A review by billyjepma
Nimona by ND Stevenson

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I loved this. I knew I’d like it, but I didn’t know I’d love it as much as I did. Stevenson has created something that’s darkly insightful while also being a quirky, self-aware, and sometimes cute adventure. The artwork is excellent and is a wonderful example of how personality is the single most important thing a comic’s visuals can have. Character designs are flawless—satirically aware of their tropes, yet zany enough to feel distinct—and the visual gags, character expressions, and general texture of the book are a constant delight. There could’ve been 1,000 pages here, and I still think I’d want more at the end. 


That said, I confess to being slightly let down by the ending, specifically its suddenness and the way it sidesteps some of the repercussions the climax undoubtedly leaves in its wake. I love ambiguity, but for a story that’s so smart with its subversions and commentary, leaving so much of the ending untold felt a touch out-of-character for the book. But that’s ultimately a minor bump in what was otherwise a gleeful adventure with a huge heart and far sharper, toothier thematic work than I expected—in the plot, anyway, as I did find myself wanting a little more from Ambrosius. 


It’s still a total winner, though, and I can see myself revisiting it often whenever I need a properly zany, funny, and strikingly poignant fantasy romp. If there were any justice in the world, they would teach this in schools.
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