Return to the Isle of the Lost: The Graphic Novel

Descendants Graphic #2

by Robert Venditti (Adapter), Melissa de la Cruz

Book two in the #1 New York Times best-selling Descendants series--now in the wickedly fun, action-packed graphic novel! Mal's an expert at intimidating her enemies, but she's broken the habit since leaving her villainous roots behind. So when she and her friends Evie, Carlos, and Jay all receive threatening messages demanding they return home, Mal can't believe it. Sure, she's King Ben's girlfriend now, and she's usually nice to her classmates, but she still didn't think anyone would be silly enough to try to push her around. The thing is, it kind of worked. Especially since she and her friends have a sneaking suspicion that their villainous parents are behind the messages. And when Evie looks into her Magic Mirror, what she sees only confirms their fears. Maleficent's just a tiny lizard after her run-in with Mal at Ben's Coronation, but she's the worst villain in the land for a reason. Could she have found a way to escape? Whatever's going on, Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay know they have to sneak back to the Isle and get to the bottom of it. Without its infamous leader, the island's even worse than when they left it, but the comforts of home—even a home as gloomy as the Isle of the Lost—can be hard to resist for recently reformed villains. Will the kids be able to beat the evil bubbling at the Isle's wicked core, or will the plot to destroy Auradon succeed?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comics, Middle Grade, Fairy Tales

133 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 30, 2019

About the author

Robert Venditti is a New York Times bestselling author of more than three hundred comic books and graphic novels. Some of his works include the monthly comic book series Justice League, Superman ’78, Hawkman, and Green Lantern for DC Comics, X-O Manowar, Armor Hunters, and Wrath of the Eternal Warrior for Valiant Entertainment, and the graphic novel Six Days, inspired by the story of his uncle’s participation in D-Day. He has also adapted Rick Riordan’s global bestselling Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus novels, as well as Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia and Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz. His graphic novel The Surrogates was adapted into a feature film by Touchstone Pictures, and his work on The Flash was the basis for season three of the CW television series.

Venditti lives in Atlanta, where he both writes and serves as a storytelling consultant for some of the most recognizable entertainment brands in the world.

Reviews

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Descendants gang! My niece was Evie for Halloween and I remembered I had this book checked out from the library and it made me want to pick it up. It's a graphic novel so of course it was a quick read. I loved the illustrations that went along with it too.

[Ruth · Rating 1 out of 5]

At least the first book had good art. This one was a real struggle to get through. All the characters had flat expressionless faces and weird geometry. They didn't look anything like the characters (Carlos was pale!) Come on Disney! You own Marvel! Get a semi-passable artist!

The plot of this one, much like the plot of the second movie, was better, but that isn't saying much. At least the movies have the good singing, dancing, and costumes to recommend them.

[Heather Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read!

Excellent read and perfect for your tween readers who are just getting into the Descendants series but not quite ready for reading novels without pictures, especially if they love comics and graphic novels!

Highly recommend!

[sophia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t get how they go to auradon and in the first book they aren’t kinda confusing

[Becky (Never without a book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The problem with graphic novel adaptations of novels, is that something always gets lost in the adaptation. This felt a bit all over the place. 3.5 rounded up because I love Descendants

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Descendants: Graphic Novel Series. This title follows Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Evie as they return to the Isle of the Lost to help save Auradon. Each have received mysterious messages that they return to the Isle before the moon's end. The group is afraid that their parents are behind the messages and that they are going to create more trouble for Auradon. Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Evie make the decision to return to the Isle to save the day. It is easy to see the resemblances to the live action characters to the movie in this graphic novel. This would be an optional purchase for libraries unless there is a strong following for Descendants, Disney, or graphic novels.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Settling into their life on Auradon Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay have learned to be good instead of evil, mostly. They don't know what to think when they all receive messages to return home to the Isle of the Lost. They think it must be from their parents who are living their evil lives on the island. They learn from Merlin that Mal's mother Maleficent is the cause of earthquakes and violent weather that's been happening. All the kids' parents are missing and looking for their talisman to get their powers back. Mal and her friends must find the talisman's before their parents do. Merlin gives them important words to remember to keep them safe.

[Susan Chow-Dukhan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Descendants receive messages telling them to return to the Isle of the Lost before the new moon rises. They decide to return because they suspect that their parents sent the messages.
Decent storyline for the young readers, but lackluster illustrations. The faces of the characters do not convey any emotion, they look like permanent faces painted on plastic dolls. The positioning of the bodies of the characters are stiff throughout most of the graphic novel. The quality of the graphics detracts from a potentially interesting story.

[Sindhyar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book is Absolutely One of My Favorites. I Love All The Descendants Films and I Love This StoryLine and It Had A Lot Of Wicked Events and It Had Some Characters That Weren’t in The Actual Films. I Love This Book and I Recommend This To The People Who Like Fantasies, Graphic Novels, Adventures and The People Who Like The Films!

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time reading the graphic novel and I liked it so much the art style was great, the story line great and the VK even better! I can’t wait to see how the other books in this series turn out in graphic novel form!

[Kenzie Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

While it's always fun to read a graphic novel, I was not impressed with this one. The drawings were okay (I specifically had problems with the way Mal looked), and the story went extremely fast, especially while they were looking for the talismans.

[Erin Banham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not like the "americanized" white version of Carlos in this volume.

[Ali Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very good but the first graphic novel was definitely better. Still, read it!!

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's about when they get these weird messages and so they go back to the isle of the lost and they find out that their parents are looking for their talisman so they can get revenge on Auradon!

[Aadya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really want the book because I tried imaging to picture it. But I just want to see the pictures and read the book with text and details. So please can I have it to read.

[Addie]

Ugh :(

[Frankie Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book I really love Carlos so now I gotta read the normal book thats not the graphic novel

[Lara Vehar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one felt rushed .. and I didn't like the way they changed Carlos. I didn't like this one as much as I liked the first one. And the artwork felt way more stiff and awkward.

[Brandi Walden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read

[Casey · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 The story was OK. I didn’t enjoy the art as much as I did in the previous descendants graphic novel. It was a different artist but I just didn’t enjoy his style as well.

[Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great. I loved the art work and the continued story of Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos. I really need to read the novels one of these days. Read this for the Stay At Home Reading Rush.

[Katie Kaste · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the graphic novel of the second Descendants novels. The four heroes are called back to the island to face their own challenges to stop the spread of magic to the Isle of the Lost. I enjoy these novels and it is fun to reread these stories. It also has a sad element, seeing Carlos again really broke my heart. This is a sweet story about facing your past and moving forward.

[Allysen Horn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book I have and I enjoyed it. It was interesting that it was, madam men that was doing all this and you know still kinda annoyed that Matt‘s daughter was the one that pushed mal off the bridge but I enjoy it. I’m glad they figured it out with Madam not saying I was gonna be like a maleficent trapped in a dragon’s body so I don’t know how that would help but OK.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like a graphic novel version of a book as much as I like the book!!! How about that!