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greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
itsmeyseniab's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I was provided an ARC by Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review - all thoughts are my own.
I was really excited to get my hands on this one as it combines two of my favorite things (hard-hitting contemporary and graphic novels), but I'm sad to say that I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I thought I would.
I was so intrigued going into this novel because the plot sounded unique to anything I've read in the past, but ultimately it felt all over the place at times and I had to fill in a lot of blanks myself. Don't get me wrong, I completely understood the overall message and lesson, but I think it could've been fleshed out a little bit more (for example the friendship between Jade and Phoebe:we are led to believe that Jade's been "defining herself by their friendship" but those signs were never there prior to Phoebe's suicide attempts. I get that the attempts were the catalyst for the entire story/Jade's emotions she's working through, but to suggest that the entire friendship was rooted in a sort of off-balance power dynamic was jarring to me. The romance in this novel also felt very rushed - I just wish the lead up was a little more prominent!
That being said, I thought the depiction of Jade's inner turmoil was extremely realistic and well done (and I love how it was reflected in her artistry!) It was a great representation of how mental illness truly affects us all, even if an individual isn't necessarily battling with it themselves. I thought the art style was great as well, and really enjoyed the contrast between the gray and pink color palettes to denote a happy memory/moment from the more negative, mundane thoughts Jade was having. Although I was expecting to enjoy this a bit more than I did, I'm looking forward to seeing what else these two create in the future!
I was really excited to get my hands on this one as it combines two of my favorite things (hard-hitting contemporary and graphic novels), but I'm sad to say that I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I thought I would.
I was so intrigued going into this novel because the plot sounded unique to anything I've read in the past, but ultimately it felt all over the place at times and I had to fill in a lot of blanks myself. Don't get me wrong, I completely understood the overall message and lesson, but I think it could've been fleshed out a little bit more (for example the friendship between Jade and Phoebe:
That being said, I thought the depiction of Jade's inner turmoil was extremely realistic and well done (and I love how it was reflected in her artistry!) It was a great representation of how mental illness truly affects us all, even if an individual isn't necessarily battling with it themselves. I thought the art style was great as well, and really enjoyed the contrast between the gray and pink color palettes to denote a happy memory/moment from the more negative, mundane thoughts Jade was having. Although I was expecting to enjoy this a bit more than I did, I'm looking forward to seeing what else these two create in the future!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Drug abuse
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