I really enjoyed this retelling of the Snow White story... which I didn't get until shamefully late! The twist is that Aza, the main character, doesn'...moreI really enjoyed this retelling of the Snow White story... which I didn't get until shamefully late! The twist is that Aza, the main character, doesn't meet any traditional standards of beauty - she was abandoned in an inn when she was a baby, without any knowing who left her. Her skin is mottled, her hair is a dull black, she's grotesquely tall and extremely wide. However, she has an amazing singing voice, as well as the ability to imitate others and throw her voice. When strange circumstances send her to see the king's wedding, Aza becomes a member of the court and the new queen's lady-in-waiting. But Aza's luck quickly turns bad, as she becomes tangled in deception and political plotting.
Aza's a terrific character, if a bit too mopey for my tastes. She is obsessed with being beautiful, and sometimes that got old to hear. I enjoyed her strength and her kindness. I also appreciated where Levine chose to depart from tradition - there are several hints throughout the plot that make you think "aha - this is Aza's background" and Levine doesn't go with the obvious choices. Queen Ivy is just the right amounts of dislikable mixed with pitiful. There are a few plot points that clear up just a bit too quickly, considering how other elements of the story take their time unfolding.
I listened to this book, mostly because I've heard several librarians rave about the fact that it's done by Full Cast Audio, Bruce Coville's audiobook company. For a book that relies to heavily on music, I can't imagine what it would've been like to read it on paper. The songs, the voices, the way that each actor played their role, made this a complete story. I'm surprised to find myself humming songs from the book, like Frying Pan's protest song.
If you're a fan of fairy tales, especially retellings, this is a great book, and an even better audiobook!(less)
I was put off at first by I Kill Giants's artwork. I had trouble telling what was going on, both with the plot and the action on the page. But that pr...moreI was put off at first by I Kill Giants's artwork. I had trouble telling what was going on, both with the plot and the action on the page. But that problem passed very quickly as I got into the story. Barbara's life begins to fill out, helping to bridge those intentional gaps at the beginning of the book. We see her life at school, at home, the way she runs her D&D games, and the terror that lurks for her on the second floor of the house. As I began to see and understand the parts of Barbara's life that she wishes to hide from, I became completely wrapped up in the story. It was a little like dipping my toe in cold water and then dunking myself in... once I was acclimated, it was wonderful.
This is one of the saddest, sweetest stories I've read, and you don't expect it, particularly based on the artwork or when you know a bit about Barbara. You wouldn't look at this intense, off-putting little girl who loves D&D and knows her mythology and think that this will be a story about her dealing with death and family and anger. Or that the story could effectively bring in fairies and titans and have it still be as emotionally powerful as it is. It's a fast read, but I had to go back and start all over again once it was finished.
If you aren't a graphic novel person, this may be a good one to try. Have a little patience and you'll get a huge reward!(less)
Princess Talia has spent her life being warned to avoid spindles, all because of a witch's curse. But how is she to avoid one when when she doesn't ev...morePrincess Talia has spent her life being warned to avoid spindles, all because of a witch's curse. But how is she to avoid one when when she doesn't even know what a spindle looks like? When willful Talia ditches her governess to find the perfect dress for her 16th birthday, she finds out just what a spindle is.... Flash forward 300 hundred years and Jack has spent the last three weeks on a dull tour of Europe. When he and his friend ditch the tour for a trip to the beach, they stumble across Talia's kingdom and the sleeping princess. Jack wakes her, but both quickly realize that this is not true love. However, Talia is desperate to travel and escape a kingdom that will surely be furious with her when they realize 300 years have passed. She leaves with Jack to go to Florida, his home, and plans to make Jack fall for her, because only true love will actually break the witch's curse.
This was an intriguing retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story. While it seemed to start a bit slowly, once Talia and Jack step out into the present time and begin to interact, the story takes off. Both characters evolve, a touch too quickly, as they begin to see themselves through the other's eyes. Jack abandons his "party boy" attitude and finally acknowledges the things he cares about, including his parents' opinions. Talia changes from a stubborn, self-centered princess, and takes joy in helping Jack and his family rebuild their relationships. This all takes place over the course of several days, which is fairly implausible... though is it more so than waking a 316-year-old princess with a kiss? For any fans of retellings or light romances, this is a fun read.(less)
I'll be honest - I picked this up because I saw that Death from the Sandman series was featured in an issue. But this story was awesome on its own. Th...moreI'll be honest - I picked this up because I saw that Death from the Sandman series was featured in an issue. But this story was awesome on its own. The artwork is beautiful and now I'm a fan of Amy Reeder Hadley - it reminds me a bit of the artwork for Runaways (early on). Anyways, I was not familiar with Madame Xanadu or the Phantom Stranger before picking this collection up. Now I'm all set to continue following the series. (less)
I really enjoyed the first collection of Matt Wagner's Madame Xanadu. This one didn't do it for me though. The story follows Madame Xanadu as she does...moreI really enjoyed the first collection of Matt Wagner's Madame Xanadu. This one didn't do it for me though. The story follows Madame Xanadu as she does some old-fashioned detective work in 1940, following a series of mysterious deaths and reliving memories of her life in Spain during the Spanish Inquisition.
