Graphic Novel Review - 'Queen of the Sea' by Dylan Meconis

'Queen of the Sea'

It's a big, long historical fiction graphic novel.

But it is utterly engaging, stunning, fascinating and enchanting, and, in my opinion, never boring.

Why, I read it all in one night! I couldn't put it down.

'Queen of the Sea', by Dylan Meconis, author of 'Bite Me! A Vampire Farse' (the main reason I wanted to read this, I'm not ashamed to admit), is basically a reimagining of the early reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the sixteenth century, and her years-long conflict and control for the throne and Crown of England from her half-sister Mary I, aka "Bloody Mary". The names are changed, and Elizabeth of England - or Eleanor of Albion - isn't the main character.

'Queen of the Sea' is told entirely (except for the prologue) from the point of view of Margaret, a young girl raised in a convent on a tiny island off the coast of Albion, where Eleanor ends up in exile.

Margaret's existence is a mystery even to herself, and the kindly yet conflicted and secretive nuns who raised her won't give her straightforward or helpful answers to her probing questions. (Heck, historically, and compared to other portrayals of orderly religious women out there, these are the most positive and human nuns I've seen since 'The Sound of Music'.)

More than anything, this is the coming-of-age story of Margaret. Smart, cunning, compassionate, feisty, brave, bold, redhaired Margaret - sheltered and isolated, yet never alone.

There is so much to talk about in 'Queen of the Sea'. So much happens, and here are numerous themes to explore.

But I'd rather as many readers as possible go into it mostly blind, like I was.

Just know that I'm sure it will be worth it.

It is an alternate history lesson come to life, containing painfully - and heroically - human characters and players.

Chess players, that is.

Devastating, yet beautiful and lush. And magnificently intriguing. It even manages to be funny, witty and clever, at appropriate moments, which are surprisingly many.

It is a book that is hard to put down, and you wouldn't want to.

Which makes it a further devastation that it ends on a cliffhanger, and to date there is no news of a sequel release. At all. After seven years.

It's a real shame.

But I can only surmise - and hope - that things do work out for the bold, daring and determined Margaret, who will be a queen in her own right, whether anyone knows it or not.

Whether history remembers her for it or not.

Dylan Meconis definitely knows her history, and its nuances, and how people would have lived in the various, difficult, dangerous and deadly circumstances and political warfare of sixteenth century England; especially for those on a secluded little convent island, that serves as both a safe haven and prison for political exiles, pariahs, and other innocents. Meconis did her research. Her artwork is excellent, charming and appealing, as well. 'Queen of the Sea' must have taken her years to create and put together.

I can confidently declare it was absolutely worth every pencil stroke.

Best of all, it is all-ages! Anyone can read it, and enjoy it, and learn from it; take its lessons to heart.



'Queen of the Sea'

To be queen of a sea kingdom.

Eh, it would be no worse than any other kingdom that exists.



Final Score: 4.5/5

Book Review - 'Disney's Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Sally's Journal: Notes from Halloween Town and Beyond' by Mari Mancusi (Writer), Andre Ducci (Illustrator)

'Are you an adventurer looking to explore the far reaches of the Hinterlands? You've come to the right place!'

We're here, at my 1300th book review.

There comes a point where you've written so many reviews over the years that no number shocks you anymore.

Less shocking now is the fact that I've been rambling online about books for over thirteen years.

I reckon, for me, such a milestone review should be of a book that combines a myriad of the things I love, like the favourite ingredients to a meticulously, majestically brewed potion - witchcraft, Halloween, 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', Pumpkin Queen Sally the ragdoll, and other strong female characters and presences, and messages of love, community, equality, and building bridges.

And 'Disney's Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Sally's Journal: Notes from Halloween Town and Beyond' contains these in spades (and hearts). And it is such a fun, funny, creative, colourful, cute and engaging Halloween and holiday book, that can be devoured like trick-or-treat candy in one afternoon, at any day of the year, not just autumn.

The basic premise is: Sally is writing a journal and record of Halloween Town, and other Towns, such as Christmas Town, Valentine's Town, Easter Town, St. Patrick's Day Town, Time Town, Fable Town, and Dream Town, and each of their cultures, people and creatures, that she's discovered and explored so far. It's an adventurer's guide, for everyone to read and learn from, and be instructed on the various constructive crafts, potion recipes, and other fun activities included.

