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

Book Review: One House Left by Vincent Ralph

Title: One House Left

Author: Vincent Ralph

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Publishing Date: August 27th, 2024

Read: December 13th, 2024

Pages: 320

Audio Length: 9 Hours 9 Minutes

Genre: YA horror thriller

TW: death of a child, gore, bullying, schizophrenia, mental health issues, abandonment, toxic relationships

Series: Standalone

Source: Audio

What it's about:

“Ready or not. Whatever you do. The Hiding Boy is coming for you.”

Sixteen-year-old Nate Campbell grew up in the shadow of Murder Road – a street cursed by the vengeful spirit of the Hiding Boy.

Every few years, for nearly six decades, a different house on that street has been the scene of a tragedy.

Nate and his family move to a new town as they try to outrun the curse once and for all. But, when he is pulled into his new friends’ urban legend club, new ghost stories merge with old until there is nowhere left to run.

What I thought:

Vincent Ralph is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I was a little bit bored at the beginning of this, but I had to know what was going on, everything was kind of hush hush at the beginning and even through out the book, they'd almost tell us something then change it up, which was both annoying and made me HAVE to keep reading.

The ending though, like the last third of the book made up for the whole thing. I ended up really enjoying it, even though it's not my favorite of his, I would say it's probably either my second or third favorite. I did like it.

Cover:

I actually really like this cover, I love how all of his are bright and creepy at the same time. They seem to fit the book well.

Story:

I love anything urban legend. Like really love. This is one I hadn't heard before so it's not just like a lot of other books I've read about urban legends that use pre-existing urban legends. How many times can I say urban legends?
Anyway.

I think it was a unique story, it's something I would love to read more about if it were a real urban legend (There I go again) and I think it felt like it was a realistic one even if it wasn't ACTUALLY realistic. It read like it could've really happened.

Pace: 

Ehhh, like I said before it was a bit slow. Once it picked up it was fine, it was just rough getting there. 

Writing: 

I kind of love Vincent Ralph's writing. He has the same style for all of his books and they just work.

Characters: 

I uh, didn't really care for any of the characters. The love interest was almost a manic pixie dream girl, like "She's not like most girls" type, and I feel like we were supposed to love her, but I didn't. The MC was okay, I didn't like or dislike him, the family was okay. Just all kind of okay.

Ending: 

The ending made the whole book. That's why I rated it a 4 because that ending.

Narrator:

Overall:

Overall I really enjoyed this book, even if it was a bit slow. It was unique and the ending left me crazy.

A little Snippet:

“The first murder—like most murders—took everyone by surprise.”

― Vincent Ralph, One House Left

Possible books of likeness:

Author's info:

Vincent Ralph is the bestselling author of YA thrillers 14 Ways to Die, Lock the Doors and Secrets Never Die. All three novels are New York Times bestsellers and Lock the Doors is also a USA Today bestseller, an Edgar Award nominee, and the winner of the Southern Schools Book Award. His fourth book - One House Left - is out in August 2024, as is his first story for younger readers - A Boy Called Book.

Other books I've read by this author: