Mae went missing when she was younger and her family assumed she ran away - as she often did - but when she turns up sprouting tales of other worlds and monsters her sister and friend find it all a little hard to believe...until things start crossing over.

I love the idea and story that was put behind this but something about it didn't work for me. The art, which must be some type of new 3D computer type I'm not familiar with, kind of felt too weird for me? It took me out a little bit. Though it had a good story it wasn't really executed that well. It kind of seemed a little cheesy and over the top, while also failing to explain anything and have any real depth or feel for the story itself.

Overall just a miss for me.

Mae was not my thing at all surprisingly. The artwork was not up to par and while I enjoy nerdy pop culture references some of them in this story felt really forced. I loved the Eastern European influences on the other dimension and the character designs were interesting with heavy steampunk and cyberpunk influences. The story moved way too fast and lacked detailing. I liked the sisters but Abbie was a bit annoying. Their cohort Kvido was actually my favorite. I don't know if the author was putting too much story into the wrong medium or if it just was lacking but it's not one I would recommend. Peruse it for the other dimensions concepts but that's it.

I didn't really like this one. I really wanted to and I can't even explain why I didn't.

The artwork is bright and colorful. I loved that the characters were varied and interesting. I didn't like that most of them had complicated names - it disrupts the flow. A few are okay but almost every character becomes laborious.
Nothing wrong with the plot except that I didn't connect to it nor did I connect to the main characters. There's very little character development - I know nothing about them and wasn't given time to care about them.

I received this electronic arc in return for an honest review.

So this is a fantasy tale about a girl who travels to another dimension with her long lost sister.

I really enjoyed the art with the different creatures and the imagery it all evokes.

I couldn't to finish the book as it was a little too choppy for me to understand sometimes. There wasn't enough back story or present story before 'everything' happens, which I find made it hard to like the characters, which in turn means I had no connection and wasn't bothered about finishing.

I liked the artwork, but the story could use some help. Even though the title is called Mae it seems like the story centers more around her sister, Abbie, who has returned from a fantasy world. Abbie has been gone for seven years and when she comes back monsters come back with her causing trouble. This results in Mae following her sister into the other world and getting into hijinks.

The reader knows nothing about this world or how Abbie ended up there. I think it would be nice to have more information on this subject and what kind of world it is. It's not a fairy world or a place for giants, just a place filled with miscellaneous creatures. There was one instance where they mentioned Czech, but I didn't feel like that gave me anything to go off of. It also mentioned African Americans had found the city and it just seemed like a way to sneak in that they were diversified instead of adding to the story. I feel like there is a story forming, there is plot, but they didn't take the time to world build and instead rushed into things.

My first Graphic Novel of the summer.
Pretty good story so far. Mae's sister Abbie disappeared 7 years ago. Suddenly she shows up like nothing has happened except now Abbie calls herself Ani, carries around two mini axes, and is a champion fighter. Oh...and she is a queen? Ani has been on the adventure of a life-time leaving Mae to worry about her safety. Now she's back and the bad guys aren't letting her come home quietly. Great adventure. Can't wait to read Vol. 2
#MaeVol.1 #NetGalley

I read this because I remembered reading what I think was a different version/edition of this book (perhaps it was an initial printing, perhaps it was from the Kickstarter), and it had felt kind of disjointed, as if there had been some sort of printing error or other materials left out from the trade paperback that would have helped it make more sense. With a little research, I discovered that Mae went from Dark Horse to Lion Forge (under the Roar imprint), and it looks like Lion Forge is reissuing that first trade (with some extra back-up materials) and continuing the story with new issues. I'm not sure what the circumstances were that led to the switch, but I'm glad that there will be additional story to tell, since the first trade (both this edition and the previous one I read) ended on both a cliffhanger and a prequel story that had me puzzled -- I think I said to myself "Wait, *this* is how it ends?"

