I really enjoyed reading this book.
Isabel is a little girl who stumbles upon a fairy when she goes to visit her dad. She is thrust into a war between two fairy kingdoms and has to honor a quest to save both the fairy world and her world. She Is helped by an orphan Benjie and a fairy Button.
The art is really gorgeous. It's vibrant and colourful.
The plot was a little predictable but I feel it will be a great read to children. I would love to read more books set in this world because I feel there is still more to explore in the fairy world.

I really enjoyed this middle grade fantasy graphic novel!

Isabel crossed the barrier between the human world and the fairy world. There are two types of fairies, the Seelies and the Unseelies. It was hard to distinguish between the Seelie and Unseelie because each fairy was a different creature and they didn’t have any defining characteristics.

Isabel was a great character. She gained a lot of strength while in the fairy world. She had to problem solve to find the princess. She was also a very dedicated girl, since she didn’t give up on her quest to find the princess, though she didn’t know anything about that world.

I loved that there was an explanation of the creation of the story at the end. It explained the setting of San Francisco and the earthquake that happened in 1906. It also explained that many different fairies were inspired by mythological creatures. This was so helpful, because I was wondering why they all had such unusual appearances.

This is a great graphic novel for middle grade readers!

City on the Other Side is a fun adventure of a graphic novel. It tells the story of a girl who feels ignored by her parents and finds her place on the "other side" of a city where creatures of all kinds work together to stop a fairy war.

Inhalt

Nach dem tragischen Erdbeben in San Francisco zur Jahrhundertwende lebt die wohlbehütete Isabel bei ihrer Mutter. Doch im Sommer soll sie einige Wochen bei ihrem Vater verbringen – der ebenso wenig Zeit für sie hat wie die vielbeschäftigte Gesellschaftsdame. Isabels Fluchtweg führt sie ins Reich der Seelie, doch dort tobt ein Krieg mächtigen Ausmaßes. Während die Unseelie das Weltengebilde bedrohen, ist es an Isabel, mit einer geheimnisvollen Kette den Frieden wiederzubringen …

Meine Bewertung

„The City on the Other Side“ war mal wieder ein englischer Comic für mich, der mich aber eher zwiegespalten hinterlassen hat. Das historische Setting im San Francisco von 1906, gepaart mit den Welten der Seelie und Unseelie, hat ziemlich große Hoffnungen in mir geweckt, aber leider wurde ich von Anfang an nicht wirklich mit der Geschichte warm.

Was mich am meisten gestört hat, waren die Charaktere. Leider wurden sie alle sehr stereotypisch und überhaupt nicht facettenreich ausgeführt, gerade zu Isabel, der jungen Protagonistin, habe ich keinen richtigen Draht gefunden. Sie stolpert eher von einem Ereignis ins nächste, als dass sie wirklich etwas anpackt, und auch ihre Beziehung zu den anderen war ziemlich nichtssagend. Von ihren Eltern wünscht sie sich mehr Interesse – mehr habe ich von ihr nicht mitgenommen. Auch der kleine Pilz Button und Benjie, der auf sie aufmerksam wird, waren sehr einseitig und haben nicht wirklich zur Auflockerung oder dem Voranschreiten des Plots beigetragen.

Auch der Plot war alles in allem eher zäh und überhaupt nicht flüssig. Ich mochte die Idee dahinter, aber einerseits gab es so gut wie kaum Weltenbau, die Menschenwelt wurde komplett in den Hintergrund gerückt, und der Plot an sich war auch noch ziemlich banal und schnell zu durchschauen. Aufregung kam bei mir nicht wirklich auf, Spannung habe ich vergeblich gesucht, egal, was gerade passierte. Selbst die Kämpfe waren eher lahm und nicht besonders interessant. Mir hat da einfach das gewisse Etwas gefehlt, die richtige Motivation der Helden, die eher in das Ganze reingeschlittert sind und dann eben mitgemacht haben, weil es der Plot so verlangt.

