Reviews

Henni by Miss Lasko-Gross

petk0616's review

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3.0

Henni lives in a world where old traditions and religion dominate. Unlike most in her village, she questions and wonders what the world is like as she comes of age. Striking out on her own, Henni goes out in search of truth, adventure, and more.

Henni is a graphic novel that portrays a society of cat people that are content to live a life devoted to a morally corrupt religious government. Henni grew up questioning everything, and as a result, she faces many hardships as she continues her path to finding out the truth. The setting had the feel of a dystopian novel but mixed with graphic novels and cat people. The character grows over the course of the story as she learns of the lies she has been fed as a child (despite at time doubting herself). The plot portrayed very relevant problems that many must face as they come of age.

3.5/5 Stars
I received this for review from Net Galley. Henni is a novel that is fast and enjoyable to read. I did, however, feel that the ending was too abrupt and the story was not as long as I would have hoped. Despite that, the plot as well as the illustrations are creatively depicted.

mlindner's review

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5.0

http://marklindner.info/blog/2017/06/12/lasko-gross-henni/

hobbes199's review

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3.0

A short but sweet tale of self-discovery under the cloche of oppression.
Review to follow.

michelleheegaard's review

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4.0

I received this as an Ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review.

Such a quite little story. I loved Henni the character. She was really sweet and even doubted herself at some point, which made her more believable.
I loved the context in which she was living, her society and how smart she was.
The pictures were fine. Not the big wauw-effect but that wouldn't really have worked with this story either. It was good a chose to keep it black and white. It worked with the story

arachne_reads's review

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1.0

I picked up this one at the library, intrigued by the cover art. I found it unimaginative and heavy-handed. I would not describe it as a "bold fairytale championing the spirit of the individual" but weak invective against all religion pumped up to absurd proportions, with a flimsy plot, a win-by-contrived-cleverness turning point, and cudgel-like "keep searching until you can be yourself" ending. I hated it.

amdame1's review

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3.0

Henni's village adheres strictly to their religious beliefs and does not like it when Henni questions their beliefs and traditions. She sets off on her own to find truth and acceptance.
Great premise. I like the artistic style - however, I could not really tell Henni and her sister apart which is a huge letdown in my requirements for a graphic novel.

ursulamonarch's review

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I was surprised at how much I didn't like this given that it seems like it's in my wheelhouse. Maybe I read it at the wrong time, but it was unpleasantly dark and cruel for me. The color palette is interesting but generally I didn't like the simplified and stylized drawings.

bluepigeon's review

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5.0

This graphic work by Miss Lasko-Gross tells the beginning of the story of young Henni, who escapes her home town after questioning the existing religious rule and sets on a journey to find the "land of truth," and possibly her father (who she thought was dead). The book is relatively short, but the art work and paneling make it a visual treat from beginning to end, and there are many beautiful moments to stop and ponder the visuals as the story unfolds. The story is steeped in philosophical and existential questions (what is the difference between right and wrong, what is morality, who decides who is good or evil, is obedience the same thing as agreement, what is the role of the artist in society, etc.), and there is a strong, yet understated feminist vein throughout. Some moments are perfectly drawn to not tell, but show, which is very effective, and at times humorous.

I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment. Recommended for those who enjoy reading about installation art, religious tribunals, and creation stories.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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