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At the End of Your Tether
For fans of Brick or Paper Towns comes At the End of Your Tether, the story of a boy who goes searching for his missing ex-girlfriend only to discover that some things aren’t meant to be found.
It's a humid summer night in August 1997 and Ludo Carre is nervous. He hasn't seen or spoken to his ex, Arlo Quinonez since he was fifteen. Now, he's returning home to be reunited with the one person he made a connection with in his youth. The night before he arrives, Ludo gives her a phone call. Big laughs and a familiar cadence in Arlo's voice don't just instantly calm him down -- they make him excited to see her. That excitement only hurts him more when they show up the next day and find out Arlo has been missing...for the last week. Determined to find her, Ludo takes things into his own hands, but the further he gets into his investigation, the more he questions how well everyone on base, in town, and even he himself really knew her. Gone without a trace, the girl he once knew everything about has now become a mystery. Where is his best friend — and who is she, as well?
It's a humid summer night in August 1997 and Ludo Carre is nervous. He hasn't seen or spoken to his ex, Arlo Quinonez since he was fifteen. Now, he's returning home to be reunited with the one person he made a connection with in his youth. The night before he arrives, Ludo gives her a phone call. Big laughs and a familiar cadence in Arlo's voice don't just instantly calm him down -- they make him excited to see her. That excitement only hurts him more when they show up the next day and find out Arlo has been missing...for the last week. Determined to find her, Ludo takes things into his own hands, but the further he gets into his investigation, the more he questions how well everyone on base, in town, and even he himself really knew her. Gone without a trace, the girl he once knew everything about has now become a mystery. Where is his best friend — and who is she, as well?
147 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
January 3, 2023
Starts off interesting about two military brats who fall in love but are separated by family moves. The disjointed storytelling though where we only get partial scenes scattered back and forth in time made it really difficult to track. It's really an exorcise into how not to do nonlinear storytelling. Then you add in the crazy ending and how obtusely it's told, just left me completely confused. It ended completely unsatisfying because it wasn't at all clear what Arlo was saying about the two of them. The more I write, the more infuriated I get about this book. Must. Walk. Away.
January 9, 2020
”It’s Stange… But you know me, I love strange.”
This one had a very interesting premise. Touching on love, loss, depression, and how different people deal with these different situations made for an absorbing read.
But I found it a bit confusing at times. The time jumps is not very evident in the beginning, leaving on lost and disorientated. In the end everything made sense, but it would have been a better read if I didn’t feel so lost.
I received this copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This one had a very interesting premise. Touching on love, loss, depression, and how different people deal with these different situations made for an absorbing read.
But I found it a bit confusing at times. The time jumps is not very evident in the beginning, leaving on lost and disorientated. In the end everything made sense, but it would have been a better read if I didn’t feel so lost.
I received this copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 10, 2019
2.5 🌟
(Got an e-arc of this graphic novel sent by netgalley and now I´m telling you my opinion.)
When I was looking through books on netgalley, I came across this one and the cover immediately intrigued me and after I read the little summary, I instantly requested this book and on the next day, when I checked my emails and saw that I got it, I was so exited and I wanted to read it instantly, but I had to wait until Wednesday evening to read it. (I didn’t have time to read before) When I finally had time I only remembered that the girlfriend of the main protagonist is gone missing (I usually go into graphic novels knowing only a little).
Also, I hadn’t had many expectations, because I read two reviews of it and they were 2 & 3 stars.
Now I feel like it was good, that I read it, without high hopes, because it wasn’t anything special for me. The plot itself and the mystery were interesting, but not really my thing,
(maybe minor spoiler)
Also, the time travel was confusing, like I didn’t really could follow when we were in the past and when in the present. This could also have been a problem, because I couldn’t notice through the drawings if the character was younger or older.
Although I still really liked the drawing-style.
It was very hard for me to rate at first, because I got a little confused with the plot, but now I know it was 2,5 stars.
Overall reading this was fun, but it wasn’t really special, I really liked the drawing-style and I liked the characters. The plot could’ve been not this confusing.
(Got an e-arc of this graphic novel sent by netgalley and now I´m telling you my opinion.)
When I was looking through books on netgalley, I came across this one and the cover immediately intrigued me and after I read the little summary, I instantly requested this book and on the next day, when I checked my emails and saw that I got it, I was so exited and I wanted to read it instantly, but I had to wait until Wednesday evening to read it. (I didn’t have time to read before) When I finally had time I only remembered that the girlfriend of the main protagonist is gone missing (I usually go into graphic novels knowing only a little).
Also, I hadn’t had many expectations, because I read two reviews of it and they were 2 & 3 stars.