I liked the story well enough, even though (as some professional reviews noted) it's a pretty standard portal fantasy at this point. It's nice to see things flavored with a non-Tolkien perspective (the heavy use of Czech). I wasn't as big of a fan of the art style used most frequently in the main stories. The sort of computer-heavy, hyper-realistic art style edges a bit too close to the uncanny value for my tastes. The more traditional art-style seen in the sixth issue (the prequel) and in some of the side story/back-up material is more my speed, but I suspect the computer realism is going to be the main style going forward. I will give props to Lion Forge on swapping out the really bad cover from the Dark Horse trade for something that's much less awful.

I don't order for YA graphic novels, so I would have no say in our decision on whether or not to buy this, but if I did, I think it would be a good idea to swap the Lion Forge edition in for the Dark Horse one, if you already own the latter. If it's not something already in your collection, it's an optional purchase, depending on how popular fantasy comics are for your reading population.

I absolutely loved the color work for Mae. The shading and tones of the purples for some of the in-between cover pages were absolutely stunning. I wanted a little bit more from the narrative but I'm reminding myself that if it is coming out in comic issues and this is a trade collecting the first five issues that there's definitely more to come. I'm definitely interested in seeing how Mae develops as she enters Ani's world. Mae seems to be accepting all the magic a little too easily, but as an avid Potter fan, I think were I presented with the same circumstances I'd be running into the adventure (even as a Hufflepuff).

It's listed for teens but I'd be fine with what I read being shelved for some younger readers. There's a touch of violence from Ani battling beasties but it's on par with Amulet so really nothing concerning.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lion Forge for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a bit torn on this one.
I'm not sure if this is a collection of different issues set up to be a teaser of sorts or if these are the first 5 volumes of the series as they read and felt out of order after reading the first two chapters. There is no definite timeline or hint that anything from days to weeks may have passed in the later ones so the flow of the story feels off.

Mae, the main character, came across as smart, caring, and lovable and I can only hope that more of her characterization is shown in the later volumes as there is a lot Ha can do but as to Abbie, the wayward sister, she took a lot of the space early on as she's managed to crash back into Mae's life which is where the book starts. Abbie came across as the devil may care sister, shows little responsibilty and in some moments a bit dimwitted as to what her actions have actually created and that can play an interesting contrast against Mae but I'll admit I don't care for Abbie. She's not at all perturbed about the effect that her leaving created just as much by her reappearence and that created a disconnect for me.

Regardless of my feelings towards Abbie, the book itself made for a good read and it left me curious to want to know more about Mae I'm just unsure if I want to go further as it means more Abbie and by the looks of it a lot more of Abbie.

Mae's sister Abbie has been gone for 7 years when she unexpectedly returns from another dimension where she kicks ass and kind of a queen. The art work and story have a lot of potential to be part of a great series with a little more work on crafting out what the story will be about and sticking with a type of style in the art. The story is a bit choppy and felt like important parts of the story were missing. The artwork in the panels looks off at first, but the last part of the volume and the extra parts at the end look much better. This is not for all ages though as described on Goodreads since words like asshat are used.

Mae is a fantasy graphic novel with the premise that there are other worlds besides ours. Now, of course, this isn't new - it's been done before. Countless times, but there is always something new to create and explore with these cliche tropes. I found the story interesting and compelling. I really loved Mae's sister Abbie and all her "bad-assery".
I felt some things could have been fleshed out and explained more and the pacing of the story and its development could have been slowed down. It felt rushed. I'm not a fan of mixed media looking illustration in comics. It's either all computer rendered or all illustrated. I have't found anything yet that has done a great combination of the two. Mae is no exception.
Although I am interested in the story and what happens next in Mae and Abbie's adventure - I can't help but feel this whole series should have been called something other than "Mae".
Mae herself, is one of the things not fleshed out quite well. She doesn't stand out in anyway. I mean, the story is named after her!
I can only hope this changes in future installments where she'll become more of the main character she is suppose to be. Who knows - maybe there will be a twist and Mae really has to step up? It's what I can hope for.

