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madmads126's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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
violet_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
after_hours_reader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ellelainey's review
4.0
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley
~
Season of the Bruja, Vol. 1
by Aaron Duran, Sara Soler, Deron Bennett
★★★★☆
128 Pages
Content Warning: grief, loss
Themes: magic, demons, witches, shapeshifters, corrupt priests, religion vs magic
Season of the Bruja is a graphic novel with a lot of potential. The artwork on the cover is a perfect example of what you'll find inside, as every page is just as gorgeous. The colours, the magical feel of the art on every page, is exactly the vibe you would expect of a story about the magical Bruja.
The story itself was...interesting. I hesitate over that, because I found the main character, Lia, to be an odd choice. On one hand, she's got a struggle to face and is the perfect character for a journey arc. But, on the other hand, she's often selfish, single-minded to the point of being reckless, flighty, and doesn't hesitate to lie, cheat, be cruel or betray even her friends to get what she wants. This made it really hard to connect to her, as a central character. While I did feel a smidgen of sympathy for losing her grandmother, and because she was an untrained bruja without the tools to properly survive her magic, I just didn't feel like she was a well rounded character or someone I would root for. She was too willing to hurt her friends and innocents, to bend the rules of her powers, to get what she wanted, no matter the cost.
The story was, however, packed full of plot. For 136 pages, there were a lot of nuances and twists and turns in the plot, but it sometimes felt disjointed. There were parts where the worldbuilding needed work, because the flow or background of certain plot aspects weren't fully fleshed out enough for me to follow without confusion. For example, the blurb tells us that her besties are a real-life Chupacabra and a were-coyote, but that is *never* actually said or even suggested in the book itself, and that would have been helpful to know and understand. I honestly spent half the book thinking one character was a demon and the other a werewolf.
I was a bit disappointed that the big trial with the priest/church mentioned in the blurb was...just that. A priest sent by the church to eliminate the last of the bruja. There was no real depth or mystery to their involvement. It all felt a bit cliched, to see this delusional priest willing to do anything the church asked of him, and a fanatical elder priest not warning him of the corruption they were involved with.
There were also a few preachy moments that dulled the importance of what was actually being discussed. Such as when Lia is in the museum, ranting about how their history was stolen for them and then showcased in a museum for them. Which is true of a lot of museums and minorities, but the way it was done was more preachy than actually making a valid point about it or even doing something to help change that status quo. And the weird aspect of a corrupt cop stopping her randomly at the museum for what felt like racial profiling was a strange decision. I get that it's a real thing in the world – but, again, the execution meant it was just another cliched moment over too soon rather than making a meaningful impact that it had the opportunity to make.
Despite those faults, I did enjoy the overall story, but it won't be something that I follow into further volumes. I didn't like Lia as a character, or the way valid moments of tackling modern political issues was swept over without real effort, leaving them to be cliched soundbites rather than having any weight. While the story as interesting and start, it wasn't well executed, despite the gorgeous artwork and clever, original concept.
I'd call this a 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
Copy received through Netgalley
~
Season of the Bruja, Vol. 1
by Aaron Duran, Sara Soler, Deron Bennett
★★★★☆
128 Pages
Content Warning: grief, loss
Themes: magic, demons, witches, shapeshifters, corrupt priests, religion vs magic
Season of the Bruja is a graphic novel with a lot of potential. The artwork on the cover is a perfect example of what you'll find inside, as every page is just as gorgeous. The colours, the magical feel of the art on every page, is exactly the vibe you would expect of a story about the magical Bruja.
The story itself was...interesting. I hesitate over that, because I found the main character, Lia, to be an odd choice. On one hand, she's got a struggle to face and is the perfect character for a journey arc. But, on the other hand, she's often selfish, single-minded to the point of being reckless, flighty, and doesn't hesitate to lie, cheat, be cruel or betray even her friends to get what she wants. This made it really hard to connect to her, as a central character. While I did feel a smidgen of sympathy for losing her grandmother, and because she was an untrained bruja without the tools to properly survive her magic, I just didn't feel like she was a well rounded character or someone I would root for. She was too willing to hurt her friends and innocents, to bend the rules of her powers, to get what she wanted, no matter the cost.
The story was, however, packed full of plot. For 136 pages, there were a lot of nuances and twists and turns in the plot, but it sometimes felt disjointed. There were parts where the worldbuilding needed work, because the flow or background of certain plot aspects weren't fully fleshed out enough for me to follow without confusion. For example, the blurb tells us that her besties are a real-life Chupacabra and a were-coyote, but that is *never* actually said or even suggested in the book itself, and that would have been helpful to know and understand. I honestly spent half the book thinking one character was a demon and the other a werewolf.
