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ketsueki_randi's review against another edition
4.0
Received through NetGalley
Oh my gosh was this so fun. This reminded me so much of Kuroko's Basketball and I'm really excited about future volumes. There is plenty of representation throughout the comic and I enjoy the flip in this where sports are really unimportant in the school (although it is a dramatic arts school). My only complaint was that it was mainly exposition and not a lot happens, but you get so much characterization of all the characters, it's not as bad.
Oh my gosh was this so fun. This reminded me so much of Kuroko's Basketball and I'm really excited about future volumes. There is plenty of representation throughout the comic and I enjoy the flip in this where sports are really unimportant in the school (although it is a dramatic arts school). My only complaint was that it was mainly exposition and not a lot happens, but you get so much characterization of all the characters, it's not as bad.
fallona's review against another edition
4.0
Update on second read: I re-read this after a couple years, and a lot more comic book reading (and a little more John le Carre reading, too). I like it better than I did the first time. I still agree with my original review, but I don't know why I only gave it three stars the first time around.
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Original Review:
I really, really wanted to like this graphic novel more than I actually did. It touched on a number of themes I really enjoy in fiction: truth and lies, surveillance and (false) freedom, justice and mercy, idealism and disillusionment, identity and its loss. It featured a morally grey protagonist, and a setting that I tend to enjoy seeing in media. It drew subtle parallels between characters that could have been very poignant and thought-provoking. It had most of the elements that should have made me love it.
And yet somehow, it read like a summary of itself. The pacing was too fast to evoke either the poignancy or the quiet horror of which it should have been capable; the art, while evocative and well suited to the story, never felt quite atmospheric enough to capture the suspense and sense of inevitable dread that never quite manifested.
For a story that relies so much on the protagonist's sense of himself (or lack thereof) and his lies, I never felt that I knew Herring well enough to care what became of him. This may very well have been partially deliberate, as Herring might not quite know himself--but in such a short piece of fiction, it contributed to the overall sense that it could have been much more effective than it really was.
This had the potential to be a delightfully eerie, harrowing read with a striking message. It could have been an excellent example of a story about aliens that isn't really about aliens at all (but about alienation, certainly). Instead, the result is somewhat bland--not because the elements aren't there, but because the pacing and brevity of the story make it seem far too superficial.
I received an electronic copy of this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Original Review:
I really, really wanted to like this graphic novel more than I actually did. It touched on a number of themes I really enjoy in fiction: truth and lies, surveillance and (false) freedom, justice and mercy, idealism and disillusionment, identity and its loss. It featured a morally grey protagonist, and a setting that I tend to enjoy seeing in media. It drew subtle parallels between characters that could have been very poignant and thought-provoking. It had most of the elements that should have made me love it.
And yet somehow, it read like a summary of itself. The pacing was too fast to evoke either the poignancy or the quiet horror of which it should have been capable; the art, while evocative and well suited to the story, never felt quite atmospheric enough to capture the suspense and sense of inevitable dread that never quite manifested.
For a story that relies so much on the protagonist's sense of himself (or lack thereof) and his lies, I never felt that I knew Herring well enough to care what became of him. This may very well have been partially deliberate, as Herring might not quite know himself--but in such a short piece of fiction, it contributed to the overall sense that it could have been much more effective than it really was.
This had the potential to be a delightfully eerie, harrowing read with a striking message. It could have been an excellent example of a story about aliens that isn't really about aliens at all (but about alienation, certainly). Instead, the result is somewhat bland--not because the elements aren't there, but because the pacing and brevity of the story make it seem far too superficial.
I received an electronic copy of this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
kkaste's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
4.0
dianareadsalot's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this Volume. I can't wait to read the next one!
rosered_reads's review
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? Yes
4.0
monique_rose's review
funny
hopeful
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
3.75
mj_34's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first ever graphic novel. And I loved it. Was so cute. The artwork was amazing! I’m a very visual person, so I enjoyed this genre of reading! Definitely want to read more from the author and others! A great diverse group of characters, and it ended in a way that made me want to buy the next one right away!