Now I feel like it was good, that I read it, without high hopes, because it wasn’t anything special for me. The plot itself and the mystery were interesting, but not really my thing,
(maybe minor spoiler)
Also, the time travel was confusing, like I didn’t really could follow when we were in the past and when in the present. This could also have been a problem, because I couldn’t notice through the drawings if the character was younger or older.
Although I still really liked the drawing-style.
It was very hard for me to rate at first, because I got a little confused with the plot, but now I know it was 2,5 stars.
Overall reading this was fun, but it wasn’t really special, I really liked the drawing-style and I liked the characters. The plot could’ve been not this confusing.
October 17, 2019
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
*I received a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for my honest review*
2.5/5 Stars
Ludo was 15 when he met his ex-girlfriend, Arlo. Years later, after his army mom moved bases, Ludo is hoping to reunite with Arlo. He calls her and they agree to meet the next day. When Ludo arrives on her doorstep, he discovers that she has been missing for the past week. When he believes local police are doing nothing to find her, he decides to take matters into his own hands.
I was initially drawn to this graphic novel because of the gorgeous cover. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with the story. It felt as though you were dropped into the middle of a series, rather than a standalone story. The plot was not very clear, and for the most part I was confused for the majority of the story, but by the end it did come together.
Overall, interesting concept, but I think it could have been executed more effectively.
*I received a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for my honest review*
2.5/5 Stars
Ludo was 15 when he met his ex-girlfriend, Arlo. Years later, after his army mom moved bases, Ludo is hoping to reunite with Arlo. He calls her and they agree to meet the next day. When Ludo arrives on her doorstep, he discovers that she has been missing for the past week. When he believes local police are doing nothing to find her, he decides to take matters into his own hands.
I was initially drawn to this graphic novel because of the gorgeous cover. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with the story. It felt as though you were dropped into the middle of a series, rather than a standalone story. The plot was not very clear, and for the most part I was confused for the majority of the story, but by the end it did come together.
Overall, interesting concept, but I think it could have been executed more effectively.
December 2, 2020
The art and colouring were really good. The story was pretty interesting and engaging but incredibly confusing at first. The time travel aspect was explained at the end and then it made more sense but I was often confused as to which timeline we were in. In the end the story was quite touching but not really satisfying. I wanted more of a real ending; to know the things I wanted to happen did happen but not in the timeline we see was a bit of a disappointment. I'm glad these things happened but I wanted to watch them happen, not just hear about them. This was a very strange story and I spent most of it totally lost and I guess I just wanted more of a reward for persevering to the end.
September 5, 2020
No. No no no no no. This is not how you do time travel. And I’ve read enough takes on time travel to know that.
The layout was very odd. There were chapters which were obviously each issue but then there were parts as well. The parts split the story as a whole but so did the chapters, so I’m not entirely sure why both were used. It should’ve been one or the other.
This is the bare bones of a story, not even half-baked. Having only 3 issues limited this story completely, but then again that’s no excuse. I’ve seen comics with only 3 issues manage to deliver a superb and complete story. (See: DCeased: The Unkillables)
I think the start had me intrigued and it went quite steady but the story was rushed at the end and failed to tie up a lot of loose ends.
I thought I was going to be able to prove the other reviews wrong, but it really was so terrible that I have to agree with them all.
The layout was very odd. There were chapters which were obviously each issue but then there were parts as well. The parts split the story as a whole but so did the chapters, so I’m not entirely sure why both were used. It should’ve been one or the other.
This is the bare bones of a story, not even half-baked. Having only 3 issues limited this story completely, but then again that’s no excuse. I’ve seen comics with only 3 issues manage to deliver a superb and complete story. (See: DCeased: The Unkillables)
I think the start had me intrigued and it went quite steady but the story was rushed at the end and failed to tie up a lot of loose ends.
I thought I was going to be able to prove the other reviews wrong, but it really was so terrible that I have to agree with them all.
January 14, 2020
Well, that was just REALLY confusing. I think I understood parts of it, but because it jumps around so much in time it was hard to keep everything straight in my mind, let alone keep track of... the other element in the story that makes it confusing. I don't know what to think - I guess it will appeal to people who are able to better keep the separate timelines straight.
August 30, 2021
The first half of the book delivers on the premise, but then it goes off the rails in the second half. While I understand that what happened to Arlo is supposed to be confusing, the way the story is organized gives off the impression that the author himself is confused about the storyline, which is never good. The lack of a satisfying ending left me with the dreaded "So What?" feeling.
I feel badly reviewing this book less than positively, especially as I find myself wanting to read a very different ending to the atmospheric first half (and because the art itself is a treat,) but the feeling of disappointment lingers.
I feel badly reviewing this book less than positively, especially as I find myself wanting to read a very different ending to the atmospheric first half (and because the art itself is a treat,) but the feeling of disappointment lingers.
