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Pandora's Legacy

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The Panagakos family are descendents of Pandora, their family tasked with protecting Pandora’s box and capturing the monsters that have escaped over the years. When Charlie, Janet, and Trevor accidentally break the box, it’s up to the three of them to fix it before their family finds out...or worse...

What starts out as a typical family vacation to Grandma and Grandpa's house quickly erupts into supernatural mystery and peril when three siblings accidentally break an old, mystical jar hidden deep in the woods. As magical monsters pour out of the fractured relic and run amok, Charlie, Janet, and Trevor must find a way to capture all of the creatures in order to save their family—and potentially the entire world—before it's too late.

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

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Kara Leopard

5 books7 followers

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5 stars
66 (13%)
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168 (33%)
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199 (40%)
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60 (12%)
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4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
Profile Image for Cassie.
402 reviews69 followers
February 8, 2019
this had siblings and a talking cat, who under circumstances turned out to be a titan, aka prometheus. like, if this doesn’t make you want to read it then idk what will.

also, this!! ending!!
my lifespan just expanded a few years. oh my, it was so adorable. i loved this graphic novel. it’s full of adventure, supernatural creatures, friendship, family, and lots of charm and sarcasm.

i laughed, i smiled, and i almost cried. please go read this because, honestly, i want to curl up and read it all over again.
Profile Image for Maia.
Author 31 books3,645 followers
June 30, 2020
The art in this book is very pleasing, but the story is fairly slight. Three siblings chase their cat into the forest and stumble upon a hidden temple to the Greek gods. They break a jar, and release some version of Pandora's curse on their small town- almost immediately, monsters begin attacking them. Confusingly, the first monster they face is a chupacabra, a creature who comes from South America myths, and later they see a jabberwocky, which comes from Lewis Carrol's poetry. These both felt out of place in a story based so heavily on Greek mythology. I also found the ending of the story a bit rushed .
Profile Image for Ian Roditi.
Author 11 books27 followers
December 5, 2018
Nice art and fun characters ❤️

I would read a second one if it comes someday.
Profile Image for Jonathan Khan.
15 reviews
March 15, 2019
A delightful, adventurous story full of diverse characters and mythical creatures. Siblings; Charlie, Jan and Trevor stumble into a mysterious hidden grotto filled with ancient statues. Trevor, being the mischievous teen he is, accidentally breaks a jar that is held by one of the statues, which turns out to be the legendary Pandora’s Box. Set free from the box are all the monsters that have been contained by magic as well as the titan, Prometheus who now possesses the family cat and explains the severity of what has been unleashed into the world and uncovers that their family has been the guardians of the box for generations. Newly enlightened, the teens embark on a mission to find Elpis who is the Greek personification of hope and the creator of the original box, hoping she will restore the broken box and the balance that has been disrupted.

Leopard does a wonderful job at weaving Greek mythology together with characters and creatures from different origins to create a page turning story that will keep readers wanting to find out what happens next. Greek characters like Prometheus, Elpis and Stheno inhabit the story, as well as creatures from different regional mythologies like Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Greenland. Blood thirsty chupacabra and bakunawa are some of the fiercest foes found in the story, as well as a timid adlet that leaves readers questioning its allegiance. Illustrators, Kelly and Nichole Matthews’ support this story with adorable, detailed artwork that illuminates the character and creature design and is sure to attract the eyes of readers and keep them engaged throughout.

Pandora’s Legacy combines fiction and history and the end result is a beautiful union. This book is perfect for fans of the mythological series by Rick Riordan or the Olympians graphic novel series by First Second Books.
Profile Image for Moony (Captain Mischief) MeowPoff.
1,687 reviews149 followers
October 7, 2021
I am a sucker for mythology and the good vs. evil. Besides who cannot love a talking chubby cat? Po-mothehus was so cute. The pages just flew by.
Profile Image for anna ✩.
454 reviews128 followers
January 29, 2022
4 stars!

The illustrations are gorgeous and the story is super fast paced and fun!
Profile Image for Dev.
2,462 reviews187 followers
January 12, 2020
actual rating: 3.5

This was a fun little graphic novel about a group of siblings who are descendants of Pandora and have to re-capture some monsters after they accidentally let them out of the box again. The art in this is gorgeous [also their cat is adorable] and the story was a lot of fun but ultimately I think it was too short and everything felt very rushed toward the end. I was sure it was going to end of a cliffhanger despite being marked as a standalone but they managed to just barely resolve the issue before the last page. Would have loved to see another 50 or so pages here but it was ultimately a very cute and quick read so I can't fault it too much.
Profile Image for Juliette.
575 reviews23 followers
August 4, 2022
A cute and fun adventure story. I liked the use of mythology but it was a bit too repetitive and easy for my liking.
Profile Image for Joaquino Marino.
103 reviews20 followers
April 23, 2023
Pandora’s Legacy, un libro de fantasía urbana con toques humorísticos y personajes muy carismáticos. Escrito por Kara Leopard y hermosamente ilustrado por Kelly Matthews y Nicole Matthews.

