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izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
3.0
3/5
Ugh I really enjoyed the plot but I wish there was more to the story and how the people have been almost mutating.
Ugh I really enjoyed the plot but I wish there was more to the story and how the people have been almost mutating.
mehsi's review
1.0
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
WARNING: This is the first book. Don’t go in it like me and expect a full story, don’t be disappointed, like me when I found out that after 328 pages there is a to be continued. But yeah, this why I am rating this one lower, I wanted a conclusion. The story already felt too long.
A girl decides to go search for her mother after she receives a package from her mother on her birthday. Her brothers tag along and so begins a long long long journey across the country. And yes, that does sounds fun/interesting.
What I expected: girl and her brothers go to find their brothers in a desolate and destroyed America. What I got, Mad Max x Maffia x Chinese/Asian Crime Syndicates. It was just too much at times and instead of thinking OMG action, I was just thinking, Oh lord another one? Oh lord, something else? Good grief. It just got ridiculous and I think if that all was cut and we just got some normal stuff we could have gotten to mom by now.
There was also way too much dialogue for my liking. Sometimes a lot of dialogue works and it is OK, but in this one I just had a hard time and didn’t seem to get through the book, I kept checking my page numbers to see if I made progress.
The revelation about Maya, thanks Ginny’s brothers, was nice and had me giggling, especially seeing Ginny’s reaction. However it did feel kind of underwhelming given the situation.
Then there is the jinx root which seems like such a magnificent thing.. but there is something off about it. Which caused me to roll my eyes at the situations that followed. It just didn’t seem well executed/thought about. The idea is there… but the rest needs working.
I do would like to know what is left of the world. Probably not much given what we are being told, I am guessing tsunamis have gone across the world, but I would think that there are still places left that are still safe.
I did like the art. That was pretty nicely done and I love the colours used. I did like Ginny she was a sweet independent and strong girl who wasn’t afraid to kick some butt and got especially protective when things happened to her brothers. I liked seeing how that part of America looked after the big quake.
But I am just so disappointed in this in overall, if I had known this was the first book in a series… I probably wouldn’t have read it. Or have dropped it because I was really dragging myself throughout the book was since this was supposed (going by NG and GR) one book and I wanted to see the reunion. Because I am definitely not interested in more of this series.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
WARNING: This is the first book. Don’t go in it like me and expect a full story, don’t be disappointed, like me when I found out that after 328 pages there is a to be continued. But yeah, this why I am rating this one lower, I wanted a conclusion. The story already felt too long.
A girl decides to go search for her mother after she receives a package from her mother on her birthday. Her brothers tag along and so begins a long long long journey across the country. And yes, that does sounds fun/interesting.
What I expected: girl and her brothers go to find their brothers in a desolate and destroyed America. What I got, Mad Max x Maffia x Chinese/Asian Crime Syndicates. It was just too much at times and instead of thinking OMG action, I was just thinking, Oh lord another one? Oh lord, something else? Good grief. It just got ridiculous and I think if that all was cut and we just got some normal stuff we could have gotten to mom by now.
There was also way too much dialogue for my liking. Sometimes a lot of dialogue works and it is OK, but in this one I just had a hard time and didn’t seem to get through the book, I kept checking my page numbers to see if I made progress.
The revelation about Maya, thanks Ginny’s brothers, was nice and had me giggling, especially seeing Ginny’s reaction. However it did feel kind of underwhelming given the situation.
Then there is the jinx root which seems like such a magnificent thing.. but there is something off about it. Which caused me to roll my eyes at the situations that followed. It just didn’t seem well executed/thought about. The idea is there… but the rest needs working.
I do would like to know what is left of the world. Probably not much given what we are being told, I am guessing tsunamis have gone across the world, but I would think that there are still places left that are still safe.
I did like the art. That was pretty nicely done and I love the colours used. I did like Ginny she was a sweet independent and strong girl who wasn’t afraid to kick some butt and got especially protective when things happened to her brothers. I liked seeing how that part of America looked after the big quake.
