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Minus
Beck is on her way to college, thrilled at the possibilities of the next exciting chapter, barely holding it in as she clutches her childhood favorite toy in the family car with her loving dad behind the wheel. And that’s where Beck’s shared experience with the rest of her freshman class abruptly ends and the tangled mysteries of her astonishing life start to unravel. Homeschooled and raised in isolation by the jumpy, over-protective Gill, Beck isn’t allowed online or out of the house alone. Even a quick pit stop on their quiet family road trip takes some negotiation before they finally pull into a remote gas station, where their cautiously stable peace is jolted by gunfire. Beck emerges from the restroom to find her father gone and a dead body on the floor. Beck is in the world now, and she’s beyond not ready for it.
A taut suspense thriller that challenges our perceptions of family and identity, MINUS is a coming-of-age tale where a teen’s new discoveries might be best kept in the shadows.
A taut suspense thriller that challenges our perceptions of family and identity, MINUS is a coming-of-age tale where a teen’s new discoveries might be best kept in the shadows.
186 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2019
97 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
May 3, 2019
I'm not sure where to even start with this. As a thriller, it works well. I'm just as nervous for Beck as she is. She doesn't know what's happened to her dad or what's going on. All she knows is someone robbed a convenience store while she was in the bathroom. The second half of this really goes off the rails though. I don't even know what to make about how wrong some of the issues of abduction are handled. Maybe Beck would honestly actually feel that way. But people who are affected by stuff you'd put trigger warnings on are going to be all up in arms about the way this story goes.
The art in this uses very heavy lines with enlarged noses and skin coloring that can be off. It made everyone look muppet-like.
Received a review copy from Iron Circus and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
The art in this uses very heavy lines with enlarged noses and skin coloring that can be off. It made everyone look muppet-like.
Received a review copy from Iron Circus and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
October 6, 2019
★☆☆☆☆ | *deep sigh* What the fuck?? (SPOILERS)
I hate writing 1-star reviews but this is just so problematic...
Is kidnapping children suddenly okay just because the kidnapper didn't abuse the child? Not to mention, it's a white man kidnapping a Native girl and the moral is she was happier with him than with her biological father who went batshit crazy AFTER SOMEBODY KIDNAPPED HIS FRICKING CHILD???!!! Yeah, I would go on a murder rampage myself...
A reminder of that Indigenous children faced and still face extreme violence when taken away from their families
Also, the story didn't really hold up -- there were just so many coincidences?? How is that even supposed to be believable?
The art was ok, I guess.
blog | insta | twitter | booksirens | duolingo
I hate writing 1-star reviews but this is just so problematic...
Is kidnapping children suddenly okay just because the kidnapper didn't abuse the child? Not to mention, it's a white man kidnapping a Native girl and the moral is she was happier with him than with her biological father who went batshit crazy AFTER SOMEBODY KIDNAPPED HIS FRICKING CHILD???!!! Yeah, I would go on a murder rampage myself...
A reminder of that Indigenous children faced and still face extreme violence when taken away from their families
Also, the story didn't really hold up -- there were just so many coincidences?? How is that even supposed to be believable?
The art was ok, I guess.
blog | insta | twitter | booksirens | duolingo
January 20, 2021
The story is fast paced and the art is eye popping. But sadly the plot just didn't hold good at the later half of the story. The ending was so unsatisfactory.
The first half was really good.
Thanks #NetGalley for the book #Minus
The first half was really good.
Thanks #NetGalley for the book #Minus
May 31, 2019
Oh wow, where to start...I originally downloaded the ARC via NetGalley some time ago, only to forget about it. Until yesterday when I received an email from the publisher with an easier PDF version. So, I gave it read first thing this morning. Warning, mild spoilers ahead.
Honestly, there are so many things wrong with this story. First, it's a stretch to call this a "psychological thriller" as the rep does in his email. By the time the attempted suspense comes into play, there's already so many distracting wtfs that the reader isn't likely to be invested. Here are my main issues concerning this GN:
1. The art: Now, I love this art style. It's pretty common for middle-grade GNs and many Boom studios titles. However, for a "psychological thriller," not so much. The story depicts a very adult situation, but the art is reflective of what is popular for juvenile titles. Perhaps if the story had been edgy, I could appreciate the friendly art juxtaposed with a dark story. But the narrative never reaches a dark tone, which brings me to my next problem with the title.
2. The story: So, I was intrigued from the very beginning, but that's also where it started to wobble for me. As soon as Sandra picks up Beck from the roadside, I had a gut feeling that I was in for some obvious foreshadowing. And oh wow, was there obvious foreshadowing. I don't know that I have ever not DNF'd a YA story, prose or subsequent art, that had such blatant "this will be connected" moments. Perhaps the mild violence at the beginning and the potential violence at the end, as well as the MC's age, is why this has been labeled YA, but this story reads like a juvenile title. Maybe the foreshadowing would pass as a middle-grade selection, but YA reader will most def spot the inconsistencies and plot gaps.
3. The story, cont'd: Also rather prevalent are the plot gaps, the inconsistencies, and the assumption that readers will suspend disbelief because of great storytelling. Just a few things that don't make sense: a child doesn't think to look in her toybox for a toy she can't find; Beck's hair goes from chin-length to well-past shoulder length in two months (btw, that's likely a years growth for the average person); lastly, the police don't tell Beck how the wire works, which is so unreasonable it's almost laughable.
As for the story gaps, the unforgivable choice made by the author is not reuniting Beck with her biological mother when the showdown is over. She's still a minor - where does she go? Obviously, the biological mother is engaged - I mean, Beck walks right by her in the police station, and she's shown on a news report that Beck sees. There's no evidence given that she is incapable of taking care of her child, who is practically grown anyway. I was a social worker in a previous life. Unless there is proof of gross negligence or absolute poverty, that child goes home to her mother, if not immediately, then soon enough. Even if Beck turns 18 the day after the warehouse showdown, is it reasonable to believe that the only contact she has with her mother is email? No texting? Facetime? In 2019? Sigh...
