Usually I like stories that are “slice of life” where it is the day to day for the characters with the occasional drama. Sheets, mixes the day to day with an engaging ghost story reminiscent of Corpse Bride with the dead helping out in the end. The only complaint is the unevenness early with the fantasy element coming in late. An enjoyable read all around.

I couldn't open it to read it... said that the code for it was already in use? And that means I can't read it and I wanted too so badly!

Cute graphic novel! My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and comparing notes. She really enjoys reading graphic novels, so I let her in on this one too :)

This is a super cute graphic novel that perfectly encompasses loss, grief and belonging through the unlikely friendship between a girl and a ghost.

"Sometimes I feel even less visible than ghosts."

This graphic novel really spoke to me - the main character's loneliness & emptiness was so vividly expressed within the illustrations. It broke my heart since I've worn the same expressions in the past and still do some days. The whimsical storyline perfectly incorporates grief, depression, and how these all-too-real emotions can affect you over time. In the end though, this book let's readers know that we can all make our own happiness if we put in the effort.

Aside from the impactful story, the illustrations were absolutely stunning. The color shifts between human vs. ghost realms were masterfully thought out too. All in all, I can't get enough of Brenna's art style.

This will be a perfect read during the Halloween season and I feel as-if it will become very hyped upon it's release!

An adorable story about a girl and a ghost in a laundromat, this graphic novel painted a story about friendship, love and loss beautifully. The artwork was well suited to the plot and the characters were easy to fall in love with.

Right... This wasn't what i was expecting. At all. It was mostly depressing, but still beautiful at the same time. Not a happy read, but a must read nevertheless.

Interest Level: 3-6

Have you ever had to deal with a loss in your family? Someone very close, even a parent? This is what Marjorie Glatt's is dealing with. Her family owns a laundromat that they live above, but since her mom passed away everything has changed. Her dad doesn't come out of his room and Marjorie has been forced to run the laundromat all by herself. Hours are limited, customers are limited, and money is not coming in. When a very mean man comes along and wants to take over the building (not buy, take over) for a new yoga spa, things go from bad to worse. When Marjorie refuses his offer the man begins sabotaging the merchandise. Things go from worse to even worse when a ghost named Wendall starts to destroy the merchandise also. Can Marjorie overcome all of the odds that are against her or is the mean man going to win? Is Wendall a bad ghost coming to ruin her life or does he prove that ghosts aren't so bad after all? Do not miss this amazing graphic novel love, loss, perseverance, and healing.

I found the concept of the graphic novel very interesting and different from what I have read before.
We follow the story of Marjorie Glatt who owns a laundromat and most of the times feels like a ghost. We also have Wendell who is a ghost. The story deals with serious issues like grief but is also very funny and leaves you feeling that at the end everything will be OK despite all the struggles and problems.
The art of the book was amazing. I really liked that she used a certain palette of colours and that she captured all the necessary details for the story. I caught myself staring at the art a lot.

I really liked this graphic novel and I definitely recommend to check this out when it comes out on August.

Let me preface and say that the art was astounding. I love the line work that's unsteady but demonstrates the presence of the hand. Even the choice of a deep purple to outline and shadow. It worked well with the overall color palette and enhances the feeling of nostalgia. There's a scene in the book that illustrates Wendell's past that uses ink prints and lithograph. I honestly think it's creative to incorporate other forms of art making into this medium of storytelling.

This was a sweet story about growing up with the loss of a loved one. The debate of whether you should live with your ghosts or let them go is a prevalent conflict that not only Marjorie handles but her grieving father, too. It reminds us that a person means different things to others. In the light of a sudden death, sometimes it becomes a competition of who is hurting more when in truth, this is a time to reconcile. While the story doesn't ever reach such gravity, it translates well for a younger audience. There's a comical villain to rally against and mean girls who unjustly bullies the protagonist who's mother just died. Oh, do you remember that one time you accidentally bumped into that popular guy? Well, he always had a crush on you even though you never spoke a word to him. It ends pretty much how you would expect it. Can I say deus ex machina?

I personally think that if the ending wasn't so storybook, it would be more helpful in the long run. I mean, that's kind of the point, life happens and it's not always going to be in your favor but you have to make a decision to live it.

This fair review of an advance reader's copy was thanks to NetGalley.


*This comic has some of the strongest spreads that really make the world building fantastic. I recommend picking this up for the artwork alone.

Inhalt

Nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter muss Marjorie ihr Leben zusammenhalten – auch wenn das bedeutet, Familienleben, Schule und den Waschsalon ihrer Eltern zu managen. Als wäre das für eine 13-Jährige nicht genug, kommen ihr unerwartete Ereignisse in die Quere. Denn Wendell, ein junger Geist, ist gar nicht begeistert von seinem Leben nach dem Tod. So macht er sich auf in die Welt der Lebenden. Doch in Marjories Waschsalon ist er nicht der perfekte Kunde – und wirbelt ihr Leben zwischen den Laken mächtig durcheinander.