April 3, 2024
1.5 ⭐️ This was my first graphic novel. I was confused from the beginning with the time swaps. I can say I only understood half the book. It was confusing and the ending didn’t even have clear answers…
August 23, 2021
At the End of Your Tether is a soothing breeze.
December 4, 2019
Ludo and his parents travel on their vacations back to the army base where they previously lived. As they rest at a motel, he calls his girlfriend he hasn't seen face to face in a long time, to tell her he'll be back tomorrow.
When they arrive, they get told that Arlo has been missing for two weeks.
Basically I liked everything and want to read on. I liked the plot, the characters, the setting, the atmosphere and am intrigued about how it will go on, on all timelines. It's sometimes confusing to recognize where you are in the plot, but some confusion is only to be expected.
Also, I am curious about bike-riding laws in the US, how old you have to be to be allowed to do so, because Ludo is depicted driving on his motorcycle to and from school. I liked the depiction of bikers, that works without all those clichés we've all heard a few times too often.
You could ask what else I'd expect for a five star review, and I can't say, it's this tiny spark of something - but I've got a feeling it might occur for me in issue two.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When they arrive, they get told that Arlo has been missing for two weeks.
Basically I liked everything and want to read on. I liked the plot, the characters, the setting, the atmosphere and am intrigued about how it will go on, on all timelines. It's sometimes confusing to recognize where you are in the plot, but some confusion is only to be expected.
Also, I am curious about bike-riding laws in the US, how old you have to be to be allowed to do so, because Ludo is depicted driving on his motorcycle to and from school. I liked the depiction of bikers, that works without all those clichés we've all heard a few times too often.
You could ask what else I'd expect for a five star review, and I can't say, it's this tiny spark of something - but I've got a feeling it might occur for me in issue two.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 3, 2020
Definitely did not go in the direction I thought it would go, and got very complicated toward the end. Not sure if it was just too smart for me or if it was too ambitious for what it could actually pull off.
December 4, 2019
I really liked the story this graphic novel has. I think the idea behind it was really interesting. It was a bit twisty and confusing up until the very end, which I have some mixed feelings about. It started off better, but overall it was intriguing enough to me to finish it and untangle it for myself.
The best part of it however, was the art. It was beautiful, and I loved the feeling they went for with the color scheme as well.
I don't think this graphic novel is for everyone. But if you are interested in this, give it a shot.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 3/5 stars
The best part of it however, was the art. It was beautiful, and I loved the feeling they went for with the color scheme as well.
I don't think this graphic novel is for everyone. But if you are interested in this, give it a shot.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 3/5 stars
May 11, 2020
What started as a pretty intriguing book unfortunately becomes a a bit of a mess towards the end.
A teenage romance can be a tough thing to handle when you're of that age. Now imagine if you are a military kid who constantly moves around. That romance has so much more vested in it because of the constant moving from base to base. The feeling of that stable romance contrasts directly with the unstable situation of your home life. So its easy to see why our main character cares so deeply about his missing girlfriend. To the point where he pushes past the point that authority figures tell him to stop.
I really enjoyed the pacing and the overall plot of the book. I actually really enjoyed the mystery of the book and how down to earth the plot felt in this scenario. However the resolution was a bit convoluted and confusing. Maybe it was just me. But it seemed to be a very out of place type answer to a question set in a very realistic world. But maybe that was the point? I don't know, to me, it missed the mark honestly.
However I think the team, both writer and artist(s) did a great job overall. Really captured my attention and had me wondering where the book was going plot wise. I would recommend this to anyone who likes more down to earth type books, with a good mystery. The end may work on you more so than it did on me.
A teenage romance can be a tough thing to handle when you're of that age. Now imagine if you are a military kid who constantly moves around. That romance has so much more vested in it because of the constant moving from base to base. The feeling of that stable romance contrasts directly with the unstable situation of your home life. So its easy to see why our main character cares so deeply about his missing girlfriend. To the point where he pushes past the point that authority figures tell him to stop.
I really enjoyed the pacing and the overall plot of the book. I actually really enjoyed the mystery of the book and how down to earth the plot felt in this scenario. However the resolution was a bit convoluted and confusing. Maybe it was just me. But it seemed to be a very out of place type answer to a question set in a very realistic world. But maybe that was the point? I don't know, to me, it missed the mark honestly.
However I think the team, both writer and artist(s) did a great job overall. Really captured my attention and had me wondering where the book was going plot wise. I would recommend this to anyone who likes more down to earth type books, with a good mystery. The end may work on you more so than it did on me.
November 2, 2019
I'm not sure what to say about this other than it's just that good. Relationships are a difficult road full of choices, this even gives me similar vibes to "Life is Strange" with those themes. When it comes to adolescence, it's a rocky time when people are at their most unsure. Ludo for all intents and purposes feels his tethers coming apart. As the flashbacks and recordings go on all the time, it's like viewing every event in parallel. It's also what allows people to love these characters. You can't blame or agree with anyone with how things happen, it's just what happens.
