Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
What do you do when your life is a mess? When home is no comfort and school is a torture? One young girl decides to kill giants. This book was absolutely breathtaking. I loved it. My only problem with it is that it made me tear up at the end. Recommended it to my 14-year-old daughter and she loved it, too.
Right in the feels. Just. Wow. That sort took my breath away for a few moments there. Beautiful.
The story itself is very unique. I found it to be really quirky as we follow the young Barbara around as she tries to fit in, but really she isn’t trying to fit in she is just trying to be herself. The novel takes you through the life of this seemingly normal family and the kinds of regular issues that they have. As you follow this young girl who is convinced that she can kill giants with her hammer named Coveleski, that she stores in her purse, you also uncover much deeper issues that lead us to the true moral of the story: We’re stronger than we think and we will be ok. It’s a story filled with comedy, fantasy, and heartfelt moments. A little something for everyone.
Barbara Thornson as a character just made me love this book even more. When she first stands up in this gorgeous full page spread she is wearing bunny ears. Her quirks and her hissy fits throughout the book remind me a lot of Louise from Bob’s Burhers, which again made me love her. Barbara puts on this tough exterior as she battles the boys in fierce games of Dungeons & Dragons, when she fights bullies at school, and when she talks about fighting the giants, but really she has fears. Throughout the book the writer hints to these fears and it makes you want to keep reading to find out what is being hidden from you. I found Barbara to be very well written and very relateable.
The art was amazing. After I had finished reading it and I was talking to one of my classmates about it I actually convinced myself that it was drawn in colour… I was wrong. It is 100% in black and white (maybe with a little red here and there on the cover or something). That just goes to show how dynamic and striking the art was if I could think about it and think it was in colour.
Pick this up ASAP if you haven't already!!!!
Barbara Thornson as a character just made me love this book even more. When she first stands up in this gorgeous full page spread she is wearing bunny ears. Her quirks and her hissy fits throughout the book remind me a lot of Louise from Bob’s Burhers, which again made me love her. Barbara puts on this tough exterior as she battles the boys in fierce games of Dungeons & Dragons, when she fights bullies at school, and when she talks about fighting the giants, but really she has fears. Throughout the book the writer hints to these fears and it makes you want to keep reading to find out what is being hidden from you. I found Barbara to be very well written and very relateable.
The art was amazing. After I had finished reading it and I was talking to one of my classmates about it I actually convinced myself that it was drawn in colour… I was wrong. It is 100% in black and white (maybe with a little red here and there on the cover or something). That just goes to show how dynamic and striking the art was if I could think about it and think it was in colour.
Pick this up ASAP if you haven't already!!!!
As a person who lost a parent as a child this graphic novel was a punch to the gut. Definitely got choked up at one point.
[There is some language that may be triggering. Barbra lashes out to those around her in sometimes cruel ways as a way of avoiding her own pain]
[There is some language that may be triggering. Barbra lashes out to those around her in sometimes cruel ways as a way of avoiding her own pain]
Amazing Story. Simply put it was very touching and brought tears to my eyes.
This graphic novel was hard for me to understand and first, but then it all made sense towards the end. Barbara is a girl who believes she kills giants, and everybody thinks she is very strange. Towards the end we know what her giant truly is.
adventurous
emotional
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:
Yes
Characters – 7.5/10
Barbara is unforgettable, sure—but also exhaustingly one-note for about two-thirds of the story. Yes, she’s grieving. Yes, she's got a rich inner world. But for the love of Thor, does every single interaction have to be a sarcastic grenade? Her refusal to connect with anyone gets repetitive fast, and by the fifth flinch from Sofia’s kindness, I was less "aww" and more "OKAY, WE GET IT, YOU’RE HURTING." Sofia and Mrs. Molle actually save this from being a one-woman emotional spiral, but even then, they mostly exist to coax Barbara toward a character arc the book takes its sweet time delivering.
Barbara is unforgettable, sure—but also exhaustingly one-note for about two-thirds of the story. Yes, she’s grieving. Yes, she's got a rich inner world. But for the love of Thor, does every single interaction have to be a sarcastic grenade? Her refusal to connect with anyone gets repetitive fast, and by the fifth flinch from Sofia’s kindness, I was less "aww" and more "OKAY, WE GET IT, YOU’RE HURTING." Sofia and Mrs. Molle actually save this from being a one-woman emotional spiral, but even then, they mostly exist to coax Barbara toward a character arc the book takes its sweet time delivering.
Atmosphere/Setting – 7/10
The blend of mundane and mythical is cool… until it starts feeling like the same rainy beach and the same indistinct school hallway on loop. There’s a limit to how many panels of foggy grayscale angst I can wade through before I want a splash of something more dynamic. The visual metaphor for Barbara’s worldbreaking grief is effective—but over-relied upon. It starts immersive and ends up mildly claustrophobic. More variety, please. Your fantasy elements are cool—use them.
The blend of mundane and mythical is cool… until it starts feeling like the same rainy beach and the same indistinct school hallway on loop. There’s a limit to how many panels of foggy grayscale angst I can wade through before I want a splash of something more dynamic. The visual metaphor for Barbara’s worldbreaking grief is effective—but over-relied upon. It starts immersive and ends up mildly claustrophobic. More variety, please. Your fantasy elements are cool—use them.
