Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Book 1 - 4 stars
Book 2 - 5 stars
Genre: Scifi / Fantasy, 5 stars, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade,
People who should read this: If you want a lighter read with some fun adventure, a little bit of humor, and a great cast.
*I was given a copy of the second book to leave an honest review*
I got the first one from the library - just in case you were wondering. Probably not. Nod if you did…
I really hope that I’m writing this review just on books one and two and not on the entire series. After the cliffhanger I was left dangling on, I really need at least one more book. Plus, I love the characters so much, I want to read more about them. Now, I just need to get my hands on the first book again and I can quickly demolish them all over. I know I missed so much in the art work because I was just devouring the story. Maybe that’s why graphic novels are such a hit. They let you have more than one trip because there is so much to see.
I’ll let you in on a little secret though. I’ve never read a graphic novel before now.
I know. Right!?!?!
But seriously. I struggled buying them when I knew that I could gobble them up in an hour. And that part is true. It only took me an hour to read each one. So that isn’t helping their case. I was also really worried that I wouldn’t be able to get into the story with all of the pictures. I know that sounds weird, but I have a very active imagination and I don’t want to be told what to imagine. That’s why I can get into movies so well. While the movie is going, I’m imagining all the things that could possibly be going on in the background. When I’m not doing that, I’m putting myself in the character’s shoes. Not always a fun thing to do when you’re watching a sad movie.
Okay… back to this series.
Estrange is that series that you’ll want to pick up when the world is getting you down. There’s plenty to interest even the pickiest readers - action, adventure, magic, character development, humor.
The first book delves into the world. The reader gets to meet the wide cast, understand how the two boys were swapped, and learn the workings of the world. To be honest, there’s a lot there. Sometimes the book leaned on its Middle Grade roots. I enjoyed myself. I enjoyed the effort put in. I mostly enjoyed the plot. But there was a level of boredom that followed me throughout the story.. I could really feel the age limit on it.
But then you get to book two and things change. Those debut shackles have definitely been taken off. The writing was humorous to the point that I was actually laughing out loud. I never laugh out loud, especially when I’m in public. My favorite tropes and story style littered the pages. Because the cast was already introduced, more time could be spent on the growth of the characters. It felt like one of those reboots where each old cast member walks on and the crowd screams when they see who it is. Old friends coming to play again. That Middle Grade mentality was thrown at the window. The preachiness of, lets teach you a lesson, was gone. I hated turning the last page and seeing that it was over.
There may be other stories out there with the same concept, but this is the first time I’ve read one where the human and the changeling met and had to work together. It made for some great awkward moments that lent to the tension in the story. And this is where the message of family was really hammered in. On top of that, the kids never hid who they were in the end. I really appreciated that the parents were brought into the loop. I’m not someone who like the stories where the parents never know what is going on. They never feel realistic.
And here is something that I never get to talk about in book reviews… art. The style is fun and not overwhelming for the first time graphic novel reader. Each piece was simple enough so I could glance at it and keep going. I felt that each character matched what was drawn. And the detail of the backgrounds distinguishing the world above and below was a nice addition.
Overall, I’m really glad this is the series that I started on. It left me wanting more, not just for the series but graphic novels in general. I really connected with the characters and the story. Please please please let there be a third book.
Happy Reading
Love Kait
Reading Challenge: 98/110