Scan barcode
A review by thewordsdevourer
Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
i rly wanted to like mooncakes, but throughout the whole time i was reading, flipping through each pgs all i could i think of was how it could be better.
the story's actually quite enjoyable, adventurous yet reflective, and i esp like the cool grandmas and family, in addition to the great disability and queer rep. however, some of it seems a lil too on-the-surface, like the issue of nova's identity. the dialogue's also often awkward and unnatural. im a lil perplexed at how the title barely has any significance in the story, except a scene where the object itself isnt even drawn out on the pg...
the art, meanwhile, falls flat for me: the characters seem to have no fluidity even mid-action, sometimes distracting me from the book by how wooden they seem. although the line art's uniquely and meticulously detailed, instead of enhancing the pg, it actually declutters things quite a bit. the lack of sound effects also makes things confusing at points. additionally, i find the paneling ineffective; things and actions that should be shown arent, and vice versa. it would've benefited from more close ups and varied angles that add further depth as well - currently there are too many half- and full-body shots even though they arent necessary at all, and even hinder the story at times.
this is by no means a bad book, but imo it cant be denied that - despite its rep and potential - it could be better, esp in terms of art and dialogue.
the story's actually quite enjoyable, adventurous yet reflective, and i esp like the cool grandmas and family, in addition to the great disability and queer rep. however, some of it seems a lil too on-the-surface, like the issue of nova's identity. the dialogue's also often awkward and unnatural. im a lil perplexed at how the title barely has any significance in the story, except a scene where the object itself isnt even drawn out on the pg...
the art, meanwhile, falls flat for me: the characters seem to have no fluidity even mid-action, sometimes distracting me from the book by how wooden they seem. although the line art's uniquely and meticulously detailed, instead of enhancing the pg, it actually declutters things quite a bit. the lack of sound effects also makes things confusing at points. additionally, i find the paneling ineffective; things and actions that should be shown arent, and vice versa. it would've benefited from more close ups and varied angles that add further depth as well - currently there are too many half- and full-body shots even though they arent necessary at all, and even hinder the story at times.
this is by no means a bad book, but imo it cant be denied that - despite its rep and potential - it could be better, esp in terms of art and dialogue.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Animal cruelty and Death of parent