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rosariofacio's review
4.0
Thank you to netgalley for sending me the e-Arc to this graphic novel. I really liked the artwork it went great with the storyline. I loved the plotline for this it was easy to read it didnt feel rushed and I loved the topics that brought up with the characters.
kathy_reads's review
5.0
"No, I'm not rich. No, I'm not famous. I'm not a lot of things. But I'm happy."
A comic set in the 90's about three girls that form a rock band against society's expectations of what it means to be a young woman coming of age in the modern world.
This was a really nice read! The main character Val starts with ballet as a hobby, but she isn't happy with that anymore. Everybody is just complaining about her body and commenting on her weight, forcing her to lose more weight so she can get the lead role in the next big dance thing. Forcing her to start smoking so she won't feel hungry etc. And one day it's enough for her and she tells everybody off and finds a whole new path herself.
Her new best friend is totally different to everyone she was ever friends with. (And I love how they made her plus size, and it's not an issue in the story at all!)
The art style is very nice and the story overall very detailed and not confusing like a lot of other comics I've been reading recently
A comic set in the 90's about three girls that form a rock band against society's expectations of what it means to be a young woman coming of age in the modern world.
This was a really nice read! The main character Val starts with ballet as a hobby, but she isn't happy with that anymore. Everybody is just complaining about her body and commenting on her weight, forcing her to lose more weight so she can get the lead role in the next big dance thing. Forcing her to start smoking so she won't feel hungry etc. And one day it's enough for her and she tells everybody off and finds a whole new path herself.
Her new best friend is totally different to everyone she was ever friends with. (And I love how they made her plus size, and it's not an issue in the story at all!)
The art style is very nice and the story overall very detailed and not confusing like a lot of other comics I've been reading recently
rbreade's review
Spears sets this story in the mid-1990s, and captures Valerie Simmons, a 17-year-old girl, as she discovers the Riot Grrrl movement, DIYs a punk rock band with a friend and then adds a third (got to have some bass), deals with body-shame issues, sexism, and misogyny--there always seems to plenty of that in the world, no matter the decade--and during it all, grows up, leaves home, and finds a place where she's happy, still able to make music and be political. The art and colors by Emmett Helen fit the punk aesthetic perfectly: not pretty and polished, but jagged and full of energy.
lukiut's review
3.0
(I recieved an ARC of this graphic novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
As much as I wanted to adore this feminist and empowerment-full graphic novel, it ended up being kind of a miss for me. I felt like it lacked a lot of things regarding the plot - there were some parts of the book where it didn't flow seamlessly, it seemed like the author just jumped from one action to another without interconnecting them in any ways. Moreover, I feel like I didn't really connect with the main character enough (maybe 'cause she's seventeen and I'm quite past that age already).
Besides these personal preferences, which made the graphic novel get such a low rating for me, I loved the colour scheme and how the colour tonality changed almost like from one part of the main character's life to another, from one facade she offered the world to another. Although there was one dominant colour on the page, I didn't feel like that took away from the beauty of the art. If anything, it added to it, showing how much artists can create although not using a variate colour palette. '
I also really appreciated the fact that it was very diverse in tackling race, sexuality (and other problems teen girls face in relation to sex) and possibly even gender identity (don't quote me on this one though as I'm not really 100% sure it did).
I think this graphic novel could be very empowering for young women, especially teenagers that are trying to find themselves, to create themselves. The journey that the main character goes through (although quite a too fast paced one for me) might be a kick-starter, an example for other young girls to try and overcome their own limits so as to be better and stronger.
As much as I wanted to adore this feminist and empowerment-full graphic novel, it ended up being kind of a miss for me. I felt like it lacked a lot of things regarding the plot - there were some parts of the book where it didn't flow seamlessly, it seemed like the author just jumped from one action to another without interconnecting them in any ways. Moreover, I feel like I didn't really connect with the main character enough (maybe 'cause she's seventeen and I'm quite past that age already).
Besides these personal preferences, which made the graphic novel get such a low rating for me, I loved the colour scheme and how the colour tonality changed almost like from one part of the main character's life to another, from one facade she offered the world to another. Although there was one dominant colour on the page, I didn't feel like that took away from the beauty of the art. If anything, it added to it, showing how much artists can create although not using a variate colour palette. '
I also really appreciated the fact that it was very diverse in tackling race, sexuality (and other problems teen girls face in relation to sex) and possibly even gender identity (don't quote me on this one though as I'm not really 100% sure it did).
