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Reviews
The Supernaturalist: The Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, Paolo Lamanna, Giovanni Rigano
theseventhl's review
2.0
Actually, if it weren't for the fact that Eoin Colfer wrote the original story behind this, it would be a one-star rating. As a fan of the original novel, I can say I was less than pleased with this adaptation, although it had a few good spots that kept it from being a total wash-out and it certainly kept my interest long enough for me to bother finishing it.
My full review of the graphic novel adaptation of The Supernaturalist will be up on my review blog shortly: http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com
My full review of the graphic novel adaptation of The Supernaturalist will be up on my review blog shortly: http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com
wrentheblurry's review
2.0
I haven't read the original, non-graphic novel for this, though I'm guessing it's a lot better. The future world is bleak and harsh, and Cosmo the orphan (which equates to being a medical guinea pig for the 'orphanage') undergoes a near-death experience. He is saved by a group that hunt down blue parasites that only certain people (including Cosmo) can see; the group (the Supernaturalists) believe these parasites feed on a person's life force.
I found the story a bit hard to follow, and a tad cliched. Worse, I was not a fan of the artwork at all. Things are dark and muddled, and maybe this sort of book is just not the right type of story for a graphic novel, or maybe the artist just really is not to my tastes. My son (11) borrowed this from his school library, and suggested I borrow it. When I couldn't finish it before it was due, he voluntarily renewed it for me, though I was ready to give up on it. Since he did this for me, I trudged through the end. It got better, but it never got good.
I should add that this same son is a huge Colfer fan, and really liked this title. He gives it "4.5 stars", although he says the novel is better. To each their own!
I found the story a bit hard to follow, and a tad cliched. Worse, I was not a fan of the artwork at all. Things are dark and muddled, and maybe this sort of book is just not the right type of story for a graphic novel, or maybe the artist just really is not to my tastes. My son (11) borrowed this from his school library, and suggested I borrow it. When I couldn't finish it before it was due, he voluntarily renewed it for me, though I was ready to give up on it. Since he did this for me, I trudged through the end. It got better, but it never got good.
I should add that this same son is a huge Colfer fan, and really liked this title. He gives it "4.5 stars", although he says the novel is better. To each their own!
aoosterwyk's review
4.0
This is a gritty, dystopian science-fiction/fantasy with excellent artwork. Orphans are used as industry lab-rats and corporations own everything worth owning.
The supernaturalists are a small group of teens who, through their own near death experiences, have all developed the talent of seeing an alien parasite which preys on the dying. They do what they can to eliminate the aliens, but are under attack themselves by the Myishi Co and the lawyers and paralegals who have taken over the role of the police.
The plot is non-stop action, with every character under suspicion of betrayal. In the end, a great understanding occurs, which I loved.
The supernaturalists are a small group of teens who, through their own near death experiences, have all developed the talent of seeing an alien parasite which preys on the dying. They do what they can to eliminate the aliens, but are under attack themselves by the Myishi Co and the lawyers and paralegals who have taken over the role of the police.
The plot is non-stop action, with every character under suspicion of betrayal. In the end, a great understanding occurs, which I loved.
saidtheraina's review
4.0
Not every novel should go graphic. In fact, a lot of times, I don't understand why stories get adapted into the graphic novel form. In large part, it feels like publishers trying to capitalize on an already popular story. The best graphic novels were generally conceptualized for the strengths of the graphic novel medium.
Because of my biases this way, I wasn't expecting much from this graphic novel adaptation of Colfer's The Supernaturalist. I had read the original prose work, on talking book, years ago. And I remembered it positively.
On first glance, I didn't see the point of this. And I didn't really like the art, either. The way Rigano draws figures is not particularly accessible. There is some manga influence, stylistically. And the panels are generally relatively small. The color palette is dark, with a heavy green lean.
But once I got into the story, I was immediately sucked into this world. Being able to SEE the Parasites draining people of life was far more affecting than reading a description of the act (or listening to someone read a description of the act). And my FAVORITE part of the whole thing comes by in the first ten pages of the story. I was intrigued by the testing on the orphans when I heard them mentioned in print, and wanted to know more. The way this is communicated in the graphic novel is extremely effective and succinct.
Reading this graphic novel made me realize that sci-fi is a genre that works exceedingly well in graphic form. It's difficult to describe technical specifications of imagined technology. In graphic form, we can see what the author intends right there on the page. I find it much easier to follow.
I loved this so much, I intend to booktalk it to the middle school students in my community in the near future. I'll be booktalking both the prose and the graphic novel form and let the students choose for themselves.
SO good.
Because of my biases this way, I wasn't expecting much from this graphic novel adaptation of Colfer's The Supernaturalist. I had read the original prose work, on talking book, years ago. And I remembered it positively.
On first glance, I didn't see the point of this. And I didn't really like the art, either. The way Rigano draws figures is not particularly accessible. There is some manga influence, stylistically. And the panels are generally relatively small. The color palette is dark, with a heavy green lean.
But once I got into the story, I was immediately sucked into this world. Being able to SEE the Parasites draining people of life was far more affecting than reading a description of the act (or listening to someone read a description of the act). And my FAVORITE part of the whole thing comes by in the first ten pages of the story. I was intrigued by the testing on the orphans when I heard them mentioned in print, and wanted to know more. The way this is communicated in the graphic novel is extremely effective and succinct.
Reading this graphic novel made me realize that sci-fi is a genre that works exceedingly well in graphic form. It's difficult to describe technical specifications of imagined technology. In graphic form, we can see what the author intends right there on the page. I find it much easier to follow.
I loved this so much, I intend to booktalk it to the middle school students in my community in the near future. I'll be booktalking both the prose and the graphic novel form and let the students choose for themselves.
SO good.
marisamoo's review
3.0
Eh book was probably better? I liked the art but it was all smooshed together. Still fun though
jaccarmac's review
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I dug the art style: It drives home the Akira connections I missed in the prose as a kid. Unfortunately, there are a lot of bad choices that make the adaptation poor cyberpunk. There are way too many text boxes, and instead of the tropiness of Harrison Ford's Blade Runner voiceover, they read as band-aids applied late to the work. The panel layout is often frustrating. A nostalgic hors d'oeuvre for the novel, nothing more.
paxthefifth's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ladykatka's review against another edition
3.0
I did not care for the layout of this graphic novel. Some of the panels took up the whole two pages, but it was hard to tell which ones. So you would read a whole page before realizing that it was layed out over both pages and that is why it didn't make a lot of sense. It was a ok story, but less than I was expecting.
kailey_luminouslibro's review against another edition
3.0
I really like this story, but I hated the strange artwork. Everyone has buggy eyes and their faces look melted. The colors are bland and boring.
But the story and characters are really good!
But the story and characters are really good!