mollywetta's review against another edition

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4.0

With gorgeous illustrations and a compelling story, this is easily my favorite of all the graphic novels I have (thus far) read.

No fewer than 5 people read this while I had it checked out. Mister BS loved it. My sister loved it. My friend pointed out that Rebecca Guay is known for illustrating magic cards, and he and his girlfriend loved it.

The story opens as a group of magical creatures discover a wounded angel in the forest. Because they are unsure of what to do about the angel, several of the assembled creatures offer a story about angels as testimony on their nature so the tribunal can determine its fate.

I always love the idea of frame stories, and this one is well-executed. Each tale presents a different version of angels, and each is unique and fascinating. Each story told within the frame was left open to interpretation and seemed to only hint at deeper meaning, which fit the theme well.

I’m a fan of stories that explore angel mythology, so I was drawn to the subject matter. I especially liked the twist on the classic interpretation of Adam and Eve. The ending managed to surprise me, and that’s always a welcome reading experience for me.

The artwork is lush and detailed, so even if angels aren’t your thing, any fantasy lover will likely enjoy the drawings. They are detailed and each story features a unique style. While tasteful, there is some mild nudity, so I might not suggest it to younger teens or those who I know have more conservative parents or are averse to that kind of thing, but feel it’s generally appropriate. (And I include this personal assessment not because I think it’s a big deal, but because people often use Google search terms that lead me to believe they are looking for this type of information, so I figure I might as well include it).

The text is sparse, and there is always a clear distinction between in story and frame story text, so even as a novice graphic novel reader, I didn’t get confused. This is a great introduction to graphic novels for those curious about the form but looking for something that isn’t about superheroes.

audryt's review against another edition

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3.0

Similar to an anthology in nature, the stories and artwork are a mixture of hit-and-miss.

bookiepanda's review

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3.0

It was a nice story but it had too much text. At one point I thought it would've been better as a short story with a few pictures.

The plot is nice. Different creatures tell stories so one of them can decide the angel's fate. I didn't like the stories much but I really liked the end. 

beltaine76's review against another edition

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4.0

The artwork was stunning and I really liked the stories. I've been a fan of Guay's work since the late 90's when she did work for various Changeling: The Dreaming books.

professionalreader's review against another edition

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I couldn't get into and I didn't like most of the fonts.

mishamir's review

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dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

allgoodpham's review against another edition

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mysterious sad fast-paced

3.0

sarahrosebooks's review against another edition

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3.0

I have absolutely no idea why I rated this five stars when I read it back in 2012, and have very little memory of reading it.

I've lowered my rating, but will probably mark this for a re-read at some point so I can assess how I think about it now.

3 stars in this case means that I liked it in 2012 enough to rate it 5 stars, but in 2020 I remember nothing good, but nothing bad either. Middle rating it is.

skybalon's review against another edition

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4.0

A pretty book whose stories don't quite add up to the art. Not bad just not very innovative or "myth busting".

fonteya's review against another edition

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3.0

Por un lado, el arte del cómic me ha parecido precioso, y algunas páginas son dignas de admirar, por lo que le pondría entre 4 y 4'5 estrellas. Por otro lado, las historias son más bien flojitas.
Así que se queda en un término medio.