When things don't work out the way they're supposed to, it's easy to get sidetracked and think you're morally superior. But people are just complicated. All that really matters are the choices people make and just having a little faith in something better.
When things don't work out the way they're supposed to, it's easy to get sidetracked and think you're morally superior. But people are just complicated. All that really matters are the choices people make and just having a little faith in something better.
February 20, 2020
'At the End of Your Tether' by Adam Smith with art by V.V. Glass is a graphic novel about a boy looking for something that maybe he's not meant to find.
Ludo Carre is in love with Arlo Quinonez. They've made mixtapes together and formed a real connection. One that got broken up with the moving around of families. Now, it's 1997 and Ludo is moving back to his home. The problem is that Arlo has gone missing. Now Ludo has gone in search of her, but he may find things about Arlo that he wished he hadn't found out.
The story and art here were just kind of mediocre. By the time the reveal hit, I was already a bit checked out of the story. I liked the characters, and the end of the story was strange.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Ludo Carre is in love with Arlo Quinonez. They've made mixtapes together and formed a real connection. One that got broken up with the moving around of families. Now, it's 1997 and Ludo is moving back to his home. The problem is that Arlo has gone missing. Now Ludo has gone in search of her, but he may find things about Arlo that he wished he hadn't found out.
The story and art here were just kind of mediocre. By the time the reveal hit, I was already a bit checked out of the story. I liked the characters, and the end of the story was strange.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
November 1, 2019
This Graphic Novel is pure madness.
When you think it's all settled, things go back in time and say you're completely wrong. I need to read again and understand between the characters' messages, all the protagonist's anxiety about the anguish of a boy who does everything for love, and goes after what he certainly believes or doesn't believe.
Essa Graphic Novel é pura loucura.
Quando você pensa que tá tudo resolvido, as coisas voltam no tempo e dizem que você está completamente enganado. Eu preciso ler de novo e entender nas entrelinhas as mensagens dos personagens, toda a ansiedade da protagonista com a angustia de um garoto que faz tudo por amor, e vai atras do que ele certamente acredita ou não.
When you think it's all settled, things go back in time and say you're completely wrong. I need to read again and understand between the characters' messages, all the protagonist's anxiety about the anguish of a boy who does everything for love, and goes after what he certainly believes or doesn't believe.
Essa Graphic Novel é pura loucura.
Quando você pensa que tá tudo resolvido, as coisas voltam no tempo e dizem que você está completamente enganado. Eu preciso ler de novo e entender nas entrelinhas as mensagens dos personagens, toda a ansiedade da protagonista com a angustia de um garoto que faz tudo por amor, e vai atras do que ele certamente acredita ou não.
March 30, 2020
Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I found this book to be rather interesting. It follows two military brats and looks at their relationship in a very non-linear fashion. I can understand the way the story plays with time not working for a lot of readers because it can be confusing at times. I thought it heightened the uncertainty of the their relationship in general, especially with the way the families can be moved around at any point. I also liked that music was a major connecting point for the characters and that Arlo communicates to Ludo through mixtapes. The art is good. The characters look very grounded in reality, so the moments that are unusual really stand out.
I found this book to be rather interesting. It follows two military brats and looks at their relationship in a very non-linear fashion. I can understand the way the story plays with time not working for a lot of readers because it can be confusing at times. I thought it heightened the uncertainty of the their relationship in general, especially with the way the families can be moved around at any point. I also liked that music was a major connecting point for the characters and that Arlo communicates to Ludo through mixtapes. The art is good. The characters look very grounded in reality, so the moments that are unusual really stand out.
January 16, 2020
Wow, that's poignant. I honestly don't want to say any more than that for fear of ruining someone else's experience of the story. ...Except that the story is a little snarled in its telling. I love that Smith trusted his readers enough to let them untangle the threads, but be prepared, any future readers of this review: this story will be confusing until you have all its pieces.
October 26, 2019
Got an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
The beginning started very good and I was very interested in what would happen next. The ending kinda ruined it for me because it got so confusing, I didn't understand what was happening.
I really liked the artwork!
The beginning started very good and I was very interested in what would happen next. The ending kinda ruined it for me because it got so confusing, I didn't understand what was happening.
I really liked the artwork!
May 2, 2020
The story is kind of interesting but it's told in this confusing way and nothing really adds up or make that much sense in the end.
The artwork is just not good... at all. It looks pretty amateurish and not aesthetic at all.
Not worth your time.
The artwork is just not good... at all. It looks pretty amateurish and not aesthetic at all.
Not worth your time.
October 31, 2019
The storyline was pretty confusing but I liked the artwork
January 20, 2020
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
At the End of Your Tether is the story of a boy who goes searching for his missing ex-girlfriend only to discover that some things aren’t meant to be found. It’s Brick meets Paper Towns in this graphic novel, and I am sharing my thoughts on this upcoming release.
