I want to begin with saying that there might have been pages missing from my e-arc and I can normally look past that, but I was unable to determine ifI want to begin with saying that there might have been pages missing from my e-arc and I can normally look past that, but I was unable to determine if those missing pages were meant to be missing or if it was just a mistake. A couple of them happened at what I would say were pivotal moments in the book.
How far back does trauma go and is it built into your dna or a product of the human condition. Clay Footed Giants follows two dads as they take care of their family, take on traditionally female roles, and try to understand how their past has molded their present. While the story follows two friends Pat and Matthieu, most of the book is dedicated to Pat's struggles with parenthood. He's a researcher on sabbatical, but finds out that taking care of his kids is more difficult than he imagined, especially when his wife starts going on more and more business trips. He also struggles with a deep rage inside him that he fears might bubble over and hurt his children just like his dad's drunken anger harmed Pat and his brother Rand as children. Pat thinks maybe finding out why his father is the way he is might be the key to unlocking everything. Meanwhile Matthieu is dealing with the realization that his dreams might be forever on the back burner, sacrificed let his wife's career succeed and to be a stay at home dad.
Clay Footed Giants asks that important questions: What is generational trauma? How does it change our perceptions on gender roles, parenthood, sobriety, and just living? How hard is it to break the chain? How do we navigate the anger within ourselves when you don't know it's starting place? I think is probably an important introspective look on all of those things. ...more
Adele just had her first period and learned that seeing ghosts is a family tradition in here family all in one dGot an e-arc of this from NetGalley.
Adele just had her first period and learned that seeing ghosts is a family tradition in here family all in one day. Now she has to make a decision: listen to the ghosts on the street and become a medium or follow in her grandma's footsteps and disavow the medium lifestyle entirely.
I really enjoyed this. I'm not quite sure the period part at the beginning was necessary, but I recognize that's probably just a side effect of how I was raised. (Not ashamed of the period story, but it's always felt like a private event to me.) The art is really great and I liked all the characters. The conflict wasn't too heavy handed for a single volume, so the pacing was really good. I would recommend this to my middle graders at the library. ...more
I really liked this, but I can definitely tell I'm not the target audience because every adult brain part of me was cringing in horror at all the thinI really liked this, but I can definitely tell I'm not the target audience because every adult brain part of me was cringing in horror at all the things these kids got up to while unsupervised on a fieldtrip abroad. Dan Santat's art is great as always and this definitely hit better for me than his last graphic novel. ...more
I know I am not the target demographic for this manga, so take this review as intended. Everyone was annoying in this book and it was full of miscommuI know I am not the target demographic for this manga, so take this review as intended. Everyone was annoying in this book and it was full of miscommunication for the sole reason of pushing the plot forward. Just not for me. Very low 2.5-3 stars....more
I'm always a fan of Hick's work and I would love to say this was a slam dunk, but sadly, I cannot.
Alix loves hockey. In fact, it's the only thing sheI'm always a fan of Hick's work and I would love to say this was a slam dunk, but sadly, I cannot.
Alix loves hockey. In fact, it's the only thing she wants to do. Unfortunately, one of her high school's biggest bullies is also on the team. After a game, Alix gets pushed too far and reacts violently, putting her dreams of hockey camp in jeopardy. More importantly, the violence scared even Alix. When she sees Ezra, one of the drama kids, handling a school bully with confidence, Alix asks him to help her.
I enjoyed about 99% of this book. The characters seem realistic. The emotions are well conveyed. A lot of the problems that appear seem to be because people are talking past each other instead of to each other. Normally, plot momentum based on miscommunication would frustrate me, but here it worked. Alix and Ezra are normal teenagers having normal problems with adults that are supporting and, quite honestly in the case of Alix's hockey coach, epically failing them. Everything seemed very natural and the romance was cute.
However, this book ends far too abruptly. I think ten or so more pages to just round out some loose ends in the story would have been great. It's true that sometimes real life isn't so neatly tied up, but it kind of seemed here like pages were literally misplaced and just not inserted into the back of the book. Still, it's probably a good thing for a book that my biggest complaint was there wasn't enough of it. ...more
The author of this graphic novel really just said "I'll use a bat to get the plot across. That won't be annoying or unbelievable at all."The author of this graphic novel really just said "I'll use a bat to get the plot across. That won't be annoying or unbelievable at all."...more