Meine Bewertung

Wieder ein Comic – und was für einer! Mit „Sheets“ habe ich endlich wieder einen richtig tollen Zeitvertreib gefunden. Als ich die Zusammenfassung zu Brenna Thummlers Comic gelesen habe, war ich noch ein wenig skeptisch. Waschsalons, Bettlaken und Geister sind sonst nicht unbedingt meine Welt. Aber wenn man sich darauf einlässt, ist „Sheets“ hinter der Pastellfassade eine wundervolle und sehr traurige, aber auch hoffnungsvolle Geschichte.

Fangen wir an bei den Illustrationen, die den Comic erst zum Leben erwecken. Wie bereits gesagt hat „Sheets“ eine Farbpalette, die mich sofort begeistert hat. Ich liebe die weichen Pastelltöne, die fast schon niedliche Aufmachung und die leichte Überspitzung in den Zeichnungen. Gerade wenn es um die Charaktere geht, hat man hier sofort bei jedem Alleinstellungsmerkmale. Auch die Ausdrücke wurden gut eingefangen. Aber selbst die Hintergründe sind mit vielen Details versehen und haben mir wahnsinnig gut gefallen. Die Illustrationen schaffen es hier, die Leichtigkeit zu bewahren, die als Ausgleich zu den schweren Themen gebraucht wird, ohne dabei zu farbenfroh und fröhlich zu werden.

Auch die Geschichte konnte mich begeistern. Marjorie ist ein sehr zurückhaltendes Mädchen, das in der Schule von ihren Klassenkameradinnen gehänselt wird. Ihr Vater ist nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter in Depressionen gefallen und sie betreibt die Wäscherei allein. Hilfe ist Fehlanzeige – und dann kommt Wendell. Das Zusammenspiel von Geist und Mädchen war für mich genau perfekt. Es ist lustig, traurig und tragisch zugleich. Und gleichzeitig ist es hoffnungstragend, denn es zeigt auch, dass man nie allein ist. Marjorie hat eine starke Entwicklung durchgemacht, Wendell ebenso.

Was mir auch sehr gefallen hat, war die Echtheit dieser Geschichte. Hier wird nichts verschleiert oder unnötig umschrieben. Gleichzeitig ist der Comic dennoch jugendgerecht und sollte auch so behandelt werden. Der Umgang mit dem Tod hat viele Facetten und spendet auch Trost und Hoffnung. Und gleichzeitig ist auch die Welt der Lebenden nicht immer perfekt, Marjories Leben eher schwer für einen Teenager. Ihre Gefühlswelt kam durch die Illustrationen sehr gut raus, aber auch die Dialoge sind trotz Sarkasmus und Humor sehr echt und gehen unter die Haut.

Alles in allem war „Sheets“ für mich ein Comic, den ich unheimlich genossen haben. Er ist facettenreich, gefühlslastig und mit tollen Bildern bestückt. Das Thema mag zunächst etwas seltsam klingen, aber selbst Geister haben eine liebenswerte Seite – manchmal mehr als die Lebenden. Und die Laken in diesem Waschsalon werden sicher kein Auge trockenlassen.

A ghost story set in a laundromat. Cheeky!

Ever since the death of her mother in a tragic swimming accident, highschooler Marjorie Glatt has been floating through life, much like a ghost: wispy, invisible, barely clinging to this plane of existence. With Mr. Glatt suffering from clinical depression, Marj is left to look after her younger brother Owen, and run the family laundromat after school, pretty much solo. As if that isn’t bad enough, the neighborhood baddie Nigel Saubertuck is gunning for the Glatt family property, so he can turn it into a five-start resort and yoga spa.

A ghost infestation – by a sweet if bumbling middle schooler named Wendell – brings things to a head. When Wendell’s antics threaten to cost Marjorie her home and livelihood, can he bring the denizens of his ghost town together to help a mortal damsel in distress?

SHEETS is … kind of weird and expected, especially since I couldn’t always guess where the plot was headed. This was refreshing; less so was the artwork’s sometimes confusing nature. If I couldn’t anticipate the plot, I had even more trouble figuring out what transpired in certain panels. Even so, I mostly enjoyed the overall style of the art; the buildings, ghosts, and towns are quite charming. The people, on the other hand, kind of icked me out. There’s just something a little off about the faces.

SHEETS is an unusual little story that’s great for fans of Houdini; people who like ghost stories of the friendly variety; and perhaps kids who are grieving the loss of a parent. Also misfits and outsiders of all stripes. (But save it for October, if you can: this is definitely a Halloween read!)

The art was wonderful. I loved that the color palette was a bit off but stayed consistent throughout the book.

The story was done so well. I liked how it dealt with death and grieving without being too obvious or graphic about it.

I think the idea of a ghost world was genius. I also liked how the author dealt with crossing over.

