Atmospheric and haunting.
This origin story of an enigmatic villainess begins with a lonely girl.
At night, a young Pamela Isley engages in eco-terrorism. What’s going on at home, however, hints at much darker secrets. This story explores the limits of trust and abuse, at home and in public, and considers what could bring one to a breaking point. Using a muted color palette, primarily consisting of grayed-out greens and reds, the illustrations create a cold tone that serves to highlight the creeping foliage and the main character’s rust-red hair, in striking contrast to her angular face, light skin, and green eyes. Creative, shifting perspective angles and the deliberate draping of her hair are used to shield or hide Pamela’s face and self from most people. She exposes her full face and more tender expressions when she converses with plant life, however, and as she slowly develops a trusting relationship with her new friend (and more), Alice Oh, a gay, self-proclaimed “basic mall goth” who is cued as Korean American. Seemingly the only adult concerned about her welfare is her chemistry teacher, Mr. Crowley, a tall Black man who reminds her of her promise, adding, poignantly, “just promise me you’ll use that brain of yours for good.” This is a fine addition to the DC canon which manages to bring heart to an antihero. The book contains resources for support with suicide, sexual violence, and domestic violence.
Atmospheric and haunting. (Graphic horror. 13-18)Pub Date: June 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4012-9842-5
Page Count: 208
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
An action-packed tale for those thirsty for more superhero stories.
Grammy Award–winning artist Keys co-authors a YA superhero graphic novel bearing the title of her hit song.
Smart, quiet 14-year-old Loretta “Lolo” Wright struggles to stand up for herself until, on what should be a routine trip to a convenience store, her 16-year-old brother, James, is mistakenly accused of stealing by the police. When the officer slams her brother to the ground, Lolo’s powers manifest for the first time. Meanwhile, Michael Warner, who lives in the same Brooklyn housing projects as the Wrights, is rejected from the football team for being too small. He develops exceptional fighting abilities and shortly afterward gets involved in working for a drug dealer named Skin. When Skin sees a video of Lolo levitating the cop who assaulted James, he wants to recruit her as well, and he tries to extort protection money from Lolo’s dad, who owns a moving business. Lolo must convince Michael to choose a different path; it’s only by working together that they can defeat Skin. Featuring dizzying shifts among multiple perspectives, this full-color graphic novel presents vibrant, expressive characters set against mostly simple, bright backgrounds, with extreme violence depicted in gory detail. The narrative briefly explores class issues and racial stereotypes, but while the setup is intriguing, the momentum fizzles and the pieces never quite come together. Most main characters are Black; Skin reads as White, and secondary characters appear racially diverse.
An action-packed tale for those thirsty for more superhero stories. (Graphic fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-302956-9
Page Count: 256
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Funny, heartfelt, and absolutely adorable.
A queer love triangle leads to an unexpected romance.
Belle Hawkins, high school senior and school mascot (she wanted a role where she didn’t have to show her face), finally finds the courage to ask out her crush, confident head cheerleader Regina Moreno. But she learns Gina already has a girlfriend, star athlete Chloe Kitagawa. Meanwhile, Gina has a Ten-Year Plan, and she refuses to let Chloe get them off track by failing her English class. Knowing Belle would be keen to please her, Gina gets her to tutor Chloe. Turns out, Belle and Chloe were friends when they were kids. As the school year progresses, Chloe and Gina’s relationship has its ups and downs, their friendships with Belle grow, and Belle’s romantic feelings change. With a palette of pink hues and strong black outlines, the cartoon art uses exaggerated elements for comedic effect and to cue heightened emotions. The three leads have well-developed personalities and are all lovingly imperfect and relatable. They are physically distinct with notably different body shapes, styles of gender expression, and ethnicities. Belle appears White and is cued Jewish, Chloe’s name implies Japanese heritage, and Gina is Brazilian American. Queerness is normalized, and the shifting dynamics of queer women between friendships and romantic partnerships are accurately depicted, making the happy ending believable. There’s enough conflict to propel the plot and give space for growth, but overall, this low-stakes tale feels like a warm, charming hug.
Funny, heartfelt, and absolutely adorable. (Graphic romance. 13-18)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-78412-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
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