But I am just so disappointed in this in overall, if I had known this was the first book in a series… I probably wouldn’t have read it. Or have dropped it because I was really dragging myself throughout the book was since this was supposed (going by NG and GR) one book and I wanted to see the reunion. Because I am definitely not interested in more of this series.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
historybowler's review
3.0
I feel extremely torn on this book. The relationship between the three kids is so well done, however the pacing seemed all over the pace. Also, I don't know how I feel about this being a start to the series. The art is really nice, though!
geekwayne's review
3.0
'Odessa' with story and art by Jonathan Hill is a graphic novel about a young woman in search of her mother.
In west coast world forever changed by a big earthquake, Virginia Crane survives with her father and brother by foraging for debris and selling it for subsistence. When she gets a letter from her long departed mother, she decides to go find her, despite having little knowledge about where she is or the dangers of the trip. Her father and best friend are against the idea, but Virginia is determined, and with the help of people she meets along the way, she just might make it.
At 328 pages, it's a long story, and it's not even complete in this volume. There are lots of worldbuilding ideas, a few of which come to fruition in this volume, but it feels like more story than it needs to be at times. The characters seem to be engaging enough, although why complete strangers would risk it all for this child is never really explained. The art is pretty good and the book is done with minimal color. I liked the idea a bit more than the execution, but it was an interesting diversion.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
In west coast world forever changed by a big earthquake, Virginia Crane survives with her father and brother by foraging for debris and selling it for subsistence. When she gets a letter from her long departed mother, she decides to go find her, despite having little knowledge about where she is or the dangers of the trip. Her father and best friend are against the idea, but Virginia is determined, and with the help of people she meets along the way, she just might make it.
At 328 pages, it's a long story, and it's not even complete in this volume. There are lots of worldbuilding ideas, a few of which come to fruition in this volume, but it feels like more story than it needs to be at times. The characters seem to be engaging enough, although why complete strangers would risk it all for this child is never really explained. The art is pretty good and the book is done with minimal color. I liked the idea a bit more than the execution, but it was an interesting diversion.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
caenerys's review
2.0
*Thank you to net galley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.*
I enjoyed the story of this graphic novel and found it intriguing and always made me want to continue reading to see what happens. I was expecting to absolutely love the art style but unfortunately it wasn't for me and did make the experience a little less enjoyable. I love the pink tones but the style of characters just didn't feel like it fit with the story for me. I also found the speech a little stunted and unnatural which also made the reading experience feel like a bit of a chore. The characters were okay but I did find their bickering annoying rather than heartwarming.
Bit of a miss for me. I expected to love it a lot more.
I enjoyed the story of this graphic novel and found it intriguing and always made me want to continue reading to see what happens. I was expecting to absolutely love the art style but unfortunately it wasn't for me and did make the experience a little less enjoyable. I love the pink tones but the style of characters just didn't feel like it fit with the story for me. I also found the speech a little stunted and unnatural which also made the reading experience feel like a bit of a chore. The characters were okay but I did find their bickering annoying rather than heartwarming.
Bit of a miss for me. I expected to love it a lot more.
vaibhavsh2624's review
5.0
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher who provided the e-arc. I am not big into graphic novels but i have read a few and this one was a beauty for sure. I really really loved the story and the dialogues. The artwork is so so beautiful, i like how the author has attempted to imagine a world after whatever the future holds because climate change is real and we are headed in the wrong direction. The Artwork as i said before really tells the story more than the writing. Characters are pretty well sketched out and developed. I can't wait to read the next part. I give this graphic novel 4.5 stars.
gayathiri_rajendran's review
2.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for a review copy of this book. The opinions below are my own.
Odessa is set in a post apocalyptic world which has been ravaged by earthquakes. This story follows Virginia and her two brothers as they go on a journey to find their mother who left home several years ago. Virginia receives a gift on her birthday from her mother which prompts her to undertake this journey.
