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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
This is really more of a 3.5 Star read but I’m rounding up. I think that the first 75% of this graphic novel was stellar. Loved the pacing, was super intrigued by the mermaid lady. She seemed very complex. I also liked that Sailor TwAin clearly loved his wife, and clearly loved the mermaid. It’s the only cheating in a story that hasn’t bothered me. Ever. The fourth act felt incredibly rushed though, and the mermaid is magically evil and Twain spends the rest of the nov fighting her. It completely destroyed everything I initially loved.
the plot kind of drops off and gets silly, and some of the coal drawings are really inconsistent. But on the whole I liked the concept.
Beautifully written/drawn graphic novel that mixes folklore, romance, mystery, and mermaids. Recommend for ages 14+.
One of the better graphic novels I've read in a long time. The path Twain takes after he meets the mermaid can make many parallels to things humans deal with on a daily basis. I'm looking forward to reading more from Mark Siegel in the future.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Just an incredible visual novel. Beautiful and compelling.
Beautiful illustrations really create the historical atmosphere on the Hudson River. I should have taken more time to absorb the pictures, but the story was almost too compelling and I had to find out what happened, which distracted me from enjoying the artwork. This mermaiden legend was fascinating, but I admittedly was confused about some of the aspects of hearing the mermaid's song, souls torn in half, dead versus not dead, and the eventual resolution. It warrants another read, with a closer reading of the pictures.
Some nudity and sex.
Some nudity and sex.
My main complaint is that Twain's giant googly saucer eyes would sometimes make me laugh in the middle of perfectly serious scenes.
It actually overall reminds me of sort of a supernatural riverboat Ethan Frome, which is a good thing for me as I'm quite fond of Ethan Frome.
It actually overall reminds me of sort of a supernatural riverboat Ethan Frome, which is a good thing for me as I'm quite fond of Ethan Frome.
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Fantastic fast read that was really entertaining. Loved every page. Darker than I normally pick but left me totally satisfied. The book itself is beautiful with the illustrations done in what appears to be charcoal. Some of the drawings are indeed a little bit risqué but nothing any normal late teen couldn't handle. Highly recommend.