Lo que parecía ser un típico viaje veraniego a la casa de sus abuelos, se convierte en una mística y espeluznante aventura, cuando los hermanos Charlie, Janet y Trevor rompen por accidente una vieja y extraña vasija que, sin saberlo, contenía todos los males del mundo. A medida que avanza la historia, se enteran que son descendientes de la mítica Pandora y que es su deber encerrar a todos los monstruos que quedaron libres. Con ayuda el titán Prometheus, encarnado en un gato que habla, se enfrentarán a seres mitológicos de diversas culturas y lucharán para volver a la normalidad a su pueblo.

Esta historia tiene mucho potencial. Me entretuve leyendo y logré conectar con los personajes, pues cada uno tiene una personalidad desarrollada y un rol en el equipo. Mi favorito es ‘Pometheus’, el gato parlante que le da un toque gracioso a la trama. Pese a que a muchos no les gustó el hecho de incluir seres mitológicos de varias culturas, a mí me pareció interesante, pues responde a la idea de que la caja de Pandora guarda TODOS los males del mundo, no solo los monstruos mitológicos de Grecia. Gráficamente, el libro está muy bien hecho, siendo uno de los elementos que más destaco. Además el clímax de la historia es brutal. Lo único que quedó al debe es la extensión, pues es demasiado corto y algunos momentos se sintieron apresurados.
Profile Image for Emma.
3,348 reviews460 followers
October 9, 2019
The Panagakos family are descendants of Pandora. For generations the family has worked to protect Pandora's box and guard against the dangerous monsters it contains.

Except no one ever told younger siblings Charlie, Janet, or Trevor about that. When the three of them find (and break) a mysterious jar in the wood near their grandparents' house, they have no idea what they've unleashed.

Lacking their older siblings' training, not to mention their weapons, Charlie, Janet, and Trevor will have to band together and think fast if they want save their family and stop the freed monsters from destroying everything in their path in Pandora's Legacy (2018) by Kara Leopard, illustrated by Kelly Matthews and Nichole Matthews.

Pandora's Legacy is a high action graphic novel. Although the story focuses on twins Janet and Trevor, their older sister Charlie also plays a large role as the three of them become unwitting heroes and the last defense against the monsters found within Pandora's box.

The high action of Leopard's fast-paced plot contrasts well with the Matthews' finely detailed illustrations that seamlessly blend evocative backdrops and horrifying monsters.

Pandora's Legacy is an adventurous ode to siblings and underdogs everywhere. Recommended.

Possible Pairings: Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge, Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi, Cucumber Quest by Gigi D. G., Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

*A copy of this title was provided for review consideration by the publisher at BookExpo 2019*
Profile Image for Suzanne.
2,246 reviews44 followers
February 3, 2019
Three siblings follow their cat into the woods, and stumble onto a strange site full of classical statues. After knocking over a jar and breaking it, they discover that their cat is now possessed by Prometheus. They also learn that they are descendants of Pandora, and find themselves fighting off creatures such as chupacabras, homicidal mermaids, and a bankunawa - to name a few.

Imagine typical teens sorting out the powers of the various monsters and trying to get the backstory from Prometheus (when was the last time you had a useful conversation with your own cat?). Using some modern technology in a surprising way, the kids must round up all the escaped monsters while trying to figure out what has happened to the rest of their family.

The author has worked on several other titles, and the illustrators have worked on titles such as the Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy crossover. For fantasy lovers that enjoy mythological characters and young adventurers, this promises to be a good series.
Profile Image for Bianca.
442 reviews12 followers
Read
October 17, 2019
Not for me but also not *for* me so ok I guess.

Extremely fast paced, very middle grade, cute illustrations, but barely establishes a platform for what the hell is going on (and why) before you're in the thick of it. I feel like it could benefit from at least a handful of clear cut panels that explain things more definitively. The pacing kind of reminds me of manga, which is another genre that usually ends up being hard for me to read.

