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inkstndfngrs's review
3.0
I gave this three stars, but...it's more like 2 and a half. The art itself is appealing and the story showed a lot of promise, but ultimately when I reached the end I felt kind of disappointed.
The good: The art. LGBTQIA visability. Realistic portrayal of middle school. The characters are likeable enough.
The Bad: Basically everything else.
The ongoing dream/comic that Faith is writing was distracting and didn't really add anything to the story. She's also nothing special as an artist. It was confusing and I'm not entirely sure what it was supposed to serve to the story as a whole.
Faith being "tricked" into joining the team by the popular girl. Why did she stay when she found out she'd been duped? Especially since the all just quit at the end.
Which...what kind of message is that? If you really hate something, just quit in the middle of it. Yes, I get it: if you are really not enjoying a thing, you shouldn't force yourself to keep doing it because someone else wants you to. But an enmass walk-out in the middle of a game? Wut?
So...over all, it was fine but I won't be recommending it to anyone.
The good: The art. LGBTQIA visability. Realistic portrayal of middle school. The characters are likeable enough.
The Bad: Basically everything else.
The ongoing dream/comic that Faith is writing was distracting and didn't really add anything to the story. She's also nothing special as an artist. It was confusing and I'm not entirely sure what it was supposed to serve to the story as a whole.
Faith being "tricked" into joining the team by the popular girl. Why did she stay when she found out she'd been duped? Especially since the all just quit at the end.
Which...what kind of message is that? If you really hate something, just quit in the middle of it. Yes, I get it: if you are really not enjoying a thing, you shouldn't force yourself to keep doing it because someone else wants you to. But an enmass walk-out in the middle of a game? Wut?
So...over all, it was fine but I won't be recommending it to anyone.
libreroaming's review
1.0
A very disappointing graphic novel that promised diverse friendship but really just laid out a field and tossed in a bunch of characters thinly to not at all fleshed out. The tagline "Bad at soccer. Okay at friendship" gave you lowered expectations and even then it was disappointing, because their relationships consisted of being stuck together on the C-String team and the interpersonal dynamics were either characters expositing about their bonds or unearned declarations of meaningful connection. It also read out of the age range for the book, with an emphasis on teenager dating (there is a love confession between two characters and first kiss while they are in bed together) that doesn't mesh with a POV main character who is in fifth grade and spends time daydreaming about an unrelated fantasy interlude that takes up precious page time.
Bad at soccer was accurate, because they are not simply bad at it competitively, all the characters seem resentful at being on the team. It has no appeal for readers who love sports books, and actually seems to be offputting for them. Common sports themes of underdog effort or bonding through shared trials are nonexistent, and the one character who is narratively designated as "the good player who is supposed to help them" is given nothing to do.
I wish this took time to actually make characters. Designating them as diverse through art cues, names with coded ethnic heritages, and self-identifying markers, does not make up for the fact that none of them have fleshed out personalities. It is window dressing. Overall this is a breakaway that would end up with a referee tweeting it offsides for most readers.
Bad at soccer was accurate, because they are not simply bad at it competitively, all the characters seem resentful at being on the team.
Spoiler
The supposed moment of true bonding happens when they all decide to quit mid-game because they are losing and Faith says, "None of us likes soccer. Who cares if the team wins? I don't care. I just want you guys to be my friends." Even though she only spoke to 3 of the team beyond "hey" and there was a plot point that a girl she might have been friends with, V, got bullied by the others. And that Faith felt guilty about doing nothing to intervene or support her, except now she randomly wants to be friends with them! Story has to close out so let's abandon a commitment on a whim and call it a victory when you tack a "power of friendship" sign on it. Ugh.I wish this took time to actually make characters. Designating them as diverse through art cues, names with coded ethnic heritages, and self-identifying markers, does not make up for the fact that none of them have fleshed out personalities. It is window dressing. Overall this is a breakaway that would end up with a referee tweeting it offsides for most readers.
kawarwick's review
3.0
I was totally confused while reading this. I couldn't keep the characters straight and the different story lines weren't each to keep straight.
kthealey's review
4.0
A great view on the lives of these young girls coming from diverse home lives and economic backgrounds. It's incredibly important to show young girls coping with their emotional struggles and find solutions and resolutions. Heavy themes are implied in some character expressions, alluding to the eventuality of the worst (the concept of being better off dead) if someone doesn't step in and be there for young girls who act out and feel like outsiders. Many of these girls don't have pride in themselves, but find it along the way by forming these close bonds with each other, allowing themselves to be seen and known.
The Breakaways shows young kids a variety of ways to live and change, expressing your interests, sexual preference, gender identity, and cultural heritage.
My greatest critique however, is how the stories all abruptly came to a conclusion, leaving some loose ends that I suppose is reflective of how life can be, but neglects characters that we've come to know making them only the supporting actors in others lives. It feels like a disservice even after allow us a glimpse into their home lives to allow the audience to connect with them.
(I'm leaving out specifics on names and arcs so as to not to spoil.)
This story is not only worth reading at any age, but is something worthy of being introduced to girls and boys looking for a map to explore their identity.
The Breakaways shows young kids a variety of ways to live and change, expressing your interests, sexual preference, gender identity, and cultural heritage.
My greatest critique however, is how the stories all abruptly came to a conclusion, leaving some loose ends that I suppose is reflective of how life can be, but neglects characters that we've come to know making them only the supporting actors in others lives. It feels like a disservice even after allow us a glimpse into their home lives to allow the audience to connect with them.
(I'm leaving out specifics on names and arcs so as to not to spoil.)
This story is not only worth reading at any age, but is something worthy of being introduced to girls and boys looking for a map to explore their identity.
lebron_librarian's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
mrs_bookdragon's review against another edition
4.0
A fun graphic novel showing the different personalities and characters on a soccer team. The characters could have been developed more, but I enjoyed it.
katdemon's review
2.0
Progressive story about middle school girls joining a soccer team, learning about their gender, sexuality, and there was a poster of BLM in 2019 so that’s cool.
tracie_nicole's review
Honestly a DNF at 68. The story made no sense to me, the girls all seemed unnecessarily mean to each other, and I didn't like the art.
Obvs. Not for me.
Obvs. Not for me.
saidtheraina's review
4.0
As the tagline says, way more about the friendships than the sports.
Great representation of lots of different realistic diversity on one team. Full color, lots of variety in panel layout, the realistic tween GN audience should eat this up. :)
Extra star for in a Juvenile book, and centering a nonwhite person.
Great representation of lots of different realistic diversity on one team. Full color, lots of variety in panel layout, the realistic tween GN audience should eat this up. :)
Extra star for
Spoiler
trans representationohgiseal's review
4.0
Honestly, the book could have had either fewer characters, or more pages to flesh out the characters more — more than once, I had to flip back to remember who was who. However, points for the diverse characters and its wholesome treatment of a trans character. Solid 3.5 stars.