Reviews

Fibbed by Elizabeth Agyemang

thisismeandme's review

adventurous 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

3.5

christiana's review

3.0

Had a bit of trouble keeping track of what was happening in the story in the panels that were just graphics with no words but still a book I'll recommend out and enjoyed!

mrsdaliborreads's review

funny lighthearted 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

3.5

emily_mh's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.75

My dislike of this graphic novel can largely be attributed to my dislike of the art style. I really didn’t enjoy the way Agyemang drew people, and there was a general lack of detail in the scenery that made it feel like the story was taking place in liminal spaces. Admittedly, I liked the way animals were drawn, but that was about it. And when you don’t like the art style in a graphic novel, it is akin to not liking the writing style of a prose novel. It’s fundamental.

I also found that the plot lacked cohesiveness. It felt like it didn’t commit to being a story about environmentalism or a story about a trickster god, and if it wanted to be about both, I believe the themes could have been interwoven more smoothly.

While the MC Nana undergoes character development, I wasn’t particularly interested in the arc in the end. I wanted Nana to have given up on truth-telling a bit earlier to better pace the development.

Though overall I didn’t enjoy this read, there were definitely some positives! Firstly, I loved getting a glimpse into Ghanaian traditional beliefs. Agyemang actually included asides (relevant to the main plot) in the form of specific stories that read like fables, which was a lovely touch. Also, it is so interesting to me that across cultures there often seems to be some kind of deity or hero who gives knowledge to humankind where previously it was the domain of the gods. Finally, the topic of colonisation and exploitation of Africa as a continent by the West was presented in an accessible way for MGs. I perhaps wish that more specifics were given, and maybe some more context. But it was fairly clear nonetheless.

Rep: Ghanaian-American MC, Ghanaian SCs

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Colonisation

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, and Ableism

Minor: theft

mikaxmc's review

3.0

3.5⭐️

saidtheraina's review

3.0

Kid gets sent to spend some time with family in Ghana over the summer. Meets Ananse, discovers plot to steal magic from the ground.

Gets a little magical realismish in parts - I want to use the term "associative" for some reason.
Bright full-color illustrations, and didn't feel like everything else I've read.

I was most into it when it was depicting the experience of going to Ghana for the first time, showing the cultural differences from America. But I'm pretty into travelogues as a rule.

theecatreaders's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

3.25

antoinettepowb's review

adventurous medium-paced

3.75

library_kb's review

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

This is a good graphic novel for elementary and middle grade which incorporates African (specifically Ghanian) storytelling and artwork into a story about a middle school girl who visits her family in Ghana after getting in some trouble for telling stories that the adults don't believe at school. It retells some Ananse stories as well as introducing kids to ideas about colonialism (though an actual explanation is missing, so for kids who have no prior knowledge, this could be a starting point for learning more). I'm not sure if this is just a error in the book I read from, but several pages were very pixelated and not high quality, but that stood out because the rest of the book was not that way. 

afro8921's review

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

This graphic novel was a clever way to begin the conversation about loving your heritage and standing up for what you believe in. It's also quite funny, so I enjoyed reading it,