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A review by betweentheshelves
Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This graphic novel has been on my radar for a while, and I'm happy to say that I finally read it! And it's absolutely adorable from start to finish, with great art, great characters, and fantastic world building.
I'm a sucker for purple/pinkish color schemes in books, which I think is one of the reasons I liked the art so much. But Layne also uses the art to help with the world building and in fleshing out the main characters. The art and the writing worked really well together, building this world and drawing you in right from the beginning. 100%, I would read all the graphic novels that Aliza Layne puts out.
One of the things I really appreciated about this book is that there are LGBTQ+ characters, but the story isn't about that. They just exist in this world and nobody blinks an eye. Yes, we've come a long way in portraying LGBTQ+ characters in books, but more often than not, the storyline is still about their queerness. Coming out, being accepted, etc. Like any other kind of representation, we need variation, so let's keep books like this coming!
In my quest to read more middle grade stories, I'm definitely glad I picked this one up.
I'm a sucker for purple/pinkish color schemes in books, which I think is one of the reasons I liked the art so much. But Layne also uses the art to help with the world building and in fleshing out the main characters. The art and the writing worked really well together, building this world and drawing you in right from the beginning. 100%, I would read all the graphic novels that Aliza Layne puts out.
One of the things I really appreciated about this book is that there are LGBTQ+ characters, but the story isn't about that. They just exist in this world and nobody blinks an eye. Yes, we've come a long way in portraying LGBTQ+ characters in books, but more often than not, the storyline is still about their queerness. Coming out, being accepted, etc. Like any other kind of representation, we need variation, so let's keep books like this coming!
In my quest to read more middle grade stories, I'm definitely glad I picked this one up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Violence