Scan barcode
grace_muriithi's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
Jang-Mi is SOOOO much better than me because if Layne did what he did to her to ME??? We wouldn't be friends anymore...chile anyways-
This book was a short read, quick, and I enjoyed it! It was cute and I loved seeing the behind-the-scenes of the culinary cooking show competition, as MasterChef was my SHOW back in middle school lol. I took some stars off because the conflict felt like it had a forced resolution...again, FREE MY GIRL JANG-MI. Cute debut though!
This book was a short read, quick, and I enjoyed it! It was cute and I loved seeing the behind-the-scenes of the culinary cooking show competition, as MasterChef was my SHOW back in middle school lol. I took some stars off because the conflict felt like it had a forced resolution...again, FREE MY GIRL JANG-MI. Cute debut though!
nugenmak000's review
fast-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? Yes
4.75
nbowman2's review
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
fast-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? Yes
4.0
mfrisk's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
This is one of my favorite graphic novel reads so far this year - it has excellent characters who few realistic and flawed, a really cool art style that feels dynamic, and a really fun concept - as someone who loves a cooking show with a bit of humor and silliness this graphic novel did a great job at capturing that.
Highly recommend this read and it has some great lessons on friendship, forgiveness, and being open to change and growth.
Highly recommend this read and it has some great lessons on friendship, forgiveness, and being open to change and growth.
tessaspike's review against another edition
3.5
Ever catch yourself daydreaming about the whirlwind lives of contestants on cooking shows, or perhaps secretly harbored dreams of donning the apron yourself back in the day? Voyage de Gourmet allows you to experience the cooking show ‘Voyage de Gourmet’ through the eyes of Layne Green and the other contestants.
This graphic novel had me hooked with its delightful artwork and a premise that's as thrilling as a flaming soufflé. Picture an outrageously over-the-top cooking show serving as the backdrop for Layne Green's chance encounter with his ex-BFF, the spirited Jang-Mi Pipper. Within the pages, you'll find a feast of challenges, camaraderie, and the occasional kitchen clash among the contestants.
The overall narrative serves up a heartwarming tale, though at times, it left me wishing for a little more complexity. Despite this longing, the deep bond between Jang-Mi and Layne remained palpable. However, I felt that their friendship might be too far down to get up again. Sometimes that made the story a little thrilling, but also a little bit unbelievable.
But, fear not – amidst the culinary chaos, the real star of the character-building show is Jang-Mi's furry companion, Frog. As a dog lover, I found myself effortlessly falling for Frog as a character, and his presence added a delightful layer to the story, infusing moments of levity and warmth.
While the spotlight shines on the friendship duo, the narrative also gives you a backstage pass to the entire show, offering glimpses into the lives of the diverse contestants. The constant switch in perspectives keeps things lively, but, the fast-paced shifts left me yearning for a deeper connection with some characters. Despite this, some moments had me in stitches or gleefully clenching my fists at the sheer cuteness.
Diversity takes the stage in this culinary adventure, even if it occasionally flirts with stereotypes. The characters, though, won me over with their charm and the unique ways in which they were introduced. So, if you're craving a flavorful blend of friendship, laughter, and a dash of competitive spice, Voyage de Gourmet is your ticket to a rollicking good time!
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for letting me read this book. It was a pleasure to have this opportunity.
visceralreads's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Voyage de Gourmet is a journey of forgiveness and learning to be a better person. It follows Layne Green, a teen cook selected for a reality cooking competition 'Voyage de Gourmet', as he fixes his relationship with his ex-best friend Jang-Mi Pipper, and finds some flavor in his life.
The story is simple and it flows well as a graphic novel. The main character Layne is very flawed and it took me until about 60% of the book to start to warm up to him as he realizes the extent of his jerk-ness towards Jang-Mi and admits it to her. I love his character development throughout the book, and there's a really cool section at the back on how to apologize properly to a friend.
Voyage de Gourmet (the competition) is wild, and the last challenge is definitely unethical to some extent (on human and marine life) but anyway, I like that the contestants get to travel to different countries like Indonesia and Belgium to experience the atmosphere there and make use of what's available to them in those countries. The foods are also diverse (shoutout to (filipino) Adobo!!) and I like that they included ingredients for the dishes in the first part of the book.
