Hello everyone! I wanted to take some time to do another Book Review. I am trying to do 15 book reviews this year, and this is number four. The Graphic Novel I will review today is Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy : A Graphic Novel: A Modern Retelling of Little Women by Rey Terciero, Bre Indigo (illustrations)
Read from- 02/5/2018-02/12/2019
Originally Published- 02/5/2019 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers.
Edition I read- Kindle Ebook
Goodreads Synopsis
“2018 marks the 150th anniversary of the classic Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Join Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy as they are re-envisioned as a blended family living in modern day NYC in this beautiful, full-color graphic novel that's perfect for fans of Raina Telemeier's Smile, Svetlana Chmakova's Awkward, and Victoria Jamieson's Roller Girl.
Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are having a really tough year: Not only is their father overseas with the military and their working overtime to make ends meet, but each girl is struggling with her own unique problems. Whether it's school woes, health issues, boy troubles, or simply feeling lost, the March sisters all need the same thing: support from each other. By coming together--and sharing lots of laughs and tears--these four young women find the courage to discover who they truly are as individuals...and as a family.
Meg is the eldest March. She has a taste for the finer things in life--especially when it comes to clothes and parties--and dreams of marrying rich and leaving her five-floor walk-up apartment behind.
Jo pushes her siblings to be true to themselves, yet feels like no one will accept her for who she truly is. Her passion for writing gives her an outlet to feel worthy in the eyes of her friends and family.
Beth is the timid sister with a voice begging to be heard. Guitar in hand, her courage inspires her siblings to seize the day and not take life for granted.
Amy may be the baby of the family, but she has the biggest personality. Though she loves to fight with her sisters, her tough exterior protects a vulnerable heart that worries about her family's future. “
Overall thoughts
I would rate this book five stars. Sure, it had its issues, but these did not stop me from enjoying the story immensely. As you may notice from other book reviews, I don't read a ton of Graphic Novels, but I love the story of Little Women so I knew that I needed to pick this up. If you're a fan of Little Women, this is for you. If you don't know the original work, but want a diverse story about family, this is for you.
Characters 5/5
The characters remain intact with this Graphic Novel which I appreciated. Marme was the one that was keeping the family together in a time when it was uncertain if their father would return from war. Meg, as the oldest March sibling, was trying to keep it together for her sisters even though all that she wanted was her father to come home safe and sound. Jo was sassy and opinionated as is her character in the original novel. She remained my favorite character in this novel. Beth was sweet and nurturing towards her siblings. Beth is my other favorite character in the original work and in the graphic novelization. Amy I enjoyed more in this work because she was less whiny and childish in this reworking. All the characters being more modern works because they are more relatable to a reader today.
Writing 5/5
The writing in the novel was excellent. Our characters seem real and that is all because of the writing and how Rey Terciero creates them. The story remains fresh and new because of the subtle differences and enhancements. I enjoyed the new take on a classic because of the changes for the better. At not point does the writing feel forced, it feels natural and sets the flow of the story.
Pace 5/5
The pacing of this story is exceptional. At no time does the story feel off by the pacing. The quick parts are fast and the more dramatic parts are slow and emotional. Overall, this is one of the best paces stories I have ever read and I loved it a lot. At no point does the pacing seem too slow or too fast and take you out of the story being told.
Art 5/5
I read this as an ebook and am not sure who to take a screen shot on my iPad. Anyway, the great part of a Graphic Novel is the art right? The art can either make or break the story for you and the art that Bre Indigo does is perfect. I can't praise it enough because it brings you into the world and into the characters. Each character looks different even though they're sisters, and I loved how Bre Indigo used art as a story and how each character remained consist throughout the novel.
Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? If you have not read it is it on your list of books to read?
I think I've been in need of something to make me appreciate Little Women again, and I didn't even think about graphic novels like this! How cool is this!
ReplyDeleteI loved it!
DeleteI loved this! Especially the illustrations, I felt like they captured all the characters really well. I loved how they did Amy especially I think.
ReplyDelete