A very smart take on loss

This was an absolute delight to read. I breezed through this story no problem.
The illustrations were very detailed and every frame had a lot of emotion and effort put into it. I also liked how even the ghosts had human like emotions. The colors were incredibly vibrant too.
Marjorie and Wendell's stories were awesome.
I liked learning about the land of the ghosts as well as the laundrette.
The ending was very sweet and I am glad that things worked out the way they did in the end.

Marjorie Glatt is running the family laundry business and Wendel is a ghost in search of a purpose. This is their story in finding a place where they belong.

The illustrations in this graphic novel are beautiful. The transition between the perspective of the two characters are creatively done. The human world has vibrant colors while the ghost world has dull monotone colors. The story develops in a slow steady pace where I could take the time to appreciate each panel. There are pages where there is no dialogue, but the story panels actively capture the loneliness that Marjorie feels. I was also able to gain an understanding of the person the illustration revolved around.

This was a heartwarming quick read. When the stars have aligned I’m definitely getting the finished copy.


Once I've posted my review to my blog on the 23rd of August I will add the link to my review in Netgalley.

Beautiful tale of a girl and a ghost who's chance encounter helps them both find a place to fit in and move on.

Sheets is adorable. I love the clean art and light pastel colors. The cover art is what grabbed my attention in the first place. This artist does such a great job.
I was a LITTLE confused by the main characters age. I'm still not sure how old she is, but by the end I kind of stopped carrying that I didn't know how old she was.
That support group for ghosts was SO.CUTE. I just love everything about this. Its light. Its happy, its adorable. Best of all, it was longer than I expected, so I got to enjoy the cute ghosts longer than I had thought I would.

Marjorie Glatt isn’t a typical 13-year-old. She carries a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, running her family’s laundry business while suffering through middle school. Marjorie feels alone after the death of her mother. Sadly, her father is unable to provide any support, as he is lost in a depression that locks him in his room most of the day.
Marj meets Wendell, a ghost who also feels invisible. He is sweet and turns out to be the inspiration she needs to save her family.
For me, the story started off strong- pulling me in, and even making me laugh out loud. “Grown-ups are skilled at making terrible things seem great..... Mr. Saubertuck uses phrases like ‘cleanse the mind’,’ which I’m guessing translates to lobotomy.” p.58 Slowly the writing tapered off for me... I felt the plot lacked something... and the rising action fell flat when it came to the tidy and contrived ending. However, the mesmerizing art made up for the basic storyline- so I plan on purchasing this one for our school library.

Marjorie is a shy girl, who runs her deceased mother's laundry business. Wendell is a ghost who feels out of place in the afterlife, and runs away to visit the human world. When Marjorie's business is threatened by an enterprising businessman, only other-worldly help will save the laundromat and heal Marjorie's grieving heart.

The friendship between Marjorie and Wendell is so hilarious and weird! I love that they are both damaged and lost, but they find their way together.
The story shows a vivid picture of the grieving process, with all the ugliness and messiness that entails, but also gives hope to the characters and shows them healing and coming together.

I really enjoyed the scenes from the Land of Ghosts, where Wendell attends a support group for Dead Youth Empathetics. It was hilarious and interesting! The ghosts have their little homes, and their activities, and they hang out at the bath house to wash their sheets. I love the imaginative world-building!

I loved Marjorie's swim teacher at school! He's funny and dorky, and a kind teacher. It showed that Marjorie has people who like her and care about her, and will protect her against the bullies. His character really added depth to the story, and gave weight to Marjorie's life outside her family.

I adore Marjorie's little brother! He's such a cute little guy, and his silly childishness gave some levity to the story.

Marjorie herself is a beautiful main character. She is so strong in her own quiet way. She is holding her family together, running her own business, and keeping up with school, taking care of her little brother, and she does it all with kindness and grace. I immediately felt a connection to her, and cared about her story.

One of the things I loved about this book was the emphasis on music! Marjorie has memories of playing the piano with her mother, and it has become a deep connection to her happy past. Music can have a lasting impact on us, and is a way of bringing healing and restoration to a hurting soul. Marjorie plays the piano and Wendell is attracted to the sound, bringing them together.

A hauntingly beautiful and sweet story with a perfect blend of seriousness and silliness! I love it from start to finish!


Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Actual rating: 3,5 stars!

Such a lovely, lovely story, with themes like grief, isolation, and hard work that seems to be for naught but isn't. While the story is mostly slice-of-life, the supernatural element gives it an extra bit of pizzazz, but also makes it more... childish, I think? It's probably the way that the Ghost World operates, which does feel like the way a child would imagine it as.

But still, the story was lovely, and the art that accompanied it was more than beautiful. Everything, from the art style to the lineart to the colour choices, is spectacular. It's clear that a lot of work went into it, and I was very impressed with it.

I'm very happy I chose this graphic novel to read today.