Was mir aber wirklich gut gefallen hat, war der Zeichenstil. Meine digitale Vorab-Ausgabe war leider etwas pixelig, aber die Farben und die Illustrationen waren trotzdem ein wunderschönes Meisterwerk und das hätte ich gern auch in der Story widergespiegelt gesehen. Die Darstellung der Charaktere und der Städte war sehr vielfältig, nur leider waren mir manche Panels etwas zu überladen und zu wirr.

Alles in allem war „The City on the Other Side“ leider nicht mein Fall. Mich konnte die Geschichte nicht abholen und auch die Charaktere blieben blass und zum Großteil eher indifferent. Manche interessante Gedankengänge steckten schon dahinter und auch der Zeichenstil konnte mich überzeugen, aber ich habe die Spannung und das Abenteuer vermisst, die mir der Klappentext versprochen hat.

The City on the Other Side was a cute book. I wish there was more back story and at times I felt a little bit lost with where the story was going, but overall it was a sweet story about family and adventure. Faerie stories are often dark and while this was dark at times it's still very appropriate for kids. I think it might actually make kids want to read more fae stories.

Plot: The plot was interesting! I liked the idea that the fairy world exists right along side the human world, and what happens on one side has an effect on the other.

Characters: The characters were all good! Honestly, next to Isabel and Benjii, my favorite character was Button!

Art: Good! All the characters looked really different from one another, and the fairy world was neat looking!

Overall: This was a really interesting Graphic Novel! If you're looking for a good fantasy graphic novel, with a unique world, definitely try this book!

Isabel is a poor little rich girl in San Francisco just after the big earthquake in the early 1900s. She has everything she could want, except her parents’ positive attention and love. She stumbles across the Veil one day into the fairy world and finds herself in the middle of a fairy war between the Seelies and the Unseelies. Isabel suddenly finds herself tasked with taking an important necklace to someone in the city named Miyori for the Seelie forces. The Unseelies are fast on her trail, and only the necklace’s power and Isabel’s new friends, a human boy named Benjie and a fairy named Button, are there to help her in an unfamiliar version of San Francisco.

I went into this knowing very little about it, but it was unexpectedly delightful. It seems neatly wrapped up in just one volume, which is almost unheard of for fantasy adventure graphic novels. It isn’t easy to build a world, introduce a conflict, have a fun adventure, and develop some characters with depth, but they managed to pull all of that off pretty well. And it was a nice surprise that Isabel's family life improved a bit at the end too. There’s room for more adventures with Isabel, Benjie, and Button if the author and illustrator would want to give them more, but the fairy conflict is resolved in this book. I liked the fairy world the illustrator created that mirrors the human world somewhat but is decidedly new and imaginative. I also appreciated the guide to the different kinds of fairies the illustrator incorporated in the back of the book. There’s also a little educational afterward with a quick summary of the real history of San Francisco in the back so readers might accidentally learn a thing or two from this as well. Fantasy graphic novel fans will adore this book. I can especially see fans of Kibuishi’s Amulet series loving this book too. Definitely will have to get copies of this for our library when it comes out.

Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. A couple of fantasy skirmishes on page, and there are some scratches and fatal wounds but blood is kept to the absolute minimum. There are some flashbacks to the big earthquake of 1906, but nothing gory.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely a good little adventure novel for juvenile readers. Not my favorite book but know some patrons who would enjoy it.

The City on the Other Sides joins a growing number of fantasy graphic novels for middle grade readers which weave exciting stories with engaging illustrations to suck them in. A good additional purchase.

The City on The Other Side is a cute comic about a young girl that doesn't think she belongs anywhere going on an adventure in Faerieland. I am a huge fan of Faerie stories and am pretty well versed in the Seelie/Unseelie courts that I felt I was able to jump right into this one.

I really liked that the Faeries in this comic are not just humanoid looking people with wings. There were lots of different and diverse looking creatures and beings in Faeire. Like, Button the Seelie Faerie that helps Isabel on her quest. Button is very much a mushroom-person?? I guess you could call it. There are other faerie that are personifications of flowers, and the Unseelie leader is a humanoid looking man with antlers. I loved that we so many different types of Faerie in this story. I found myself trying to pick them out in all the different panels.

