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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I'm aware of Charlaine Harris but never read any of her books, despite a passing interest in the television True Blood series. I do like supernatural themes though, so leapt at the chance to review something from an author that I was curious about with the bonus of being in graphic novel form. I didn't actually realise until after I was finished and did a little digging that Grave Surprise is part of a much larger story arc. Also, the original Harper Connolly books are already several years old. This retelling is beautifully rendered with vivid colours and unique artwork from Greek penciller Ilias Kyriazis.
While the action is decently paced and the story drew me in, I did sometimes feel, especially towards the end that character motivations grew a little bit muddy. Their actions don't seem to make a whole lot of sense except to propel the story forward, which even in a graphic novel is an issue for me. The finale is also very rushed, then tied up with a pretty glaringly large bow. I'm unsure if I would be willing to follow Harper and her 'brother' Tolliver into more adventures, and I especially find the shoehorned love interest subplot between the two very weird. It seems a little much for the author to ask of us as readers, to be cool with lusting after the man that you grew up with as a stepbrother. Maybe it's just me.
At times I felt the artwork was almost too exaggerated, especially when it comes to bodies and facial expressions. That's saying a lot, since I'm a lifelong comic book fan. Some panels look distractingly odd, but I appreciate that the artist has brought Harper to life in his own interesting way. This is an ordinary story, but with some extraordinary moments and for the most part, I really enjoyed it.
While the action is decently paced and the story drew me in, I did sometimes feel, especially towards the end that character motivations grew a little bit muddy. Their actions don't seem to make a whole lot of sense except to propel the story forward, which even in a graphic novel is an issue for me. The finale is also very rushed, then tied up with a pretty glaringly large bow. I'm unsure if I would be willing to follow Harper and her 'brother' Tolliver into more adventures, and I especially find the shoehorned love interest subplot between the two very weird. It seems a little much for the author to ask of us as readers, to be cool with lusting after the man that you grew up with as a stepbrother. Maybe it's just me.
At times I felt the artwork was almost too exaggerated, especially when it comes to bodies and facial expressions. That's saying a lot, since I'm a lifelong comic book fan. Some panels look distractingly odd, but I appreciate that the artist has brought Harper to life in his own interesting way. This is an ordinary story, but with some extraordinary moments and for the most part, I really enjoyed it.
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As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
It's no secret Charlaine Harris has been one of my favourite novelists for years. After the captivating Sookie Stackhouse series, and its adaptation on HBO, I find I'm always down for some new material by her. Although Grave Surprise isn't a new release exactly, the graphics featured in this newly republished version are. And boy, do they bring a certain level of fire to this already well-known series.
Really, it gives it a massive kick in the butt and draws in a new sort of excitement for the Harper Connelly series. I'm very fond of the way the mystery unfolds for our favourite psychic and it's a classic Harris release of thrilling edges we get cut on as readers. Sharp, fast paced and full of questions. I don't need to tell this to longtime fans but for those of you who have yet to give Charlaine Harris a chance: this is my call-out to you.
But let's focus more on the new additions to the story: illustrations.
Continued: BOOKEDJ
As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
It's no secret Charlaine Harris has been one of my favourite novelists for years. After the captivating Sookie Stackhouse series, and its adaptation on HBO, I find I'm always down for some new material by her. Although Grave Surprise isn't a new release exactly, the graphics featured in this newly republished version are. And boy, do they bring a certain level of fire to this already well-known series.
Really, it gives it a massive kick in the butt and draws in a new sort of excitement for the Harper Connelly series. I'm very fond of the way the mystery unfolds for our favourite psychic and it's a classic Harris release of thrilling edges we get cut on as readers. Sharp, fast paced and full of questions. I don't need to tell this to longtime fans but for those of you who have yet to give Charlaine Harris a chance: this is my call-out to you.
But let's focus more on the new additions to the story: illustrations.
Continued: BOOKEDJ
The sequel to Grave Sight is not as good as I'd hoped.
I listened to it as an audiobook, my very first one - and although at the beginning it took me a long time, I kept falling asleep at night listening to it :) I kinda got into it towards the end. Good read for my tube travels :) In any case, a little bit different than what I usually enjoy, the specifics of Memphis America very very muted though.
Perfect hurricane weekend reading. Another fun, quick-reading mystery from this author, regarding the accidental finding of a young girl, a professor and a ghost. We get closer this time to (sort of) brother/sister love interest storyline - maybe next time.
I really enjoyed this story, but I have to say that I'm giving it four "very good/really liked" stars DESPITE a bunch of errors.
In this outing with Harper and Tolliver, they're in Memphis, Tennessee to do a cemetery reading for Bingham College. What should have once again been an easy in-and-out job turned into a real production when the cemetery reading turned up two bodies in a hundred-plus year-old grave. And the second body was none other than that of a missing girl that Harper had tried to find the year prior. And when a third body shows up in this same grave? Well, it seems there's a conspiracy in the works. But to what end? And who is responsible?
