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A review by sagareads
First Test Graphic Novel: (A Graphic Novel) by Tamora Pierce
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
As someone who grew up with and LOVED the original Protector of the Small series (and other Tortall books, but Protector of the Small was the first set I read, and remains my favorite), I found this to be a fantastic adaptation. The graphic novel is quite faithful to the original book, while making appropriate adjustments to better tell the story in visual form. I particularly enjoyed the artist's use of body language and facial expressions to convey the unspoken emotional and social subtleties that would be described in the narration of a prose book. Neal especially had REALLY great expressions; reading the book as a 10-year-old, it's easy to think he's this cool, collected, clever guy, but as an adult, I appreciated the graphic novel showing him pulling faces in a way that reminded me that he's actually a witty but somewhat awkward teenager.
I should mention that there were a few spots where I felt someone who had not read the original book might be confused or miss out on context -- the animals, especially, don't get to show as much personality in this version as in the original. But I think incorporating all the elements of the original book was a considerable challenge -- Tamora Pierce's writing leans a lot towards rich detail and many moving parts -- so I feel this adaptation did very well in getting across everything it could, especially in only 160 pages.
I should mention that there were a few spots where I felt someone who had not read the original book might be confused or miss out on context -- the animals, especially, don't get to show as much personality in this version as in the original. But I think incorporating all the elements of the original book was a considerable challenge -- Tamora Pierce's writing leans a lot towards rich detail and many moving parts -- so I feel this adaptation did very well in getting across everything it could, especially in only 160 pages.