Showing posts with label 2022. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2022. Show all posts

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Graphic Novel Review: Clementine Book One by Tillie Walden

 

Title: Clementine: Book 1
Author: Tillie Walden
Illustrated by: Tillie Walden
Publisher: Image Comics
Publishing Date: June 21st, 2022
Read: December 27th, 2024
Pages: 259
Audio Length: N/A
Genre: YA Horror graphic novel
TW: N/A
Series: Book 1 of Clementine
Source: Physical


What it's about:
Acclaimed author Tillie Walden enters the world of Robert Kirkman's THE WALKING DEAD as 17-year-old Clementine must learn the difference between living and surviving in this intimate, coming-of-age YA graphic novel trilogy.

FROM THE WORLD OF ROBERT KIRKMAN'S THE WALKING DEAD...
...CLEMENTINE LIVES!

Clementine is back on the road, looking to put her traumatic past behind her and forge new path all her own.

But when she comes across an Amish teenager named Amos with his head in the clouds, the unlikely pair journeys North to an abandoned ski resort in Vermont, where they meet up with a small group of teenagers attempting to build a new, walker-free settlement.

As friendship, rivalry, and romance begin to blossom amongst the group, the harsh winter soon reveals that the biggest threat to their survival...might be each other.

A coming-of-age tale of survival written and illustrated by two-time Eisner award-winner Tillie Walden (Spinning, On a Sunbeam).

What I thought:
*There could be spoilers if you haven't finished the game! If you don't care about that keep reading*
It's no secret how much of a fan of Walking Dead I am. I've seen every episode more than once, I've played all the games, I've read EVERY graphic novel and I'm working through the books. 
So when I found out that there was a whole graphic novel dedicated to Clem, I knew I had to have it. I enjoyed reading it, though it's not exactly what I expected. I don't know what I expected but it almost didn't feel like TWD universe and it didn't really feel like Clem. Maybe because I'm used to seeing her in video game form this just wasn't her. I don't know. I still liked it for what it was, but I can't give it a 5 star because of that. 

Cover:
I actually like the cover, I like how it shows little clem.

Story:
It doesn't feel like TWD like I said, but as a stand alone I like it, I wish there was a bit more to it but unfortunately that happens a lot with graphic novels. 
I would've liked to see more happen.

Pace: 
It went too fast! I feel like nothing happened at all, but maybe that's because it's the first of the series, I don't know.

Writing: 
It's still well written I think, it's just a base for the rest of the series, I don't know if there will be more past the third one, but it would be cool if there was.

Characters: 
I love Clem usually, but again this didn't feel like her. I know she has been through some sh*t but she just wasn't who she was in the games. I liked one of the characters but they got killed off (It's not a spoiler, it's a graphic novel about zombies, of course people die) and the rest were just meh.

Ending: 
A cliff hanger, like usual. 

Artwork:
I actually don't like this art style at all, maybe that's why I'm having a hard time feeling like it's Clem? Because it also just doesn't look like her.  

Overall:
It's still TWD, it's still Clem, and I will still love and enjoy them.


A little Snippet:



Possible books of likeness:




Author's info:
Tillie Walden is an American cartoonist and illustrator.
Born in 1996 in San Diego, California, Walden graduated from the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont, where she is currently a professor.
Walden started publishing short comics when she was just a teenager. Her first long-form graphic novel The End of Summer was published by the British publisher Avery Hill in 2015. Her second book I Love This Part came out only a few months later, winning the 2016 Ignatz Award for promising new talent. Later Walden received the 2018 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work for her memoir Spinning (2017). Among her other works are A City Inside (2016), On a Sunbeam (2018), Are You Listening? (2020), Alone in Space (2021) and the series Clementine.
Website: http://tilliewalden.com
Twitter: TillieWalden



Friday, June 28, 2024

Book Review: Camp Scare by Delilah S. Dawson



Title: Camp Scare
Author: Delilah S. Dawson
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publishing Date: August 2nd, 2022
Read: March 26th, 2024
Pages: 288
Audio Length: 7 Hours 27 Minutes
Genre: Middle Grade Paranormal Horror Mystery
TW: Bullying
Series: Standalone
Source: Audio


What it's about:
An eerie, twisty ghost story about twelve-year-old Parker, who only wanted a summer of fun and new friendship, and the nightmare she finds instead.

Don't forget your flashlight...

Parker Nelson can't wait for summer camp. She'll have fun and make amazing memories, far away from the bullies who made seventh grade unbearable.

But then something terrible happens: The mean girl who made life a living nightmare is in Parker's cabin. Soon all the other girls turn on Parker, too--no one wants to be her friend. Except Jenny.

Jenny's the only one who is willing to listen. The only one who understands. The only one who feels the same way Parker does: That there's a deep, dark secret to making friends and she's the only one who doesn't know it.

But there's something else Parker doesn't know. Something bad happened at the camp a long time ago, and it just won't stay buried...

What I thought:
This was a fun quick short read. I love middle grade horror because it's so genuinely horror. It doesn't have any of the sex and it's usually a very quick pace while still being completely creepy. 
This one definitely was creepy and a quick read and I found myself zoning out quite often while listening.
This is another book that's been months since I've read, so I'll do my best at reviewing.

Cover:
I love the skull marshmallow so much.

Story:
I really liked this story, it kept me guessing and I never knew what was going to come next, I was worried it was going to be a typical mean girl ghostly story, and it was to a certain degree, but while being also very unique.

Pace: 
The perfect pace to keep young horror fans focused.

Writing: 
Very creepy, the descriptions were great and I felt like it flowed well, it's meant for tweens so it doesn't have to be anything spectacular, but I do feel like it's well written.

Characters: 
I had a problem with a lot of the characters, I tried to remember that they were tweens but a lot of them were annoying, oops.
 
World building: 
Like I said the author did a good job describing what was happening and what was around them, I was able to picture what I was reading.

Ending: 
I didn't expect the ending and I really liked it.

Narrator:
For the most part I enjoyed the narrator. I did find the voice to be a bit whiny sometimes but not awful.

Overall:
It's a creepy quick middle grade horror full of twists and turns. 


Possible books of likeness:


Author's info:
Delilah S. Dawson is the New York Times-bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma, Black Spire: Galaxy's Edge, and The Perfect Weapon. With Kevin Hearne, she writes the Tales of Pell. As Lila Bowen, she writes the Shadow series, beginning with Wake of Vultures. Her other books include the Blud series, the Hit series, and Servants of the Storm.
She's written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore's Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.

Website http://www.whimsydark.com
Twitter DelilahSDawson

Other books I've read by this author:



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