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A review by thebooknerdscorner
Bloom by Kevin Panetta
5.0
A heartfelt graphic novel that explores hidden desires, family expectations, and young love with a healthy heaping of baked goods.
After finishing high school, Ari is ready to get away from his parents, his hometown, and his family owned bakery. However, with his sister newly married, his parents are desperate for help running the bakery. Determined to move to the city with his band, Ari looks to hire a new recruit. When a young man by the name of Hector responds to his call for help, he begins to train him to take over his job. The closer Ari gets to Hector though, the more he begins to question what he really wants in life.
I didn't expect this one to hit me so hard, but I really relate to Ari and the experience he is going through at the current stage in my life. I get the struggle when your trying to balance your dreams, your family's expectations, and your romantic fantasies. Ari feels rather useless in many aspects of life and is confused where he fits into the world. I am having similar feelings and doubts, so there are a few moments in this book that went straight to my heart. Page 66 was especially accurate, and brought tears to my eyes in a matter of seconds.
The cozy nature of this book is really sweet. It takes place in a bakery owned by a family bursting with love. Ari and Hector's relationship is so wholesome and filled with great banter. The little moments they spend with each other are so cute; these two had me constantly grinning. It is so fun watching them fall for one another, and the moment they finally kiss? Beautiful, but tinged with so many heavy feelings. The third act conflict makes perfect sense, and the way they find themselves coming back together is logical and very sweet.
The art is also lovely. It's cute, simple, yet portrays emotion well. I really like the monochromatic use of blue in this book. I didn't think it took away from anything, and it is really pleasing on the senses. The way that montage scenes are done in this book are the best I've ever seen done; I love how easily they showcase the passage of time while also perfectly highlighting what occurred during the time.
Overall, I ate up everything about "Bloom." I really enjoyed the art, the themes, the characters, and the cozy, yet serious nature of this book. It was raw, relatable, and I love all of the relationships that are explored whether they are romantic, platonic, or familial. I was happy to learn that there is a sequel to this graphic novel, because I have really come to appreciate Ari and Hector as characters and would love to see where there lives take them. I would definitely recommend this one!
After finishing high school, Ari is ready to get away from his parents, his hometown, and his family owned bakery. However, with his sister newly married, his parents are desperate for help running the bakery. Determined to move to the city with his band, Ari looks to hire a new recruit. When a young man by the name of Hector responds to his call for help, he begins to train him to take over his job. The closer Ari gets to Hector though, the more he begins to question what he really wants in life.
I didn't expect this one to hit me so hard, but I really relate to Ari and the experience he is going through at the current stage in my life. I get the struggle when your trying to balance your dreams, your family's expectations, and your romantic fantasies. Ari feels rather useless in many aspects of life and is confused where he fits into the world. I am having similar feelings and doubts, so there are a few moments in this book that went straight to my heart. Page 66 was especially accurate, and brought tears to my eyes in a matter of seconds.
The cozy nature of this book is really sweet. It takes place in a bakery owned by a family bursting with love. Ari and Hector's relationship is so wholesome and filled with great banter. The little moments they spend with each other are so cute; these two had me constantly grinning. It is so fun watching them fall for one another, and the moment they finally kiss? Beautiful, but tinged with so many heavy feelings. The third act conflict makes perfect sense, and the way they find themselves coming back together is logical and very sweet.
The art is also lovely. It's cute, simple, yet portrays emotion well. I really like the monochromatic use of blue in this book. I didn't think it took away from anything, and it is really pleasing on the senses. The way that montage scenes are done in this book are the best I've ever seen done; I love how easily they showcase the passage of time while also perfectly highlighting what occurred during the time.
Overall, I ate up everything about "Bloom." I really enjoyed the art, the themes, the characters, and the cozy, yet serious nature of this book. It was raw, relatable, and I love all of the relationships that are explored whether they are romantic, platonic, or familial. I was happy to learn that there is a sequel to this graphic novel, because I have really come to appreciate Ari and Hector as characters and would love to see where there lives take them. I would definitely recommend this one!