I was a bit disappointed that the big trial with the priest/church mentioned in the blurb was...just that. A priest sent by the church to eliminate the last of the bruja. There was no real depth or mystery to their involvement. It all felt a bit cliched, to see this delusional priest willing to do anything the church asked of him, and a fanatical elder priest not warning him of the corruption they were involved with.
There were also a few preachy moments that dulled the importance of what was actually being discussed. Such as when Lia is in the museum, ranting about how their history was stolen for them and then showcased in a museum for them. Which is true of a lot of museums and minorities, but the way it was done was more preachy than actually making a valid point about it or even doing something to help change that status quo. And the weird aspect of a corrupt cop stopping her randomly at the museum for what felt like racial profiling was a strange decision. I get that it's a real thing in the world – but, again, the execution meant it was just another cliched moment over too soon rather than making a meaningful impact that it had the opportunity to make.
Despite those faults, I did enjoy the overall story, but it won't be something that I follow into further volumes. I didn't like Lia as a character, or the way valid moments of tackling modern political issues was swept over without real effort, leaving them to be cliched soundbites rather than having any weight. While the story as interesting and start, it wasn't well executed, despite the gorgeous artwork and clever, original concept.
I'd call this a 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
sammyjean15's review
4.0
I’ve never read a manga not based on Asian culture so this was a fun surprise to get. I wish there had been some more backstory into who the main character was and what she had gone through to the point. But other than I really enjoyed the art work and set up for the next books.
magsreadingjourney's review
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? It's complicated
3.0
rae_shutupandbookup's review
5.0
"The past is the past, that cannot be changed. . . . Do not let it dictate the future." - Abuela
Althalia's learning about her powers and how she can utilize them. But being young and a little naive she doesn't fully understand the extent of her abilities or what the price for using them is. She wishes to control the things she can since there are larger things out of her control. . . Namely the prejudices people have against her people and her ancestors.
Things change drastically and our young bruja's about to begin her coming of age journey when a priest approaches her and her grandmother. A situation occurs leaving 'Lia with so many unanswered questions and a mission that she will not detour from! But our little witch is about to learn some lessons the hard way. Will her spirit be broken? Or will she come out stronger?
First of all, the art in this comic is utterly beautiful! I got feelings of "Coco" and "Encanto" as I read through the book and loved everything I saw. The vibrancy of colors and the depictions of everything was just utterly phenomenal! The illustrator did such an amazing job and there were a few panels that gave me chills because of the beauty and the impact of the work.
'Lia's being a little carless with her gift and being the overly confident teenager that most of us can relate to. She knows she's strong and doesn't hold back when others are trying to warn her to be careful. I loved her attitude and her personality when we are first introduced to her in the beginning of the story. I chuckled several times with just how she handled the "bad" they were up against. She's already a very strong young woman!
'Lia's surrounded by people with abilities even if they don't all have the gifts her and her Abuela do. She works for a shop focused on oddities and helping others with supernatural problems. Because we humans are curious creatures and sometimes meddle in things we shouldn't or things we should do more research about! Luckily the team is able to help when situations arise, even if 'Lia tries to pull a one-woman-show.
This read does touch on the underbelly of prejudices against Latinxs' and their culture. History is very much interpreted by the "victors". . . I believe all cultures and races have dark histories and I appreciate that the author mentioned this through some of the dialogue. When you get away from the "approved" history books that schools issue you will be amazed by what you find.
The more I learn about Hispanic cultures, their beliefs, history, and holidays the more I am in love honestly. There's so much beauty in the world and within other cultures that are not your own and it is very sad that some still choose to be closed minded and ignorant. I really love the Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, and just all the decorations, symbolisms, and everything about the holiday. Was excited when I recognized some of the elements within this book because of "The Book of Life".
There are also depictions of how religion can be very toxic and manipulative. Controlling the masses and doing things in the name of a god. . . Religion can be a good thing, but it can also be a very harmful thing. Wiping out whole civilizations of people or enslaving thousands all for the name of religion is very wrong on so many levels!
'Lia's Abuela helps to balance her and help to teach 'Lia that there are two sides to every story. I loved Abuela in this book and her familiar! The familiars of the two bruja's were perfect and I enjoyed the comedy they helped to provide for the read. This is a YA comic series and things are kept lighthearted for the most part. But there's grief in the read, loss and some wonderful action sequences!
