Definitely taps into the uncomfortable reality of being a teen, especially a sheltered teen venturing out into the world. Based on her life experience.

I did not really enjoy it, but am not the targeted audience, and can't really point to why not. I think the art and the storytelling are solid, just not my cup of tea. ( )

FORMAT READ: eBook (Adobe Digital Editions)
READ FOR: coming-of-age- themes
TW: Cursing, Under-Age Relationships

⟹ MY BLOG ⟸
⟹ SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ⟸
*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
*Thank you to Lion Forge for the ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

OVERALL: 3.5

This was.. interesting… (in a good way)

This is a story I probably would not have picked up nor would I have enjoyed if it wasn’t a graphic novel. The illustrations gave the story a lot of life and it was able to translate what the author wants to show well.

The book tackled problems that Hazel, as girl who grew up homeschooled and sheltered, encounters when she meets other kids who grew up practically the opposite of her environment. I like how you can clearly see the difference in her headspace and how her actions/reactions differ from the those that in the “No Ivy League” with her.

((you also learn a bit about Ivy plants :D))

There is a lot of mature themes in this novel so consider yourself warned because I was not. I was a bit shaken at the beginning but it proved to be important in the plot. It also makes for a good coming-of-age novel. There are important lessons that I think a lot of people can benefit from.

Though, there some topics that I felt like were never closed properly and just simply ended.

I really enjoyed seeing Hazel develop as a character and I have to admit that I was rooting for her every step of the way. I loved seeing her grow and I feel like she is someone that a lot of people can relate to at one point in their lives. I think she was a great protagonist and I really enjoyed reading about her. Even though I’m still not the biggest fan of how awful most of the No Ivy League people were to her (this was one of the things that I felt wasn't closed properly).

This was also not a long read so it's easy to get through.

PLOT: ★★★☆☆
CHARACTERS: ★★★★☆
THEMES: ★★★★☆
ILLUSTRATIONS: ★★★★★
PAGE TURNER: ★★★★☆

Thank you to Lion Forge for sending me an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book is released on August 20, 2019. ( )

The dawning realization that you inhabit privilege and are responsible for it even when you are ignorant of its origins and causes resonated with me. The book does a good job of accurately representing what it feels like when broadening the envelope of your exposure to the world, in all its messiness, where it's not clear if someone can be right or wrong in their actions, but that the consequences of their actions is because of systematic oppressions and persecutions you are blind to, or only aware of in tone or texture.

I appreciate the breadth of the representation of childhood in this book. I like that it has room to breath. It has narrative structure, but it is not a children's book, or overly determined. It takes its time between acts, in the interstitials, in the fall of light, the socks on the floor, crossed legs, little madeleines, blessings of memory. ( )

Tried to do a lot, accomplished very little of it. Extra star for the great art, though. ( )