I'm now speaking to librarians: if you received and reviewed the press kit for this title, please take time to look at reader reviews before you purchase this title. The offered "selling points" are so off the mark, I just can't even. In the end, the only consistent theme is "geocaching is bad." It's ridiculously prevalent and not at all mentioned by the publisher or professional reviwers, which is insane to me.
I have so many other notes about this title, but this review is already so much longer than I planned. My honest opinion is that this title is a no-go for YA readers and a very hesitant maybe for a middle-grade audience. Believe me when I say that the Goodreads rating is a pretty accurate reflection of the content of this title. It's not a thriller, it's not a coming-of-age story, it's just not good storytelling in an industry in which such amazing female artists as Raina Telgemeier, Svetlana Chmakova, Victoria Jamieson, Jennifer Holm, Terri Libenson, Ngozi Ukazu, Noelle Stevenson, Vera Brosgol, Mariko Tamaki, Faith Erin Hicks, Jen Wang, Kate Beaton, and Katie O'Neil are creating awesome graphic novels for juvenile and YA readers, just to name several.
In the press kit, Lion Forge is promoting Minus as a bridge title from juvenile to YA, but it just doesn't work. Save your money and make a better choice for your YA collections.
Honestly, there are so many things wrong with this story. First, it's a stretch to call this a "psychological thriller" as the rep does in his email. By the time the attempted suspense comes into play, there's already so many distracting wtfs that the reader isn't likely to be invested. Here are my main issues concerning this GN:
1. The art: Now, I love this art style. It's pretty common for middle-grade GNs and many Boom studios titles. However, for a "psychological thriller," not so much. The story depicts a very adult situation, but the art is reflective of what is popular for juvenile titles. Perhaps if the story had been edgy, I could appreciate the friendly art juxtaposed with a dark story. But the narrative never reaches a dark tone, which brings me to my next problem with the title.
2. The story: So, I was intrigued from the very beginning, but that's also where it started to wobble for me. As soon as Sandra picks up Beck from the roadside, I had a gut feeling that I was in for some obvious foreshadowing. And oh wow, was there obvious foreshadowing. I don't know that I have ever not DNF'd a YA story, prose or subsequent art, that had such blatant "this will be connected" moments. Perhaps the mild violence at the beginning and the potential violence at the end, as well as the MC's age, is why this has been labeled YA, but this story reads like a juvenile title. Maybe the foreshadowing would pass as a middle-grade selection, but YA reader will most def spot the inconsistencies and plot gaps.
3. The story, cont'd: Also rather prevalent are the plot gaps, the inconsistencies, and the assumption that readers will suspend disbelief because of great storytelling. Just a few things that don't make sense: a child doesn't think to look in her toybox for a toy she can't find; Beck's hair goes from chin-length to well-past shoulder length in two months (btw, that's likely a years growth for the average person); lastly, the police don't tell Beck how the wire works, which is so unreasonable it's almost laughable.
As for the story gaps, the unforgivable choice made by the author is not reuniting Beck with her biological mother when the showdown is over. She's still a minor - where does she go? Obviously, the biological mother is engaged - I mean, Beck walks right by her in the police station, and she's shown on a news report that Beck sees. There's no evidence given that she is incapable of taking care of her child, who is practically grown anyway. I was a social worker in a previous life. Unless there is proof of gross negligence or absolute poverty, that child goes home to her mother, if not immediately, then soon enough. Even if Beck turns 18 the day after the warehouse showdown, is it reasonable to believe that the only contact she has with her mother is email? No texting? Facetime? In 2019? Sigh...
I'm now speaking to librarians: if you received and reviewed the press kit for this title, please take time to look at reader reviews before you purchase this title. The offered "selling points" are so off the mark, I just can't even. In the end, the only consistent theme is "geocaching is bad." It's ridiculously prevalent and not at all mentioned by the publisher or professional reviwers, which is insane to me.
I have so many other notes about this title, but this review is already so much longer than I planned. My honest opinion is that this title is a no-go for YA readers and a very hesitant maybe for a middle-grade audience. Believe me when I say that the Goodreads rating is a pretty accurate reflection of the content of this title. It's not a thriller, it's not a coming-of-age story, it's just not good storytelling in an industry in which such amazing female artists as Raina Telgemeier, Svetlana Chmakova, Victoria Jamieson, Jennifer Holm, Terri Libenson, Ngozi Ukazu, Noelle Stevenson, Vera Brosgol, Mariko Tamaki, Faith Erin Hicks, Jen Wang, Kate Beaton, and Katie O'Neil are creating awesome graphic novels for juvenile and YA readers, just to name several.
In the press kit, Lion Forge is promoting Minus as a bridge title from juvenile to YA, but it just doesn't work. Save your money and make a better choice for your YA collections.
August 6, 2019
I received this eARC from Iron Circle Comics via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book in any way.
Honestly, this wasn't as bad as the average review makes it seem. It's not very good, but that mostly comes down to awkward dialogue, unrealistic circumstances, and a questionable-at-best moral. Really, it's largely forgettable.
Honestly, this wasn't as bad as the average review makes it seem. It's not very good, but that mostly comes down to awkward dialogue, unrealistic circumstances, and a questionable-at-best moral. Really, it's largely forgettable.
June 13, 2019
📖 Buy This Book : Amazon ♡ Barnes and Noble 📖
Much thanks to Edelweiss and Iron Circus Comics for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own.
📚 Series: No.
📚 Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels. 🧡
📚 Cliffhanger: No.
⚠ Content Warnings: Unconvential family dynamics. Kidnapping.
⚠ Read if: you are looking for a unique themed YA comic.
