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kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I got a free ARC via netgalley.
Poor Courtney Crumrin. Her parents are clueless, the family has moved in with her mysterious uncle, she’s the new kid at school, and there is something that goes bump in the night in her bedroom.
What’s a girl to do?
Use her noggin.
Courtney Crumrin, like Tiffany Achling, is the girl’s answer to Harry Potter. She’s Hermione gone gothic. Well, slightly Goth. Courtney is her own teen after all. (And how come male authors keep doing this, not female ones?)
This volume contains three stories about Courtney as she adjusts to her new life. The first is about her experiences in a new school, and the other two are adventures. What Ted Naifeh has done, and done brilliantly, is take that out of place teen feeling and grafted in onto fairy stories.
And I don’t mean Tinkerbelle fairy or the Tooth Fairy. I mean the let’s dance in the fairy ring for days fairy.
Courtney isn’t nice or sweet. In fact, she’s every anti-social teen you’ve ever met. Yet because of this, she becomes the every teen. The idea of belonging or not belonging, that desire to be social that inflict even the most unsocial of us, runs though these three stories. Yet, while Courtney is that outsider teen, she isn’t a victim. She might be a potential bully victim, but she fights back. There is something special about Courtney in her anti-behavior, in her ability to learn from her mistakes, of her better nature. The reader roots for her.
Naifeh makes great and intelligent use of fairy motif and lore. There is a bit about magic, and the story is framed by a goblin/demon that resembles a large wolf. He’s not sweet, don’t worry. In addition to the use of teen awkwardness, Naifeh makes good use of family behavior in terms of changelings. There is some social and family dynamic commentary here, such as people who have children as a status symbol. There are wonderful touches of detail, not only in how the tales are used, but also in the families and the drawings. In addition, Courtney’s desire to be herself is balanced by her parents’ desire to belong. While the moral might not be subtle, the parents are not necessary walking clichés or stereotypes either. Despite their brief appearances, there is some depth to them.
This is a great book for a teen or an adult to read.
Poor Courtney Crumrin. Her parents are clueless, the family has moved in with her mysterious uncle, she’s the new kid at school, and there is something that goes bump in the night in her bedroom.
What’s a girl to do?
Use her noggin.
Courtney Crumrin, like Tiffany Achling, is the girl’s answer to Harry Potter. She’s Hermione gone gothic. Well, slightly Goth. Courtney is her own teen after all. (And how come male authors keep doing this, not female ones?)
This volume contains three stories about Courtney as she adjusts to her new life. The first is about her experiences in a new school, and the other two are adventures. What Ted Naifeh has done, and done brilliantly, is take that out of place teen feeling and grafted in onto fairy stories.
And I don’t mean Tinkerbelle fairy or the Tooth Fairy. I mean the let’s dance in the fairy ring for days fairy.
Courtney isn’t nice or sweet. In fact, she’s every anti-social teen you’ve ever met. Yet because of this, she becomes the every teen. The idea of belonging or not belonging, that desire to be social that inflict even the most unsocial of us, runs though these three stories. Yet, while Courtney is that outsider teen, she isn’t a victim. She might be a potential bully victim, but she fights back. There is something special about Courtney in her anti-behavior, in her ability to learn from her mistakes, of her better nature. The reader roots for her.
Naifeh makes great and intelligent use of fairy motif and lore. There is a bit about magic, and the story is framed by a goblin/demon that resembles a large wolf. He’s not sweet, don’t worry. In addition to the use of teen awkwardness, Naifeh makes good use of family behavior in terms of changelings. There is some social and family dynamic commentary here, such as people who have children as a status symbol. There are wonderful touches of detail, not only in how the tales are used, but also in the families and the drawings. In addition, Courtney’s desire to be herself is balanced by her parents’ desire to belong. While the moral might not be subtle, the parents are not necessary walking clichés or stereotypes either. Despite their brief appearances, there is some depth to them.
