Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - Sheets

I really enjoyed this one! Parts of it were a little too unbelievable for me, but it's a sweet, sad story and I really enjoyed it. The art style is great and I loved the restricted color palette so much.

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ruthhelizabeth's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This has been on my to read list for a few years now, so I was really happy to get a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Marjorie is not having the easiest time, even compared to other 13 year old girls. Her mum has passed away and ever since her dad has been like a ghost, floating around their home and family laundromat and barely speaking, leaving Majorie to handle running the business, looking after them all and somehow staying on top of school work. A local ghoul of another type in the shape of a man is hovering, forcing his hostile plans to open a spa in the building Majorie and her family call home by any means necessary.

Meanwhile, another more literal ghost is trying to grapple with the afterlife.

I really enjoyed this book. It handled grief and mental health incredibly well, and the artwork is beautiful. I feel it would be a wonderful addition to any middle school or high school library, and would really enrich the lives of anyone who read it, particularly as an age appropriate tool to start conversations and spark empathy.

As an adult I also really enjoyed reading and will be on the look out for other books by the same author.

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indieandajean's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

Sheets is a beautifully crafted and deeply reflective graphic novel about death and mourning for a juvenile/ YA audience. There were moments while reading where I teared up from the raw expressiveness of the art, and overall I found the emotional experience very impactful.

The plot itself is good, showing the weight upon the shoulders of a child who has had to take on the role of a parent after the death of her mother. The juxtaposition of this with the story of a child who has died and is looking for belonging from the beyond is well done, but the real heavy hitter here is the visual element. The art is stunning, I cannot fully explain how perfectly it conveys the emotion and carries the plot forward.

The plot does drag at times, and until the context of the ghosts arrives in the plot, the story is a bit confusing. Overall, however it is an enjoyable read, and I would recommend it to those who are working through loss themselves, and to those looking for a teaching tool for their children (10+) to talk about grief, death, and dying.

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sadiaa's review against another edition

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4.5

I needed a break from my usual adult fiction book problems and decided to read a graphic novel aimed to a younger audience. First of all I liked the illustration style, the ghosts are cute and I loved the overall tone of the comic.
This novel touches on grief and loneliness in an easy and enjoyable way. Will definitely keep an eye out for more in this series.

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