Several years back I was at a convention and got the chance to listen to Gene Ha talk about an upcoming project of his and we were given some information and shown some artwork. This story has sat at the back of my head since then, wondering what came of it. I’m very happy to see this and get an answer to that question.
The story starts off with Mae after her sister, Abbie has gone missing. She shows up not long after but you definitely get the feeling this isn’t new. Fast forward several years later and Mae hasn’t seen her sister in almost a decade. Out of the blue Abbie shows up again, wielding axes and talking about things Mae can’t make sense of, and dragging Mae into the world/life she’s been living since she last saw Mae.
Abbie is an interesting character, smart, sassy and not ready to let anyone tell her what to do. She discovered a portal that lead her to another world, a world she’s been living in for the last several years as a queen until recent events had her removed. I’m not entirely sure I understood why she’s returned now but she goes back, dragging Mae with her when their father is taken by the people Mae fought against in this other world.
For all th series is called Mae it’s really largely Abbie that’s the focus, and most interesting. I’m curious to see how the story will keep developing.

Really nice crisp artwork in this one, some of the characters almost look computer-rendered, which I suppose they could be, not sure about that one.
The story starts out promising - Mae's sister Abbie who has been missing for almost a decade comes home suddenly one night telling stories about another dimension and claiming to be a queen there. Suddenly bad guys from that dimension attack and kidnap the girls' ailing father and drag him back to the other world, so the girls decide to go back there to get him back.
All that is fine except that the story constantly feels like it is skipping ahead in time with no explanation - and opening up back stories that are also never explained. For example, there are some rednecky guys in the very beginning who are mad at Mae, but it's never explained why. Once the girls make it back to the other realm the story seems to skip parts too - and then for no reason at all, the last chapter is a flashback, which SHOULD explain some stuff, but doesn't and instead just raises more questions. Overall, I found this very confusing, and will probably not be reading volume 2.

Mae's sister Abbie went missing and Mae has theories about what happened. When she finds her sister safe and...different, she can't quite wrap her mind around the story Abbie tells until she finds herself transported to a fantasy world to rescue her kidnapped father.
This story wasn't for me, but I'm sure it will have an audience. The Dr. Who, Harry Potter, and other fantasy/sci-fi references were a bit much, but like I said I'm certain specific audience will appreciate it.

Mae is a super entertaining little quest in which the titular character’s sister Abbie reappears after years of being missing, and in the span of a day, ropes Mae into a quest to save their father. They go into a wondrous alternate world, where Abbie proceeds to try to find their father mostly through blunt force, and Mae finds that her skills aren’t entirely useless here, either.

Vol 1 ends after a few failed attempts, so keep an eye out for volume 2, which won’t drop until January 2019.

Plot/Characters: 7/10
Although the general plots of finding a new world, or going on a quest to save a friend or family member, aren’t new in themselves, this story is incredibly entertaining. I think that’s because the world-building is so dazzling that we’re sort of tumbling down the rabbit hole along with Mae. I especially appreciate the concept that an alternate world might be populated with humans not Western European and American. I don’t know that the author has fully utilized that conceit yet, but I’m going to be patient. I will be reading the second volume, for certain.
When it comes to character, Mae is better fleshed out of the two sisters. She’s a fan of Anime, Dr. Who, Battlestar Galactica, and anything else. This nerdiness, combined with a stability that comes from having been the sister left behind, who had to look after their father, makes her relatable and very easy to grasp as a character. Ani/Abbie is… less developed. I’m sensing we might get more from her; in fact, I’m hoping that occurs in the next volume. We know that she’s a queen.. and she kicks ass. And at the end we’re teased regarding her relationship with Petra. But beyond that, it’s kind of superficial.
Maybe it has to be that way. So far the sisters’ conflicts with each other haven’t gone into much depth either. It all has to do with their mission, and not to do with their history. You’d think after disappearing for years, Abbie would be facing a little more anger from Mae, but not yet. It’s all in their approach to finding their father.

