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unheardmelokate's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
stophie12's review against another edition
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
3.75
rice83's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jenn_sveda's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure if it's the nostalgia goggles (it probably is), but I feel like this adaptation lacked the charm and spirit of the original. Still, cool to see this series getting a revival!
impybelle's review
4.0
This is probably the first updated Sweet Valley book that manages to capture the allure of the series while still tweaking it enough to appeal to a new audience. Sweet Valley has tried and failed spectacularly before but I think they finally got it right this time.
This isn't to say there aren't things that might vex readers, be they new to the Valley or us old timers checking in for a nostalgia fix. It's very difficult to keep up with the other characters aside from the Wakefield family. Amy Sutton is probably the easiest but she's also pretty much the only one properly introduced on page aside from poor Lois. Lila sort of is, but the coloring is weird and Janet is only inferred by the end. I assume the blonde with short hair is Ellen but I don't know for sure. It would have been so easy to just introduce them, either on page or have a quick guide at the start or end of the book.
Personal preference here, but I hate the change to Bruce Patman. Bruce Patman is not blond, he's not brown eyed, and his calling the twins Blondie when he's also blond is extra stupid now.
Story wise, this is a well done adaptation of the Best Friends book, with a set up for Teacher's Pet and maybe even The Haunted House (!) if we're lucky.
The art is pretty cute and I like the subtle ways to tell the twins apart. Steven is fun in a jerky older brother way, while being cute enough to warrant the girl drama he spends much of his life embroiled in. While not a huge fan of Alice Wakefield's design, I do appreciate her being a good mom here.
I do wonder what would have happened had Alice not encouraged the girls to pursue their own interests... because that did put Jessica right on track to being the Jessica Wakefield we all know and... well, love isn't the right word here, particularly if Lois is the one being asked. But you get the idea.
This isn't to say there aren't things that might vex readers, be they new to the Valley or us old timers checking in for a nostalgia fix. It's very difficult to keep up with the other characters aside from the Wakefield family. Amy Sutton is probably the easiest but she's also pretty much the only one properly introduced on page aside from poor Lois. Lila sort of is, but the coloring is weird and Janet is only inferred by the end. I assume the blonde with short hair is Ellen but I don't know for sure. It would have been so easy to just introduce them, either on page or have a quick guide at the start or end of the book.
Personal preference here, but I hate the change to Bruce Patman. Bruce Patman is not blond, he's not brown eyed, and his calling the twins Blondie when he's also blond is extra stupid now.
Story wise, this is a well done adaptation of the Best Friends book, with a set up for Teacher's Pet and maybe even The Haunted House (!) if we're lucky.
The art is pretty cute and I like the subtle ways to tell the twins apart. Steven is fun in a jerky older brother way, while being cute enough to warrant the girl drama he spends much of his life embroiled in. While not a huge fan of Alice Wakefield's design, I do appreciate her being a good mom here.
I do wonder what would have happened had Alice not encouraged the girls to pursue their own interests... because that did put Jessica right on track to being the Jessica Wakefield we all know and... well, love isn't the right word here, particularly if Lois is the one being asked. But you get the idea.
bethgiven's review
3.0
I loved the Sweet Valley Twins series almost as much as the Baby-sitters Club books back when I was a kid. I was excited for the graphic novel reboot!
I always favored Elizabeth (she's responsible and bookish and obviously has a great name), but it's almost impossible to like Jessica at all -- was she this bad in the original?? She and the Unicorns are downright mean, and even though she apologizes to the girl she pranks, Jessica does it only because Elizabeth forces her to. Elizabeth is problematic, too, being more concerned about protecting her image than Lois's feelings; she makes sure the Unicorns get what they deserve by organizing a revenge prank. All this mean-girl energy just doesn't translate well to 2023; I wish they would have given the storyline a girls-supporting-girls makeover.
The illustrations were SO fun.
I always favored Elizabeth (she's responsible and bookish and obviously has a great name), but it's almost impossible to like Jessica at all -- was she this bad in the original?? She and the Unicorns are downright mean, and even though she apologizes to the girl she pranks, Jessica does it only because Elizabeth forces her to. Elizabeth is problematic, too, being more concerned about protecting her image than Lois's feelings; she makes sure the Unicorns get what they deserve by organizing a revenge prank. All this mean-girl energy just doesn't translate well to 2023; I wish they would have given the storyline a girls-supporting-girls makeover.
The illustrations were SO fun.