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daja's review
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
This was a super quick, fun but emotional read. I was not sure what to expect reading this book, but this book gave me so much more than I was expecting.
This story follows four teens who end up in this alternate realm and have to find a set of teeth in order to go back home. What I liked about the story is that it is actually more than this simple summary. The external storyline of them finding the teeth was fine but it was the character journeys that really pulled it through of me. Each of the characters are going through things. From the beginning, there's a tension between the characters that is not explained until later. But as they address what is going on, it becomes a moment of character growth for them. Those moments where they are dealing with their baggage, paired with the friendship between them, made this a story I won't forget. I did want a little more from the external plot, because it did get very theme heavy towards the middle of the book, but overall I highly recommend it if you are in the mood for an adventurous, emotional story.
This story follows four teens who end up in this alternate realm and have to find a set of teeth in order to go back home. What I liked about the story is that it is actually more than this simple summary. The external storyline of them finding the teeth was fine but it was the character journeys that really pulled it through of me. Each of the characters are going through things. From the beginning, there's a tension between the characters that is not explained until later. But as they address what is going on, it becomes a moment of character growth for them. Those moments where they are dealing with their baggage, paired with the friendship between them, made this a story I won't forget. I did want a little more from the external plot, because it did get very theme heavy towards the middle of the book, but overall I highly recommend it if you are in the mood for an adventurous, emotional story.
flowerranger's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
5.0
juniper_reads_things's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Oooo this was a fun read! It reminded me of Over the Garden Wall. It’s so twisty and weird, you think you grasp the world and then it slips through your fingers. I enjoyed this book.
howiedoowinfam's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
anxious_librarian's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s Halloween night and teens are being teens, hanging out in the cemetery, seeking the answer to the age old question…can ghosts get trashed on forties? But investigating one of the mausoleums leads to a terrifying discovery when the group is pulled into a place known as the Confetti Realms and are given until evening to complete a task or remain in the realm forever.
Now I’ve seen some comments downvoting this book for not being the “spooky read” people were hoping for and I personally see that as reader error rather than the author. This may not be horror, but it has a distinct unsettling, autumnal tone. In fact my biggest recommendation is for fans of OVER THE GARDEN WALL to pick this up. The tone is incredibly similar, as well as the art style, color pallet, and character designs.
I loved seeing the humanoid animals and the sheer detail that went into their creation. This world had a major amount of thought put into it! And the not clear distinction between animal and human provided so many opportunities for dark humor and the unexpected.
So now that we’ve acknowledged that the tone here is less Halloween-y and more rustic / vintage fantasy, let’s discuss what the story is actually about. Our four main characters - Garrett, Ty, Marissa, and Radwa - each have something to face and will need to decide if working through it is possible or if the realm offers them a better chance.
At its heart CONFETTI REALMS is about life. The things we go through, how we respond, the ways our decisions impact others and ourselves. In this sense it was very thoughtful. I appreciated how not everyone’s private matters were repealed at once, instead it was a slow release that occurred as the stress built. The desire to learn about the tension between the characters helped keep the story moving without too many “but why??” questions for readers to get frustrated over.
Even those who seemed to be handling their unexpected situation well had something weighing them down. And as a side note, I want to add that I particularly loved Ty. I’ve been getting sick of flat, no effort nonbinary characters. Ty has character and dimension, frankly these kids would have been doomed without their cool head.
One thing I did not enjoy was the ambiguous ending. I’m reallyyy bad at interpreting endings. (To be honest I’m bad at interpretation in general; I did have some trouble figuring out exactly what some of the characters were dealing with too, although I did not discount their experiences just because I didn’t understand) I’ll say the final vibe was there, it felt like a nice conclusion, but like OVER THE GARDEN WALL I would have appreciated knowing what ultimately happened to the teens.
Overall, CONFETTI REALMS was a fantastical journey! One I'm very glad to have gone on.
Now I’ve seen some comments downvoting this book for not being the “spooky read” people were hoping for and I personally see that as reader error rather than the author. This may not be horror, but it has a distinct unsettling, autumnal tone. In fact my biggest recommendation is for fans of OVER THE GARDEN WALL to pick this up. The tone is incredibly similar, as well as the art style, color pallet, and character designs.