Art: 6/10
I’ll be honest: The art is a little shaky in the beginning chapters. Over the course of the comic, the style seems to settle into a more comfortable, blended presentation of the human and nonhuman characters. At first, though, a lot of the expressions and poses are stiff to the point of being unrealistic. Occasionally, I stop to stare at a face Mae is making and cringe. I even went back to the beginning to see if I hadn’t just gotten used to the style, and no, that’s not the case. Thankfully, after a little bit, it does get better. And once it does, the style highlights the feeling of fantasy very well.

I need to read the second volume before I can really get into themes, but for now, I’m going to go with “Sisterhood” because the relationship between Mae and Abbie is center stage.

Long story short: I’m definitely going to be looking into the second volume. I think the world-building hooked me more than anything else, and anything with a significant sister bond to explore is worth my time.

I received a review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel is about two sisters Mae and Abbie. One day Abbie suddenly appears out of the blue after her disappearance. She tells her sister what happened and informs her, she was in a different world and in fact, she is a queen of Mňouké. Their adventure begins when Mae and Abbie (or Ani, as she calls herself in the different world) time-travel to a different world where Ani used to live.

The art is beautiful. The characters were realistic and I could connect with Mae at some point. The story had a good pacing and was good overall. Not to mention, I found it very nice to see some Czech in this graphic novel. It really surprised me, in a good way.

I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy lovers!
4 stars.

Abbie comes home after many years missing to great surprise to her sister Mae. She talk about her adventures, but they are hard to believe. Mae is up for a big surprise when Abbie shows her a portal to whole another world filled with different creatures and monsters. They drop in the middle of action and Abbie is seriously amazing. :) She is definition of bad-ass.

Great story - I look forward to more adventures & amazing artwork.

Mae's sister Abbie has been gone for years when she shows up out of the blue one night with a tall tale. Mae and her friend Dahlia don't exactly believe her until it turns out she's being chased by strange creatures who attack them and snatch Mae and Abbie's father taking him through a portal into a whole other world.
This book has a lot of potential and I liked the art including the look of the other world and creatures and I do love me a good story about sisters. There's also some fun pop culture references here and there. I always enjoy them and I don't think it got to be too much.

Speaking of pop culture references there was this bit with Mae taking a fake fanboy to task that got the point across.

But I did feel like this little note about representation in fantasy being lily white (while an excellent point) tripped me up. It felt a little self-congratulary with the whole well, that's just crazy and what seems like a cheeky look on Mae's face. Mainly because the two sisters look white to me and I didn't see anything so particularly impressive about the representation here that it deserves a pat on the back.
Though it is volume one so that could definitely change as the series goes on. Still like I said it tripped me up and not in a good way.

I was also confused a lot even though my copy actually had a glossary in the back which I wish I knew before I started reading. It's not something I expected and I got to tell you it was a pretty large glossary of things to remember. Also there's a bit with Mae's phone that was confusing likely it will be fleshed out further but it wasn't a oh, hey what's going on here kind of confusion more of a I must have missed something important? Did I?

I love the world-building in this book. The details are precise. The artwork outstanding. I felt a connection to the characters. I saw some really original concepts in here. I want to know more!

Mae is a graphic novel about two sisters, one of whom has been missing for seven years. I like the art style for the series, it’s bright and blunt and unafraid of itself, as odd as that may sound. It reminded me of a mash-up between Alice in Wonderland and Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series, though the former was definitely an intentional reference on the writer’s part.
However I had trouble getting into the plot, and I did find the dialogue to be more than a little bit jarring at times – it’s very blunt and to the point, leaving little room for nuances and softness. This is a little odd, as results with the family hardly reacting when their missing daughter/sister finally returns. That just didn’t feel realistic to me. But I could be in the minority here.
Because of this I never really ended up feeling attached to any of the characters, and thus never felt concerned for their safety or really even compelled to care about the circumstances they were dealing with. I feel bad saying that, because I really did want to care. I like the core of this story, and hated that I couldn’t get more into it. Maybe the next project I’ll like more?