Interesting but odd. I feel like it needed more world-building to truly find its audience. Maybe this will be better in future installments.

Love the artwork and storyline of this graphic novel. Can't resist a good rabbit story. Got a lot of Secre to NIMH feels from this.

NIMH meets Watership Down. We have a complex society with religious and technological undertones and a vast cast of characters. That last bit gave me some trouble as I had difficulty keeping the various rabbits straight and understanding their place in the larger society.

If you liked Watership Down, you'll like this story. Just like the Watership Down series, it involves rabbits who are self sustaining in their own colonies and merely want to exist in peace and happiness. Yet danger and greed lurks everywhere. Their world seems to be dependent on a thing called Cha, which is derived from carrots, along with their enemies, the foxes, who all desperately want and need. It can be used in art and even seems to have addictive consumption qualities, along with some sort of magical properties.

The main plot of the story seems to follow Bridgebelle, a female rabbit who is looked down upon due to a tragic incident and past memories which often cause problems for her in the present. She wants to be an artist but due to the demand for Cha, most rabbits work to harvest that and barely meet requirements for food and other necessities they need. The foxes are no different and are even more ruthless to get more Cha. Bridgebelle does all she can to figure out her fragmented memories of the past as she learns more about the properties of Cha and the evil that lurks around her and the other rabbits.

The story was very interesting to read and flowed smoothly. Like I said earlier, it reminded me of Watership Down and the infusion of the rabbit/fox lore and mythology scattered throughout the tale made it a delight to enjoy even more. The art especially was beautiful and vivid, and I loved seeing how Cha was used by the rabbits to make their own version of art. It has such a calming effect and was something I wish I could experience in real life. I cannot wait to read the next installment of the series, if more is to come.

Cottons: The Secret of the Wind is the first graphic novel in a three part series, which takes place in a dystopian world around 500 years after industrialization and the fall of civilization. The protagonistic group of the story are the rabbits who own a carrot factory, and are trying to rebuild civilization to reflect a more modern sense of time. All rabbits are expected to work at the factory in order to turn carrots into Cha for energy. Readers will meet several rabbits who are not taken seriously by their elders or peers because of their intense interest in becoming artists, as opposed to working at the factory. The foxes, who would be considered the antagonistic group of the story, are desperate to take over the factory, so that they can use the Cha for evil. In order to prevent the foxes from breaking the previous agreement and taking over the factory, the rabbits must learn to accept who they are within themselves, as well as where they came from in their past.

Within the first ten pages of Cottons, I was left in awe by the beautifully descriptive illustrations. I instantly knew this story wasn’t going to be as light hearted as I originally anticipated because of the fierceness of the animals emotions depicted within the illustrations. The visual literacy skills that are developed by readers while reading this story are beneficial in helping them understand more about visuals in the world around them. Readers are able to use the illustrations from one panel to the next to help them truly develop a sense of each character’s emotions and personal struggles.

As I was reading, I could picture this story being used in a history class as a parallel for major events that have happened within our own history. At the conclusion of book one, the author gives the readers a detailed background of each character, as well as the history of the conflicts between the rabbits and foxes. There were times within the story that this information would have been helpful prior to reading the story. However, given that I am now aware that this information is at the end of the story, I would guide readers in that direction if they seem confused while following the story line. I would also recommend that readers research the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution in order to gain a better understanding of the setting and relationships between the characters.

Overall, I would recommend this story to readers in upper elementary and beyond. Given the dystopian nature, complex relationships and underlying themes of self-acceptance and courage, Cottons might be too complex for younger readers to understand. However, there is no content in this story that would be inappropriate for any age to read.

I was granted an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review to be posted on GoodReads Jun 19, 2018:

A graphic novel tale set in a valley where various groups and factions are vying for control of the valley’s energy source, cha, a substance derived from carrots at the factory. There are various factions at work, but mainly the power struggle is between the rabbits and the foxes. While most of the foxes turn to intimidation tactics like murder and kidnapping, one of them turns to more arcane and dark powers. Meanwhile the rabbits are having issues with their factory they can’t explain, Bridgebelle is tasked with trying to make things more efficient though she’d rather just use cha for making art. She’s also trying to puzzle out the riddle told her by a dying rabbit. And many of the rabbits are trying to figure out who they are despite past trauma and varying messages from society.

There is a LOT going on in here, and I get the feeling this volume is just barely scratching the surface of the world that Pascoe has dreamed up. It feels like the start of an epic fantasy. I mean there’s a whole several centuries-long history that’s briefly outlined in the afterword, the animals have their own complex religion, their own folktales, and there are multiple characters that get enough development there are probably a dozen side plots going on. Thinking of a blend of <i>Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH</i> and Redwall will give you only the basic feel for what’s going on. Usually this kind of complex world development is reserved for books that involve faeries or aliens instead of rabbits and foxes. I was very glad for the afterward material as it explains a lot of things in the world that don’t get fleshed out during the story. But that works. It’s way better than an animal info dumping as they go about their normal business. I am most definitely interested to find out more about this world. Oh, and how could I forget to mention the amazing artwork! It is beautiful and though it isn’t stated anywhere, the valley where the animals live is a far future Yosemite Valley, so some great scenery. I can see epic fantasy lovers <i>really</i> getting into this. It may be advertised for the middle grade crowd, but I can see anyone 12+ being thoroughly absorbed in this world.

Notes on content [based on ARC]: No language issues. No sexual content beyond two rabbits kissing. There is one gory murder with an animal’s throat getting ripped out (lots of blood), and a couple less gory animal deaths. There’s also some dark magic that gets a little creepy at times.

