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earth_and_silver's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
kittykult's review against another edition
5.0
UPDATE: I was finally able to read Maddy Kettle from beginning to end IN ORDER! It's even better when you're able to understand what's going on sequentially. It seems like it may leave room at the end for a second volume, and if so, I will eagerly read it.
NOTE: I received a free digital copy of this graphic novel from NetGalley to review. The copy I received was out of order and I haven't found a way to fix it yet. I will update the review if needed when I am able to read it in its entirety.
Younger Me is sad that she never got to read this book, as it is an amazing world-building adventure with strong characters. Maddy Kettle is kind of like if Lord of the Rings and the May Bird series had a graphic, steampunk lovechild. I especially liked the theme of grey area - all of the characters are not really what they seem, which is a very strong lesson. The art is very kitschy and dreamy and it is (or would be if my copy was in the right order) a quick read at under 100 pages. I predict this will become a well-loved series by children who seek out quirky reads.
NOTE: I received a free digital copy of this graphic novel from NetGalley to review. The copy I received was out of order and I haven't found a way to fix it yet. I will update the review if needed when I am able to read it in its entirety.
Younger Me is sad that she never got to read this book, as it is an amazing world-building adventure with strong characters. Maddy Kettle is kind of like if Lord of the Rings and the May Bird series had a graphic, steampunk lovechild. I especially liked the theme of grey area - all of the characters are not really what they seem, which is a very strong lesson. The art is very kitschy and dreamy and it is (or would be if my copy was in the right order) a quick read at under 100 pages. I predict this will become a well-loved series by children who seek out quirky reads.
debc's review against another edition
3.0
A nice short story. I really liked the art work, really colourful. Obviously aimed at children but still a nice little read. Great title too. Some great characters, I particularly liked the idea of Ralph. Story ends abruptly so I assume there is a second volume. This isn't available at my online library. A good place for younger readers to start with graphic novels if you had the rest in the series.
scostner's review against another edition
3.0
Maddy Kettle is one of those stories that starts off in medias res. Maddy is aboard a train speaking to her parents, but we notice in the fifth frame that her parents are mice. "Odd," we think to ourselves. "How can her parents be mice when she is a human girl?" Several pages later we see (in a flashback), that her parents were human until the Thimblewitch turned them into rodents. Eventually we learn the whole story as Maddy reminisces with her flying spadefoot toad, then explains her quest to some cloud cartographers she meets along the way to the Thimblewitch's home. As we piece together the story along with Maddy, we come to see that several events have intersected to cause her parents' transformation as well as bad luck for the witch and other inhabitants of the cloudscape.
Maddy is a resourceful heroine and she makes some interesting friends along the way - including a bear who is also a balloon pilot, a map-making raccoon, a talking bat, and her flying frog. She sees incredible sights like scarecrow guards, spider goblins, and cloud whales, but never loses track of her mission.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy fantasy adventures such as Coraline.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
Maddy is a resourceful heroine and she makes some interesting friends along the way - including a bear who is also a balloon pilot, a map-making raccoon, a talking bat, and her flying frog. She sees incredible sights like scarecrow guards, spider goblins, and cloud whales, but never loses track of her mission.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy fantasy adventures such as Coraline.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
nkmustdie's review against another edition
3.0
Illustrations were great, story/plot was good but sort of spastic and rushed, dialogue was poor.
toad_maiden's review against another edition
2.0
Disappointing! The illustrations were so darling and I always love a magical, girl-led adventure, but the pacing of this story was too strange. It seemed like Orchard was trying to cram too long of an adventure into this short book, and it just ended up feeling rushed and half-baked. There was no time for character development, or much world-building, which is too bad because the details he did include were so imaginative! Overall, although this book had real imaginative potential, it failed to deliver an engaging story or characters.
calistareads's review against another edition
3.0
This is a great little graphic novel for kids who have recently started reading and want to try their own book. It's for the youngest readers. It's a short and creative story about a girl trying to save her parents from goblins.
Some of the ideas in the story are interesting and could have been developed more. The ending did feel like a cliff-hanger and I wondered if there was another volume, but it seems there isn't.
The pace is lightning paced and the story moves quickly, almost too fast. There is no characterization. It's a simple story.
Some of the ideas in the story are interesting and could have been developed more. The ending did feel like a cliff-hanger and I wondered if there was another volume, but it seems there isn't.
The pace is lightning paced and the story moves quickly, almost too fast. There is no characterization. It's a simple story.
readbykristyn's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
fortheloveofnerd550's review against another edition
2.0
There was some good stuff here (including beautiful drawings!) but it could have stood to be at least 100 pages longer. Everything was just too easy.