Reviews

Tell No Tales: Pirates of the Southern Seas by Sam Maggs

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ttreadsya's review

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

The art was not fantastic, and the writing and story seemed rushed. I wish it was just better presented, is all...

firelizards's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

A clever retelling of the story of notorious pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. “Happy, together and free” here they are portrayed as classic, swashbuckling pirates with a firm love for each other and a loyal crew of fierce and independent women. The adventures are a little too brightly depicted, too fast paced for me, moving between heartfelt expressions of love and a desire for adventure- but I can see the appeal, the excitement and the piratical adventure of this bold and fictionalised account.

eyelit's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

loumc's review

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5.0

I’ve been following Kendra’s work for a while and was very excited to pick up this graphic novel to support them. Historical queer pirates! The art is lovely and the characters are fun, and of course the cat is adorable.

jkenna90's review

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4.0

Cute story about Anne Bonny and her crew! I enjoyed this graphic novel quite a bit. I hope there are more stories to come.

bonnieebrown's review

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

oliviak07's review

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3.0

If you have someone in your life who has begun to show a fascination with pirates, and you want to get them a book that has a diverse and brave crew at the helm, I would recommend Sam Magg's graphic novel, "Tell No Tales: Pirates of the Southern Seas".

Tales that take place on the high seas, involve pirates, and offer nautical adventure instantly grab my attention. Perhaps it is due to a series of pirate themed projects for during my 7th grade, history class that I absolutely loved. Perhaps it is admiration for the women who captained some of the bravest and most cunning of crews in the brief age of piracy. Both? Who knows.

That being said, I found this GN to be pleasing, but not as much as other GNs I have recently read, or compared to other books in the same wheelhouse or genre. Yes, I loved the crew, I loved the way the book flowed, and I loved the historical notes at the end. However, and this could very well be an age related observation, I felt that the excitement driving the crew forward plateaued enough that I coasted to the conclusion without the thrill of a rollercoaster ride. This does not diminish my favor with the book, it makes it lukewarm at the very least.

I look forward to more from Maggs, and perhaps that will include another epic voyage for another hearty crew?