At The End of Your Tether follows Ludo as he tries to find his ex-girlfriend, Arlo, after she has gone missing. Things don’t line up though as Ludo has a phone call with her as if all is fine, but she had already been missing for weeks. And turns out that this whole situation is much more complicated than Ludo ever expected.
I do really enjoy the art. At first, the differing styles between the cover and the actual comic through me off. But there are some really nicely done panels within the comic itself that made me enjoy it overall. It would have been cool to see the whole comic in the cover art style, but that is just subjective preference on my part.
However, I found the story very confusing. It is too short to fully understand what on Earth is happening during the big climax and explanation. I find the concept interesting, but the execution is not great because it didn’t have the time to fully develop. It moved very fast through certain pieces so when you got to the climactic reveal, it was hard to understand because there weren’t enough pieces for the reader or even Ludo to put together to have this situation make any sense.
You have time travel and parallel universes and those two concepts alone are very complex to integrate and explain in a story so it makes sense at the end. It is hard to accept the conclusion as what happens when you barely understand it.
I will say, in defense of the book, it is all of the individual comics put into a single graphic novel. So in its original format, it was released slower and probably didn’t feel as rushed. I had this same reading issue with The Avant-guards as well.
Also, Arlo’s explanation of what is going on is terrible. When you have a solution as complex as this, you need the person explaining it to make sense and do it well. I feel like she never got to any point of clarity. It makes it feel like the writer didn’t even know what the resolution really was, or at least didn’t know how to explain it.
Overall, I would have enjoyed this comic more if it took more time to really develop this whole crazy situation. The first thing I thought when I finished reading it was “what?” It could have been a really cool story but it was just too rushed.
At the End of Your Tether is the story of a boy who goes searching for his missing ex-girlfriend only to discover that some things aren’t meant to be found. It’s Brick meets Paper Towns in this graphic novel, and I am sharing my thoughts on this upcoming release.
At The End of Your Tether follows Ludo as he tries to find his ex-girlfriend, Arlo, after she has gone missing. Things don’t line up though as Ludo has a phone call with her as if all is fine, but she had already been missing for weeks. And turns out that this whole situation is much more complicated than Ludo ever expected.
I do really enjoy the art. At first, the differing styles between the cover and the actual comic through me off. But there are some really nicely done panels within the comic itself that made me enjoy it overall. It would have been cool to see the whole comic in the cover art style, but that is just subjective preference on my part.
However, I found the story very confusing. It is too short to fully understand what on Earth is happening during the big climax and explanation. I find the concept interesting, but the execution is not great because it didn’t have the time to fully develop. It moved very fast through certain pieces so when you got to the climactic reveal, it was hard to understand because there weren’t enough pieces for the reader or even Ludo to put together to have this situation make any sense.
You have time travel and parallel universes and those two concepts alone are very complex to integrate and explain in a story so it makes sense at the end. It is hard to accept the conclusion as what happens when you barely understand it.
I will say, in defense of the book, it is all of the individual comics put into a single graphic novel. So in its original format, it was released slower and probably didn’t feel as rushed. I had this same reading issue with The Avant-guards as well.
Also, Arlo’s explanation of what is going on is terrible. When you have a solution as complex as this, you need the person explaining it to make sense and do it well. I feel like she never got to any point of clarity. It makes it feel like the writer didn’t even know what the resolution really was, or at least didn’t know how to explain it.
Overall, I would have enjoyed this comic more if it took more time to really develop this whole crazy situation. The first thing I thought when I finished reading it was “what?” It could have been a really cool story but it was just too rushed.
January 30, 2020
** Free copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
2.5-3 stars.
At the End of Your Tether is a mystery/sci-fi graphic novel following two teens - Ludo and Arlo - who grow up on an air force base and fall for each other. When Ludo's mother transfers bases, his relationship with Arlo ends. But now, several years later, Ludo and his family are returning to visit – he is nervous but excited to reconnect with Arlo. However, when they arrive, it turns out Arlo has been missing for several days, and for Ludo, nothing about it adds up.
This is kind of a mystery story, kind of a coming-of-age, and kind of a sci-fi. The first half is pretty wholesome – Ludo has this super supportive relationship with his parents, (they all bond over their love of motorcycles, aww); and I liked his meet-cute relationship with Arlo. Things quickly take a turn when Arlo goes missing, and it turns out the multiverse has something to do with it. Overall, I liked the characters, and I think there was a lot of potential there. Not only were they well-designed and recognizable, but they felt full of potential - I was excited!
