Reviews tagging 'Violence'

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

70 reviews

starlessnights's review against another edition

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual content, Transphobia, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

laurajones's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Minor: Deadnaming, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent

boy_topics's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The real standout feature of this book is the art. It's beautifully illustrated in a style I haven't seen too much of before in comic art. The queer representation is the other most major positive. The writing it quite simplistic and the plot line wraps up a little bit too quickly for my taste. It's really long but everything comes together and wraps up perfectly in a really impossible way in the last 50 pages or so. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, and Grief

toopunkrockforshul's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Beautiful artwork and really interesting world, with a relatable cast of characters. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Vomit, and Death of parent

cjeter's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The art: fantastic! The story: heartwarming! Is it gay: oh heck yah it is! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Transphobia, Violence, and Blood

Minor: Transphobia

While the book is absolutely fantastic there were times where my anxiety was triggered by scenes durning the earlier time line such as Mia’s crash and the subsequent fall out from that crash as well as the bullying. The ending however felt very real and if love how they almost crashed again but fixed it on their own real quick.

lena_and_her_books's review against another edition

adventurous relaxing fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Violence, Blood, and Vomit

The nonbinary person gets misgendered by side caracters. The main characters immediatly correct the person.

loochysue's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Probably one of my favorite graphic novels. The world-building is fantastic, the characters are pretty complex, and the art is a joy. All ages 11+ would love this I think.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Violence, and Blood

gagne's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, and Blood

Moderate: Death and Violence

Minor: Transphobia and Grief

ha1yan's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Moderate: Animal death, Violence, and Medical content

I couldn't add this in the tags, but one of the characters is referred to by the wrong pronouns on one occasion.

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"You're just as much a part of this family as Jules is. As any of us are."
"I really love you guys."
"I don't think we'd be doing this if we didn't love you just as much."

With fantastic writing and art alike, On A Sunbeam has been one of my favorite comics of all time since the first time I read it a year or two ago, and that's held true through my reread. Though the comic is of course visually stunning, with sprawling illustrations of space and a limited color palette that makes the mood of each scene almost palpable, art can't stand on its own in this sort of media -- but luckily, it doesn't here. On A Sunbeam is largely character-driven, with the bulk of its focus on the dynamics between its main cast (probably in part due to Tillie Walden describing herself as knowing nothing about science fiction), but the main characters are so charming and lively that that's a positive in my book. Even beyond the two main romantic relationships, the found family dynamic that develops between the main cast is so sweet and so wonderfully written.

Still, it's not lacking in plot or worldbuilding, and each new detail about the world is revealed with care and intrigue. The art of telling versus showing is certainly on display, with few exposition dumps and information more so trickled in over time, which is suited well by the nonlinear style in which On A Sunbeam is told. This does lead to confusion at times, with some scenes feeling spliced together, but personally, I really enjoy the fluid transitions and feel that the nonlinearity fits the narrative well.

Overall, I can't say anything more but that I wholeheartedly recommend On A Sunbeam for its wonderful character work, gorgeous visuals, powerful themes, and lively world. For some extra motivation, it's available to read online in its entirety for free (onasunbeam.com)!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Violence, and Blood

Minor: Ableism, Death, and Transphobia

Transphobia tag is for brief misgendering of a nonbinary character from a minor character, which is quickly shut down by all other characters. There are also brief threats of knife violence, a couple vehicular crashes/near-crashes, and mentions of colonization.