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

Watership Down was one of those novels that changed my life when I was a kid. I first read it at about 9, after seeing the animated movie a year before, and it just blew my mind with its beautiful, yet brutal, story. I've returned to the book and movie several times throughout the years, and it remains one of my favorite books. Reading this first story in Jim Pascoe and Heidi Arnhold's new graphic novel series, Cottons: The Secret of the Wind, reminds me of Watership Down, taking place in a more magical world.

We meet Bridgebelle, a rabbit working in the carrot factory by day, caring for her sick aunt by night. She's always on the watch for the cruel foxes who prey on the rabbits

To her neighbors in the Vale of Industry, Bridgebelle is an ordinary rabbit. All day long, she toils at the carrot factory. After a hard day, she returns home to care for her ailing auntie. Bridgebelle also has a secret talent: she uses cha, the fuel that powers the rabbits' world, to create magical artwork called thokchas. Bridgebelle must keep her magic secret, lest other rabbits in power try to use her and her power to create weapons; she also has to beware of the cruel foxes who hunt her kind.

There is a lot of storytelling here that makes the story hard to follow at times, but stick with it: it's worth the journey. Heidi Arnhold's beautiful artwork blends realistic animal art with fantasy and magic. Jim Pascoe sets a firm foundation to his universe here, and introduces several plots that will power readers through this new series. There is some violence - the foxes aren't known for their mercy - so I'd recommend this one for middle grade and up. This is a nice companion to the Longburrow novels by Kieran Larwood and David Wyatt (the second book is due out in August!), for fans of animal fantasy, particularly starring rabbits.

This is a beautiful book. The story in its first few pages had me hooked, and the artwork is amazing. I would recommend it to anyone who grew up with The Last Unicorn and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH/The Secret of NIMH.

Anyone expecting a children's graphic novel will learn in the first few pages that this is a serious story about bunnies. The rabbits live in a dystopian industrial world where they are heavily oppressed to maintain a power supply. This is a great next book for older elementary and middle grade students who love Mrs. Frisby, but really any adult who loves fantasy books about animals will find a lot to sink their teeth in. I really loved this book and I can't wait to explore this incredibly rich world of commerce, religion, and culture again.

An interesting adventure comic book - about how any one can affect change even through a small action.

The graphic novel I am most excited to share with my library's young patrons this year--it feels like a new classic.

Was not impressed with this graphic novel at all. There are so many great graphic novels out there right now, I just didn't feel like this held any ground.

A beautifully told and illustrated text about a fascinating topic.

An advanced society of rabbits refines carrots into Cha, a powerful substance capable of powering their civilization and a potent drug for foxes, in this heavy but engaging graphic novel. One of the Cha-hungry foxes issues an ultimatum to the rabbits - turn over the Cha factory or be killed - in a chilling opening sequence depicting the murder of rabbit Soozie. Under the new leadership of Sylvan, the foxes search for The Black Sun, a powerful totem which would enable them to summon the Broken Feather King and enslave the entire rabbit race. Meanwhile, the rabbits are torn between art and industry while Bridgebelle searches for a mysterious box unlocked by a key left by Soozie just before her death, all while having flashbacks to her mysterious, fire-filled past. All of this is happening while a local artistic leader believes she has found a way to weaponize Thokchas, art pieces made with Cha, and artist Thom Croquet as been captured by the foxes as part of their dark ritual. Readers wanting a breezy read should look elsewhere as this first volume is packed with history, societal constructs, loss, religious belief, and even some fuzzy, bunny romance. Movement-filled panels dominate the pages, relying primarily on cool and neutral colors until foxes or fire make an appearance. Scenes depicting the beauty of Thokchas and the influence of Cha on the foxes are particularly stunning. The animals are illustrated in a fairly realistic manner, though the eyes are anthropomorphized to express a wide range of emotion. Many of the main rabbits are quite similar, creating a rather confusing fluffle of rabbits to sort. This tale, while laden with issues, serves as a bridge between middle grade and young adult, providing the reader with more advanced themes will maintaining its viability for a slightly younger audience. This emotionally charged drama will speak to fans of Bone and Mouseguard and, while imperfect, will have readers anxiously awaiting the next installment.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel for the magic the author and illustrator brought to the pages. The story reads a bit like a crossover between the NIMH and Watership Down, but it also tells its own story at the same time. It's a fun read, and you don't get bored.

The Cottons is beautifully illustrated. I feel like I should just end my review there because the illustrations really are breathtaking and provide so much of the depth in this graphic novel. The Cottons would be a great recommendation for fans of Amulet who love gorgeous detailed illustrations and are eager for more, although this story is considerably darker (and has evil foxes with fabulous eyebrows). The story is interesting and has a lot of potential, but the sheer amount of information conveyed in this volume bogged down much of the storytelling. I’m excited for future volumes when the worldbuilding is established and the author and illustrator can just run with it.

An engaging and fast-paced read that reminds me somewhat of Watership Down. Should be the start of another great series of books with a cast of admirable characters.

I fell in love with the gorgeous illustrations and started to read with a good first impression. However, the plot and the character’s similarities made for a confusing read.

Exceptionally rich illustrations, deep back story, admirable characters. There is a prevailing sense of dread throughout the book, conveyed effectively by the illustrations.
Exceptionally rich illustrations, deep back story, admirable characters. There is a prevailing sense of dread throughout the book, conveyed effectively by the illustrations.

I was reminded more of a mix of a dystopian <i>Watership Down</i> and Upton Sinclair's <i>The Jungle>/i> than any other story. This book was a little too dark for me.

Watership Down on steroids! Sometimes I think this is what goes on in my front yard at night. A reminder of how the ordinary can be extraordinary. Visually stunning and wonderfully written and a promising start to a new series.