I also liked that even though this book isn't in modern times, it's set in San Francisco after the great Earthquake, we actually see people of color! Because San Francisco has always been a pretty diverse city. So I was glad to see that in Isabel and Benjie, who even mentions he is Filipino. It actually took me awhile to figure out that this wasn't set in modern times, but that was because the story take place mostly on the other side of "the veil" in Faerieland.

I really liked the art in this one. It was very vibrant and I got a really good feel for the magical allure of Faerie. On the copy I had it looked a little blurry, but I partly wonder if the file I was given off netgalley downloaded as low-res. I checked one of the other comics in the app I use on my tablet, and that was also slightly blurry so I think this is an issue with where I read these ARC comics, and nothing to do with the artwork in this comic. I am 100% sure the printed copy will not look as low-res as I viewed it. So I am really interested to see how the finished product is different.

This was a quick read, but I found it really enjoyable. Not sure if there will be anymore books after this one, because it does feel like a complete story. I would love to read more about Isabel and Benjie going on adventures together. If you like a good Faerie story, I recommend this one.

*I received a free egalley copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

I love stories that incorporate a significant element of fairy stories and this delivers. The City on the Other side is about a young girl who stumbles upon, or rather into, the barrier that separates the human realm and the fairy realm and the war waging between the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. While this is a beautiful story, the artwork seems a bit pixelated.

(I was provided a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks, Netgalley!)

When Isabel goes to stay with her father, she discovers a whole other world "beyond the veil" and gets caught up in a way between two fairy kingdoms. Along the way, she makes friends with Button (a mushroom fairy) and Benjie (a human boy/thief in the fairy city).

I could see this being a good introductory graphic novel for kids (probably age 5-10?). The story was a bit predictable and occasionally rushed in a way that might not captive older readers. I really loved Button (he's just so dang cute) and I liked the friendship between Isabel and Benjie. I just wish it could have been developed more to really give the characters room to grow and change.

Sadly I can't really comment on the art. I'm not sure if it was the file I was given, or something else, but my digital copy was extremely pixelated (to the point that in a couple of panels I couldn't tell what was happening). I think, based on the quality of the cover, it's probably super beautiful though. I did with the artist had gotten more creative with panel layout and angles at times. Most of it was pretty basic, which left some moments (like a sword fight near the end) less dynamic than they could have been.

Overall, would recommend to kids who like fairytales and might be interested in graphic novels.

The City on the Other Side by Mairghread Scott and Robin Robinson is a fantasy graphic novel currently scheduled for release on April 24 2018. In this story a young girl stumbles into a pitched war between two fairy kingdoms, and the fate of San Francisco itself hangs in the balance! Sheltered within her high-society world, Isabel plays the part of a perfectly proper little girl. She is quiet, well-behaved, and she keeps her dresses spotlessly clean. She’s certainly not the kind of girl who goes on adventures. But that all changes when Isabel breaches an invisible barrier and steps into another world. She discovers a city not unlike her own, but magical and dangerous. Here, war rages between the fairies of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Only Isabel, with the help of a magical necklace and a few new friends, stands a chance of ending the war before it destroys the fairy world, and her own.

The City on the Other Side is a coming of age or quest adventure with a fae twist. I like that Isabel is a quiet girl that wants more right from the start, and while she grows and gains confidence she keeps the same core of goodness. She faces the trails of feeling neglected by her parents, and lost in the shuffle. I like how she is kind despite the way she feels, and how she is willing to step up and help, even when she is clearly in over her head. I think the secondary characters and conflict of the fae war is well done, and while it carries shades of what i thought I knew about the fairy world, it was approached in a fresh, new way. The young orphan-ish hero is also a tried and true story, but her challenges were well written and drawn, making the story feel fresh rather than stale- which happens often. I liked while I was often wondering who might betray our main players, and how the story would come together in the end. I liked the art work, but it was a little sharper than I normally like. The humans had a much rounder feel than the fae, which made the differences more pronounced. Since I was looking at a digital galley, I fully expect that it looks even better in the physical copy.

