Tender, sweetly romantic, and enchanting; an encouraging coming-of-age story.
A teenager struggles to cope in this graphic novel loosely inspired by the Norwegian folktale “East of the Sun and West of the Moon.”
Vietnamese American high school junior Angelica “Jelly” Hoang has had a rough year. Overachieving perfectionist Jelly has burned out and retreated from life. But after she’s awarded an internship at the Log House Theater, Jelly cautiously re-emerges. The theater, a local institution, not only played a seminal role in 7-year-old Jelly’s life when she saw her first performance there, it has also supported her teenage self: Jelly’s been messaging a fan account for Per the Bear Prince, their mascot. What started off as a quick note of appreciation has evolved into open and vulnerable conversations. An internship offers Jelly an opportunity to “feel connected to [her] work again”—and find out who’s behind the bear account, which seems to have exclusive insider information. Nguyen tenderly explores difficult emotional topics like anxiety and long-lasting grief. The characters and their interactions convey the comfort and acceptance that come from healthy communication and relationships. The delicate, expressive illustrations, executed in a soft color palette, captivatingly capture the heartfelt tone, and design details enhance the storytelling. Elegant picture frames surround panels that show flashbacks, such as of Jelly’s childhood experiences at the theater and memories of her late, beloved grandmother, Bà Ngoại. The supporting cast is diverse in gender identity, race, and body size.
Tender, sweetly romantic, and enchanting; an encouraging coming-of-age story. (author’s note, sketches) (Graphic fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781984892669
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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