Reviews with content warning for Grief - Witches of Brooklyn

This was fun, funny and super freaking cute. I loved the art style: it’s colorful, easy to read, and diverse. But it’s the characters that really make this book come alive. Effie and her friends felt like kids and the aunts are an absolute delight: Selimene’s crankiness and sartorial choices are hilarious, and Carlota’s gentleness and patience make the two of them a lovable comedic duo. Francis, the suit-of-armor librarian, is such a great side character, too.

I couldn’t help wishing it was an animated show while reading. So many hijinks! So much fun! I’ll definitely be checking out the rest of this series.

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inkdrinkers's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted 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? No

4.0

This is an adorable middle grade graphic novel! Focusing on the story of Effie as she discovers she comes from a legacy of Witches, there's humor, hijinks, and a fairly satisfying ending. I was thrilled to see there's a sequel. This is just a fun, quick read for anyone to enjoy. It's the perfect combination of silly and heartwarming!

Content Warnings

librarymouse's review

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adventurous challenging emotional funny 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? It's complicated

4.5

Witches of Brooklyn is a perfectly lovable, fast paced read about two sweet older ladies, Selimene and Carlota who take in their niece, Effie. Their magic is marketed as acupuncture and herbalism to nonmagical folk. Their way of life is a perfect mix of old-time witchy-ness and modern creative problem solving. There's not strictly defined boundaries to their magic, excluding the fact that plastic is like kryptonite to witches. The struggles the characters face and the vocabulary used by the characters are relatable and easily consumable for the intended audience, but it's still accessible for adults. Witches of Brooklyn builds an image of childhood that makes me both nostalgic for my own childhood and hopeful for my future where I can bring that sort of joy and wonder to the children in my life. Selimene and Carlotta read as a couple, but there's no direct acknowledgement of that. While part of me wishes there was, I understand that with the current political climate it could have damaged Sophie Escabasse's chances as a debuting graphic novelist. I hope there will be something written to define their relationship in the future books in the series, now that there's an established fan base for the books.

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