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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
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:
No
Overall, this graphic novel had a great story with a great meaning behind it. Learning to stand up for yourself the right way, learning that sometimes trying to be everyone's friend is not actually helpful, and learning more about who you are and who you can be without people dragging you down. I liked that the girl was the athlete in this story, with the boy being the one in drama. I also overall just liked the concept since I love both of these things dearly. The mix of hockey, drama and how to navigate those differences was done really well. The art style was good too, though I will say I tend to like more color. I also like the learning how to deal with relationships with parents and the trauma that parents don't realize they are passing down.
3.5/5 stars
3.5/5 stars
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
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
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
Before I get into the bulk of my review, I want to say a quick thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers over at First Second for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. In this graphic novel, we follow Alix who is a superstar on her high school's hockey team and Ezra who is well loved in the high school's drama team. One day after a game, Alix gets into a physical fight with her team captain and turns to calm, cool, collected Ezra for advice on dealing with her temper. As they begin to spend time together, they learn from each other and lean on one another for support which leads to feelings. Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy comes out on October 3rd and is available for pre-order now.
I gave out a five star last month and now I'm giving out another one? Who am I? Well, I'm a girl who loves hockey and a girl who loves some contemporary graphic novels. One of my favorite graphic novels of all time is also from First Second and is about hockey. None of this should surprise anyone. I loved the communication style between the different characters which sounds like a weird compliment, but sometimes in stories the characters don't act or sound like teenagers. In this one, we see teens doing the teenage thing: withholding their feelings until they can't take it anymore and blowing up, feeling upset at one person and taking it out on another person, feeling hurt and lashing out at the person doing the hurting. The characters still managed to later communicate effectively with others and deal with the things they said or they way they acted in the end. I just like that we had teenagers acting like teenagers. I also loved the hockey stuff. I am who I am. It didn't dive too deeply into the hockey scene but I got enough to make me happy. Especially at the end when we got to see some hockey newbs watch hockey for the first time. The relationship between Alix and Ezra was sweet and tentative but their relationship wasn't a make or break on this comic for me. There were a couple of panels I wanted to screenshot because they were so adorable.
I didn't 100% love the art style. I get migraines so reading a mostly black, white, and blue comic on an electronic device wasn't great for me. I ended up pulling out my old blue light glasses to try to stave off a headache. That's not really the fault of the author, the publisher, or anyone really. Just a fact of trying to read the comic. It wouldn't be a problem at all if I had read it physically.
Overall, this was so cute, so sweet, and just enough hockey to keep me happy. This isn't the first thing I've read with Faith Erin Hicks's name attached and it definitely won't be the last.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Alix should be celebrating, since her hockey team just won a tough game. But when her teammate, Lindsay, decides to make fun of her after the game, she decides she can't take it anymore. The anger she normally keeps leashed lashes out. Now, Alix is in danger of losing her spot in the hockey camp she's desperate to go to that summer.
Enter Ezra, the popular theater kid from school. When Alix witnesses him deal with a bully with ease, she enlists his help with controlling her own anger. However, as the two spend time with each other, sparks start to fly. Maybe their budding friendship might just turn into something more.
Thanks to NetGalley and First Second for an advanced copy of Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Faith Erin Hicks to review! Ever since reading Friends with Boys, Faith Erin Hicks has definitely been on my radar. This opposites attract romance graphic novel should definitely be on your radar this fall!
The core of this story is the friendship between Alix and Ezra, and their budding romance. They both realize despite traveling in different social circles, they actually have a lot in common. They go on a little adventures together, helping each other out and meeting each other's families. The way Ezra helps Alix deal with her anger management, with kindness and consideration, actually helps her gain confidence to deal with her own bullies. Such a great character arc.
There was just one thing that rubbed me the wrong way, and it was Ezra's conflict with his best friend. It was a little too friend zoney to me. Yes, they're teenagers, but the whole thing just felt kind of awkward to me. Ezra is queer (without putting labels on himself), and there's a little jealousy when he starts dating a girl. Not my favorite plot line for romances.
Other than that, I enjoyed everything else! Hicks has such a unique art style, and I enjoyed the way that it was used in this book. All in all, if you like opposites attract romances, you'll definitely love this when it comes out in October!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Violence
Moderate: Biphobia, Toxic relationship, Transphobia
emotional
hopeful
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
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to an egalley in exchange for an honest review!
Man, I think I raised my expectations too high. I enjoyed it, but the inciting incident was just so...not unrealistic, I guess? I just had a really hard time buying it, is all. In what way does it make sense for a team captain to be so relentlessly mean to a teammate? How does that help build a successful, cohesive team? Why is she allowed to do this? Maybe I've just been out of high school for too long. Maybe the coach just sucks. Who knows.
Also, it felt like it needed to be longer than it was (maybe even going into a second volume?); some ideas didn't get enough room to breathe, some plot points don't get to finish playing out, at least not where we can see them - although we can kind of uhhhh make an educated guess about at least one of them lol - and the ending we get felt more like an epilogue than an actual wrapping up of events.
All that said? Alix and Ezra are so sweet together, and I loved their love. I love the gender role subversion! I love that she's taller than him! I love queer rep! (Ezra doesn't put a label on himself, but he is somewhere in the bi/pan ballpark). Even with my gripes, I'd read another story with them in it for sure.
Man, I think I raised my expectations too high. I enjoyed it, but the inciting incident was just so...not unrealistic, I guess? I just had a really hard time buying it, is all. In what way does it make sense for a team captain to be so relentlessly mean to a teammate? How does that help build a successful, cohesive team? Why is she allowed to do this? Maybe I've just been out of high school for too long. Maybe the coach just sucks. Who knows.
Also, it felt like it needed to be longer than it was (maybe even going into a second volume?); some ideas didn't get enough room to breathe, some plot points don't get to finish playing out, at least not where we can see them - although we can kind of uhhhh make an educated guess about at least one of them lol - and the ending we get felt more like an epilogue than an actual wrapping up of events.
All that said? Alix and Ezra are so sweet together, and I loved their love. I love the gender role subversion! I love that she's taller than him! I love queer rep! (Ezra doesn't put a label on himself, but he is somewhere in the bi/pan ballpark). Even with my gripes, I'd read another story with them in it for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Violence
Moderate: Biphobia, Toxic friendship
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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