Those, and newspaper articles, and job advertisements.

Sally is a kind, friendly, benevolent, dedicated, determined, diplomatic, hardworking, responsible explorer queen, who wants to bring about peace, community and camaraderie between the holiday realms, and other realms hidden further in the mysterious Hinterlands.

'Sally's Journal' expands on the lore of the 1993 animated film, 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', that has been established in 'The Pumpkin Queen' novel series and 'Sally's Lament' (also written by Mari Mancusi!). I admit to only having read 'Long Live the Pumpkin Queen' by Shea Ernshaw, as well as its graphic novel adaptation, but that's not a problem; 'Sally's Journal' is very accessible to all sorts of readers, of all ages, with the additional lore and characters from other reading material explained simply therein.

I love all the contents, but I especially adore the section on Dream Town, and getting to know Luna Slumberly, Sally's apprentice.

Luna is another ragdoll, who made her debut in 'Hour of the Pumpkin Queen' by Megan Shepherd, the sequel to 'Long Live the Pumpkin Queen'. She was a volunteer at the Lullaby Library, and currently runs Dream Town. She is Sally's adventure buddy, bookworm best friend, and little sister figure (I'm going light on spoiler territory, here).

Luna sounds like a delight, anything but slumber-ly; a girl after my own heart! Also she has one of my favourite names, is a lilac girl, and strong female leads forever!

Sally's husband, Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, receives special and important mention and praise as well, of course.

The couple are adorable together. Well, Sally gets along with nearly everyone, and forms bonds with the many people she encounters on her travels.

She is a queen, but most importantly, she is a friend to all.

Great fun, creative and hilarious info is contained in the pages of 'Sally's Journal'. The illustrations by Andre Ducci are gorgeous, creative and brilliant, and fit 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' wonderfully, like a perfectly-sewed-and-coloured patchwork ragdoll.

'Disney's Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Sally's Journal: Notes from Halloween Town and Beyond' - an enjoyable, magical, otherworldly Halloween treat for 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' fans and beyond.

As delicious and irresistible as real candy.

Consider it an early Halloween present recommendation from Artemis Crescent, on her 1300th review.



'No matter what corner of the Hinterlands you decide to visit, I'm confident you can make you dreams (or, if you prefer, nightmares!) a reality.

Frightfully yours,

Sally (blurb)



And as Sally would say, '[...] we are much more alike than different. And with a little patience, respect, and understanding, we can gain so much from one another and enrich all our lives.' (page 14)



'Good or bad, whatever the challenges may be, I know we'll conquer them all. Because we'll do it together.
Clearly it was meant to be.

Yours in fright,

Sally' (page 207) ('Conclusion')



Connected book reviews:


'Long Live the Pumpkin Queen'

'Long Live the Pumpkin Queen (Graphic Novel)'


Final Score: 5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Daybreak, Vol. 1' by Moosopp

'They're crushing, there's chemistry, and they're totally clueless.'

Never has a concise blurb tagline been more accurate.

'Daybreak' is a webcomic about two high school seniors, Marcus and Cog, and their blossoming relationship. It's cute, adorable, wholesome, endearing, and frustrating, how neither of them would just be honest and confess their true feelings, when it is painfully obvious from the start that they really like each other. But teen anxieties and insecurities win out, and it's funnier and cuter this way, I guess?

Nah, I don't think so, but that's my personal preference; my stance against the trope of the long, drawn-out will-they-won't-they BS, in writing romantic relationships, when the couple in question getting together is a foregone conclusion and endgame 96% of the time. With very few exceptions, this type of relationship writing in fiction - the teasing, the noncommitment - is lazy, boring, and a waste of time, in my opinion. By the time the couple are together, at the merciful end of their story - or, frustrating you further, they still aren't together yet, or it's left ambiguous - it's not a satisfying conclusion, and you are either like "Ugh, FFS, finally!", or you're burned out in your investment, and you don't care anymore. It wasn't worth the wait.

But at least in 'Daybreak, Vol. 1' - the ongoing, coming-of-age webcomic so far - the love relationship between the two leads is sweet enough at whatever stage it's at.