I have to say that I did not understand who the culprit was until it was all revealed. I was really kept guessing. The killer wasn't quite the last person I was expecting, but it was close. :-) So I really loved the mystery and the solving of it. Harper and Tolliver were once again really great. :-) But the story itself...oh for issues! :-(
We had continuity issues, spelling issues, and word-arrangement issues. There were so many that I had to ask myself, "Did this book have an editor?" Because it sure seemed like the editor took the day off when it came time to edit this book. :-(
First, I'll speak to the continuity issues, of which there were many. And if you' ve been following my reviews, you'll know how much I despise continuity issues. (So it's a great thing that the writing and story were otherwise really great, otherwise this book would be getting fewer-than-4 stars.)
Continuity Issue #1: Iona and "Hank" are Harper's aunt and uncle in this book. In the first book, Iona and "Will" were Tolliver's aunt and uncle. So that was a "nice" two-for-one (though separated by 100 pages) continuity issue...And I HATED it. :'(
EDIT: Okay, so I looked it up and apparently, this continuity issue began in book one: At one time it was "Will and Iona" and then earlier/later in book one it was "Iona and Hank." *grrr* MAKE UP YOUR MIND, CHARLAINE! But whoever Iona's husband is, she was definitely Tolliver's father's sister in book one. And in book two, she's Harper's mother's sister. :'(
Continuity Issue #2: Tolliver's older brother Mark was properly called "Mark" in the beginning. Then in the middle all of a sudden he's "Mike:" "...Cameron and I and Mike and Tolliver..." (p.182) And then he was back to being "Mark" more toward the end. ARGH!!! :'(
Continuity Issue #3: Twice (TWICE) Detective Brittany Young was confused with her partner, Detective Corbett Lacey, and referred to in male pronouns. "He" this and "he" that. I twitched each time. (Should it have been "she" or should it have been Lacey? I couldn't tell. But either way, MASSIVE continuity mistakes.) :'(
Continuity Issue #4: On page 213, "Mariella is nine now." She was ELEVEN in [b:Grave Sight|58077|Grave Sight (Harper Connelly, #1)|Charlaine Harris|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328694483s/58077.jpg|2027280]. So ARGH!!! Then on page 217, Gracie is two years older than Mariella. But in book one (p.146), Iona and "Hank" rescued "poor precious Mariella and baby Grace." So why is Gracie now the elder sister? And how is it that they're two years younger than they were a book ago? ??? ARGH!!! :'(
Moving on: there was only one noticeable spelling mistake ("heath" instead of "health" on page 175) and only one (noticeable) sentence where the word order was out of whack ("...if it turned out be to the granddad" instead of "...if it turned out to be the granddad" on page 211), but these mistakes should have been caught in the editing (or even the proofreading) process. It really makes me crazy to see mistakes like this in books by authors I love and respect. :'(
All of these (many) issues aside, though, I did really enjoy this story. I might have loved it if it had been clean and error-free, but then again, I might have felt the same. (I'd probably have given it 4.5 stars if it hadn't been riddled with all of the above errors.)
As I said, I didn't see the killer turning out to be who the killer was. And the reasoning for it all! Wow. It made sense when explained, but. . .just wow. :-)
This story ended with Harperlaying to rest her first ghost. Then we were treated to a sort of Epilogue that updated us on the doings of a few of the major secondary characters. And then we have a scene wherein Harper and Tolliver are talking well after everything from Memphis is done: What was that all about, you ask? Well, earlier in the story, Harper was rather poleaxed to find that she's attracted to her stepbrother. We weren't ever told that she was, but it was pretty clear that that's what happened on page 218. They don't share blood; they're not related except through the marriage of their parents (Harper's dad is in prison; her mother married Tolliver's dad after his wife - Tolliver's mother - died).
But Tolliver . . .How does he feel? There's something there, I think, but I need to read more to find out what that something is. :-)
In this outing with Harper and Tolliver, they're in Memphis, Tennessee to do a cemetery reading for Bingham College. What should have once again been an easy in-and-out job turned into a real production when the cemetery reading turned up two bodies in a hundred-plus year-old grave. And the second body was none other than that of a missing girl that Harper had tried to find the year prior. And when a third body shows up in this same grave? Well, it seems there's a conspiracy in the works. But to what end? And who is responsible?
I have to say that I did not understand who the culprit was until it was all revealed. I was really kept guessing. The killer wasn't quite the last person I was expecting, but it was close. :-) So I really loved the mystery and the solving of it. Harper and Tolliver were once again really great. :-) But the story itself...oh for issues! :-(
We had continuity issues, spelling issues, and word-arrangement issues. There were so many that I had to ask myself, "Did this book have an editor?" Because it sure seemed like the editor took the day off when it came time to edit this book. :-(
First, I'll speak to the continuity issues, of which there were many. And if you' ve been following my reviews, you'll know how much I despise continuity issues. (So it's a great thing that the writing and story were otherwise really great, otherwise this book would be getting fewer-than-4 stars.)