This is my first time to review in this genre, and admittedly I have not much experience to offer. So, I will review it as someone part of "the general public".
I loved the art style. I think it's a usual technique to some middle grade or YA graphic novels.
This book is marketed as a thriller and I have to admit there are a lot of times you will feel nervous for the main character.
A lot of time jumps or plot loopholes are there. Some forgivable, and some not.
The theme in this books is quite dark and morally questionable, I guess. Unconventional family dynamics are difficult to comment on and can only be understood by those involved.
I still appreciated this quick read, and hope the author/artist will continue their art and storytelling.
☁FINAL VERDICT: 3/5 ☁
Review also appears on my blog.
Much thanks to Edelweiss and Iron Circus Comics for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own.
📚 Series: No.
📚 Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels. 🧡
📚 Cliffhanger: No.
⚠ Content Warnings: Unconvential family dynamics. Kidnapping.
⚠ Read if: you are looking for a unique themed YA comic.
This is my first time to review in this genre, and admittedly I have not much experience to offer. So, I will review it as someone part of "the general public".
I loved the art style. I think it's a usual technique to some middle grade or YA graphic novels.
This book is marketed as a thriller and I have to admit there are a lot of times you will feel nervous for the main character.
A lot of time jumps or plot loopholes are there. Some forgivable, and some not.
The theme in this books is quite dark and morally questionable, I guess. Unconventional family dynamics are difficult to comment on and can only be understood by those involved.
I still appreciated this quick read, and hope the author/artist will continue their art and storytelling.
☁FINAL VERDICT: 3/5 ☁
Review also appears on my blog.
July 19, 2019
I appreciated what the author was trying to do with the story, but some elements just didn’t work. A lot felt extremely rushed, so maybe if the plot had been fleshed out more it would have worked better? Either way, I enjoyed it for the mystery aspect, but the plot had some issues that I can’t really discuss without mentioning spoilers...I wanted more from it.
May 3, 2019
Another case of mixed feelings! At first I really like this book. The story was intriguing from the start and I was wondering and really wanting to know what was going on. Then I knew, and for the last third of the book it became weird, unrealistic and the ending just doesn't make very much sense in my opinion and I'm really unsure about the message it try to presents. It is too bad because it really start strong but the ending is so weird/bad that I can't really give it more then three stars. And again I want to mention it's a three stars for the comic book overall but I don't agree with the end message!!
October 29, 2021
PROBLEMATIC. I don't sympathize with child predators. That ending was weird, ane NOT the good weird. Good artwork though.
October 19, 2019
I received a copy from Letter Better Publishing Services through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
After being home schooled for most of her life, Beck is nervous and on her way to college. Her overprotective and paranoid dad is driving her to college and dropping hints about staying home, but Beck is excited about going to university and doesn’t have plants to change her mind. Their trip is going great until they stop at a gas station so Beck can use the bathroom. When Beck comes out, the gas station is trashed, and her dad is gone. Scared and confused about why her dad took off without her, she takes off on foot and hopes to meet up with some friends she made through her university online group until she contacts her dad. Along the way, Beck discovers the truth about her life and why her dad has always been so paranoid.
I thought this book had an interesting concept and it really drew me in before it went off the rails. I think Lisa Naffziger had something going there early in the story. It’s clear that something is up with Beck’s dad from the start. He’s paranoid, doesn’t think Beck should use her phone unless it’s to communicate with him, and has rules about the kinds of apps she can use and how to not draw attention to herself. It’s very clear that he abducted her at some point in her life but that she doesn’t know this since she was raised by him.
Once Beck is separated from her dad, I could see why the story is marketed as a thriller because I felt on edge like Beck did. However, the story starts go to off the rails as Beck tries to find her dad. The story asks me to suspend more and more belief the closer it gets to the end. At some point, I couldn’t spare anymore. The way Beck’s abduction case is handled is questionable at best and there’s more focus put on her kidnapper’s perspective and well-being in relation to her than there should’ve been.
I understand why Beck is attached to her kidnapper. He’s raised her and that’s who she sees as a parental figure. That said, this aspect could’ve been handled much better. I also wish that we saw her reuniting with her mom before the story ends rather than her kidnapper. It seems to cater to Beck’s “father” more than her and her biological family for a story about someone who was kidnapped and just had their entire life changed again when he finally gets busted.
I think the opening was great and the artwork is nice, but it lacks depth and compassion for Beck and her biological family. Overall, it comes off as one big kidnapper’s redemption arc and that’s not something I can get behind.
After being home schooled for most of her life, Beck is nervous and on her way to college. Her overprotective and paranoid dad is driving her to college and dropping hints about staying home, but Beck is excited about going to university and doesn’t have plants to change her mind. Their trip is going great until they stop at a gas station so Beck can use the bathroom. When Beck comes out, the gas station is trashed, and her dad is gone. Scared and confused about why her dad took off without her, she takes off on foot and hopes to meet up with some friends she made through her university online group until she contacts her dad. Along the way, Beck discovers the truth about her life and why her dad has always been so paranoid.
I thought this book had an interesting concept and it really drew me in before it went off the rails. I think Lisa Naffziger had something going there early in the story. It’s clear that something is up with Beck’s dad from the start. He’s paranoid, doesn’t think Beck should use her phone unless it’s to communicate with him, and has rules about the kinds of apps she can use and how to not draw attention to herself. It’s very clear that he abducted her at some point in her life but that she doesn’t know this since she was raised by him.
Once Beck is separated from her dad, I could see why the story is marketed as a thriller because I felt on edge like Beck did. However, the story starts go to off the rails as Beck tries to find her dad. The story asks me to suspend more and more belief the closer it gets to the end. At some point, I couldn’t spare anymore. The way Beck’s abduction case is handled is questionable at best and there’s more focus put on her kidnapper’s perspective and well-being in relation to her than there should’ve been.