I thought the plot dragged on, with occasional highlights, such as cameos from Dian Belmont and Wesley Dodds. The storyline following her time in Spain was fairly predictable - no big revelations when Nimue's nature causes problems with the Inquisition! The dialogue is also pretty bad - particularly the scene with the showgirl and Richard Miller.
Most of all, I didn't like the artwork. It felt very messy and busy, particularly compared to Amy Reeder Hadley's gorgeous work in the previous volume. Some of the characters' expressions were hilarious given the context of the scenes. For example, when Nimue's lover has been taken by the Inquisition and a neighbor confronts her with this news, her expression reads as... sleepy.
This mysterious killer releasing his demon dog to kill a man... cross-eyed? Detecting a bad smell?
And good old Tomas de Torquemada... Indiana Jones-style face melt? Look at those teeth, they're horrifying!
With a subpar story, dialogue, and artwork, I'd say this one is skipable. I'm hoping the next collection is better than this one. I like the Madame Xanadu character, but it felt like she didn't have to make much effort here to solve the mystery and defeat the villain... because who doesn't have mummified shards from the brain of a kraken lying around? Seriously. I feel that Wesley Dodd's and Dian Belmont's perspectives would've been much more intriguing than what we get here.(less)
Yay, Amy Reeder is back! I love her work and this is no exception. I thought the story was good - a big improvement on volume two, but not quite as go...moreYay, Amy Reeder is back! I love her work and this is no exception. I thought the story was good - a big improvement on volume two, but not quite as good as volume one. This volume focuses on the relationship between Nimue/Madame Xanadu, and her sister Morgana. We get a lot of backstory about the two sisters. It comes in the midst of the main story, dealing with a 1950s housewife struggling with her life and - quite suddenly - with the supernatural. She seeks help from Madame Xanadu and this leads to a confrontation between Nimue and Morgana. Oh, and throw in John Jones, who's investigating a little Satanic cult! Yeah, seriously.
I enjoyed the main storyline, but I didn't know what to make of the secondary story, dealing with the sisters' pasts. You come away from that plot feeling sort of sorry for Morgana. She's not as talented as her sisters when it comes to magic and she's part of a family who's power is diminishing and who's time has come and gone. Nimue is depicted as the perfect sister and Morgana as the bitch. And she is... she's violent and crazed and vicious. And she's grieving the death of her son. But we have to reconcile this with her new appearance in the 1950s, where she's bursting people, Violet Beauregarde-style, as she gets her feet rubbed. So yeah, that's a little strange.
I did like the way that Madame Xanadu is and isn't a part of the 1950s lifestyle. Talk about a decade where she just doesn't fit. And yet, Wagner makes it work. I would recommend this volume... though I would recommend solely on the artwork, even if the story sucked. Which it didn't.(less)
Bee is 13 and has never felt like she fits in. However, this is more than just your average teenage angst... amongst Bee's many odd characteristics, s...moreBee is 13 and has never felt like she fits in. However, this is more than just your average teenage angst... amongst Bee's many odd characteristics, she has the urge to eat dirt from her garden and is frightened by metal objects. One night she wakes up to find a girl in her room, a girl who looks just like her and tells her "You are me," before disappearing. Bee finds her world unraveling after this visit, and she reaches out to two unlikely people at her school: Haze, a boy who believes he is an alien, and Stephanie, a girl who thinks she is a reincarnated slave named Sarah. The three loners become friends, crashing a party and practicing magic. They realize that Bee is actually a changeling, an elf who took the place of the real Bee at birth. The real girl haunts Bee, lurking in mirrors and demanding her life back. Bee grows weaker as time passes and soon leaves her friends to return to her own world.
This short novel may appeal to those who have trouble fitting in and reluctant readers. Block's writing style is beautiful and keeps the book moving, but the story itself is underdeveloped. There are some creepy moments, particularly when Bee is being followed and threatened by the real Bee, but overall the plot is flat and changes tone too quickly from mystery to fairy-tale to love story. We know from the get-go that Bee is a changeling, which undermines the mystery and makes the other characters seem slow for not realizing it. The characters act much older than they are, often having far too unrealistic interactions. There's potential in this story, but while the fairy aspect may appeal to some, this is not a must-read.(less)
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