Definitely see this being popular with younger readers who like fantasy stuff. I think this would be good for the lower end of middle grades and upper elementary, but I liked Estranged by Ethan Aldridge a lot better and would probably recommend that series before this.
Profile Image for Niamh.
144 reviews1 follower
January 19, 2020
Enjoyed the premise of this story but just felt it needed more room to develop. Lots of parts just felt rushed and too quickly resolved, a deeper exploration of the mythology Leopard was introducing (idea of descendants) would have given this novel much more depth. The artwork, especially the depiction of the gods, was just amazing - definitely some of my favourite graphic novel artwork. Would love to see a continuation of this story with a longer next edition that allows for more room for deeper exploration and less quick fixes in terms of challenges the characters face.
2 reviews
October 2, 2019
This book was just an absolute blast to read and I loved it. It was so sweet, fast paced, and fun with absolutely gorgeous illustrations. I want this to continue on so badly. I wish more people knew about it!
1,000 reviews2 followers
January 13, 2019
Trevor and his sisters, twins Janet and Charlie, are just about to beginning summer vacation at their grandparents house when their beloved cat Po, escapes his carrier. Fleeing into the woods, the siblings chase after their cat and make an amazing discovery. In the middle of the woods is a derelict cottage filled with ancient looking statues. When Trevor breaks a vase that one of the statues is holding, the siblings unknowingly release an army of mythical creatures. For you see, that Grecian urn was in fact Pandora’s box!

The siblings aren’t flying blind as they attempt to retrieve the monsters unleashed. Their cat Po now houses the spirit of Greek hero Prometheus and can now talk. He explains that the Trevor, Janet and Charlie are descendants of Pandora and the next in a long line of protectors of her fabled box of monsters.

However, with the original container now in pieces, the children will have to rely on the only thing that remained with Pandora- hope! Can they devise a new way of capturing the missing creatures? It’s just possible that the key to locking the monster back into their prison has been in their possession since before this adventure began.

Kara Leopard (Mr. Hare and Mr. Bear) pens an amazing tale that promises to be the first of a series. The idea of a family of protectors of Pandora’s Box is quite similar to Buffy, The Vampire Slayer. Only replace bloodsuckers with gorgons, mermaids and other creatures of myth and fable.

I really liked all of the characters in this book. However, I think Kara Leopard has a huge problem on her hands. The best character in the book non-fatally sacrifices their freedom to save the day. The writer has got to figure out a way to bring him or her back because that character steals all of the best parts of this story!

I also feel like I need a Greek-to-English dictionary in this book. The main characters are Greek Americans and they use Greek words sprinkled throughout their conversations in English. Yet, there's nothing like an Editor's Note to explain what is being said. I felt a tiny bit lost in translation at times because of that. Some young readers might feel the same. (Something to consider if there is ever a sequel.)

The art by twins Kelly and Nicole Matthews (Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy) was quite interesting. Though Pandora’s box is a Greek myth, I am thinking that the monsters she set free weren’t all from that same part of the world. The creatures in this book have features identifiable from Japanese and European mythology as well as Greek. Plus aren’t Chupacabra’s from Mexican and Puerto Rican folklore?

As I mentioned earlier, Pandora’s Legacy looks to be the start of a new comic/graphic novel series. Published by Kaboom!, I went to their website in hopes of finding out more about a second book. However, there isn’t anything indicating a sequel. The initial announcement for this volume was posted during the publisher’s countdown to Comic-Con last year in July. So perhaps a second book will be unveiled around the same time and manner this year.

As always with Family Comic Friday, I rate a book on it’s artistic quality. However, I also inform parents and guardians of areas that may not be suitable for all-ages. This is an entertaining book perfect for ages 8-12. Older readers who are fans of Percy Jackson will dig this book too!

There is a couple of scary monsters who attack the children at various points. Those situations are that which some younger readers might find a bit too much Also, one of the minor characters has same sex parents. While there’s nothing explicit or condemning about that, I mention this as I understand that different parental units have different parenting styles. I also mention this as I know that many same sex couples have a desire to find age-appropriate graphic novels such as Pandora’s Legacy which are friendlier and more open to all lifestyles.