I understand why Beck is attached to her kidnapper. He’s raised her and that’s who she sees as a parental figure. That said, this aspect could’ve been handled much better. I also wish that we saw her reuniting with her mom before the story ends rather than her kidnapper. It seems to cater to Beck’s “father” more than her and her biological family for a story about someone who was kidnapped and just had their entire life changed again when he finally gets busted.
I think the opening was great and the artwork is nice, but it lacks depth and compassion for Beck and her biological family. Overall, it comes off as one big kidnapper’s redemption arc and that’s not something I can get behind.
December 28, 2019
The more I think about it, the less I like it.
November 24, 2019
1.5 stars. I found this book on the shelf at my library and thought the story sounded intriguing, so I picked it up. I liked the artwork, and I enjoyed that the artwork was integral to the story. It often revealed clues and hints not available in the dialogue. However, the story is where the plot is really lacking.
The story starts out really well, and you can tell right away something is up with Beck and her dad, Gil. The tension builds after the shooting when Beck is left on her own. After that, however, the story really goes down hill. I've listed out what I didn't like about the story below, but it contains spoilers, so read at your own risk.
Overall, the whole story just felt really unbelievable and a little bit icky. I would not recommend this book.
****SPOILERS BELOW*****
Here are the major flaws in the story that made me score it lower:
1. There are just too many coincidences. Beck runs into people who know her too easily with very little story justification. The reader is just expected to suspend disbelief.
2. The way the police place Beck in danger with no training or protection and then bully her to continue when she has second thoughts. She is a MINOR, and there is no adult acting on her behalf in a very dangerous situation. Again, seemed unrealistic.
3. Beck's biological dad is the "bad guy" of this story, but I couldn't figure out why. He loved Beck and is shown as being kind and caring to her. He goes crazy when she is kidnapped, but what loving parent wouldn't? If Naffziger wanted her biological dad to be the bad guy, there should have been more scenes where he was shown mistreating Beck and her mom.
4. Beck knows she is kidnapped but shows ZERO interest in getting to know her biological parents even though she has good, loving memories of those parents. WTH? How is that even realistic? Any teenager would be at the LEAST curious about seeing those parents again.
5. Beck's biological mom, even though she is shown to be involved in the search for her and loving, is never reunited with Beck. She is basically dropped from the story. Why didn't Beck go to live with her? She's still 17.
6. Sandra and Gil's back story is never really fleshed out even though Sandra promises to "explain everything." The Waskello's back story is also never fully explained even though that backstory directly impacts the actions of 2 of the main characters.
7. The whole story comes across as very pro-kidnapper and anti-kidnapped child and kidnapped child's parents. I'm glad Gil was not abusive when he kidnapped Beck, but he is shown as the HERO! What??!!?? Beck does not get counseling or support, and her decent, loving parents who have a legal right to her also get no visitation or support.
The story starts out really well, and you can tell right away something is up with Beck and her dad, Gil. The tension builds after the shooting when Beck is left on her own. After that, however, the story really goes down hill. I've listed out what I didn't like about the story below, but it contains spoilers, so read at your own risk.
Overall, the whole story just felt really unbelievable and a little bit icky. I would not recommend this book.
****SPOILERS BELOW*****
Here are the major flaws in the story that made me score it lower:
1. There are just too many coincidences. Beck runs into people who know her too easily with very little story justification. The reader is just expected to suspend disbelief.
2. The way the police place Beck in danger with no training or protection and then bully her to continue when she has second thoughts. She is a MINOR, and there is no adult acting on her behalf in a very dangerous situation. Again, seemed unrealistic.
3. Beck's biological dad is the "bad guy" of this story, but I couldn't figure out why. He loved Beck and is shown as being kind and caring to her. He goes crazy when she is kidnapped, but what loving parent wouldn't? If Naffziger wanted her biological dad to be the bad guy, there should have been more scenes where he was shown mistreating Beck and her mom.
4. Beck knows she is kidnapped but shows ZERO interest in getting to know her biological parents even though she has good, loving memories of those parents. WTH? How is that even realistic? Any teenager would be at the LEAST curious about seeing those parents again.
5. Beck's biological mom, even though she is shown to be involved in the search for her and loving, is never reunited with Beck. She is basically dropped from the story. Why didn't Beck go to live with her? She's still 17.
6. Sandra and Gil's back story is never really fleshed out even though Sandra promises to "explain everything." The Waskello's back story is also never fully explained even though that backstory directly impacts the actions of 2 of the main characters.
7. The whole story comes across as very pro-kidnapper and anti-kidnapped child and kidnapped child's parents. I'm glad Gil was not abusive when he kidnapped Beck, but he is shown as the HERO! What??!!?? Beck does not get counseling or support, and her decent, loving parents who have a legal right to her also get no visitation or support.
February 4, 2020
I was having difficulty with this comic already due to the highly contrived plot, wooden dialogue, unbelievable characterizations, and way too convenient coincidences, but then I got to the part where we find out that the main character, Beck, an Indigenous girl, was kidnapped from her family by a white man -- and she's always known that she was kidnapped and is fine with it?!?! So much so that she sees her biological mom at a police station and completely ignores her, and then agrees to participate in a sting against her biological father, who is made out to be a crazy and crooked cop. And then she continues to visit her kidnapper in jail after he's arrested and treats him like her actual father.
There are so many levels of WTF here I don't even really know where to begin. But let's just start with the fact that in real life white people have been abducting Indigenous children for centuries and using all kinds of racist rhetoric to justify this obscene behavior. Although this comic doesn't explicitly use those tropes, it's unconscionable that a white author could write a story like this in 2019 and not consider the implications. Do not read this book and do not recommend it to other readers.