I like the color palette for this graphic novel. The pink background works surprisingly well with blank and white. The art style is also good and it suits the post apocalyptic era. However, the pacing is so slow and the length of the book is kind of big for a graphic novel. It would have been better if it was around 200 pages. There were too many coincidences in the story and some were quite unbelievable.
The characters were flat and irritating and pretty much nothing interesting happens for a long time except for the last part which isn't enough to salvage the book. I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this book because I was really looking forward to reading a graphic novel after a long time.
Odessa is set in a post apocalyptic world which has been ravaged by earthquakes. This story follows Virginia and her two brothers as they go on a journey to find their mother who left home several years ago. Virginia receives a gift on her birthday from her mother which prompts her to undertake this journey.
I like the color palette for this graphic novel. The pink background works surprisingly well with blank and white. The art style is also good and it suits the post apocalyptic era. However, the pacing is so slow and the length of the book is kind of big for a graphic novel. It would have been better if it was around 200 pages. There were too many coincidences in the story and some were quite unbelievable.
The characters were flat and irritating and pretty much nothing interesting happens for a long time except for the last part which isn't enough to salvage the book. I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this book because I was really looking forward to reading a graphic novel after a long time.
booklover160's review
3.0
An interesting start to graphic series. ‘Odessa’ follows three kids, Ginny, 17, Wes, 14, and Harry, 8, as they decide to set out in search of their mother 8 years after the largest earthquake ever destroyed the West Coast. This post-apocalyptic world is full of violence and gangs and challenges to the siblings.
The art is fine, but I didn’t understand the style choice to make the two boys roughly the same size. We’re told from the start that Wes is around 6 years older than Harry but they are the same size and sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between them. It made the whole dynamic weirder; especially since I was under the impression the boys were nearly the same age and that explained their constant bickering. Knowing the age difference, I’m confused as to why Wes was such a dick the whole book to Harry.
Plot was okay, but the pacing was odd. It was so slow. I can see how this set up the series, but there’s not a lot going on until the last chapter and then it all happens at once.
Overall, an interesting start and I’ll maybe read on eventually but so far it’s just okay to me.
The art is fine, but I didn’t understand the style choice to make the two boys roughly the same size. We’re told from the start that Wes is around 6 years older than Harry but they are the same size and sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between them. It made the whole dynamic weirder; especially since I was under the impression the boys were nearly the same age and that explained their constant bickering. Knowing the age difference, I’m confused as to why Wes was such a dick the whole book to Harry.
Plot was okay, but the pacing was odd. It was so slow. I can see how this set up the series, but there’s not a lot going on until the last chapter and then it all happens at once.
Overall, an interesting start and I’ll maybe read on eventually but so far it’s just okay to me.
alyssabookrecs's review
2.0
More like 2.5/5
It was okay! The art was cool at times, and I liked the post-apocalyptic setting. It felt like this graphic novel was at times trying to do too much yet not enough at the same time. That dichotomy made the pacing and the sub-plots feel strange. Still, the overall story idea itself is interesting, though I wish there was no “to be continued” and the graphic novel had ended with the kids returning home.
It was okay! The art was cool at times, and I liked the post-apocalyptic setting. It felt like this graphic novel was at times trying to do too much yet not enough at the same time. That dichotomy made the pacing and the sub-plots feel strange. Still, the overall story idea itself is interesting, though I wish there was no “to be continued” and the graphic novel had ended with the kids returning home.
erincataldi's review
3.0
The artwork is stunning and the worldbuilding is pretty developed for such a short graphic novel. In a post-apocalyptic world where an earthquake has destroyed civilization, a seventeen year old girl sets off to find her long lost mother. Eight years ago her mother abandoned Ginny, her two brothers, and her father and hasn't been seen since. When Ginny receives a package in the mail from her mother - it's the first news they've had that she's alive. She sneaks out in the night to try and find her, only to discover that her two younger brothers have tagged along for the journey. They realize how different and unsafe it is the closer they get to the coast. Rival gangs, swindlers, cannibals, and more await them. Exciting and unique. The only thing I didn't love was the ending. Is there going to be more? Is this a series? I need answers!