A review by leahbrarian
Benice: An Adventure of Love and Friendship (Color Edition) by Metin Karayaka

3.0

I think it's a particular young person who would really love this book. There's some awkwardness to the writing style (I kept asking myself whether it was translated) and a bit of silliness and old-fashioned sensibility that might not gel with current kids, though the fast pace and multiple points of view do keep things interesting. The "moral of the story" ending felt somewhat trite, and the relationships didn't feel overly deep. The illustrations do make it stand out, though. Perhaps for fans of other stylistic/atmospheric authors such as Colin Meloy and Catherynne M. Valente (for some reason The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place and The Mysterious Benedict Society are also springing to mind, but I think it might just be that the art style is reminiscent).

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.