There are so many levels of WTF here I don't even really know where to begin. But let's just start with the fact that in real life white people have been abducting Indigenous children for centuries and using all kinds of racist rhetoric to justify this obscene behavior. Although this comic doesn't explicitly use those tropes, it's unconscionable that a white author could write a story like this in 2019 and not consider the implications. Do not read this book and do not recommend it to other readers.
March 21, 2019
So many things wrong with this plot. Misrepresentation of trauma, PTSD, you name it. This book tried so hard to get me to think it's completely acceptable for a man who has lost his daughter to kidnap another man's daughter as a replacement just because the man whose daughter was kidnapped turned into a vigilante for justice. Like what? No. Just No.
July 9, 2019
I don't know what i hoped for but i had no idea what i got myself into it seems and it was'nt for me. I'm not too big fan of thrillers, and it all left me confused. DNF'ed at 53%.
January 12, 2020
What?!?! This is so bizarre
October 29, 2019
I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I started off really enjoying this book. The art was great, the story was compelling ... but then it just went all downhill towards the end. It's hard to talk about this book without getting into spoilers, but my biggest question is really ... what the heck?? I totally understand the concept of found families as a narrative plot. I also understand the concept of Stockholm Syndrome as a plot. I don't understand the concept of ... whatever it was this book was trying to do. Honestly, the "moral" of this story left me seriously scratching my head and wondering if I'd missed the point. Is it supposed to be like that?? I just don't know.
Two stars for the artwork, but man ... that story. Nope. Bye.
I started off really enjoying this book. The art was great, the story was compelling ... but then it just went all downhill towards the end. It's hard to talk about this book without getting into spoilers, but my biggest question is really ... what the heck?? I totally understand the concept of found families as a narrative plot. I also understand the concept of Stockholm Syndrome as a plot. I don't understand the concept of ... whatever it was this book was trying to do. Honestly, the "moral" of this story left me seriously scratching my head and wondering if I'd missed the point. Is it supposed to be like that?? I just don't know.
Two stars for the artwork, but man ... that story. Nope. Bye.
November 16, 2021
spoilers!!!
i literally made an account to tell you how bad this book is. words are not enough to describe the fury this book brought me.
first, it made no sense. and the moral is confusing, not to mention tone-deaf. and maybe it's because the main character and her mother both look like they're indigenous, not to mention that the main character's real name is Cheyenne, the name of an actual native american group (literally the second name that comes up if you look up "indigenous people names"), but this book struck a nerve.
the glorification of gill is disgusting. he kidnapped and took away the main character and renamed her, took her away from her parents, her heritage, isolated her and never let her go to school, and pretty much brainwashed her into thinking that he was the better father. i really don't know how he's portrayed at the good guy.
alternatively, somehow the bio dad is seen as the villain??? he went and looked out for you, never gave up on finding you and never gave up, and yes, he shouldn't have shot that gas station employee, but he deserved to get better mentally more than gill. he was rightfully angry with gill, he took away his child and then never let him see her, only being able to find her by miracle.
the main character doesn't make any sense. it would've been understandable if she stayed because she was scared, it would've made sense if she only loved him because he's the only person who was ever in her life, you could've done SO many better things with this story, with this character, but you somehow made everyone agree with her that the bio dad was bad and that the kidnapper was a good guy??
not to mention, why didn't she go with her mom in the end?? why did she instead go with the white cop lady??? it doesn't make any sense as to how, legally speaking, why she would be with the policewoman, rather than her bio mom????
and last, but not least, this book is extremely tone-deaf. it reminded me too much if indigenous kids being taken from their families to be given to white families. this book is almost exactly that, except that somehow, the white people are framed as the good guys. i am so sick with this stupid book, and it was no surprise to me that the writer is a white woman.
i would rate this book 0/5 if i knew how this website worked.
with burning hatred,
- a very angry indigenous person
i literally made an account to tell you how bad this book is. words are not enough to describe the fury this book brought me.
first, it made no sense. and the moral is confusing, not to mention tone-deaf. and maybe it's because the main character and her mother both look like they're indigenous, not to mention that the main character's real name is Cheyenne, the name of an actual native american group (literally the second name that comes up if you look up "indigenous people names"), but this book struck a nerve.
the glorification of gill is disgusting. he kidnapped and took away the main character and renamed her, took her away from her parents, her heritage, isolated her and never let her go to school, and pretty much brainwashed her into thinking that he was the better father. i really don't know how he's portrayed at the good guy.
alternatively, somehow the bio dad is seen as the villain??? he went and looked out for you, never gave up on finding you and never gave up, and yes, he shouldn't have shot that gas station employee, but he deserved to get better mentally more than gill. he was rightfully angry with gill, he took away his child and then never let him see her, only being able to find her by miracle.
the main character doesn't make any sense. it would've been understandable if she stayed because she was scared, it would've made sense if she only loved him because he's the only person who was ever in her life, you could've done SO many better things with this story, with this character, but you somehow made everyone agree with her that the bio dad was bad and that the kidnapper was a good guy??
not to mention, why didn't she go with her mom in the end?? why did she instead go with the white cop lady??? it doesn't make any sense as to how, legally speaking, why she would be with the policewoman, rather than her bio mom????
and last, but not least, this book is extremely tone-deaf. it reminded me too much if indigenous kids being taken from their families to be given to white families. this book is almost exactly that, except that somehow, the white people are framed as the good guys. i am so sick with this stupid book, and it was no surprise to me that the writer is a white woman.
i would rate this book 0/5 if i knew how this website worked.
with burning hatred,
- a very angry indigenous person
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2019
This was an odd one. I didn't find the artwork interesting or appealing, and the dialogue was quite painful at times. I did race through it as I wanted to find out what happened, but I was left a bit disappointed. The story ends with (SPOILER) the main character maintaining a relationship with the man who abducted her as a baby. The more optimistic interpretation would be that we are all free to choose our own family; realistically it seems more like it's saying that the main character is so profoundly traumatised that she can't break free of her abductor. Which is... pretty dark. Either way I didn't find it very satisying. But to be fair, it was a fun read, and I raced through it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2019
well, that was really dramatic and confusing. i think the ending was rushed, too. a lot happening to be fixed so quickly and easily.