In addition to food diversity, the cast themself is also quite diverse. I love the biracial, fat, muslim, queer, and disability representation in this book. However there was one team with two (divorced?) men who were astronomical jerks to everyone (and Frog, Jang-Mi's dog) and I might be reading too much into this but they were just horrible gay rep. Jang-Mi lives with her lesbian aunts and their many adopted kids, and Karla and Tuck are married, so I like that casual sapphic rep, but I was just really annoyed with Flip and Flop, the gay assholes. In another book with a different tone, I would've liked them, but this graphic novel is geared towards young adults (maybe even 11+ based on the story tone) and I don't think I want them to have this idea about gay men.
Final rating: 3.5/5
Thank you NetGalley, Mad Cave Studios, and Maverick for this ARC! My opinion is my own
The story is simple and it flows well as a graphic novel. The main character Layne is very flawed and it took me until about 60% of the book to start to warm up to him as he realizes the extent of his jerk-ness towards Jang-Mi and admits it to her. I love his character development throughout the book, and there's a really cool section at the back on how to apologize properly to a friend.
Voyage de Gourmet (the competition) is wild, and the last challenge is definitely unethical to some extent (on human and marine life) but anyway, I like that the contestants get to travel to different countries like Indonesia and Belgium to experience the atmosphere there and make use of what's available to them in those countries. The foods are also diverse (shoutout to (filipino) Adobo!!) and I like that they included ingredients for the dishes in the first part of the book.
In addition to food diversity, the cast themself is also quite diverse. I love the biracial, fat, muslim, queer, and disability representation in this book. However there was one team with two (divorced?) men who were astronomical jerks to everyone (and Frog, Jang-Mi's dog) and I might be reading too much into this but they were just horrible gay rep. Jang-Mi lives with her lesbian aunts and their many adopted kids, and Karla and Tuck are married, so I like that casual sapphic rep, but I was just really annoyed with Flip and Flop, the gay assholes. In another book with a different tone, I would've liked them, but this graphic novel is geared towards young adults (maybe even 11+ based on the story tone) and I don't think I want them to have this idea about gay men.
Final rating: 3.5/5
Thank you NetGalley, Mad Cave Studios, and Maverick for this ARC! My opinion is my own
lorenaslibrary's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you Mad Cave Studios and Maverick for a copy of Voyage de Gourmet!
"Layne Green is a social media sensation of a cook. He's selected to compete on a reality TV show called Voyage de Gourmet - a globe-trotting foodie adventure. However, his partner is his former best friend, Jiang-Mi Pipper, someone that he really wronged with some of his posts. Can the two find forgiveness, flavor, and themselves on this journey?"
Voyage de Gourmet has teens/young adults competing in a cooking-travel show. It gets chaotic and tense, then sweet. I also like that this graphic novel touches on posting social media content without your peers' consent -- even if that content is deemed "harmless".
Overall, I can always rely on Maverick to deliver a heartfelt graphic novel with diverse characters!
"Layne Green is a social media sensation of a cook. He's selected to compete on a reality TV show called Voyage de Gourmet - a globe-trotting foodie adventure. However, his partner is his former best friend, Jiang-Mi Pipper, someone that he really wronged with some of his posts. Can the two find forgiveness, flavor, and themselves on this journey?"
Voyage de Gourmet has teens/young adults competing in a cooking-travel show. It gets chaotic and tense, then sweet. I also like that this graphic novel touches on posting social media content without your peers' consent -- even if that content is deemed "harmless".
Overall, I can always rely on Maverick to deliver a heartfelt graphic novel with diverse characters!
esmewasreading's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
So much fun!!
I adore cooking shows it's one of my favorite things to watch when I'm scrolling through TV so I knew I had to jump on the chance at reading this!
I loved the conversation about forgiveness and friendship that was at the root of this story. Frog was really the MVP and I adored him. The characters were fun and diverse, I loved all the food, the challenges and the art style was just so cute.
Thank you Netgalley, Paul Tobin as well as Mad caves studio for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
I adore cooking shows it's one of my favorite things to watch when I'm scrolling through TV so I knew I had to jump on the chance at reading this!
I loved the conversation about forgiveness and friendship that was at the root of this story. Frog was really the MVP and I adored him. The characters were fun and diverse, I loved all the food, the challenges and the art style was just so cute.
Thank you Netgalley, Paul Tobin as well as Mad caves studio for an arc in exchange for an honest review!