The Divine by Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, Boaz Lavie

Title: The Divine

Author: Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, Boaz Lavie

Series: No.

Format: Finished Copy provided by First Second Publishing

Page Count: 160

Publisher: First Second

Age Range: 17+ due to graphic scenes and subject matter.

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Magical Realism

Description on Goodreads:

Mark’s out of the military, these days, with his boring, safe civilian job doing explosives consulting. But you never really get away from war. So it feels inevitable when his old army buddy Jason comes calling, with a lucrative military contract for a mining job in an obscure South-East Asian country called Quanlom. They’ll have to operate under the radar–Quanlom is being torn apart by civil war, and the US military isn’t strictly supposed to be there.

With no career prospects and a baby on the way, Mark finds himself making the worst mistake of his life and signing on with Jason. What awaits him in Quanlom is going to change everything.
What awaits him in Quanlom is weirdness of the highest order: a civil war led by ten-year-old twins wielding something that looks a lot like magic, leading an army of warriors who look a lot like gods.
What awaits him in Quanlom is an actual goddamn dragon.

From world-renowned artists Asaf and Tomer Hanuka (twins, whose magic powers are strictly confined to pen and paper) and Boaz Lavie, The Divineis a fast-paced, brutal, and breathlessly beautiful portrait of a world where ancient powers vie with modern warfare and nobody escapes unscathed.

Review:

This was something outstanding. The visuals, the story, the stereotyping(not in a bad way, well, kinda)… All magnificent.

This story is based almost completely off the story of one picture of two boys.

I went into this book blind, didn’t even read the flap of the book. I can tell you, it was worth it. Normally I don’t read these types of books. Not really my thing. Sure, it’s fantasy, but it’s more of a realistic fantasy. After this book, that may have changed.

The story telling, the real feeling of the characters, I felt like I was really there. Almost like a full emersion to the point I was crying.

The story is really a heartbreaking one, and shows how far people will go for money, revenge and peace. I highly recommend this.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Would I/Who would I recommend it (too): Anyone who loves magical realism, war stories and a good read.

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22718664-the-divine

Advertisement

Exquisite Corpse by Pénélope Bagieu

Title: Exquisite Corpse

Author: Pénélope Bagieu

Series: No.

Format: Finished copy. (Thanks, Gina!)

Page Count: 124

Publisher: First Second Books

Age Range: 18+

Genre: Graphic Novel. Fiction, Adult, Romance, Humor, Contemporary

Description on Goodreads:

Zoe isn’t exactly the intellectual type, which is why she doesn’t recognize world-famous author Thomas Rocher when she stumbles into his apartment…and into his life. It’s also why she doesn’t know that Rocher is supposed to be dead. Turns out, Rocher faked his death years ago to escape his critics, and has been making a killing releasing his new work as “lost manuscripts,” in cahoots with his editor/ex-wife Agathe. Neither of them would have invited a crass party girl like Zoe into their literary conspiracy of two, but now that she’s there anyway. . . . Zoe doesn’t know Balzac from Batman, but she’s going to have to wise up fast… because she’s sitting on the literary scandal of the century!

Review:

This book took me by surprise.

From down, dower and abused, to new love, excitement  and PLOT TWISTS FROM OUTTA NO WHERE!

Zoe is an amazing character. Even though her boyfriend at the start is a horrible person, she is herself, no matter what. Even when a random chance encounter happens.

With a wide variety of complex and lovely characters, I can see myself reading this over and over again. 🙂

My Rating:

5/5

Would I/Who would I recommend it (too):

Anyone who loves realisitic, although a bit far fetched fiction, plot twists, and a good read.

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22718721-exquisite-corpse

Sleepless Knight by James Sturm, Alexis Frederick-Frost, and Andre Arnold

Title: Sleepless Knight

Author: James Sturm, Alexis Frederick-Frost, and Andre Arnold

Series: Yes, Adventures in Cartooning

Format: Finished Copy provided by the Publisher

Page Count: 40 pages

Publisher: First Second

Age Range: 3-5 years old

Genre: Graphic Novels/Kids Fantasy/Art

Description on Goodreads:

The Knight can’t wait for her first camping trip! She and her horse Edward pack everything they need — including her beloved Teddy – and head out into the woods. But when it’s time for bed, Teddy is nowhere to be found!  A helpful racoon thinks this “Teddy” sounds familiar, and sends the Knight off to a cave… but that’s no teddy bear in that cave. That’s a bear!  In this sweet, simple adventure, basic comics elements combine with the picture book format to create a picture book for the youngest of comics readers, and a fantastic introduction into the world of Adventures in Cartooning.

Review:

This was absolutely adorable! I fell in love in the first few pages. It’s a charming tale of a little knight, her horse and the lovely camping trip. If I had children, I definitely would let them read this. The drawing guides are amazing as well! 😀 I love that the knight was female as opposed to male; you rarely see a female knight in childrens books! It’s positive for both spetrums! It shows that girls and boys can be whatever they wish to be! Good show!

My Rating:

5/5

Would I/Who would I recommend it (too):

Any parent and child’s art teacher! It’s an amazing story. 🙂

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21469048-sleepless-knight?from_search=true

The Sculptor by Scott McCloud

Title: The Sculptor

Author: Scott McCloud

Series: No.

Format: ARC

Page Count: 496

Publisher: First Second

Age Range: 17+

Genre: Graphic Novel/Fantasy/Art/

Description on Goodreads: 

David Smith is giving his life for his art—literally. Thanks to a deal with Death, the young sculptor gets his childhood wish: to sculpt anything he can imagine with his bare hands. But now that he only has 200 days to live, deciding  what  to create is harder than he thought, and discovering the love of his life at the 11th hour isn’t making it any easier!

This is a story of desire taken to the edge of reason and beyond; of the frantic, clumsy dance steps of young love; and a gorgeous, street-level portrait of the world’s greatest city. It’s about the small, warm, human moments of everyday life…and the great surging forces that lie just under the surface. Scott McCloud wrote the book on how comics work; now he vaults into great fiction with a breathtaking, funny, and unforgettable new work.

Review: 

Before I state my review, I would like to say I recieved this for an honest review.

OH. MY. GOD. I did NOT go into this thinking this, the last book I read in 2014 would be the best damn thing I read all year round. This book was a roller coaster of emotions.

I recieved my ARC, I believe a little bit before Christmas. I was not expecting anything out of this book, because I had barely remembered requesting it!

David Smith is one sad man, lonely man. An artist, unappreciated. After having lost damn near everything; (his family, his job, home, friends, etc) I don’t blame him for making a deal with death… He has 200 days left on this Earth to make his art, his name known, whatever he desires!… but in exchange he will die after that limited time… even if he failed. He could even die before then. …but, he but he soon regrets it after meeting his Angel; Meg. The one person who could make him regret ever making that choice.

This tale was years in the making. Pulled painstakingly from the heart of Mr. McCloud, The Sculptor is nothing short of pure genius. It’s raw, emotional, something that will live on through the ages. I see it as being timeless even! I identified with both Meg and David for many, many reasons. Both surface and personal.

Beautifully drawn and elegantly written, this book deserves to be in every persons personal library. Even if you are not a fan of graphic novels.

My Rating: 5/5

Would I/Who would I recommend it (too): Everyone (that is over the age of 17+)

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22040598-the-sculptor