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planningwithlove's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this graphic novel! Excited to read the actual book in the future.
Very fast paced and action packed. I story of 18 year old Bruce Wayne. What set him on the path to become Batman and protect Gotham City! With an addition of romance in between the pages! Cute!
Very fast paced and action packed. I story of 18 year old Bruce Wayne. What set him on the path to become Batman and protect Gotham City! With an addition of romance in between the pages! Cute!
kelseyvargo's review
2.0
The art is beautiful and unlike the novel this is based off of I actually finished it. The first three acts are wonderful they really feel like a beginning Batman journey Bruce is about to partake in to find his true self. And the book does set up eventual Batman quite well, he's not there yet but 18 is young he has time to get there!
The reason I dropped my rating when it started off so high was for the same reason I couldn't finish the novel, the unnecessary romantic subplot. It's just there, it doesn't do anything to elevate the work and is barely developed. The work is on the reader, much like in the book, to see a strong connection between the leads and assume they must feel things for one another because it's Batman! Of course Batman has to have feelings for the pretty girl he's talking to for more than 5 minutes. It's overdone and honestly doesn't really fit with the rest of Bruce Wayne's behaviors teenager or not. I'm grateful the comic adaptation cut a great deal of this plot but I wish all of it was gone. A will they won't they thing even would've been ok not great but tolerable. I genuinely liked Madeleine, she's so cool! I wish she had more to do that was anything but this plot.
I wish there was more Harvey Dent too I loved him in this and the art omfg the art is beautiful!!!! The coloring mimicking the Batman suit was delightful!!! The action scenes were so fluid too. This could've been magnificent, if only...
The reason I dropped my rating when it started off so high was for the same reason I couldn't finish the novel, the unnecessary romantic subplot. It's just there, it doesn't do anything to elevate the work and is barely developed. The work is on the reader, much like in the book, to see a strong connection between the leads and assume they must feel things for one another because it's Batman! Of course Batman has to have feelings for the pretty girl he's talking to for more than 5 minutes. It's overdone and honestly doesn't really fit with the rest of Bruce Wayne's behaviors teenager or not. I'm grateful the comic adaptation cut a great deal of this plot but I wish all of it was gone. A will they won't they thing even would've been ok not great but tolerable. I genuinely liked Madeleine, she's so cool! I wish she had more to do that was anything but this plot.
I wish there was more Harvey Dent too I loved him in this and the art omfg the art is beautiful!!!! The coloring mimicking the Batman suit was delightful!!! The action scenes were so fluid too. This could've been magnificent, if only...
nbspacegay's review
3.0
Tbh it's a hard meh. Mostly felt like thinly veiled capitalist propeganda with a lil love story pasted over top. Gets a little more complicated at the end so it feels less like propeganda but still.
thepunktheory's review
2.0
Full review on my blog!
Oh boy, where do I even start with this one?
I know these books are about superheroes so there will be some unrealistic stuff in there. This, however, is pushing the boundaries of what I am inclined to accept.
For example, why on earth would a detective/the court think it's a good idea to have a teenager on duty at the asylum with the most dangerous criminals in all of Gotham and where he is harassed by said inmates? This makes just no sense whatsoever, so a pretty big prerequisite for the story falls through for me.
But that's not the only mishap in the logic department for me. I don't want to add any spoilers here but there was just a lot that didn't come together for me.
Apart from those errors, I was beyond annoyed with the love-story thing. I don't consider this a spoiler because you can predict it from the very first moment on Madeline is mentioned. This part had me rolling my eyes so many times and really was nothing special.
You know how with some books you instantly think "This would make an amazing blockbuster"? Well, with this it's less of a blockbuster you'd think of. It reminded me more of an episode in a Batman series you'd see on TV on a Saturday afternoon. Nothing special, nothing impressive but halfway decent.
Oh boy, where do I even start with this one?
I know these books are about superheroes so there will be some unrealistic stuff in there. This, however, is pushing the boundaries of what I am inclined to accept.
For example, why on earth would a detective/the court think it's a good idea to have a teenager on duty at the asylum with the most dangerous criminals in all of Gotham and where he is harassed by said inmates? This makes just no sense whatsoever, so a pretty big prerequisite for the story falls through for me.
But that's not the only mishap in the logic department for me. I don't want to add any spoilers here but there was just a lot that didn't come together for me.
Apart from those errors, I was beyond annoyed with the love-story thing. I don't consider this a spoiler because you can predict it from the very first moment on Madeline is mentioned. This part had me rolling my eyes so many times and really was nothing special.