However, I had two big problems with this story – the plot and pacing. I had a really hard time following what was going on. There were elements to the multiverse aspect of the story that were ill-explained for me. Additionally, there were a lot of side-plots and leads that didn't seem to go anywhere or that were not elaborated on. I was asking myself, "what was the point of that?" or, "why is this in here if it's not important later?" There is also an omniscient narrator throughout the story that said things like, "Oooh yes, in this version of the story, it happens like this!!" – which made sense given the multiverse aspect, but those constant asides left me feeling even more confused trying to figure out what they meant.
Unfortunately, the wandering story isn't leaving me feeling super invested or interested enough to continue to the next installation, hoping there are explanations. I do give the creators massive props for the beautiful artwork, especially the fact that some (all?) of the coloration is done with gouache. Additionally the characters were wonderfully designed and felt fully realized; it's just too bad the story was so weak in comparison.
Would I recommend it? Maybe, maybe not. It is quite a quick read, yet it was also so unsatisfying to me I felt I could've spent my time better. I wanted a lot more out of this one than I received.
2.5-3 stars.
At the End of Your Tether is a mystery/sci-fi graphic novel following two teens - Ludo and Arlo - who grow up on an air force base and fall for each other. When Ludo's mother transfers bases, his relationship with Arlo ends. But now, several years later, Ludo and his family are returning to visit – he is nervous but excited to reconnect with Arlo. However, when they arrive, it turns out Arlo has been missing for several days, and for Ludo, nothing about it adds up.
This is kind of a mystery story, kind of a coming-of-age, and kind of a sci-fi. The first half is pretty wholesome – Ludo has this super supportive relationship with his parents, (they all bond over their love of motorcycles, aww); and I liked his meet-cute relationship with Arlo. Things quickly take a turn when Arlo goes missing, and it turns out the multiverse has something to do with it. Overall, I liked the characters, and I think there was a lot of potential there. Not only were they well-designed and recognizable, but they felt full of potential - I was excited!
However, I had two big problems with this story – the plot and pacing. I had a really hard time following what was going on. There were elements to the multiverse aspect of the story that were ill-explained for me. Additionally, there were a lot of side-plots and leads that didn't seem to go anywhere or that were not elaborated on. I was asking myself, "what was the point of that?" or, "why is this in here if it's not important later?" There is also an omniscient narrator throughout the story that said things like, "Oooh yes, in this version of the story, it happens like this!!" – which made sense given the multiverse aspect, but those constant asides left me feeling even more confused trying to figure out what they meant.
Unfortunately, the wandering story isn't leaving me feeling super invested or interested enough to continue to the next installation, hoping there are explanations. I do give the creators massive props for the beautiful artwork, especially the fact that some (all?) of the coloration is done with gouache. Additionally the characters were wonderfully designed and felt fully realized; it's just too bad the story was so weak in comparison.
Would I recommend it? Maybe, maybe not. It is quite a quick read, yet it was also so unsatisfying to me I felt I could've spent my time better. I wanted a lot more out of this one than I received.
October 8, 2019
Rocky Horror - Do the "Time Warp" Again
Disclaimer #1 - This isn't anything like "Brick", which is a clever, subversive and edgy high school noir. This isn't anything like "Paper Towns", except to the extent that it starts out with a missing girl. Whoever decided to promote this book with those two comparisons wasn't helping anyone.
SPOILER. This isn't a who dunnit or a missing person mystery, except that it starts out with that bit of misdirection. SUPER SPOILER - this is a parallel dimension, alt world, "Lake House" meets "Wonderful Life" teen romance/coming of age story. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you need to be ready for time shifting, parallel world shifting, and characters who simultaneously are and are not depending on which world you're in. If old her talking to young him about old him and young them makes your brain itch, be warned.
Once I realized that this was speculative time fiction and not a mysterious disappearance procedural, and realized that all of the vague and ambiguous time shifted scenes would start to make sense later on, I relaxed and enjoyed this. Actually, I started to fast read/skim so I could get to the end, digest what had just happened, and then go back and reread with an eye open for clues and bits that I missed the first time through. That worked well and that second time through was more fun.
The art is standard and rather flat. Most scenes lack detail and many character interactions seem to be set in front of blue-screen backgrounds. Characters are recognizable but not very expressive, and since you have to be able to tell the age of a character as time shifts forward and back this slight vagueness can be puzzling.
So, Ludo and Arlo were interesting, and had some tender moments. The story is loosey-goosey, with lots of gaps and whaaats?, but it was still fun.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
Disclaimer #1 - This isn't anything like "Brick", which is a clever, subversive and edgy high school noir. This isn't anything like "Paper Towns", except to the extent that it starts out with a missing girl. Whoever decided to promote this book with those two comparisons wasn't helping anyone.
