sauvageloup's reviews
519 reviews

a really fun rollercoaster of a graphic novel, v different from the film but with it's own up sides 

pros:
- interesting exploration of good and evil, morality and immorality. we see the same look at what makes a hero or villain as in the movie, but nimona is a lot more dubious morality, as is the director and ambrosius. ballister holds his position of no murder wherever he can, but does have no compulsions of robbing a bank and is a more established and badass villain.
- ballisters character was very interesting, he praises and accepts nimona more, encourages her as his sidekick, and has much less doubt than movie bal. the theme of nonbinary-ness is less emphasised and instead we look at morality more. he has far more of a reason to be a villain with ambrosius deliberately chopping his arm off, and then the institute being ableist. 
- ambrosius was much darker, and refused to admit he did wrong till late in the book. they were never rly affectionate on page before the final page, and no kisses. much more of an arch nemesis than a breakup vibe.
- nimona was still likeable despite her gung ho attitude to murdering guards. she sees very black and white while ballister is aware of nuance. whilst childish, she isnt a child much in the comic until

shes actually captured, which made her character feel different.

I felt there was also a different focus on trauma, isolation and the impact of it, nimona in the movie seemed affected in her depression and suicide attempt with the sword and her upset over the little girl's reaction, whereas comic nimona reacts with pure rage most of the time and doesnt forgive ballister, who cant get through to her through talking and has to use a weapon against her. it showed that sometimes support comes too little, too late and she was experiencing a trauma response. 
- I did overall appreciate the more adult feel of the comic

with ambrosius's darker personality, the director's torture of nimona, nimona's constant violence, the gory art, the physical altercation between bal and ambrosius in the pub, etc.

- I liked the art style a lot and would like to reread to appreciate it more. the dialogue is fab too, there was no weak bit.
- the plot spread over a wide time line with a few flashbacks too, and was woven together very well. everything from the

planting the virus in the apples, the different institution perspectives, nimona's fake background, bal and ambrosius's relationship and fighting

flowed together really well and added interesting complexity.
- the side character of dr blitzmeyer was interesting too, a fellow scientist like ballister. he sees her indifference to his reputation as friendship, whereas she is surprised by his trust and openness. she was a bit of a plot device but added comedy and i liked her. 
- there are really funny bits too, amidst the dark aspects, with funny dialogue. some came off better in movie, but the textual jokes were great too.
- I liked the twist too of nimona

being able to separate herself into two selves and control the other one. she becomes her anger and her vulnerable side, separated. the monster and the inner child. when separated they lose the balance that let them trust and work with bal. cool and interesting application of nimona's abilities.

cons:
- nimona is harder to like with her unsympathetic disregard for people's lives and as much as its understandable, you get to love her more through ballister than because of herself at least at first. I felt movie nimona had her sad backstory played up more, and her violence played down. 
- compared to the movie, I missed the transgender focus and the theme of acceptance and moving past prejudice. perhaps a result of the authors developing gender identity. the added on screen gayness of bal and ambrosius was great too.
- did think the other scientist was a bit of a plot device and we didnt see much of her.
- liked the flashbacks to gloreth and nimona's friendship in the movie, not present in the comic.

overall, very enjoyable and different from the movie in a lot of ways, but with parallels too. 

a fun supernatural, dystopian mystery read, enjoyed it.

pros:
- the writing style was different and fun. I got a real sense of who Ropa was and liked her a lot. her character comes through through the writing, with a quirky mix of slang and complicated language and concepts. shes both smart and street smart.
- I also really loved priya and gran as side characters, they were great. priya was a lot of fun to read, and ropa's love for her gran was obvious.
- there was also some lovely descriptions in Huchu's writing, creating a great atmosphere.
- the horror was also genuinely creepy

with the Brounie, the eyeless milkman, the unaging siobhan

- while the mystery was great, the tensions ropa had about still bringing money in and helping her family felt very real. she really feels she has to carry everything and doesnt tell anyone older than her, apart from Callender, who fails her.
- I likes the dystopian Edinburgh a lot, made a nice change from London, and the implied breakdown of society which was hinted at but never entirely explained, was interesting.
- priya's magical wheelchair was fab, really interesting application of magic.
- and the bits of African culture, the mbira helping ground the spirits and gran's magic, were great, enjoyed learning about them.

cons:
- I never got a real sense of Jomo, he seemed quite hapless and not particularly helpful, didnt quite get Ropa's loyalty to him.
- occasionally the slang dialogue did feel a bit forced but not often.
- the two main bits of the plot seemed very disparat .

the creepy brounie house and the children having elixir made from them were only barely linked. 
- I did get a bit frustrated with the refusal to give an in depth explanation of a lot of things, like

the collapse of Edinburgh, why the milkman had no eyes, why only the faces of the kids got old, what happened with Ropa's mum, why Ropa's magic didnt work (tho I guess it said at the end that she just needed to be angry enough), how Priya's wheelchair magic worked (why could she go on ceilings but not up a steep hill?).