The City on the Other Side is a well done graphic novel that will appeal to middle grade readers, young adult readers, and adults. I enjoyed the read, and think many readers of all ages will enjoy it as well.

What a great book! It started out a little slow but quickly turned into a magical adventure that encompassed both historical San Francisco (some time between 1906 and 1915) and the fairy world of Seelies and Unseelies. Isabel is a lonely girl who feels unloved and ignored by both of her parents. Her main purpose in life (according to her) is stay clean. She is sent to spend the summer with her father, a stone sculptor, but feel unwanted there, also. She ends up in the fairy world where she becomes involved in the cold iron war that has been waging between the Seelies and Unseelies. It is here that Isabel realizes her own self-worth. It is a great graphic novel and it is easy to follow.

I received a free copy of this for review from NetGalley **

First off the art for this is gorgeous!! Definitely my favourite part of this book. As someone getting more into middle grade for the sake of my kids I really enjoyed this more than I thought i would. It was whimsical and the MC is adorable and a strong female role model. Will be picking up a finished copy!

Isabel feels like she doesn't belong anywhere. Not with her mother, who wants her to stay clean and out of the way inside their city house, nor with her sculptor father. When she is sent to live with her father in the country, Isabel is adrift and lost until she finds herself pulled into the middle of a war between the fairies. It's a race against time for her to deliver the magical necklace that just might turn the tide in the war.

The artwork and text tie beautifully to evoke both the magic of the fairy world and the nostalgia of early 1900 San Francisco (although very little is actually depicted in great depth), highlighting the diversity of both places. The story is simple enough and moves along quickly as Isabel discovers she is capable of more than she knows. Along her journey, she makes friends in a human thief and over-confident mushroom, while the dreaded Unseelie captain Spine and her minions try to capture them and return the necklace to their king.

This urban historical fantasy (making that a thing now) is perfect for middle grade students wanting to dabble in the graphic novel format.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

I really like the art in this book, but I had trouble getting into the story. Middle school kids will really enjoy this book and the rollicking adventure that it takes the reader on throughout its pages.

There isn't much  that makes me happier than seeing strong female lead characters in a kid's graphic novel. A fun adventure story with relatable characters and beautiful artwork, City on the Other Side, is a great read for younger children. 

Set after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Isabel is being raised to become a proper little lady by her detached mother. Isabel would like to stay in the city surrounded by familiar sights instead of heading off to the country to stay with her artist father.  She would also like a little adventure, a little independence, and to get her hands dirty once in a while.  Her first night spent alone at her father's house doesn't end up a lesson in loneliness and patience as she believes, but instead lands Isabel on a journey that tests her bravery.  
Isabel meets her first faerie, a Seelie messenger on a mission to deliver an important and magical necklace.  After becoming gravely injured, Isabel is tasked with continuing the mission with the help of Button, a sort of mushroom-looking faerie.  Together, they travel through both sides of the veil to outrun the Unseelie guards and to find the mysterious Miyori who is believed to be able to change the course of the war.  Along the way, Isabel and Button befriend a human thief named Benji who is living on the faerie side of the veil.  Throughout all the twists and turns, dangers and fears, Isabel and her two friends work together to finish out their mission.  

The story moves on quickly enough to keep kids interested and Button's humorous character keeps the story from becoming too dark.

<i>The City on the Other Side</i> is a cutesy story of a young girl in post 1906-Earthquake San Francisco. Her distant mother ships her off to spend the summer with her artist father who seems to be too busy to pay much attention to her.

Lonely, she takes to wandering and accidentally finds herself in the middle of a fairy war. When she is handed a magical necklace by a dying Seelie fae, she finds herself in the fairy realm on a mission to help find the Seelie Queen in hopes of defeating the Unseelie leader.

<i>City</i> is a cute title that would work well for middle grade readers who are interested in fantasy. While I enjoyed the story, I'm probably more than a little too old to be the target audience. I found parts of it to be pretty simplistic, but again...not a middle grade reader. Really though, this was a cute story and children's librarians should consider adding this one to their collections.

Absolutely delightful. Highly recommended to teens and readers with taste.