Hoodoo traditions. We also get to witness how Aurora learns a lot from Mama Nonnie, the authority of Hoodoo on the island and how she puts all this information into practice.
Overall, Will O' the Wisp tells a very creative and original story. It touches on some interesting subjects, the drawing style is very appealing and every single character has an interesting story to tell. Hopefully Aurora Grimeon has a couple more stories to tell.
mochomito's review
3.0
It was something different than what I expected, but still, creepy and fun and a bit lovely and dark.
erin_e's review
3.0
This 200 page spooky graphic novel centres around a young girl forced to move to a strange town full of graves. When a mysterious blue light, or Will O’ The Wisp, out in the swamp attacks several of the town’s residents Aurora must find a way to uncover the town’s secrets and save her Grandfather.
Our main character is pre-teen Aurora who, after the untimely loss of her parents (to mushroom poisoning) is sent to live with her only remaining family member; a mysterious grandfather she’s never met. Aurora is a curious and brave young girl, willing to go to extreme lengths to help others. Her Grandfather, Silver, turns out to be a rather fascinating character himself. Amongst other intriguing things he casts skeletons for medical schools and lives in a creepy gothic style mansion with Missy, his loyal (and adorable!) pet raccoon. Amongst the eerie setting there are a whole host of other interesting yet strange characters to be found in this graphic novel, most notably Mama Nonnie the local Hoodoo woman.
Due to the graphic novel format, with it’s beautifully drawn illustrations, at times the story did lack the depth that I have come to expect from reading novels. Thankfully though this didn’t detract from how much I enjoyed the read, nor did it stop me from eagerly wanting to find out what would happen next.
Apparently Will O’ The Wisp is only the first in a planned series of Aurora Grimeon stories from production designer Tom Hammock and illustrator Megan Hutchinson. After enjoying this first installment, I for one am definitely interested in reading future adventures starring Aurora and co.
3.5/5
Review copy c/o Netgalley.
Our main character is pre-teen Aurora who, after the untimely loss of her parents (to mushroom poisoning) is sent to live with her only remaining family member; a mysterious grandfather she’s never met. Aurora is a curious and brave young girl, willing to go to extreme lengths to help others. Her Grandfather, Silver, turns out to be a rather fascinating character himself. Amongst other intriguing things he casts skeletons for medical schools and lives in a creepy gothic style mansion with Missy, his loyal (and adorable!) pet raccoon. Amongst the eerie setting there are a whole host of other interesting yet strange characters to be found in this graphic novel, most notably Mama Nonnie the local Hoodoo woman.
Due to the graphic novel format, with it’s beautifully drawn illustrations, at times the story did lack the depth that I have come to expect from reading novels. Thankfully though this didn’t detract from how much I enjoyed the read, nor did it stop me from eagerly wanting to find out what would happen next.
Apparently Will O’ The Wisp is only the first in a planned series of Aurora Grimeon stories from production designer Tom Hammock and illustrator Megan Hutchinson. After enjoying this first installment, I for one am definitely interested in reading future adventures starring Aurora and co.
3.5/5
Review copy c/o Netgalley.
spmcleroy's review
3.0
Eh, I felt the story was a little repetitive and simple. REALLY loved all the hoodoo, however, and the explanations of the hoodoo rituals. Also the art was nice.
mari77's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
jwmcoaching's review
2.0
Pretty wonderful artwork? Check.
Interesting premise? Check.
Solid execution? Not so much.
The first 50 pages of this were so slow that I almost didn't even finish it, but I stuck it out. It does get better as it goes along and I actually liked the second half a little, but not enough to say that I enjoyed the entire thing. I wanted a little more backstory as to how the main villain/ghoul/monster came about. His origin story seemed a bit flimsy. I had other issues as well, but remedying that one would have gone a long way towards making things better overall.
Interesting premise? Check.
Solid execution? Not so much.
The first 50 pages of this were so slow that I almost didn't even finish it, but I stuck it out. It does get better as it goes along and I actually liked the second half a little, but not enough to say that I enjoyed the entire thing. I wanted a little more backstory as to how the main villain/ghoul/monster came about. His origin story seemed a bit flimsy. I had other issues as well, but remedying that one would have gone a long way towards making things better overall.
scostner's review
3.0
Aurora Grimeon is orphaned by the accidental poisoning of her parents (they picked wild mushrooms to put in pasta sauce and chose the wrong kind). She is sent to live with the grandfather she has never met on spooky Ossuary Isle. From the other residents of the island she learns that it was used as a cemetery there in the swamps, back before cremations became more common. Aurora slowly makes friends with some of her grandfather's neighbors like the Devereaux family and the local hoodoo woman, Mama Nonnie. For those of us who have never lived in the southern swamps, hoodoo and voodoo sound a lot alike. Mama Nonnie makes spells and charms for protection from evil spirits and bad luck. Since her grandfather is busy making molds of old bones for scientific study and other odd experiments, Aurora spends time with Nonnie and begins following her advice to protect herself and grandfather. It turns out to be a good thing that Aurora has listened to Nonnie when a vengeful spirit returns from the grave and begins killing the islanders.
If you like shows like "Grimm", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", or "Supernatural", then this is probably something you will enjoy. The publishers recommend it for teens/YA and I agree that it might be too creepy for younger readers. I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
If you like shows like "Grimm", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", or "Supernatural", then this is probably something you will enjoy. The publishers recommend it for teens/YA and I agree that it might be too creepy for younger readers. I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.