This is a great book for a teen or an adult to read.
ker0wyn's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this- nice and creepy, and kinda reminds me of The Craft and other 90s witchy stuff. That does bring up the fact that it's kinda dated, though. I saw the 2012 publication date and so I was thrown off by the references to Powerpuff Girls and Ally McBeal, and general lack of internet. Turns out the first couple of books are a reprint of comics from 2002 before it gets to the new stuff. It definitely works for me since I'm really the right demographic for it, but I think that teen girls into creepiness and/or nonconformity would still really dig it!
s_n_arly's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to picking up the second volume. I believe this was originally published as a four part serial in paperback, and those four serials are collected here in hardcover.
I like the combination of regular everyday world and creepy magical world, particularly the creatures referenced in the title. For children and teens, the real world is as full of monsters as fairy tales and fantasy stories, and this is especially true for those who don't find a good place to fit in at school. Courtney's tales explore that a little bit while she gets introduced to magic and mythical beasts. Her parents are disgustingly shallow and her uncle hints at a mysterious and fascinating past.
The color illustrations are nice, adding depth to the story and setting, though I wonder if my 5 and 7 year old will find some of them a tad too creepy.
I like the combination of regular everyday world and creepy magical world, particularly the creatures referenced in the title. For children and teens, the real world is as full of monsters as fairy tales and fantasy stories, and this is especially true for those who don't find a good place to fit in at school. Courtney's tales explore that a little bit while she gets introduced to magic and mythical beasts. Her parents are disgustingly shallow and her uncle hints at a mysterious and fascinating past.
The color illustrations are nice, adding depth to the story and setting, though I wonder if my 5 and 7 year old will find some of them a tad too creepy.
barb4ry1's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5
Courtney Crumrin is rude, precocious, and she doesn't like people. Her parents are desperate for social advancement and have dragged her to a posh suburb to live with her creepy Great Uncle Aloysius in his spooky old house.
Being a new kid in school is never fun. But luckily, Courtney discovers her uncle has lots of intriguing books. Books about creatures of the night and spells. As you might expect, trouble ensues.
Courtney Crumrin is an excellent middle-grade book. It's quite charming, but also dark(-ish) in places. I a lot of fun reading it and found another feel-good and exciting comic series.
Courtney Crumrin is rude, precocious, and she doesn't like people. Her parents are desperate for social advancement and have dragged her to a posh suburb to live with her creepy Great Uncle Aloysius in his spooky old house.
Being a new kid in school is never fun. But luckily, Courtney discovers her uncle has lots of intriguing books. Books about creatures of the night and spells. As you might expect, trouble ensues.
Courtney Crumrin is an excellent middle-grade book. It's quite charming, but also dark(-ish) in places. I a lot of fun reading it and found another feel-good and exciting comic series.
maryelmccoy's review against another edition
5.0
One of the first graphic novels I ever read. Still holds up, goes hard. Poor Axel.
overhillunderhill's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
Solidly cute. I think I would have devoured this when I was younger.
spikeydlux's review against another edition
3.0
Clever, wonderfully drawn from a similar mythology as the Hellboy series.
highvoltagegrrl's review against another edition
3.0
I hadn’t read any of the Courtney Crumrin stories previously, but when I saw this new edition I jumped at the chance. Courtney’s parents are so awesome – in that oh-my-god-they-are-clueless-butt-kissing-money-grubbing-idiots kind of way. So basically they are just a lot of fun to watch and read the things that come out of their mouths. However Courtney and her sass steal the show. This new house has its secrets, which are creepy and fantastic to read about, but it’s more than the house that’s got the paranormal aspect working for it. Courtney encounters weirdness in the forest between her new home and school and at another family’s house while she is babysitting. There is more than just one type of paranormal creature in this story, which makes it even more entertaining. The only drawback for me is that I wish there was more character development with Courtney and that more interacting with her Great Uncle Aloysius had taken place.
Reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.
Reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.
skundrik's review against another edition
2.0
this would be great for people who enjoy creepy. I just don't though.
prophetofguillotines's review against another edition
5.0
The beauty in this story is the fact that no punches are held. Courtney has two parents that only care for their own greed and is thus moved into a creepy home with her equally creepy Uncle, or is he her great Uncle, great great Uncle perhaps? She is not one to cry over spilt milk or change for the whims of those around her. She is curious, is truly cares for those she believes deserve it. She will fight your battle for you, if she feels you need it. This book is harsh, beautiful, and so real even with the fantastical story line.