I mean, it's a mystery story and a series so some of these are understandable but there did seem to be a bit too much vagueness at times.

but overall, really enjoyed this read :)

I didn't know this was a verse novel going into it, so that was a surprise, but i rly liked it all the same.

pros:
- poetic language, with some very good poems and thoughtful writing. it carried the story along quickly, moving through time and settings with no confusion and vividly.
- a very accessible story about lots of complicated ideas around identity, race, gender, christianity, coming of age, etc. it covers a lot of topics without feeling rushed or shallow.
- I was especially interested in the MC's exploration of his mixed race heritage and culture and feelings as a British guy and how being black influenced his queer experience. I didnt know much about that at all so that was very rewarding to read.
- the characters were all interesting and you rooted for them or disliked them depending on the character. some were complicated, like daisy and Rowan and had growth. I liked how it spanned a full 2 decades of life really well. we could see Michael's whole journey from barbie playing child to realised and accepted black gay drag queen.
- interesting also to see a British perspective as other books I've read have had a US one.

cons:
- I found the start quite childish in tone. I know it was focused on a child and told from his POV, but the simplistic language felt dull. but i got into it fast and enjoyed the uni sections much more.
- maybe there could have been more depth of background characters, or the book just felt much shorter because of the prose. but I did like it a lot. would have liked to see Michaels and Kieran relationship go further.

overall, a fun, different read from my usual. not prose like I expected but good!

glad to have read this, because the concept is fresh and interesting, and I need to read more wholly sapphic books. but it tried to do too much and didnt pull it off.
this review on tumblr by flying-elliska has all my thoughts well said:
https://www.tumblr.com/flying-elliska/672822130083233792/and-now-for-sapphic-reads-time-the-sequel-tm?source=share

pros:
- the setting was a fleshed out character in itself and I loved that. the orchard apples, the tower, the orangerie, the beach, etc.
- I liked the story of the original woman, simone, who lived on the land.
- some imagery was definitely creepy and disturbing, especially eating wasps.
- the main characters were interesting, and I liked that they became a poly triad rather than a love triangle.

cons:
- too many characters, too much rambling, too meta, too plotty and just too long.
- I never really got truly creeped out. it just didnt sink deep enough into that and there wasnt enough real danger. the deaths were distant and over fast. didnt feel that sad at any of them.
- more interesting to see more flo and Clara for sure.

a different read for sure and I'm glad I read it, but disappointing and a bit slow too.

a beautiful middle school summer friendship/ romance

pros:
- quality of the writing surprised me with its loveliness. dialogue is quite meandering and ordinary in places, but theres some rly poetic bits and a sweetness under it all.
- Jeremy and evan are such nice characters. Jeremy forgave his father repeatedly and felt bad for him, but still stood up for himself and evan. I liked how Jeremy's dad felt real with his problems and ugly coping, though he was still thoroughly dislike able. Jeremy's mum felt realistic too, with her own things going on outside of Jeremy, like regular parents.
- the nature descriptions, the town and the bird language was all very lovely, quite vivid.
- and I liked the text conversations, they felt real without being dull. Jeremy's anxiety about messing up was also relatable whilst never getting too frustrating for the reader.
- nice pacing, very sweet and imminently readable. 

cons:
- didnt forgive Jeremy's dad if that was the intent. them working it out felt maybe a little fast
- would've been nice to meet Evan's grandma more.
- Jeremy could honestly have been more angry
- would've been nice to have a hint at them reuniting, more than just next summer. but maybe just bc didnt want it to end!

a very sweet read that I wish was longer or had a sequel! a little simple maybe but lovely.

a fascinating space opera, not usually my genre but really enjoyed it.

pros:
- cool and innovative world building, very original. loved the details of the technology, the poetry culture, the complicated politics, the empire and its colonialism, the naming structure, the way they have clones more than kids it seem , etc. 
- Mahit's love and hate relationship with the empire's culture and people, and how she desperately wants to be part of it, but sees its flaws and loves her own people.

I loved the ending where she decides to go back home while she still wants to. really shows her growth in character and the complicated nature of her relationship with the empire

- the writing was lovely, super evocative and descriptive, very visual.
- the romance

between mahit and three seagrass at the end

was not focused on but a sweet moment too.
- loved the relationships and the details of the side characters. and the gently mentioned queerness that wasnt a big point but quietly there and no bigotry or question was raised about it.
- also loved the turns in plot, always surprising

especially the big reveal at the end about the new emperor, which fixed a lot of problems and worked so well. and Mahit managing to get her mental guy back again.
- it also left more to be explored, with the imminent threat of aliens, Mahit heading back home and facing the woman who sabotaged her mind thing, and I want to hear more about the emperor's 90% clone and if he'll really turn out like his "father". </spoilers>

cons:
- I was losing track of the characters a fair bit. partly bc of their unusual names I think, and bc of the sheer no. tho I did take a break in the middle too. But I didnt realise there was a character and word glossary at the back which I should've checked.
- I did find it slightly sad that we didnt get to see more of Mahits mental guy, since she missed him so much but we barely knew him so I didnt relate much.