Writing Style – 7.5/10
Joe Kelly’s dialogue can sparkle, especially when Barbara’s rapid-fire sarcasm lands—but damn, it can also grate. Too often, snark is used as a smokescreen for actual development. When the prose calms down and lets raw emotion through, it sings. But the story leans so hard into obfuscation and withholding that I felt like I was in a long-term relationship with someone who refuses to talk about their feelings. It’s moody, poetic... and occasionally self-indulgent.
Joe Kelly’s dialogue can sparkle, especially when Barbara’s rapid-fire sarcasm lands—but damn, it can also grate. Too often, snark is used as a smokescreen for actual development. When the prose calms down and lets raw emotion through, it sings. But the story leans so hard into obfuscation and withholding that I felt like I was in a long-term relationship with someone who refuses to talk about their feelings. It’s moody, poetic... and occasionally self-indulgent.
Plot – 7/10
Plot? What plot? For half the book, we’re stuck in an emotional holding pattern while Barbara snaps at people, dodges therapy, and insists giants are coming. I get it—that's the point. But it’s not exactly thrilling to watch. The “twist” about what she’s really facing is gutting, yes, but also pretty easy to spot a mile away. The emotional weight hits, but the journey there drags. Pacing? Inconsistent. Build-up? Overlong. Resolution? Lovely—but you’ll need patience to get to the gold buried under layers of angst.
Intrigue – 7/10
I wanted to care more than I actually did, especially during the saggy middle act where nothing really happens except Barbara being cryptic. The initial hook is strong—giant slayer! Warhammer! Big metaphor energy!—but it loses its punch fast when every mystery just stretches on and on with no real breadcrumbs. I powered through, but I wasn’t burning with curiosity so much as hoping it would eventually justify the buildup. It mostly does... eventually.
Plot? What plot? For half the book, we’re stuck in an emotional holding pattern while Barbara snaps at people, dodges therapy, and insists giants are coming. I get it—that's the point. But it’s not exactly thrilling to watch. The “twist” about what she’s really facing is gutting, yes, but also pretty easy to spot a mile away. The emotional weight hits, but the journey there drags. Pacing? Inconsistent. Build-up? Overlong. Resolution? Lovely—but you’ll need patience to get to the gold buried under layers of angst.
Intrigue – 7/10
I wanted to care more than I actually did, especially during the saggy middle act where nothing really happens except Barbara being cryptic. The initial hook is strong—giant slayer! Warhammer! Big metaphor energy!—but it loses its punch fast when every mystery just stretches on and on with no real breadcrumbs. I powered through, but I wasn’t burning with curiosity so much as hoping it would eventually justify the buildup. It mostly does... eventually.
Logic/Relationships – 6.5/10
Let’s be real: a lot of Barbara’s choices feel frustratingly irrational, even for a grieving kid. Her isolation is believable—but the world around her sometimes feels frustratingly inert. Why is every adult either oblivious or conveniently ineffective until the last act? Mrs. Molle should’ve stepped in way earlier, and Barbara’s siblings are essentially human wallpaper. And the worldbuilding? Barely there. “Rules” of the fantasy elements? Vague at best. I kept wanting something more concrete to hold onto besides “symbolism, but make it cryptic.”
Let’s be real: a lot of Barbara’s choices feel frustratingly irrational, even for a grieving kid. Her isolation is believable—but the world around her sometimes feels frustratingly inert. Why is every adult either oblivious or conveniently ineffective until the last act? Mrs. Molle should’ve stepped in way earlier, and Barbara’s siblings are essentially human wallpaper. And the worldbuilding? Barely there. “Rules” of the fantasy elements? Vague at best. I kept wanting something more concrete to hold onto besides “symbolism, but make it cryptic.”
Enjoyment – 7/10
I liked it. I didn’t love it. It’s emotionally resonant, sure, but sometimes it feels like it’s trying too hard to be profound instead of just telling the damn story. It’s powerful, but also kind of exhausting. Like, if this book were a person, it’d be the kind of friend who’s fascinating but refuses to open up until you’ve earned their trust after 200 pages of cryptic clues and emotional whiplash. Worth reading? Absolutely. Would I reread it soon? Probably not. It’s emotionally dense, and not always in a good way.
I liked it. I didn’t love it. It’s emotionally resonant, sure, but sometimes it feels like it’s trying too hard to be profound instead of just telling the damn story. It’s powerful, but also kind of exhausting. Like, if this book were a person, it’d be the kind of friend who’s fascinating but refuses to open up until you’ve earned their trust after 200 pages of cryptic clues and emotional whiplash. Worth reading? Absolutely. Would I reread it soon? Probably not. It’s emotionally dense, and not always in a good way.
Final Verdict: A poignant, ambitious book that occasionally chokes on its own metaphor. Bring tissues—but also, maybe, a shot of espresso. You’ll need it.
Took me awhile to figure out what was going on but it was a good story and not what I completely expected. I almost cried :(
Content Warnings: bullying (physical and emotional), slurs/derogatory language, cartoon nudity (non-sexual and male, the various pixies and giants don't wear clothes), self-harm,