Marcus and Cog are such interesting and three-dimensional main characters. Marcus is a tall sweetheart, a hugger, and a great cook (and he appears to have fangs, manga style...?), and Cog is shorter, grumpy, cool, laidback yet high strung at the same time, a bookworm and academic, and an aspiring actor. Hilarity, and misunderstandings, ensue between these barely-progressing, scared-to-advance-further, precious cinnamon roll lovebirds.

'Daybreak' really is like a much more comedic 'Heartstopper' and 'If You'll Have Me', and every slice-of-life high school manga ever. However, it's raises the bar higher than your average, standard manga set in a high school, and it is much funnier, cuter, lighter, and more colourful and heartwarming. And stars exclusively Black, Brown, Asian, and Muslim characters. And its LBGTQIA+ content is totally normalised. The diversity is so wonderful and refreshing, and treated as the perfectly normal and everyday way of life and humanity it is.

This isn't to say that 'Daybreak''s flaws can be overlooked, and its cuteness is able to eclipse them. Slow relationship progression between Marcus and Cog aside, they are the only characters given priority in focus and attention so far. With the exception of Cog's best friend Toma, every side character barely exists - I don't even think the names of the majority of them are yet known to the readers.

I suppose the cuteness and humour do win out at the end, though, as I still like 'Daybreak, Vol. 1'. I adore it's art, it's diversity, and Marcus and Cog, the clueless, unwilling queer-Black-boy couple of the century.

(One odd detail: Neither boy/enby appears to have parents.)

Diversity examples: Marcus is Black, trans, and has dreadlocks, Cog is Black, goes by he/him/they/them pronouns, and always wears a headband bonnet, Toma is Asian, and one of Marcus's friends wears a hijab and has vitiligo (I don't now her name, it's never stated, I'm sorry). No one is white. It's brilliant.

'Daybreak, Vol. 1' - I can't praise it enough for being cute and diverse AF. A lovely, hilarious, heart-melting, romantic POC and LBGTQIA+ webtoon.

Read it, and find yourself wishing for the MCs - for M and C - to hurry up and confess they like each other already! They're going out together like a couple anyway!

We'll have to wait, for them to be ready. For as long as it takes.

Hopefully it won't be too long!

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Raven Saga, Vol. 1' by Chihiro Howe

'Raven Saga, Vol. 1' - a webcomic that is all at once like multiple animated Disney films, Studio Ghibli films, and nineties anime shows. And like the spiritual sequel to multiple European fairy tales, both known and as yet unknown.

It is a lighthearted, whimsical fantasy adventure, with a dark, mysterious underbelly of a beast, that promises more violence, and possible tragedy, to come.

Basically, 'Raven Saga' is about Wen, a sixteen-year-old girl who lives in a secluded little farm in a wood with her kind but overprotective grandmother, Clarimonde, who forbids her from leaving the farm, past the stone markers at its gate. This is where Wen has spent her whole life, and of course she wants to go out and explore the world, and she grows frustrated over her grandma never telling her why she can't leave.

However, as circumstances almost mechanised by destiny would have it, Wen steps out of the farm in following a will-o'-the-wisp, unwittingly breaking a supernatural barrier around their home. A mysterious boy named Corliss and his talking swallow friend Theo arrive on the scene. Then Grandma Monde is kidnapped by another mysterious boy with ravens.

Together, Wen, Corliss and Theo travel the fairy tale world to find "the Court of the Stars" and "the Morning Star", and hopefully rescue Grandma. Wen is away from home for the first time, with Corliss as her protector (not so much guide, as he's got a terrible sense of direction; even she is better). She is both excited and scared, mostly for her grandma, and for what may lie ahead for her in an increasingly unpredictable world...

There is a lot more to it than that, but I don't wish to spoil too much. Just know that 'Raven Saga, Vol. 1' is full of charm and wonder, containing likeable characters, and mysteries that intrigue far more than frustrate as the volume progresses. The story is sweet and creative, yet no less foreboding, not to mention thrilling, and you can't wait to read what happens next.

Wen is a particularly lovely, sweet, wonderful, infectious, spritely and curious young heroine, who may seem naïve and helpless - for understandable reasons, as she's been sheltered all her life - but she proves to be capable and determined when the need rises. She will do anything to protect the people she cares about, and she misses her grandma terribly during her journey - her coming-of-age fairy tale. She gets happy and sad easily, and either way she won't give up on her objectives, and on other people, believing in the best of a world she hardly knows.