I loved seeing the humanoid animals and the sheer detail that went into their creation. This world had a major amount of thought put into it! And the not clear distinction between animal and human provided so many opportunities for dark humor and the unexpected.
So now that we’ve acknowledged that the tone here is less Halloween-y and more rustic / vintage fantasy, let’s discuss what the story is actually about. Our four main characters - Garrett, Ty, Marissa, and Radwa - each have something to face and will need to decide if working through it is possible or if the realm offers them a better chance.
At its heart CONFETTI REALMS is about life. The things we go through, how we respond, the ways our decisions impact others and ourselves. In this sense it was very thoughtful. I appreciated how not everyone’s private matters were repealed at once, instead it was a slow release that occurred as the stress built. The desire to learn about the tension between the characters helped keep the story moving without too many “but why??” questions for readers to get frustrated over.
Even those who seemed to be handling their unexpected situation well had something weighing them down. And as a side note, I want to add that I particularly loved Ty. I’ve been getting sick of flat, no effort nonbinary characters. Ty has character and dimension, frankly these kids would have been doomed without their cool head.
One thing I did not enjoy was the ambiguous ending. I’m reallyyy bad at interpreting endings. (To be honest I’m bad at interpretation in general; I did have some trouble figuring out exactly what some of the characters were dealing with too, although I did not discount their experiences just because I didn’t understand) I’ll say the final vibe was there, it felt like a nice conclusion, but like OVER THE GARDEN WALL I would have appreciated knowing what ultimately happened to the teens.
Overall, CONFETTI REALMS was a fantastical journey! One I'm very glad to have gone on.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Minor: Cancer
novelnopalito's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
chaosandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
- 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
Poignant, spooky, and weird! Fans of Studio Ghibli will enjoy this one for sure.
lillieslibraryy's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I had such high hopes going into this. I loved Nadia Shammas' previous graphic novel Squire and loved the art style of this one, however I was left disappointed.
This just felt so messy and like it was missing pages. The story and characters were all over the place. The comic did do a decent job tackling themes surround queer identities and mental health, but there was not enough time or space to sit with these discussions and to let them breath.
This had a really good base, I just wish it had been executed better. I feel it could have benefited from being either longer, or a series so there was more time to develop both the plot and characters.
This just felt so messy and like it was missing pages. The story and characters were all over the place. The comic did do a decent job tackling themes surround queer identities and mental health, but there was not enough time or space to sit with these discussions and to let them breath.
This had a really good base, I just wish it had been executed better. I feel it could have benefited from being either longer, or a series so there was more time to develop both the plot and characters.
jackphoenix's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
The book tackles many important social issues and has pleasing art, but unfortunately those are tethered to a disengaged story.
geekwayne's review
3.0
‘Confetti Realms’ by Nadia Shammas with art by Karnessa is a graphic novel about a group of teens who find themselves in a strange alternate realm.
Four friends on Halloween meet up in a diner for some creepy fun. Their travels take them to a graveyard where they meet a strange puppet who sends them to the Confetti Realms. To get back home, they need to collect a number of teeth. This leads them on a quest seeking out animals including a gambling frog. While wandering around on their strange quest, they learn that if they don’t finish, they may be trapped and transformed in the Confetti Realms forever.
I like a lot of the pieces here, but the execution is odd and confusing. Teets is an interesting currency, but it is never fully explained or developed. Angsty teen emotions are heavy, but fine for the story. The art is pretty good and the concepts are interesting. I just wish it had been fully formed.
Four friends on Halloween meet up in a diner for some creepy fun. Their travels take them to a graveyard where they meet a strange puppet who sends them to the Confetti Realms. To get back home, they need to collect a number of teeth. This leads them on a quest seeking out animals including a gambling frog. While wandering around on their strange quest, they learn that if they don’t finish, they may be trapped and transformed in the Confetti Realms forever.
I like a lot of the pieces here, but the execution is odd and confusing. Teets is an interesting currency, but it is never fully explained or developed. Angsty teen emotions are heavy, but fine for the story. The art is pretty good and the concepts are interesting. I just wish it had been fully formed.