You know how with some books you instantly think "This would make an amazing blockbuster"? Well, with this it's less of a blockbuster you'd think of. It reminded me more of an episode in a Batman series you'd see on TV on a Saturday afternoon. Nothing special, nothing impressive but halfway decent.
biblioholicbeth's review
3.0
Bruce Wayne - we all know what happened to his parents and about his crime-fighting. But what about in between those things, when he became an adult and had not yet become Batman? This is just one possible version of what could have been those events, when Bruce had just turned 18 and was still...just Bruce. Famous, handsome, and rich - but still just Bruce. When his first run-in with the police and major crime at that age was when the Nightwalkers came to call in Gotham City.
The story is true to the Batman ethos, as far as I know it (I'm familiar, but don't read the comics or belong to any fandom). Alfred is, as he always has been, there for Bruce. Some characters that show up later in the the Batman stories make their appearance here, as well as a few who - to the best of my knowledge - are here only. They are all intriguing, particularly Madeleine, the girl Bruce meets at Arkham Asylum.
The story moves pretty quickly once it gets started - this is not a long book. But it's a fun read, well worth the time. There are a few spots where it *feels* like a YA book, but in general, it is just a good story that anyone can enjoy. Setting, of course, is Gotham City, and Lu does a great job bringing it to life in her story.
Overall, it's a fast, fun, interesting take on who Bruce was before he became Batman, and offers an idea of just how the mythos may have gotten started.
The story is true to the Batman ethos, as far as I know it (I'm familiar, but don't read the comics or belong to any fandom). Alfred is, as he always has been, there for Bruce. Some characters that show up later in the the Batman stories make their appearance here, as well as a few who - to the best of my knowledge - are here only. They are all intriguing, particularly Madeleine, the girl Bruce meets at Arkham Asylum.
The story moves pretty quickly once it gets started - this is not a long book. But it's a fun read, well worth the time. There are a few spots where it *feels* like a YA book, but in general, it is just a good story that anyone can enjoy. Setting, of course, is Gotham City, and Lu does a great job bringing it to life in her story.
Overall, it's a fast, fun, interesting take on who Bruce was before he became Batman, and offers an idea of just how the mythos may have gotten started.
thebookishgurl's review
5.0
This book was such a surprise—Marie Lu managed to put a new, interesting spin on a decades-old character, which is no small accomplishment. Batman: Nightwalker is the best of what a pre-origin story should be; the novel has tons of easter eggs, the beginnings of Bruce Wayne's reasons behind becoming a vigilante, and a host of known and unknown supporting characters.
Best of all, though, I want to emphasise that this isn't just a good Batman story, it's a good story in general. Marie Lu's writing is so clever, and perfectly suited to the twists-and-turns and detective work that the best Batman stories feature. I'm a Batman fanatic, but I would also recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery, a smart action-packed novel, or new and exciting technology.
Best of all, though, I want to emphasise that this isn't just a good Batman story, it's a good story in general. Marie Lu's writing is so clever, and perfectly suited to the twists-and-turns and detective work that the best Batman stories feature. I'm a Batman fanatic, but I would also recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery, a smart action-packed novel, or new and exciting technology.
megan_k0314's review
3.0
*3.5
I think my biggest issue with this book was the romance. I’m a huge comic fan, and to me this just felt like a discount batcat since Marie lu probably couldn’t use Selina since her book comes out in August.
That being said, I did still really enjoy it, I thought Bruce was super in character and it was a really interesting look at his origin story
I think my biggest issue with this book was the romance. I’m a huge comic fan, and to me this just felt like a discount batcat since Marie lu probably couldn’t use Selina since her book comes out in August.
That being said, I did still really enjoy it, I thought Bruce was super in character and it was a really interesting look at his origin story
booksatdawn's review
3.0
I love Batman as a character, and this was a good interpretation of his origin story. I quite enjoyed it. The reason it's not rated higher is that I expected more and am usually more critical of Batman stories...
So full review to come.
So full review to come.
yona's review
4.0
I did not go into this expecting to love this book – I haven’t read anything by Marie Lu in years [although I loved the Legend trilogy], and these franchise books usually don’t bring out an authors full potentional – yet I still ended up enjoying myself.
I didn’t find any of the plot revelations to be particularly shocking or innovative, but often a plot doesn’t need to be for me to like it.
I didn’t find any of the plot revelations to be particularly shocking or innovative, but often a plot doesn’t need to be for me to like it.