janeelysium's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
iffer's review
3.0
I enjoyed this more than I thought that I would, and even found some of the comics funny (which is saying something since I and apparently a "self-deluder" and therefore don't like funny things. More than that, I'm not really a comic strip person. Jillian Tamaki succeeds at portraying some of the problems of being a high school teenager in a funny and endearing way. The geeky references temper the sarcasm and ironic humor so that the collection isn't too cool for its own good.
elise_dragon13's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
chris_reads's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use and Dysphoria
Minor: Alcohol, Gore, and Suicidal thoughts
lalanier's review
4.0
Grabbed it on a whim when I picked up This One Summer. Didn't realize it was more a collection of strips than a regular graphic novel at the time so, I was on the fence. Most of the opening pieces were hit or miss with me, but as it progressed I became more familiar with the characters, and there were a lot of clever and witty strips. A few were laugh out loud funny.
I grew to have favorite characters, like Frances, and more story arcs occurred as the school year went on which I appreciated. One of the most enjoyable was Marsha and Wendy's. SuperMutant Magic Academy was an amusing and humorous look at teenage life with a magical spin while addressing issues relatable to many teens/young adults.
Anywho, this gets a 4 instead of 5 because it didn't pull me in right away and I set it down for a little bit. Once I continued reading however, I grew more fond of the work and enjoyed it to the very end. Including the epilogue.
I grew to have favorite characters, like Frances, and more story arcs occurred as the school year went on which I appreciated. One of the most enjoyable was Marsha and Wendy's. SuperMutant Magic Academy was an amusing and humorous look at teenage life with a magical spin while addressing issues relatable to many teens/young adults.
Anywho, this gets a 4 instead of 5 because it didn't pull me in right away and I set it down for a little bit. Once I continued reading however, I grew more fond of the work and enjoyed it to the very end. Including the epilogue.
readingundertheradar's review
2.0
I didn't like this one nearly as much as j thought I would. While I was excited about strange characters and weird storylines, there wasn't really much of a main storyline until the last quarter of the book.
The story jumped around between lots of students, and while it was briefly funny to see strange things happening, I would rather have zeroed in one a few of the characters and had more plot and development for them.
I will continue to look out for Tamaki's work (I really liked This One Summer), as the storytelling is inventive and interesting, but this one just didn't grab me.
The story jumped around between lots of students, and while it was briefly funny to see strange things happening, I would rather have zeroed in one a few of the characters and had more plot and development for them.
I will continue to look out for Tamaki's work (I really liked This One Summer), as the storytelling is inventive and interesting, but this one just didn't grab me.
tinyblkbird's review
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thunderbolt_kid's review
4.0
This was not a single narrative in the same way that This One Summer was but it follow a group of teens through much of a school year and the sometimes-disjointed telling someone only contributed to the feeling of the last year of high school. Queer content that has forever changed how I feel about the words: "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!