September 22, 2019
Hmm. Described as a coming of age thriller, so it's intriguing and begins interestingly, with decent pacing. Beck, who’s been homeschooled all her life by what we come to think of early on is an overprotective (possibly to the point of paranoid) father, not allowed to have social media and so on, is visiting the University of Chicago from Naperville with him when they stop at a gas station, murder happens and her dad disappears with her phone and all of her other stuff. So this suspense/thriller aspect at middle grades/YA level seems unique and promising, and the rest of the story is about explaining what happens.
I won't spoil everything, but I'll say that as mystery it works against the title (which is the name of Beck's toy animal cat), "Minus," as each new plot element ADDS to the complexity. That's interesting, though the pacing of the plot with all the additions begins to move too fast. Okay, it's a kidnapping story where in the end Beck (though her given name is Cheyenne) makes a surprising (and possibly baffling) choice. It all comes to an end too quickly without enough background for us to understand her decision, there are too many plot holes. But I still find it intriguing enough to give it 3 stars instead of the two stars many readers gave it.
Minus was published by Spike Trotman's Iron Circus press here in Chicago, which tends to her interests in horror, suspense and diverse representations of all kinds. So Beck/Cheyenne would appear to be Naive American, as does (not surprisingly) her birth mother. Is there a racial point being made here that makes the ending something like horror with a social critique? But it feels like a happy ending?!
I read it through twice to see if I was missing anything, but my consternation holds. I want middle grade graphic novel thriller books! I like the coloration a lot, and think the illustration work is basically solid, though unspectacular: No backgrounds, thick-lined digital art as similar to a lot of Raina Telgemeier-era work for this age-group. I guess I feel it could have been longer to help us make better sense of it. Oh, and that coming-of-age aspect of it just seems confusing. What insights has she had into her identity, really?
I won't spoil everything, but I'll say that as mystery it works against the title (which is the name of Beck's toy animal cat), "Minus," as each new plot element ADDS to the complexity. That's interesting, though the pacing of the plot with all the additions begins to move too fast. Okay, it's a kidnapping story where in the end Beck (though her given name is Cheyenne) makes a surprising (and possibly baffling) choice. It all comes to an end too quickly without enough background for us to understand her decision, there are too many plot holes. But I still find it intriguing enough to give it 3 stars instead of the two stars many readers gave it.
Minus was published by Spike Trotman's Iron Circus press here in Chicago, which tends to her interests in horror, suspense and diverse representations of all kinds. So Beck/Cheyenne would appear to be Naive American, as does (not surprisingly) her birth mother. Is there a racial point being made here that makes the ending something like horror with a social critique? But it feels like a happy ending?!
I read it through twice to see if I was missing anything, but my consternation holds. I want middle grade graphic novel thriller books! I like the coloration a lot, and think the illustration work is basically solid, though unspectacular: No backgrounds, thick-lined digital art as similar to a lot of Raina Telgemeier-era work for this age-group. I guess I feel it could have been longer to help us make better sense of it. Oh, and that coming-of-age aspect of it just seems confusing. What insights has she had into her identity, really?
September 21, 2019
Damn, the opening of this graphic novel is great. It begins with a mystery, and throws the main character into danger by the third page. We start off only knowing that Beck is home schooled, and that her father is very protective of her. From there we go on a ride that is so full of weird coincidences it would have made Charles Dickens happy.
Without giving too much away, it is determined that Beck knows that her father is not her "real" father, but that it just seems to be one of those things that adults do from time to time.
My only problem, and it is a major one, is that the first half of the book is trying to build up to the conclusion, but as we get closer to the answers, everything collapses into itself, and we get a rushed explanation of what is going on. It is almost as though the author ran out of pages.
So while the story gripped me, in the beginning, as we approached the ending I was having a hard time keeping track of all the players. And the ending left me with more questions.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Without giving too much away, it is determined that Beck knows that her father is not her "real" father, but that it just seems to be one of those things that adults do from time to time.
My only problem, and it is a major one, is that the first half of the book is trying to build up to the conclusion, but as we get closer to the answers, everything collapses into itself, and we get a rushed explanation of what is going on. It is almost as though the author ran out of pages.
So while the story gripped me, in the beginning, as we approached the ending I was having a hard time keeping track of all the players. And the ending left me with more questions.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
May 2, 2019
(Received an ARC for free off Netgalley)
A fascinating, compelling story about family and self.
A 17 year old girl off to college is abandoned by her father at a gas station in the midst of a shooting. She's afraid of strangers, of trusting people, of even freedom... but now she has to try and find help. And her father. And understand what is going on, and what connection she has to the violence.
This is a quick, contained read that makes you think. It's messy and tangled at its core- there aren't any 'big reveals' (the core one is hinted at early on and easy to guess), but it is still a suspenseful story seeing how these tics and secrets come into play. It ends on a clean note, but one that doesn't betray the emotional ambiguity.
Obviously, like any good graphic novel, it also caused me to cry for the last ten pages or so. Absolutely worth a read.
A fascinating, compelling story about family and self.
A 17 year old girl off to college is abandoned by her father at a gas station in the midst of a shooting. She's afraid of strangers, of trusting people, of even freedom... but now she has to try and find help. And her father. And understand what is going on, and what connection she has to the violence.
This is a quick, contained read that makes you think. It's messy and tangled at its core- there aren't any 'big reveals' (the core one is hinted at early on and easy to guess), but it is still a suspenseful story seeing how these tics and secrets come into play. It ends on a clean note, but one that doesn't betray the emotional ambiguity.
Obviously, like any good graphic novel, it also caused me to cry for the last ten pages or so. Absolutely worth a read.
Read
February 26, 2020This was a very odd graphic novel about an abducted teen getting separated from her father only to find out her life is a lie. I felt like I came in the middle of this story and felt very lost. I didn’t know who to root for or who the villain was and had mixed feelings about the ending. Not sure how to rate this one. #mavericklist
May 18, 2019
Everything about this book was just okay.
- The story was enjoyable, but not mindblowing.
- the art style was nice, but not the best I've seen.
- There was not so much depth to the characters, but they were okay.
I don't have that much more to say about this.
- The story was enjoyable, but not mindblowing.
- the art style was nice, but not the best I've seen.
- There was not so much depth to the characters, but they were okay.
I don't have that much more to say about this.
April 3, 2019
One of the worst comic books I've ever read.
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss. Trigger warning for child abuse and trauma. This review contains spoilers. )
The plot for Minus struck me as interesting enough: Beck and her paranoid, home-schooling dad are on a road trip to the University of Chicago, where Beck has just been accepted. She runs into a convenience store at a rest stop to use the bathroom and, when she comes out, the place is ransacked; the clerk, shot dead; and her father Gil, vanished (along with the car and her cell phone). Now, alone in the middle of nowhere, this kinda-sorta naive young woman has to figure out just WTF to do.
Sadly, this is just a giant train wreck of a story:
* The rest of the plot? Totally predictable. You know that Gil abducted Beck pretty much from the get-go. It's like a badly written episode of Law & Order: SVU. There is no mystery in this mystery. In fact, it's really damn boring.
* Despite finding out that Gil kidnapped her from a loving home, Beck stubbornly sticks by his side. While this may very well be an accurate portrayal of the trauma abducted children experience, Naffziger's treatment of it is hideous, and reads like a celebration of Stockholm Syndrome. The adults around Beck kind of protest lightly (by which I mean in a panel or two), but nowhere do we see her getting counseling or, I don't know, being exposed to a counter-narrative from her (still totally alive, sane, and free) bio mom, Nadia. In fact, the final scenes show Beck visiting Captor Dad in prison, proclaiming "You're more of a dad than my biological father will ever be."
Well yeah (maybe probably not), but that's because Gil didn't give him the chance to be a dad, don't you think?
* And let's talk about Bio Dad, Howie Waskello, Naperville cop-turned-vigilante. The dude who, according to Naffziger, supposedly occupies a rung somewhere under "child-snatching recluse." Dude only went on a Roaring Rampage after his daughter vanished, was presumed dead, and then resurfaced on Facebook a decade later. Pre-kidnapping, he seems to be a nice enough dad, doting on his daughter and taking her to the mall for a shopping spree on her birthday. It's only after the trauma that he snaps. And can you blame him?
Granted, I can see why Beck wouldn't be too keen on having a relationship with Bio Dad, given the additional trauma he inflicted on her as part of the "rescue" - but c'mon. This really deserves a more nuanced take than "bio dad bad, captor dad good," don't you think?
* Add to this Becks's ethnicity, and this is where things get especially dicey. She's brown-skinned, as is Nadia. Howie looks a little less so. I read mother and daughter - and possibly father, too (anyone have a read on the surname Waskello?) - as Native American. If so, this book just got a lot grosser, casting a person of color as the Big Bad, even when pitted against the literal white devil who stole his daughter.
Either way, I find it significant that the only other (obvious) character of color - Nadia, whose resemblance to Becks is striking - is relegated to the background, and is only allocated a line or two in passing.
* The characters' connections to one another are totally improbable. Everyone Becks bumps into is related to by two degrees or less, sometimes quite literally. Is Naperville really that small a town?
* This just feels like nitpicking at this point, but the art was not my jam at all.
The only redeeming point is the Beck reference early on. This sounds like an exaggeration, but I can assure you it is not.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2019/06/25/...
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss. Trigger warning for child abuse and trauma. This review contains spoilers. )
The plot for Minus struck me as interesting enough: Beck and her paranoid, home-schooling dad are on a road trip to the University of Chicago, where Beck has just been accepted. She runs into a convenience store at a rest stop to use the bathroom and, when she comes out, the place is ransacked; the clerk, shot dead; and her father Gil, vanished (along with the car and her cell phone). Now, alone in the middle of nowhere, this kinda-sorta naive young woman has to figure out just WTF to do.
Sadly, this is just a giant train wreck of a story:
* The rest of the plot? Totally predictable. You know that Gil abducted Beck pretty much from the get-go. It's like a badly written episode of Law & Order: SVU. There is no mystery in this mystery. In fact, it's really damn boring.
* Despite finding out that Gil kidnapped her from a loving home, Beck stubbornly sticks by his side. While this may very well be an accurate portrayal of the trauma abducted children experience, Naffziger's treatment of it is hideous, and reads like a celebration of Stockholm Syndrome. The adults around Beck kind of protest lightly (by which I mean in a panel or two), but nowhere do we see her getting counseling or, I don't know, being exposed to a counter-narrative from her (still totally alive, sane, and free) bio mom, Nadia. In fact, the final scenes show Beck visiting Captor Dad in prison, proclaiming "You're more of a dad than my biological father will ever be."
Well yeah (maybe probably not), but that's because Gil didn't give him the chance to be a dad, don't you think?
* And let's talk about Bio Dad, Howie Waskello, Naperville cop-turned-vigilante. The dude who, according to Naffziger, supposedly occupies a rung somewhere under "child-snatching recluse." Dude only went on a Roaring Rampage after his daughter vanished, was presumed dead, and then resurfaced on Facebook a decade later. Pre-kidnapping, he seems to be a nice enough dad, doting on his daughter and taking her to the mall for a shopping spree on her birthday. It's only after the trauma that he snaps. And can you blame him?