SPOILER. This isn't a who dunnit or a missing person mystery, except that it starts out with that bit of misdirection. SUPER SPOILER - this is a parallel dimension, alt world, "Lake House" meets "Wonderful Life" teen romance/coming of age story. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you need to be ready for time shifting, parallel world shifting, and characters who simultaneously are and are not depending on which world you're in. If old her talking to young him about old him and young them makes your brain itch, be warned.
Once I realized that this was speculative time fiction and not a mysterious disappearance procedural, and realized that all of the vague and ambiguous time shifted scenes would start to make sense later on, I relaxed and enjoyed this. Actually, I started to fast read/skim so I could get to the end, digest what had just happened, and then go back and reread with an eye open for clues and bits that I missed the first time through. That worked well and that second time through was more fun.
The art is standard and rather flat. Most scenes lack detail and many character interactions seem to be set in front of blue-screen backgrounds. Characters are recognizable but not very expressive, and since you have to be able to tell the age of a character as time shifts forward and back this slight vagueness can be puzzling.
So, Ludo and Arlo were interesting, and had some tender moments. The story is loosey-goosey, with lots of gaps and whaaats?, but it was still fun.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
February 4, 2020
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. Thank you to the authors and artists, Adam Smith, V. V. Glass & Hilary Jenkins, and the publisher, Oni Press, for this opportunity.
Full review available at warmdayswillnevercease.wordpress.com
I have to say, right away, that this wasn’t for me. It didn’t feel like a stand-alone book or even the first book in a series, it almost felt like a book in the middle of a series, and I think that’s one of the main things that I didn’t enjoy about it.
I thought that the art style was nice, very simple and understated, but, at times, it was too simple. It was pleasant but not striking or eye-catching. There’s nothing wrong with that though because sometimes too much detail can distract from the plot and the characters and I felt like the artwork was a good choice for this type of story. I’m not an expert in art or graphic novels but I did like it.
The premise was very intriguing and I liked the beginning a lot, even if it was a little abrupt. I thought that the mystery aspects could have been interesting if they’d have been developed more. I did like some of the other themes it touched upon, such as love and grief, but the storyline became tangled and confusing. I didn’t work out what was going on until the very. Perhaps I should read it again now that I know the ending to see if it’s easier to follow.
Overall, I think that this graphic novel had a lot of potential but the plot became too complicated. I did like the artwork though.
Full review available at warmdayswillnevercease.wordpress.com
I have to say, right away, that this wasn’t for me. It didn’t feel like a stand-alone book or even the first book in a series, it almost felt like a book in the middle of a series, and I think that’s one of the main things that I didn’t enjoy about it.
I thought that the art style was nice, very simple and understated, but, at times, it was too simple. It was pleasant but not striking or eye-catching. There’s nothing wrong with that though because sometimes too much detail can distract from the plot and the characters and I felt like the artwork was a good choice for this type of story. I’m not an expert in art or graphic novels but I did like it.
The premise was very intriguing and I liked the beginning a lot, even if it was a little abrupt. I thought that the mystery aspects could have been interesting if they’d have been developed more. I did like some of the other themes it touched upon, such as love and grief, but the storyline became tangled and confusing. I didn’t work out what was going on until the very. Perhaps I should read it again now that I know the ending to see if it’s easier to follow.
Overall, I think that this graphic novel had a lot of potential but the plot became too complicated. I did like the artwork though.
February 1, 2020
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
This was a gorgeous story featuring two army-base kids making a connection in a lifestyle that means constantly moving around. But when Ludo finds out his ex- and best friend, Arlo, has gone missing things his life starts to change.
The artwork in this graphic novel was a style that I love - simplistic but colourful and just aesthetically pleasing when paired with storytelling. Reminding me of illustrations by Fiona Staples in the Saga series, they were just enjoyable and wove the story-line together well.
While I adored our main characters, Ludo and Arlo, in their own way, the overall character development was a bit flat for me.
Without spoiling too much, this does have a little bit of time/dimension travel involved. A lot of other reviewers have stated that this wasn't clear and ended up causing some confusion. I don't disagree. While I don't think it was downright confusing, there was something missing to just make it clear to the reader.
But overall, I love the concept of the story that is weaved together by these fantastical elements. I enjoyed the novel and am interested in keeping an eye out for Adam Smith in the future - maybe a baby Vaughan on the horizon?
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
This was a gorgeous story featuring two army-base kids making a connection in a lifestyle that means constantly moving around. But when Ludo finds out his ex- and best friend, Arlo, has gone missing things his life starts to change.
The artwork in this graphic novel was a style that I love - simplistic but colourful and just aesthetically pleasing when paired with storytelling. Reminding me of illustrations by Fiona Staples in the Saga series, they were just enjoyable and wove the story-line together well.
While I adored our main characters, Ludo and Arlo, in their own way, the overall character development was a bit flat for me.