She's not worldly, but that doesn't mean she isn't smart. She reads books - she loves books, another reason to adore her.

Wen is like a fairy tale Disney Princess - the most obvious one - a source of inspiration - is Rapunzel - and I mean that as a compliment. She is rather a naïve and optimistic child, and no doubt she will grow and develop, and become stronger later on, with or without the men currently protecting her on her anime/fairy tale quest.

It is blatantly apparent that there is more to Wen than even she knows - how much has her grandmother been keeping from her? And why? And what does it have to do with ravens? And stars? - but it is yet another enticing mystery to the webcomic; to this blue-haired, yellow-eyed, sparkling gem of a fresh-faced heroine.

Flaws in 'Raven Saga, Vol. 1' include:

It ends on a cliffhanger too abruptly - darn Webtoon Unscrolled! - and there's no guarantee that any of the mysteries, big and small, left vague and shrouded in dark, undefined mists, will be revealed properly, let alone solved completely, in the next volume.

It is obvious that, typically, a romantic relationship is being planned and built between Wen and Corliss, her prince and white knight figure. She has no female friends yet, besides her grandmother.

And there is a very weird line of hers on page 220, regarding her group's journey: "It won't be a waste of time! We're getting somewhere, aren't we? Trust me... coming from someone going nowhere for the last ten years..." Uhhhhh, what? "going nowhere for the last ten years"? Wen is established to be sixteen at the beginning of the comic, and it has been stated many times that, for as long as she can remember, she has lived in her farm home alone with Monde, and has never been anywhere else until now. She never knew anyone else, either - not her parents, nobody. So what's the "going nowhere for the last ten years" about? Is it a typo? I genuinely implore anyone to explain this to me. Please.

But regardless, 'Raven Saga, Vol. 1' is so adorable, adoring, affectionate, passionate, engaging, dynamic and touching, as a cartoony, manga-esque (it's a webcomic, alright) adventure comic, containing fairy tale elements, that it is hard for me to resist.

It is, for lack of a better word, animated.

I recommend it for young adult audiences and older.

Looking for a happily ever after...?

We'll see if I will bother to continue the comic, in the next volume, in the future...

Final Score: 3.5/5

Book Review - 'Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies' by Megan McDonald (Writer), Lenny Wen (Illustrator)

'Imagine a door.

A teeny-tiny fairy door.
Now imagine it is magic.

Open the door.'



It's been a long time since a children's chapter book made me feel like a kid reading fantasy in the school library again, but golly gossamer wings, did 'Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies' deliver.

It's a short read that unabashedly, wonderfully follows child logic all the way through.

It is about a little girl named Eliza, who has a secret door to a fairy land in her private cubbyhole - the "Land of UnderStair" - in her bedroom. Nestled inside her cosy UnderStair lair are stuffed animals (that may be alive and whispering), drawings, and books such as 'The Daisy Chain Book of Fairies', and her diary, where she calls herself "Eliza of the Elves". With her dragonfly pin come to life, her "familiar" Haiku, Eliza has her adventures through the teeny-tiny, mossy door into the Land of the Fairies, wherein lies an enchanted forest, full of flower fairies, thyme bracelets, green-skinned witches, bark-skinned witches, curses, and sentient winds and storms. Plus fairy dust, and sprinkles of magic; magic that is usually small, quiet and unnoticeable, unless you believe in it.

There is nature, and flowers and rainbows everywhere! Magic and fairies are equal to them!

'Fairy Door Dairies' is like if Tinker Bell was good-natured all the time, and ever so fondly took over an 'Alice in Wonderland'-type storybook world. It is also like 'Rainbow Brite', and 'Dragon Tales', but with flower fairies. Its premise make its ripe with potential as a Saturday morning cartoon - it's positively blooming with it.

It is easy to interpret the fantasy world and elements as being from young Eliza's imagination, and whether or not it is doesn't matter. Just enjoy the excited child's rich imaginative adventure, that will later be written down in her diary, and read aloud to her younger sister, as a "true story?".

The fact that the fairy land and its door are already known and established by Eliza at the beginning of the book, as soon as she rushes home from school to her beach cottage, and into her bedroom cubbyhole, may confuse some readers, and make them feel like they've picked up a sequel instead of the first book of a series by mistake. But it isn't too disorientating or distracting. Again, just enjoy the creative fairy tale.