Granted, I can see why Beck wouldn't be too keen on having a relationship with Bio Dad, given the additional trauma he inflicted on her as part of the "rescue" - but c'mon. This really deserves a more nuanced take than "bio dad bad, captor dad good," don't you think?
* Add to this Becks's ethnicity, and this is where things get especially dicey. She's brown-skinned, as is Nadia. Howie looks a little less so. I read mother and daughter - and possibly father, too (anyone have a read on the surname Waskello?) - as Native American. If so, this book just got a lot grosser, casting a person of color as the Big Bad, even when pitted against the literal white devil who stole his daughter.
Either way, I find it significant that the only other (obvious) character of color - Nadia, whose resemblance to Becks is striking - is relegated to the background, and is only allocated a line or two in passing.
* The characters' connections to one another are totally improbable. Everyone Becks bumps into is related to by two degrees or less, sometimes quite literally. Is Naperville really that small a town?
* This just feels like nitpicking at this point, but the art was not my jam at all.
The only redeeming point is the Beck reference early on. This sounds like an exaggeration, but I can assure you it is not.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2019/06/25/...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2019
So I have...questions. First, going into this I’m not sure what I was expecting. The description says that this is a coming of age story. Beck, who’s been homeschooled and sheltered all her life, not allowed to have social media etc. is headed to visit U Chicago from Naperville with her dad when they stop at a gas station and her dad disappears.
From this I thought maybe he abandoned her to test her survival skills in the real world or something. This story took all types of twists and turns. Now, I’m 28, I enjoy psychological thrillers and mysteries but this is a YA book and I have to say I didn’t see any of the plot coming. Reading YA as an adult I try to think about how I might’ve reacted to what I read and instead of calling it predictable, think about readers who don’t have a history of reading mysteries/thrillers. There were some genuine moments that I was like whaaattt!!!
Challenges:
I struggled with figuring out what the flashbacks meant and what was happening in them or how they connected to the story. I also am a little uneasy that the main character, who I read as Native American, was a shade of red? The same with her mother. I first noticed this when a flashback tat actually made sense to me, mentioned she must resemble her mother. Then I thought maybe this is just how ppl of color are depicted but flipping back through, I saw an obviously Black man. I’m not well-versed in the history behind depictions of Native folks as red, but like most things I’m sure it’s rooted in white racism. The ending also felt kind of like “I’m tired of writing this story now”. The plot was intricately crafted and the end was flat. I think I’d like to see her actually meet her mom vs. talking to dad in prison.
Overall the story did invoke a sense of urgency and bring in that thriller aspect, but coming of age not so much.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
From this I thought maybe he abandoned her to test her survival skills in the real world or something. This story took all types of twists and turns. Now, I’m 28, I enjoy psychological thrillers and mysteries but this is a YA book and I have to say I didn’t see any of the plot coming. Reading YA as an adult I try to think about how I might’ve reacted to what I read and instead of calling it predictable, think about readers who don’t have a history of reading mysteries/thrillers. There were some genuine moments that I was like whaaattt!!!
Challenges:
I struggled with figuring out what the flashbacks meant and what was happening in them or how they connected to the story. I also am a little uneasy that the main character, who I read as Native American, was a shade of red? The same with her mother. I first noticed this when a flashback tat actually made sense to me, mentioned she must resemble her mother. Then I thought maybe this is just how ppl of color are depicted but flipping back through, I saw an obviously Black man. I’m not well-versed in the history behind depictions of Native folks as red, but like most things I’m sure it’s rooted in white racism. The ending also felt kind of like “I’m tired of writing this story now”. The plot was intricately crafted and the end was flat. I think I’d like to see her actually meet her mom vs. talking to dad in prison.
Overall the story did invoke a sense of urgency and bring in that thriller aspect, but coming of age not so much.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2019
Beck is on her way to start the University of Chicago when things go horribly wrong. She gets separated from her dad at a Naperville gas station during a hold up. After meeting a woman (Sandra) along the road who agrees to take her to Chicago, she connects with some friends and receives a message from her dad. Except her friend's girlfriend doesn't take her to meet the dad, but instead drops her off at the police station. Turns out her dad is not her dad and the man responsible for the gas station shooting is after her as well.
There were a lot of coincidences in this story that stretched its believability for me. I also thought the message was pretty terrible. Just because her kidnapper didn't abuse her doesn't mean he was a good dad. He kidnapped her! Why does it seem like all is forgiven for that? Why doesn't Beck reconnect with her real mom? There is a level of acceptance for the kidnapping that seems pretty unacceptable.
There were a lot of coincidences in this story that stretched its believability for me. I also thought the message was pretty terrible. Just because her kidnapper didn't abuse her doesn't mean he was a good dad. He kidnapped her! Why does it seem like all is forgiven for that? Why doesn't Beck reconnect with her real mom? There is a level of acceptance for the kidnapping that seems pretty unacceptable.
Read
September 27, 2019ARC Review: Received for free via Netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
DNF: p. 135
CW: gun violence, kidnapping
No thank you.
I wanted to take this book seriously but it just wasn't doing what I wanted. It was too much drama in too little time. We aren't given enough time to root for anyone or even care for the characters. And on top of that everything was just so convenient, like it all came together so easily. So yeah, kind of disappointed by this.
DNF: p. 135
CW: gun violence, kidnapping
No thank you.
I wanted to take this book seriously but it just wasn't doing what I wanted. It was too much drama in too little time. We aren't given enough time to root for anyone or even care for the characters. And on top of that everything was just so convenient, like it all came together so easily. So yeah, kind of disappointed by this.
January 28, 2021
I actually really liked this one; it felt story-dense in a way that comics don't always manage. Every page felt like it had useful information, and while I had to stop and consider some of the depictions, I found it a really rewarding read. Thoughtful take on families.
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