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anniereads221's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexism, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
jessnreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
I'm reading everything by Molly Knox Ostertag now, no questions. This was a really good book and graphic novels have become my weakeness, especially when they have magic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Gore, Sexism, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
In Aster's family everyone is born with magic. Boys grow up to become shapeshifters, girls become witches. That's how it's always been. But Aster finds himself drawn to the girl's magic, with the spells and the incantations. He's spying on the girl's lessons in witchery, and then he practises on his own. Despite having an aptitude in that magic it is strictly forbidden for him to practise. When one of the boys goes missing during a shapeshifting lesson Aster knows he can help find him - but what will happen if he uses witchery to do so?
This is a middle grade graphic novel and therefore not very complicated in its magic system: men are shapeshifters, women are witches - period. For an adult reader this might seem very stereotyped and boring, but I find it clearly makes its point this way. The target group probably won't analyze too much, and neither do I. Instead I just state that everyone should be able to become whoever and whatever they want, without any lables.
I really enjoyed The Witch Boy and I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
foreverinastory's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
This was so good! Very wholesome.
The Witch Boy follows Aster, a young boy from a family of magical people. The men are all shapeshifters while the women are all witches. Aster has never felt attached to being a shapeshifter and he'd much rather learn witchery. When his boy cousins start disappearing, Aster might be the only one capable of saving them.
I really enjoyed Aster's character. He must be protected at all costs. His story really shows gender exclusive activities are really harmful. I'm so glad he found a friend in Charlie! She was the best and always so supportive of him.
I enjoyed this world and I'm really curious to see how things will change for Aster in the sequel. I hope we also get to see more of the world. I wonder if there will be any trans or nonbinary characters. That was really the only thing this was missing.
Rep: biracial male MC, Black female side character with a broken leg and two dads, side characters with two moms, multiple BIPOC characters (specific ethnicity was not indicated), fat white female side characters.
CWs: Bullying, body horror, sexism. Moderate: violence, blood, animal death, injury/injury detail. Minor: gaslighting.
The Witch Boy follows Aster, a young boy from a family of magical people. The men are all shapeshifters while the women are all witches. Aster has never felt attached to being a shapeshifter and he'd much rather learn witchery. When his boy cousins start disappearing, Aster might be the only one capable of saving them.
I really enjoyed Aster's character. He must be protected at all costs. His story really shows gender exclusive activities are really harmful. I'm so glad he found a friend in Charlie! She was the best and always so supportive of him.
I enjoyed this world and I'm really curious to see how things will change for Aster in the sequel. I hope we also get to see more of the world. I wonder if there will be any trans or nonbinary characters. That was really the only thing this was missing.
Rep: biracial male MC, Black female side character with a broken leg and two dads, side characters with two moms, multiple BIPOC characters (specific ethnicity was not indicated), fat white female side characters.
CWs: Bullying, body horror, sexism. Moderate: violence, blood, animal death, injury/injury detail. Minor: gaslighting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, and Sexism
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gaslighting
sadie_g's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, even though it’s pretty short I feel like it did a good job of building the plot. I didn’t really like how the climax and resolution of the story was so short though, I really how liked it a bit more if it went on for a bit longer. The art style was beautiful, and I especially liked how the artist used colours. And it’s just a great story about breaking the gender norms and being true to yourself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Animal death and Blood
burnt_milk's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Wonderfully illustrated and beautifully told. Excited to return to this world soon!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail
bodiesinbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Animal death and Violence
ehmannky's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.0
This is an incredibly charming use of fantasy to explore the way that forcing our loved ones into a gender binary is incredibly damaging and painful thing to do. And that forcing ourselves into those molds is an act of violence that can make us violent. It's a lovely read all around.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Blood
outcrye's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal death
imrereads's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.5
A wonderfully queer middle grade story. The central themes are gender roles and how they hurt us, and being your authentic self.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Animal death