Graphic Novel Review - 'A Song for You & I' by K. O'Neill

I am a little sad that I didn't love 'A Song for You & I' as much as I wanted to.

I mean, it's K. O'Neill! They are a wonderful, creative, LBGTQ+, BIPOC fantasy artistic genius. But I found their latest graphic novel to be rather underwhelming. Only its two main leads, Rowan and Leone, matter. They are given significant character development and arcs - everybody else is forgettable and disposable, and it seems like they are forgotten about by the end--no, actually by the middle of the graphic novel. Little details, such as those concerning the one-shot side characters and their dropped arcs, that seem important at the time, are forgotten about, as well.

Still, 'A Song for You & I' is another quiet, gentle, relaxing, moving, sweet cosy fantasy world story by K. O'Neill, with almost no conflict, except for what is internal. There is a theme of overcoming the self-imposed need to prove yourself to others... and to yourself. Live life, and exist as who you want to be; as your true self. You have value for who you are, not for what you do for others. Relax, and remember that you are already great, talented, and worthy of love.

The gift of expressing yourself, of giving because you want to and it makes you happy, and of being there for loved ones and strangers alike, it is enough.

'A Song for You & I' is especially breezy in its hillside, mountainside, and countryside setting, and how it has flying horses with wings in it. It is a therapeutic coming-of-age tale.

Connecting to the abovementioned life-affirming, coming-of-age stuff, it is a very good* addition to the recent, and much needed, long line of graphic novels dealing with LBGTQ+ and gender dysphoria and identity themes. It is also like a masc version of O'Neill's first comic, 'Princess Princess Ever After', only with no villain, nor royalty**.

And like with all of O'Neill's comics, it would fit perfectly as a Studio Ghibli film.

'A Song for You & I' is a bit underdeveloped and disappointing, but it is a lovely, wholesome, soft, sweet, simple work of art, for all ages. It is not so mild, and definitely not mid.

I will be keeping this treasure as part of my K. O'Neill collection.

One more thing to add: the blurb is somewhat inaccurate. It goes on and on about the protagonist wanting to be a hero, and failing as a hero in a typical story. 'A Song for You & I' isn't exactly about aspiring heroics; it is more about someone wanting to prove that they can do something, and are worth something, when in fact just being who they are and living life is enough. There are many ways of being strong, and a protector. I'll give the blurb credit for not deadnaming the protag, and referring to them by they/them pronouns, when their pronouns are not made clear in the book itself.

Thus concludes Artemis Crescent's review of a new K. O'Neill graphic novel.

For further reading, here are my reviews of:


'Princess Princess Ever After'

'The Tea Dragon Society'

'The Tea Dragon Festival'

'The Tea Dragon Tapestry'

'Aquicorn Cove'

'The Moth Keeper'


Final Score: 3/5

*I am in no position to judge if this representation is in fact excellently portrayed, but I'm sure it is for other people, and it is #ownvoices, so. There you go.

**Additional graphic novel comparison: 'The Baker and the Bard'.