Continuity Issue #1: Iona and "Hank" are Harper's aunt and uncle in this book. In the first book, Iona and "Will" were Tolliver's aunt and uncle. So that was a "nice" two-for-one (though separated by 100 pages) continuity issue...And I HATED it. :'(
EDIT: Okay, so I looked it up and apparently, this continuity issue began in book one: At one time it was "Will and Iona" and then earlier/later in book one it was "Iona and Hank." *grrr* MAKE UP YOUR MIND, CHARLAINE! But whoever Iona's husband is, she was definitely Tolliver's father's sister in book one. And in book two, she's Harper's mother's sister. :'(
Continuity Issue #2: Tolliver's older brother Mark was properly called "Mark" in the beginning. Then in the middle all of a sudden he's "Mike:" "...Cameron and I and Mike and Tolliver..." (p.182) And then he was back to being "Mark" more toward the end. ARGH!!! :'(
Continuity Issue #3: Twice (TWICE) Detective Brittany Young was confused with her partner, Detective Corbett Lacey, and referred to in male pronouns. "He" this and "he" that. I twitched each time. (Should it have been "she" or should it have been Lacey? I couldn't tell. But either way, MASSIVE continuity mistakes.) :'(
Continuity Issue #4: On page 213, "Mariella is nine now." She was ELEVEN in [b:Grave Sight|58077|Grave Sight (Harper Connelly, #1)|Charlaine Harris|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328694483s/58077.jpg|2027280]. So ARGH!!! Then on page 217, Gracie is two years older than Mariella. But in book one (p.146), Iona and "Hank" rescued "poor precious Mariella and baby Grace." So why is Gracie now the elder sister? And how is it that they're two years younger than they were a book ago? ??? ARGH!!! :'(
Moving on: there was only one noticeable spelling mistake ("heath" instead of "health" on page 175) and only one (noticeable) sentence where the word order was out of whack ("...if it turned out be to the granddad" instead of "...if it turned out to be the granddad" on page 211), but these mistakes should have been caught in the editing (or even the proofreading) process. It really makes me crazy to see mistakes like this in books by authors I love and respect. :'(
All of these (many) issues aside, though, I did really enjoy this story. I might have loved it if it had been clean and error-free, but then again, I might have felt the same. (I'd probably have given it 4.5 stars if it hadn't been riddled with all of the above errors.)
As I said, I didn't see the killer turning out to be who the killer was. And the reasoning for it all! Wow. It made sense when explained, but. . .just wow. :-)
This story ended with Harper
"Someday," Tolliver said, and paused. A knot formed in my belly. "Someday you're going to meet someone, and you won't want to be on the road with me any more."
"Then you'll find someone, too," I said. "Anyone would be lucky to have you."
He laughed.
After that, we rode a good ways in silence. [fin]
But Tolliver . . .
I knew it!! I knew who it was from the start! Come on! It really is disappointing when that happens. I can also tell it's only a matter of time before Harper and Tolliver stop being brother and sister and start being together in very unsibling like ways. I don't think this series was bad but it is clearly not for me. Honestly, I really don't like Harper, and I find it disturbing that she can't even function on basic levels without Tolliver by her side. It would've been weird enough if he wasn't her step brother but throw that in the mix and it's now creepy too. I think I'm going to stop now. I truthfully tried to like this series but after reading two out of the series I'm still left with a bad taste in my mouth at the end and I just don't want to spend anymore time in Harper Connelly's world.
I have to admit that I had no idea this was part of a series. I saw it on NetGalley's read now and thought it looked interesting. I am getting into comics and graphic novels this year. I enjoyed this graphic novel. I had to read it on my Macbook, and the artwork was outstanding. It contributed to the story. The plot was on point. I read some reviews, and some people said they figured out who the killer was from the beginning but I am dumb when it comes to mysteries, so I did not figure it out. I hope I am not the only one this stupid. Is there anyone out there like me that can never figure out who the murderer is? I hope so. It would be sad to be the MOST dumb person. #plsdontletmebetheonlyone
Anyway, I enjoyed Charlene Harris's other work, and this one did not disappoint. I am always leery when a book is translated into a graphic novel, but this one is great. It kept the spirit of the original story. I always enjoy seeing the artist idea of what the people in the story looked like and this matched what I had in my head from the original story. I felt that the pacing was excellent. It did not drag out or anything it kept me engaged and turning the pages. Like I said, I had to read it on my computer, and I HATE reading stuff like that on my computer but with this novel it made me forget about that and I kept clicking on the pages anxious to see who the killer was. This book can be read as a stand alone. I read it as such and felt I had enough information to get the story.This review was originally posted on Adventures in Never Never Land
I can't get enough of her books. I don't know why but I like her style of writing. One thing I don't like about series books is they sometimes write to much about stuff I've already read about in the previous books. Why would anyone want to start a series in the middle anyways? Oh well I'm sure some editor tells them to do it for some reason.
This was a quick read in the wee hours of the morning when I couldn't sleep. Entertaining way to while away a few hours.