Kaboom! has a real winner here! There appears to be a near unlimited source of monsters and villains out there that need returning to Pandora’s box. But if Leopard and the Matthews’ twins want to get book two to be as good, if not better than this one, they’re all going to have to find a way to bring that mystery character back from their exile!
Profile Image for Sara I.
860 reviews
March 14, 2019
Clearly it has been too long since I have read any middle-grade/juvenile fiction, I was blown away by this one! I knew after reading the synopsis and seeing the cover that I wanted to read it. However, now having gotten my hands on a copy and having read it, wow. I know that this is not only a graphic novel that I enjoyed as an adult but one I would have loved as a younger reader. I fully plan on trying to force my baby sister to read this, later. Pandora's Legacy is a book perfect for readers who loved the Percy Jackson series or the Goddess Girls series. And it would also be great for readers who are interested in Greek Mythology but haven't read either of the other series or maybe those who are at a lower reading level or prefer less words. This was full of beautiful panels detailing touching moments between siblings and various battles with mythological creatures. Pandora's Legacy is fun, exciting, and I would highly recommend it!

Plus, I really loved its diversity, down to the fact that its illustrators and writer were women!
Profile Image for DeAnne.
773 reviews20 followers
March 23, 2020
I was really excited reading the description of this graphic novel, descendants of Pandora who have to deal with Pandora's box being opened? Yes please. The banter between the siblings and the humor woven throughout was spot on and helped the story move along quickly. The artwork was so vibrant and dynamic and I loved how each of the monsters shown were illustrated.

There were points where things were written in Greek and one instance where Korean was used and I wish there had been a translation somewhere on the page. You could definitely tell the context of what was being said, but I'm sure younger readers would really like a translation, even if it was through a footnote.

Overall it ended up being a fun and quick read that was full of laughs. I did really enjoy it and flew through it.
Profile Image for A Fan of Comics .
490 reviews
December 2, 2018
Silly, funny, and I legit learned a few things about Greek Gods.

The art is fun and I really liked the characters designs. This book has quite a few gods and creatures in it. My favorite was probably Arachne (although the mermaids were pretty cool too.). It is for young readers and I was able to read it within an hour or so. With it being under Kaboom, there isnt any adult themes really, but I still enjoyed the ride. It is short and I wished they would have had more time to focus on the details of their lives and not just the event you see them in but still good. My only complaint (and this might be kind of petty) but there were a few grammar errors that I had to stop and reread because I couldnt tell what they were trying to say....
Cant wait to see what else this team can make!
3,035 reviews14 followers
January 3, 2020
This book was really cute, but at times the cuteness was at odds with the serious parts of the story. Also, it had "first volume syndrome" in that we don't meet several important characters until the end of the story, and we still don't know why the family had kind of ignored several thousand years of tradition, in terms of training the children to potentially save the world. It's made clear that the family still believes in that goal, so what the bleep is going on?
I will be interested in seeing if a second volume fixes this omission, but I'm not sorry to see that the cat won't be at the center of the next story.
Profile Image for Alex.
418 reviews20 followers
March 11, 2019

Gorgeous art, clearly a primary requirement for me to even consider reading a graphic novel. Excellently realistic middle grade characters, with variegated reactions to the drama between them, but also with varied reactions to things within a single character (like the fact that the cat can talk is way more bizarre to one of them than the idea of monsters prowling around town, but one just takes talking cat in stride while being unable to wrap their head around the concept of a family secret).

Beautifully intricate storytelling, and a fun twist on the Pandora mythos.
Profile Image for Dolores.
3,908 reviews10 followers
March 29, 2020
A visit to their grandparents goes off the rails when Charlie, Janet and Trevor find a shed in the woods filled with ancient statues. Trevor accidentally breaks a jar one of the statues is holding, inadvertently setting all the monsters it contains free. The children, to their surprise, discover that their family are descendants of Pandora and that they have until sunset to catch all the monsters they have released. This is a pretty engaging adventure with some sly humor. The mythology didn't seem quite on point, but maybe will inspire readers to read further.
Profile Image for connie.
1,567 reviews101 followers
February 22, 2019
Wasn't a fan of this one. It movies way too quickly, leaves no room for development of characters and plot to the point where I honestly didn't know what was going on. I felt no attachment to any of the characters just because of the issues in pacing. It really is a shame, because the art is beautiful, and I feel like with more time and development this could have been a great story with all the mythology links.
449 reviews1 follower
June 21, 2019
Too much plot, not enough depth, so even the plot felt sketchy and rushed. Such a cool idea, but it needed more space to grow. We barely got to know ANY of the characters, so their fates didn’t seem that important. There was no time to build a rapport with them, and there was no time to settle into the world or the quest or any of it. I was actually pretty sad - I was looking forward to this, but it just plain needed more pages to develop in. Boo.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews

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