Why, daffodils with giraffe heads pop up at one point!

So charming, whimsical and magical. And nostalgic.

Like reading the fairy tales and adventure series you loved as a kid.

Oh, and the illustrations are cute and colourful, as well.

I recommend 'Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies' for children, and older, who are children at heart.

Final Score: 4/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Avery and the Fairy Circle' by Rowan Kingsbury

Story spoilers ahead.

'Avery and the Fairy Circle' - there isn't much to it, but it is such a charming and gorgeously-illustrated little fairy comic, that I can't resist it.

Little Avery has just moved to a new home, and she becomes even littler when she goes out to explore the woods and accidently falls into a fairy circle, which shrinks her to the size of a moth. From there she meets a plant harvesting fairy kid named Birch, and they have a tiny adventure involving berries, licorice roots, trees, a bird, and a deer, and it ends with the the two of them attending a fairy village summer festival with Birch's family and people. Birch's Mama concocts a magic potion that will turn Avery back to her normal size, and she says farewell to the fairies, with a promise to return to the fairy circle next season, for her new friend Birch and her family. Human-sized again, and in the human world where barely any time has passed since she'd been gone, Avery returns home, as an ambitious herbalist and artist ready to record everything she's seen in her new book from her parents.

The comic is barely fifty pages long, but it is so sweet. The art is adorable, soft and colourful, and the story touches on themes of exploring environments, learning about and respecting nature, trying new things, being practical and creative, friendship, family, and community; messages which are vital for child readers to take to heart.

I swear Birch has two mums, even though it isn't explicitly stated what her one named Mama's relationship is to her female partner who lives and works in her family's house, and is always drawn to be very close to her. I wish the partner/second Mama was given a name, at least. And that a bit more of the fairy village culture was explored, along with its various inhabitants.

'Avery and the Fairy Circle' is perfect for beginner comic book readers. It's cute, it's wholesome, it's magical, it's imaginative, it's diverse (POC and disability rep, as we see one fairy in a wheelchair, and there's the more subtle LBGTQ+ rep), and it's as charming as a doe-eyed chinchilla with kitten ears in a kitchen garden.

It's a short cottagecore fantasy about fairies for kids. Like a short, classic Disney animated film, and a Studio Ghibli miniature feature.

It's like if Tinker Bell, Wisteria from 'The Sprite and the Gardener', and Aster from 'Aster and the Accidental Magic' had a baby, that was blessed by good fairies - meaning, the creations of K. O'Neill.

What whimsical, childlike fairy magic! There are pies and mushrooms in it, too!

I may never read any future instalments, but this lilliputian adventure on its own is hard not to dote on. Dewy, doe-eyed dote on, like a dope!

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Disney Princess Comic Strips Collection, Vol. 1' by Amy Mebberson, Various, Joe Books

A reread.

I don't know why I didn't think much of 'Disney Princess Comic Strips Collection, Vol. 1' when I first read it years ago, because it is fairly funny, charming and cute. Maybe recently reading 'Disney Princess Comic Strips: The Enchanted Collection' broadened my horizons, and refreshed my sense of childlike whimsy, and my sense of humour. Most of the first 'Disney Princess Comic Strips Collection' is in 'The Enchanted Collection', with a couple of strips/stories not included in the big collection, for spatial and limited page count reasons. I suppose.

Giving the Disney Princesses (pre-2013) their own little slice-of-life comic strip adventures is a brilliant idea, with most of the potential not wasted. The comics expand on their characters, and on aspects of their respective movies, and give them a chance to be very funny and dynamic in their own right. The female leads are fresh-faced, diverse, and well characterised and developed.

My favourites princesses in this volume have to be Belle (of course, my fave Disney Princess), Tiana, Mulan, Jasmine, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Snow White. Though the rest present - Merida, Ariel, Pocahontas and Aurora - are good, as well.

Hilarious, fun and cute for all ages; this is not a sanitized, cheap, lazy, kiddie rubbish product, conveyor-belted by the Disney corporation. There is heart, soul, creativity and effort put into these 'Disney Princess Comic Strips' (aka 'Pocket Princesses' online by Amy Mebberson). Go ahead and check them out.

Also check out my review of 'Disney Princess Comic Strips: The Enchanted Collection'.

Final Score: 3.5/5