Reviews

Rabbit Chase by Elizabeth LaPensée

capyval's review

adventurous fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

I can't rate this comic, because it was written for kids, and I am not one. If I had to, I would probably give it 2 stars, because I didn't enjoy it much.

The political message of the story is too strong, making it sound just like plain propaganda. It's not that I don't agree with it, it's that I don't think it's enjoyable to read in this context. Also concerning the narrative, things happen too fast, without much explanation.

At some point the white rabbit appears in a bigger body, and I couldn't understand if it was the same rabbit that changed, or a new character.

The drawings are good, but they include fatphobia, as the only curvy character is actually evil.

I'm quite disappointed with this comic, I couldn't recommend it.

chainingbooks's review

adventurous 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? Yes

4.0

baxgirl's review against another edition

adventurous reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

mongoosependragon's review

adventurous inspiring lighthearted 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

4.0

literacyedprof's review

adventurous mysterious 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

4.0

disabledreamer's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

acejolras's review

adventurous 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? Yes

2.0

I read this on my phone and often needed to resize it to fully enjoy the panels, but the story was so abrupt I found myself checking multiple times if I had accidentally skipped some pages. I really respect what the author was trying to do with queer indigenous representation and recasting Alice in Wonderland with native folklore is a great retelling concept, but this felt like the outline of a first draft. 

ka_schulze's review against another edition

adventurous funny informative reflective 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

themargherita_s's review against another edition

5.0

It's very fast paced and could have been perfect with a few more pages to flesh the story out. I really wished we could have seen a lot more of Aimée's time at school and also have more details of the wonderland, but I honestly loved the original twist on Alice in Wonderland so much that I still think it was an amazing graphic novel.

katnortonwriter's review against another edition

adventurous reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I really enjoyed this. The ending was a bit abrupt and felt cut short, but this was a pretty solid book for middle grade readers. The format of this reminded me a bit of the Remixed Classics series... using the framework of a story that a lot of young readers are likely to have encountered, if only in Disney form, and blending in Anishinaabe symbolism and phrasing.

There were places where the story shifted tracks abruptly, or followed events from the Alice in Wonderland plot it borrows from in ways that don't make full sense in the story. Then again, that's kind of how AiW works. I liked what this story had to say, and how the creators recast the Queen of Hearts as the embodiment of settler colonialism.

Happily read this for the trans rights readathon 2024, and would definitely recommend. I also suspect that younger readers will be less skeptical of the structure and consistency than I am. ;)