maxime_reads's review
3.5
I liked the second half much better than the first half. Overall, the story is pretty sad and melancholy. Check tw
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, and Bullying
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Death and Child death
shaunashares's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Grief
Minor: Death of parent
iammandyellen's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Beautiful artworkemilywemily6's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This graphic novel was a well-crafted story with many deeper themes that are really pertinent with middle grade kids. It wasn’t super compelling like the first book, but it was more cohesive in themes. I love the artwork too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
samchase112's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
What a beautiful — both conceptually and artistically — exploration of the struggles of coming of age, loneliness and grief, and finding your true friends. This book brought out so many emotions in such an organic and masterful way with a combo of art and character work. I just fell in love with these characters and their gorgeous autumnal town… I want to live there always?! The perfect graphic novel to devour as the leaves fall around you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death of parent and Death
rhiannon814r's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Bullying, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, and Mental illness
faduma's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
slow-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Racism, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse
huntress's review
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death of parent, Stalking, Grief, Death, and Mental illness
Minor: Suicide attempt
clavishorti's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
You are so good at seeing the world. Can you please keep letting the world see you?
We're back in the world of Marjorie Glatt, a young girl who can see and talk to ghosts. Cool, right? Well, Brenna Thummler's graphic novel, Delicates, take us on another ride through this unique universe. Remember Sheets? Yes, it's the sequel. But it's not just about ghosts; it's about life, friendship, and all the messy stuff in between. Let's dive in and see what makes this book tick.
Delicates keeps the ball rolling on Marjorie Glatt's wild journey. She stumbles upon a bunch of ghosts just chilling in her family's laundromat. Hold on tight, because life takes a crazy spin when Marjorie suddenly becomes the cool kid at school. Popularity's sweet, right? Well, here's the twist: she's got these secret about ghosts—and Wendell, one of these ghosts, becomes her ride-or-die ghost buddy. Now, the real question is, should she spill the ghostly secret and risk being called the "freak who sees dead people"? Well, no spoilers here, but keeping Wendell's ghostly identity on the down-low makes him feel even more invisible than your average ghost with a quilt.
Now, cue Eliza Duncan. She's got her own invisibility cloak, but hers is all about being the "different" one out because she's a hardcore ghost photographer. When Marjorie and Eliza's paths cross, you can bet things are about to get interesting. Together, they add a fresh layer to this story—one filled with friendship, fitting in, and the wild ride of growing up.
Delicates is all about embracing friendships and accepting people just the way they are. Marjorie, she's got these amazing relationships, both with the living and the not-so-living, showing us the beauty of connecting with folks from all walks of life. That whole growing-up thing? It's like a big metaphor for those wild changes we go through as teenagers. Marjorie's journey of self-discovery? Yeah, we totally understand that. Dealing with loss takes us on a deep dive, revealing how we cope with losing someone we love and how memories help us keep them close. Throughout, there's empathy and understanding sprinkled everywhere, reminding us to look beyond the surface and appreciate our unique quirks. Oh, and Delicates keeps it real with a mix of everyday life and a touch of the supernatural, grounding us while giving us a taste of the extraordinary. Resilience? Marjorie's got that in abundance, teaching us that no matter what life throws at us, we can keep moving forward. Lastly, cultural and social diversity spices things up with a cast of characters from all over. It's a reminder that the world is wonderfully complex, and we should totally embrace every aspect of it.
Delicates is like the next-level awesome continuation of Thummler's storytelling. Compared to Sheets, it really grabs you and pulls you even deeper into the story, hitting you right in the feels. Thummler's got this way of making you both frustrated with Marjorie's choices and wanting to give Eliza a big hug for what she's dealing with. The mix of supernatural stuff and growing up? She's got it down pat, making a story that really gets to you.
Now, let's talk about those illustrations. They're seriously something else. They bring the characters and their world to life, adding this whole extra dimension to the story. Every panel is like a mini masterpiece that elevates the whole reading experience. And the layout of the pages? It's not just functional; it's downright beautiful, guiding you effortlessly through the story.
Now, if we're getting really choosy about it, you might hope they delved even further into some character backgrounds and why they act the way they do. But honestly, it doesn't really mess with the story's overall punch.
So, to wrap it up, Delicates is seriously something else. It's all about friendship, accepting people as they are, and personal growth—but in a way that really hits home. Brenna Thummler's art and how everything's put together in the book? Top-notch. If you're into graphic novels, this is a must-read.
And hey, Delicates reminds us it's crucial to get where others are coming from, even when things get kinda wild. It weaves together friendship, being tough when life's tough, dealing with loss, and all the crazy stuff that comes with growing up. Thummler's work? It's basically a work of art that tugs at your heartstrings. Reading Delicates is like taking a ride on the extraordinary express.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Bullying, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
belarna's review
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Just like Thummler’s ‘Sheets’, I loved this. Thummler has an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful art style and knows how to utilise and captivate their audience with their manipulation of colour palettes through the story. This is quite simply a new favourite graphic novel series that I will treasure forever; a captivating and heartfelt continuation of the story we know and love.
This enticing continuation of ‘Sheets’ is a story centred on friendship, fitting in, and the messiness of being a teenager.
If you read and enjoyed ‘Sheets’, pick this up. This continuation of the story is heartfelt and fills your heart with hope and empathy.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent and Racism