and when he did come back, I didnt love him that much, bc he'd sold out this info and wasnt as likeable as Mahit, or we didnt see as much of him

- I did just generally find it a bit of a slow read, but I think that's just the genre and it isnt rly a criticism. it definitely really got going in the 2nd half too, it didnt drag at all.

so overall, a really good read and I plan to read the 2nd book when the library gets it for me :) thanks to @deadlypapercut for getting it for me.

a mysterious and thrilling adventure graphic novel. really cool to see the witcher in another format.

pros:
- very cool and atmospheric art! though the detailed close ups were best. liked the designs
- the bits of humour were snarky and fun, and I liked the story's twists and turns.

cons:
- the women were literally maiden/wife, hag and whore, which was pretty crap. disappointed that geralt didnt help Marta with her vengeance, but maybe he knew Marta needed to do it herself.

overall, a good read, would definitely read more in the series

very poetic, very reflective and human

pros:
- beautiful language, beautiful dialogue that I definitely want to read again. a rawness to the expressions and a lack of concern with moralising. 
- elio is much more complicated and contradictory in the book, he wants so badly and doesn't shy from portraying that in the book,  even if the character isnt always so brave. 
- a poignant reminder about not being afraid of seizing your desires, no matter the difficulty or taboo or opinions of others. that people grow and change and die but some experiences can be so powerful. 
- the film had a much less controversial or deep view than the book, which had elio acting hot and cold and cruelly at times, and Oliver somewhat the same, which made me like the characters less perhaps, but also added a much more human element. also, the end is far richer in how it stretches into the future, though it's very sad.
- I liked the exploration of different seasons of life, the burning spark of youth, the deeper, longer burn later on. and the depiction of memory, since elio has moments he remembers better, and Oliver adds details that illuminate bits of the story we weren't originally told. it felt more real and like a diary that way. even if it took a bit of getting used to, and irked slightly at the start when I just wanted all of it, not just the bits older elio remembered. 

cons:
- few cons included above
- I did feel less compassion towards the early characters perhaps because of the on and off, the lack of communication. but this is understandable and I didnt hold it against them as the book progressed.
- I didnt agree with how little joy Oliver seemed to get from his future life, nor elio really. to call living with his wife and children a coma seemed cruel.
- the lack of important female characters is a real shame. the women who are there are for sex and to fulfil society's expectations of a picket fence life and little else. even elio's mother really has a very little role compared to his father. the other female characters are just flings, the house keeper or a sick, pre-publescent girl. while I understand the nature of the book is to focus on elio and Oliver's relationship, the lack of value given to relationships with women, platonic or romantic, and the lack of loyalty they seem to inspire was noticeable. although elio does make a throwaway mention that it could have been a man or a woman who caused such a fundamental shift for him.

overall, a strong, poetic, shockingly but refreshingly intimate and raw book with beautiful depictions of lust and love.

a fun, light hearted read with light angst and pretty artwork.

pros:
- Ari and Hector are sweet characters which would probably be more relatable for younger readers/teenagers, it's a kind of coming of age story more than a romance, with Ari seeming much younger than Hector.
- the art work is lovely, I like the style and the atmosphere the book creates.
- it was nice to see the friends and parents involved in the story.
- the baking montages were cute, would probably appeal to someone who liked cooking/baking more.

cons:
- Felt like maybe this graphic novel was aimed younger than me. But even so, the plot lacked major resolution for me personally. Ari's wrongful idolising of Cameron (and him not standing up to him) is never really addressed, Ari just leaves the shared flat.
- though Ari decides to stay with his parents, theres no resolution with his liking of music and to explore, just that his city experience wasnt great and he gave up on it. no real deep discussion of why he changed his mind.
- also, we get Ari apologising to Hector but no explanation for why he lied, and then no growing romance between them?? just a cut scene to the winter? for a romance graphic novel, theres not much romance. should be marketed as more coming of age and friendship.
- the parents didnt make an effort to really understand Ari's desire to move. and Hector pushes aside Ari's unhappy feelings and calls him clingy when he leaves. theres very little communication between them, especially when Ari seems to be exhibiting anxiety symptoms.
- the splitting up of the band and Cameron blaming ari was also a big deal and wasnt addressed much.
- also, shame there wasnt a little more details to the art. it created an overall feeling well and communicated actions, but no little details to find with closer inspection like Alice Oseman does.

overall, a nice but shallow read that left me with some frustration. some of that was from poor marketing and me being the wrong age, I think, but also lack of plot resolution in many places.