I think this graphic novel could be very empowering for young women, especially teenagers that are trying to find themselves, to create themselves. The journey that the main character goes through (although quite a too fast paced one for me) might be a kick-starter, an example for other young girls to try and overcome their own limits so as to be better and stronger.
bexrecca's review
3.0
Honestly, this was a little disappointing. The pacing was really strange and I couldn't quite figure out what was missing, but there was something missing. Is there a graphic novel memoir from Bikini Kill? I'd read that.
butchkeito's review
1.0
the art was cool but plot-wise it was really bland and flat... i didn't like the main character and i just couldn't connect to it
ghostlydreamer's review
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
A lot of plot holes in this one, sadly. It moved at a very quick pace, which isn't always a good thing. I think this story would have benefited from slowing down a bit, expanding on some things. An extra 20 pages, even, could have made a huge difference. Although, at the same time, I'm not sure I wanted to read another 20 pages either. Maybe I would hsbe though if it connected ideas better.
I really liked the concept, of a girl coming from a conservative family discovering the beauty of rock music and forming her own Riot Grrrl band. And true to its word, this book does include everything you would expect from such a plot. That means that sometimes it gets a little cliche, but not necessarily in a bad way. It's just that things moved way too fast. I swear one minute Val is grounded, misunderstood, and having problems with her family, and the next, her mom is suddenly very okay with her daughter packing up and playing in a band, singing lyrics that would definitely not resonate with the kind of character her mom is. Don't get me wrong, I liked that Val's mom took on a more supportive role later on. But...it's very rare that a parent transforms her opinion that fast. There could have been a lot more to explore and expand on there, to make things more believable, and to make me, the reader, actually feel something.
It's more like we just caught a glimpse into Val's life and band. We didn't really get a lot of substance, just surface level summary type stuff. We caught all the highlights, but not so much all the struggles that go into making a band work, and the pieces felt like they didn't fit together as well because so much was missing. Their rise to fame happened very quickly, and that almost feels unrealistic, given this takes place well before any social media.
I'll also admit that I didn’t love the art style. I was expecting something more like the cover, and I guess I was misled. My fault, probably. I read this as an ebook, so I couldn't look inside it first. I just had to go with it. This isn't necessarily the fault of the book. It's more preferential, really.
But you know what I did like? This book did manage to touch on some difficult topics. I was surprised to see a bit of emphasis on what it's like to be a ballerina, being told to eat less in order to be "better." That's a topic not a lot of people touch, and we did get a little bit into the topic of disordered eating. I feel like this bit was resolved a bit too neatly, and much too quickly, but I liked how Val ultimately stood up for herself and wouldn't tolerate such a thing anymore. More could have been done with this to make it more meaningful, but I think it did a decent enough job bringing attention to a topic that's not often written about. So props for that.
I kind of just read this on a whim and didn't have huge expectations for it. I'm a little disappointed by it though and won't be picking up a physical copy. Don't let this stop you from reading it though.
ecote525's review
4.0
3.5 stars. Riot grrrrrrrl. music and bands and shitty venues and the early 90s and female empowerment. fuck yeah. (I just wish there was a second volume instead of the montage ending)
jdalton's review
4.0
Thanks so much to NetGalley and OniPress for an eARC of this graphic novel.
I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed My Riot. While I related to Val in her dancer turned concert/band loving self, I was a bit too young for the Riot Grrl time, so I didn't know how much I'd enjoy it.
Thankfully I did enjoy this coming of age story of 17 year old Val. Her inner monologue was not unlike other teenagers and the issues she deals with are no different than what I went through when I was her age, and even the kids of today.
I also appreciated that it showcased supportive parents. Even though they're not perfect, it's refreshing to see a healthy relationship rather than a broken one among someone with so much angst inside.
The artwork is beautiful and you can really feel the energy coming off the page. I was transported back to jumping around at concerts without a care in the world.
I gave this graphic novel 4 stars, however, as I felt many of the more interesting parts were rushed. And besides the parental relationship, I wasn't heavily invested in the outcomes of the friendships and romantic relationships in the book.
I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed My Riot. While I related to Val in her dancer turned concert/band loving self, I was a bit too young for the Riot Grrl time, so I didn't know how much I'd enjoy it.
Thankfully I did enjoy this coming of age story of 17 year old Val. Her inner monologue was not unlike other teenagers and the issues she deals with are no different than what I went through when I was her age, and even the kids of today.
I also appreciated that it showcased supportive parents. Even though they're not perfect, it's refreshing to see a healthy relationship rather than a broken one among someone with so much angst inside.
The artwork is beautiful and you can really feel the energy coming off the page. I was transported back to jumping around at concerts without a care in the world.
I gave this graphic novel 4 stars, however, as I felt many of the more interesting parts were rushed. And besides the parental relationship, I wasn't heavily invested in the outcomes of the friendships and romantic relationships in the book.
occupationleaf's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No