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whattheyarereadingnow's review against another edition
5.0
Well thought out story with relatable characters. Even better is the beautiful art work throughout the book that really brings the story to life. A great family read and even enjoyable for adults. The addition of a steampunk future where different cultural periods of time merge is what really pulls the axe entire together. Can’t wait for volume two.
izumisano's review against another edition
3.0
2.5
I really have no desire to read the next one. The characters were really bland and had no personality. The things they fought over were unmotivating. I know they are 13 and have all those middle school problems, but it felt like they fought over the dumbest things. We're not talking like minor bickering either, but like throw their stuff down and runaway whining, never-speaking-to-you-again type fighting. And while they are adventuring and learning how to be buccaneers, the urgency to save Diego's dad kind of gets pushed to the side. I don't often read books that are more geared towards boys and maybe that is the difference I'm seeing, but there wasn't a lot of action to make up for the lack of emotion.
I really have no desire to read the next one. The characters were really bland and had no personality. The things they fought over were unmotivating. I know they are 13 and have all those middle school problems, but it felt like they fought over the dumbest things. We're not talking like minor bickering either, but like throw their stuff down and runaway whining, never-speaking-to-you-again type fighting. And while they are adventuring and learning how to be buccaneers, the urgency to save Diego's dad kind of gets pushed to the side. I don't often read books that are more geared towards boys and maybe that is the difference I'm seeing, but there wasn't a lot of action to make up for the lack of emotion.
saidtheraina's review against another edition
4.0
This book has so many gimmicks I can barely stand it.
It takes after [a: Brian Selznick|38120|Brian Selznick|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1201028714p2/38120.jpg] ([b: The Invention of Hugo Cabret|9673436|The Invention of Hugo Cabret|Brian Selznick|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422312376s/9673436.jpg|527941], [b: Wonderstruck|10128428|Wonderstruck|Brian Selznick|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327885739s/10128428.jpg|14826219]...) in style, with illustrations telling parts of the story, often in full-spread. Baltazar's background, however, is in feature animation, and his illustrations are full-color and have an air-brushed quality to them.
So, when you look at this book as an artifact, it's a brick. The pages are glossy and heavy stock. It's colorful, inside and out. Its looks EPIC.
Then you add the setting. The concept is complicated and involves something science-fictiony happening which causes time periods to exist simultaneously. Or maybe people and places from those time periods are transported to the future. Anyway, I never fully wrapped my head around it, but suffice it to say that robots and dinosaurs and hoverboards and 18th century manners all coexist along with late 20th/early 21st century sensibilities. It feels a bit like Baltazar just packed a duffel of a story with everything he thinks looks cool.
And it works, to an extent. Yes, there are some damsel-in-distress moments I could have done without. The writing isn't always awesome. The illustrations, taken alone, occasionally disappoint.
But as a whole, as a sum of its parts, it's a great package.
I loved the maps, Volcambria, and the #ownvoices diversity of the piece.
Check check check. Will booktalk to middle schoolers in January 2019.
It takes after [a: Brian Selznick|38120|Brian Selznick|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1201028714p2/38120.jpg] ([b: The Invention of Hugo Cabret|9673436|The Invention of Hugo Cabret|Brian Selznick|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422312376s/9673436.jpg|527941], [b: Wonderstruck|10128428|Wonderstruck|Brian Selznick|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327885739s/10128428.jpg|14826219]...) in style, with illustrations telling parts of the story, often in full-spread. Baltazar's background, however, is in feature animation, and his illustrations are full-color and have an air-brushed quality to them.
So, when you look at this book as an artifact, it's a brick. The pages are glossy and heavy stock. It's colorful, inside and out. Its looks EPIC.
Then you add the setting. The concept is complicated and involves something science-fictiony happening which causes time periods to exist simultaneously. Or maybe people and places from those time periods are transported to the future. Anyway, I never fully wrapped my head around it, but suffice it to say that robots and dinosaurs and hoverboards and 18th century manners all coexist along with late 20th/early 21st century sensibilities. It feels a bit like Baltazar just packed a duffel of a story with everything he thinks looks cool.
And it works, to an extent. Yes, there are some damsel-in-distress moments I could have done without. The writing isn't always awesome. The illustrations, taken alone, occasionally disappoint.
But as a whole, as a sum of its parts, it's a great package.
I loved the maps, Volcambria, and the #ownvoices diversity of the piece.
Check check check. Will booktalk to middle schoolers in January 2019.
hiimkayte's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. The art work was beautiful, and it was a unique experience how seamlessly the art integrated with the words, and enhanced it.
The world this is set in is so cool, I love the idea of a time collision and people from different eras all interacting. Plus dinosaurs!
A lot of the themes and relationships felt very straightforward, and very YA, but, that’s what it was.
I will happily continue reading this series when future ones are released!
The world this is set in is so cool, I love the idea of a time collision and people from different eras all interacting. Plus dinosaurs!
A lot of the themes and relationships felt very straightforward, and very YA, but, that’s what it was.
I will happily continue reading this series when future ones are released!
firufly's review against another edition
I picked up this book because the illustrations and the idea of the plot were super cool for a kid, and I was a kid. It was the perfect book of its kind, in theory.
After the first chapters, that do introduce you well to a very cool world, the story and characters are so boring and lifeless that I just couldn’t keep up, I hated reading this book, it was not only very bad, but a huge disappointment, because I really wanted to like it
After the first chapters, that do introduce you well to a very cool world, the story and characters are so boring and lifeless that I just couldn’t keep up, I hated reading this book, it was not only very bad, but a huge disappointment, because I really wanted to like it
rcpope's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
3.0
adr1an's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
ne0the0ne's review against another edition
3.0
The plot and illustrations of this novel are spectacular, but the writing is pretty amateur. The dialogue is stilted and the author tells rather than shows, except when his illustrations replace text, and then it feels awkwardly under-explained. I think kids will love this novel, and since this is the author's first book, I could see him really doing great things in the literary world.
xiaogui's review against another edition
I liked the illustrations and hoped for a treasure planet like experience. I found the plot to be lacking and not intriguing at all.
ravenpaw23's review against another edition
3.0
It was a good kids graphic novel. Lots of unanswered questions throughout. There were interesting perspectives but I have no interest in reading books that follow.