I do wish some of the Spanish was translated down in the footnote or maybe have an asterisk to direct you to the glossary. A glossary would be very nice as well to help teach others about words used with the read and how to properly say them. There were a couple of moments where I was little lost on what was specifically said but could tell from body language and things revolving around the panel what was being conveyed.
The language is clean except for a curse word in Spanish here and there. Some violence and a scene of someone getting body modification done but it's cut off. Things are implied but you don't see the full process. The volume does end on a cliffhanger, but it is a gentler one. I also really enjoyed that there was a recipe in the back of the book along with notes from the author and the illustrator! The team did a great job with this installment, and I cannot wait for more!
Enjoy the read with so much beauty, action, wonderful characters, and some angst! Don't forget to give the author some stars!
shutupandbookup.blogspot.com
Althalia's learning about her powers and how she can utilize them. But being young and a little naive she doesn't fully understand the extent of her abilities or what the price for using them is. She wishes to control the things she can since there are larger things out of her control. . . Namely the prejudices people have against her people and her ancestors.
Things change drastically and our young bruja's about to begin her coming of age journey when a priest approaches her and her grandmother. A situation occurs leaving 'Lia with so many unanswered questions and a mission that she will not detour from! But our little witch is about to learn some lessons the hard way. Will her spirit be broken? Or will she come out stronger?
First of all, the art in this comic is utterly beautiful! I got feelings of "Coco" and "Encanto" as I read through the book and loved everything I saw. The vibrancy of colors and the depictions of everything was just utterly phenomenal! The illustrator did such an amazing job and there were a few panels that gave me chills because of the beauty and the impact of the work.
'Lia's being a little carless with her gift and being the overly confident teenager that most of us can relate to. She knows she's strong and doesn't hold back when others are trying to warn her to be careful. I loved her attitude and her personality when we are first introduced to her in the beginning of the story. I chuckled several times with just how she handled the "bad" they were up against. She's already a very strong young woman!
'Lia's surrounded by people with abilities even if they don't all have the gifts her and her Abuela do. She works for a shop focused on oddities and helping others with supernatural problems. Because we humans are curious creatures and sometimes meddle in things we shouldn't or things we should do more research about! Luckily the team is able to help when situations arise, even if 'Lia tries to pull a one-woman-show.
This read does touch on the underbelly of prejudices against Latinxs' and their culture. History is very much interpreted by the "victors". . . I believe all cultures and races have dark histories and I appreciate that the author mentioned this through some of the dialogue. When you get away from the "approved" history books that schools issue you will be amazed by what you find.
The more I learn about Hispanic cultures, their beliefs, history, and holidays the more I am in love honestly. There's so much beauty in the world and within other cultures that are not your own and it is very sad that some still choose to be closed minded and ignorant. I really love the Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, and just all the decorations, symbolisms, and everything about the holiday. Was excited when I recognized some of the elements within this book because of "The Book of Life".
There are also depictions of how religion can be very toxic and manipulative. Controlling the masses and doing things in the name of a god. . . Religion can be a good thing, but it can also be a very harmful thing. Wiping out whole civilizations of people or enslaving thousands all for the name of religion is very wrong on so many levels!
'Lia's Abuela helps to balance her and help to teach 'Lia that there are two sides to every story. I loved Abuela in this book and her familiar! The familiars of the two bruja's were perfect and I enjoyed the comedy they helped to provide for the read. This is a YA comic series and things are kept lighthearted for the most part. But there's grief in the read, loss and some wonderful action sequences!
I do wish some of the Spanish was translated down in the footnote or maybe have an asterisk to direct you to the glossary. A glossary would be very nice as well to help teach others about words used with the read and how to properly say them. There were a couple of moments where I was little lost on what was specifically said but could tell from body language and things revolving around the panel what was being conveyed.
The language is clean except for a curse word in Spanish here and there. Some violence and a scene of someone getting body modification done but it's cut off. Things are implied but you don't see the full process. The volume does end on a cliffhanger, but it is a gentler one. I also really enjoyed that there was a recipe in the back of the book along with notes from the author and the illustrator! The team did a great job with this installment, and I cannot wait for more!
Enjoy the read with so much beauty, action, wonderful characters, and some angst! Don't forget to give the author some stars!
shutupandbookup.blogspot.com
kera88's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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? No
3.5
parsbooks's review
2.5
Great art but none of this made sense. You are dropped in the middle of story without any context or world building, and the story still felt rushed till the end. There are some really interesting concepts and storylines in the book but they are just not explored well.