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anxious_librarian's review
- 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
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 I appreciated how not everyone’s private matters were repealed at once, instead it was a slow release that occurred as the stress built.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.
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Minor: Cancer
willow_the_wisp's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Cancer
pucksandpaperbacks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This was an interesting graphic novel that felt somewhat like a fever dream. It has Five Nights at Freddy's & Alice in Wonderland vibes with the animatronic the group meets when they enter Confetti Realms. Set on Halloween night, a group of queer teens go to the cemetery to summon a spirit, but find themselves in Confetti Realms, a town filled with talking animals. They're tasked with collecting teeth to bring back to Tom. But, during their quest, they're faced with talking about unresolved conflicts between each other including romance.
This was such an interesting and unique story. Plus, the illustrations were stunning especially with the depictions of the animal characters.
If you liked Finna by Nino Cipiri but want to follow teens, you'll enjoy this as well.
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
ehmannky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Mental illness
Minor: Cancer
betweentheshelves's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I did like the art, though. There were some really great panels in here, and the world was brought to life with the artwork. The book itself would have worked better if it was a bit longer and allowed more of the characters and the plot to breath.
All in all, a quirky book that wan't quite my cup of tea.
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, and Mental illness
Minor: Terminal illness, Homophobia, and Transphobia
vael's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The book presents four teenagers who get trapped in a strange world. The pace of the book was fast, and the character designs were amazing. My favorites were Garrett and the Birds.
It talks about different issues such as queerness, mental health, and friendship hardships. Each topic was brought up in such a good way, showing a realistic view of things within a magical world. I loved the message of the story and how it seemed to fit everyone in their own way.
I recommend giving it a try.
Thank you, NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for the opportunity to read this book.
The sites and numbers the books provide at the end do work. As teens AND adults, we often think our problems are so big that nobody can understand and help us, but remember, you are never alone. Professionals are there to help when needed, and friends are there to be by our side the best they can.
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Cancer
tatyana_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
auteaandtales's review against another edition
5.0
I hope this is not a stand-alone because I want to read lots more from this world.
Graphic: Grief and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer
devynreadsnovels's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Abandonment, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Cancer
obscurepages's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.75
This had the perfect amount of spooky and whimsical—blending horror and fantasy to create and atmospheric setting! Loved the queer, diverse fast as well. Though I feel like some of the pacing and the build up of characters and the drama were a bit off.
I also feel like it ended abruptly? Like in an open ending kind of way. Which is a shame because it wasn't until near the end that we started learning more about the characters and their inner struggles.
Love the art style and the colors as well! I feel like these really captured the otherworldliness of the strange new realm. I would have liked to know more about that world-building though!
Overall, this was fun and entertaining. But it also got deep and introspective, which was definitely a plus for me.
Exact rating: 3.75⭐️
(Received an e-arc via NetGalley! This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book.)
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Homophobia, Cancer, and Transphobia