Without spoiling too much, this does have a little bit of time/dimension travel involved. A lot of other reviewers have stated that this wasn't clear and ended up causing some confusion. I don't disagree. While I don't think it was downright confusing, there was something missing to just make it clear to the reader.
But overall, I love the concept of the story that is weaved together by these fantastical elements. I enjoyed the novel and am interested in keeping an eye out for Adam Smith in the future - maybe a baby Vaughan on the horizon?
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
January 11, 2020
The synopsis of this graphic novel is about Ludo returning home to a place he hasn’t been since he was a teenager. He’s excited to see an ex-girlfriend Arlo and calls her the night he gets in to talk about meeting up the next day. When he arrives at her house he finds out Arlo has been missing for over a week.
Sounded like such an interesting premise and I was excited to read a mystery graphic novel but I was not at all prepared for alternate realities and parallel universes twist it takes. It made the storyline confusing for me and although I got what was happening by the end of the book, I was confused through most of it. In the earlier part of the graphic novel, I was feeling a little disappointed in the color scheme and graphic style but I now think it’s intentional as a way to portray what the character is feeling. Beautiful!
This is my first graphic novel by Adam Smith. I’m not sure I would chose to continue if this was made into a series but I am still very interested to check out more of his work. He’s published a few graphic novels set in the Dark Crystal realm which I’m all for!
Thank you to Oni Press for providing a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sounded like such an interesting premise and I was excited to read a mystery graphic novel but I was not at all prepared for alternate realities and parallel universes twist it takes. It made the storyline confusing for me and although I got what was happening by the end of the book, I was confused through most of it. In the earlier part of the graphic novel, I was feeling a little disappointed in the color scheme and graphic style but I now think it’s intentional as a way to portray what the character is feeling. Beautiful!
This is my first graphic novel by Adam Smith. I’m not sure I would chose to continue if this was made into a series but I am still very interested to check out more of his work. He’s published a few graphic novels set in the Dark Crystal realm which I’m all for!
Thank you to Oni Press for providing a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2020
I'm only going to write a fairly brief review of this graphic novel, simply because I don't want to give too much of the plot away for any other potential readers. This means I might have to keep it quite vague, too, so I apologise in advance!
An extremely simplified summary of the plot is that Ludo's girlfriend goes missing under rather peculiar circumstances. When a body is found alongside the burned wreckage of her car, most people accept that she is dead. But Ludo doesn't - he's sure something is wrong with the whole situation and is determined to find answers.
And he does eventually find answers. But I was left with so many questions; I really would have liked more detail and information about how it all worked and why it happened. I was just left confused, honestly.
Don't get me wrong, the writing was great and I did enjoy it. The premise was really unique and interesting, too. I just would have liked to understand things a bit more.
The art was great, too. It was detailed and clear, and generally really quite pleasant to look at.
I'm giving this book 3.5 stars overall.
An extremely simplified summary of the plot is that Ludo's girlfriend goes missing under rather peculiar circumstances. When a body is found alongside the burned wreckage of her car, most people accept that she is dead. But Ludo doesn't - he's sure something is wrong with the whole situation and is determined to find answers.
And he does eventually find answers. But I was left with so many questions; I really would have liked more detail and information about how it all worked and why it happened. I was just left confused, honestly.
Don't get me wrong, the writing was great and I did enjoy it. The premise was really unique and interesting, too. I just would have liked to understand things a bit more.
The art was great, too. It was detailed and clear, and generally really quite pleasant to look at.
I'm giving this book 3.5 stars overall.
January 19, 2020
I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
Arlo and Ludo met on an army base as teenagers. They dated for a while. Now, a few years later, Ludo is back in town. He calls Arlo the night before he arrives, and she says she can't wait to see him. However, when Ludo actually arrives, he finds out she has been missing for 2 weeks. Unsatisfied with the way the army base and the nearby town are handling the missing person investigation, Ludo tries to find Arlo himself.
I really liked the artwork in this graphic novel. I was a bit confused my the story at times. It jumped back and forth between the past and the present, which was always clearly noted. The book is only 120 pages. Personally, I would have liked more explanation into what exactly was going on with Arlo. I liked how at the end of the ARC, we got to see character concept pages.
2.5 stars
Arlo and Ludo met on an army base as teenagers. They dated for a while. Now, a few years later, Ludo is back in town. He calls Arlo the night before he arrives, and she says she can't wait to see him. However, when Ludo actually arrives, he finds out she has been missing for 2 weeks. Unsatisfied with the way the army base and the nearby town are handling the missing person investigation, Ludo tries to find Arlo himself.
I really liked the artwork in this graphic novel. I was a bit confused my the story at times. It jumped back and forth between the past and the present, which was always clearly noted. The book is only 120 pages. Personally, I would have liked more explanation into what exactly was going on with Arlo. I liked how at the end of the ARC, we got to see character concept pages.
2.5 stars
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