Mera: Tidebreaker is a graphic novel version of a DC Universe origin story. Readers who enjoy Aquaman and are familiar with his story will recognize many characters and plot elements. The illustrations are well executed and feel like a nostalgic twist on modern comic book styles. Overall I enjoyed the novel and look forward to future titles in this series.
I work in a middle school library and I know my students will enjoy this book, but the characters feel a little lackluster to me. The plot is hard to follow at the beginning, with few context clues for what is happening. Readers are told what is happening and who the characters are rather than being shown, if that makes sense. There are gaps in time and flashbacks which are confusing to follow. Mera and Arthur feel more like tropes than super heroes, acting with predictable teenage angst. Hoping that we get to see more Mera in other books, and that the characters are fleshed out enough to feel relatable.

Although I was initially intrigued by the concept, and excited for a graphic novel by an author whose work I have enjoyed in the past, I was disappointed by this book.

The story line starts off pretty abruptly, and it takes a while to be understood. However, at that point it just becomes overly simplistic and kind of flatlines. I did not see much originality in this story that kept me engaged or excited. I think the concept is great, and the artwork was enjoyable. However, I think this story was too predicable, and it was just a somewhat unimaginative retelling of The Little Mermaid.

Princess Mera is sick of the patriarchal malarkey that rules her Kingdom of Xebel - where she's expected to be a lady, and nothing else. So when her fiance, not Mera, is given the task of going ashore and killing the prince of Atlantis, Mera is pissed. She is the superior warrior after all. So she takes matters into her own hands: she comes to our world to do the deed herself: kill Arthur, the half-human prince of Atlantis. Only Arthur turns out to be a pretty good dude. Should she go through with the assassination? I loved the illustrations and the color scheme - the story was alright, highly entertaining but as someone who only'd seen the movie Aquaman, I was a bit confused as to where this story fit into the timeline. Maybe it doesn't? Maybe this is its own thing? As it's own thing, it's still pretty awesome.

Fans of Aquaman and the other characters from his story will be happy to see more of Mera. In this title featuring her first meeting with Arthur Curry and her first visit to dry land. Fed up with her father's refusal to let her lead their people in the fight against Atlantis for Xebellian freedom, Mera decides to take matter into her own hands and assassinate the heir to the Atlantean throne. But is she cut out to be a villain and murderess?

Mera finds that many things are not what she expected - about life on land and about Arthur. As she struggles through various situations she learns more about life outside Xebel and about the young man she has come to kill. Readers get to hear her thoughts and doubts, her conversations with trusted friends back home, and to see her interactions with Arthur. The pent-up frustrations of a young princess sidelined by her father and the forces ruling their colony mesh with typical young adult angst and the drive to DO something, even if it might be the wrong thing. And her final choices set up the story to continue into the future of Atlantis and Aquaman.

The illustrations capture the fierce determination and vulnerability of Mera as she transitions from sea to land. They also show the complicated push & pull between the princess and Arthur. There are the beautiful details of Xebel in contrast to the rather seedy look of the waterfront town where the Curry family lives. The difference between Mera's relationship with her father and Arthur's relationship with his own dad come through visually and verbally.

A great read for anyone interested in the DC Universe, particularly the Justice League and Aquaman. But also fun for anyone who enjoys strong female characters and coming of age stories. (recommended for ages 13+)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing an advanced look at this graphic novel.

Kids who love graphic novels will want to read this book. Mera is a rebellious teen who wants things her way. Her father, on the other hand, wants her to follow his lead and be the princess he wants her to be.

With all the hype about Aquaman and the popularity of the author, Danielle Paige, this should be a very popular graphic novel.

I enjoyed it. Although a superhero comic, the story reminded a little of Romeo and Juliet, just with a happier ending. Not as good as other female centric comics but a good start. I think this one is a start of readers wanting to learn more about Mera.

I got swept into this one, especially in the beginning. The world underwater was dynamic and I enjoyed the political currents. Once Mera got onto land the story felt like it lost some of its steam. I appreciated that there were multiple characters who had conflicting desires, but ultimately it all got wrapped it way too quickly and neatly in a way that didn’t feel like it matched the actual level of conflicts in the story.

I did completely consume this one though and I love when a book can sweep me into another world. I’m curious to see what other folks think of this one.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this one in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not normally a graphic novel reader, but the intriguing cover and seeing author Danielle Paige’s name attached had me hooked. I was not disappointed. In fact, I’m ready for more. I was delightfully entertained by the story. It’s your classic rebel princess, Mera of Xebel, who learns the truth about herself and the world when she sees it through her own eyes. The character building of Mera is what I enjoyed most. She’s a kickass heroine trying to do what is right, yet vulnerably showing grief for her deceased mother.

The illustrations are stunning. The colors are subdued except for Mera’s hair, which pops its fiery red across the pages.

This graphic novel was well-illustrated and captured my interest within the first few pages. I like that it takes a different spin on "The Little Mermaid" story, but makes her a warrior who wants to fight for her kingdom instead of simply fall in love. The surprises in this novel are well-thought out and keep you turning the page to find out what will happen next.

I did, however, think that the end was a little rushed and would have liked to see it drawn out more, knowing the background of the two kingdoms. I would be interested to see what happens next in Mera's story though!

<b>DC Ink has requested a review embargo until the release date,</b> so check back in April for my thoughts!

I received this graphic novel as an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mira: Tidebreaker is a Xebel princess in a colony ruled by Atlantis. When Mira overhears her father, the Xebel king, order Larken (the betrothed and future Xebel king) to kill Arthur, the prince of Atlantis, Mera decides to take the task on herself. After all, she deserves to love who she wants and rule Xebel.

Upon meeting Arthur, Mera realizes that Arthur is a kind and loving land walker. Mira falls in love with him. How can she possible kill the man she loves? How will her father, the king, react to this news? How can Mera allow her fellow Xebellians to continue to be ruled by the Atlanteans?

The illustrations in Mira: Tidebreaker are mostly hues of greens and blues. Mira’s hair stands out in bright orange. A lovely contrast. The art is detailed and captivating. I especially enjoyed those intimate moments between Mira and Arthur. Those were my favorite scenes. The story told in pictures where I am able to enjoy the break in dialogue and immerse myself in the art.

The reasons why I didn’t give this graphic novel five stars is with the story line and character development. I didn’t like Mira from the start. She had too much attitude. I am not clear as to why female characters must be so cranky and rambunctious. Hook us in, help us love them, and then give them some attitude.

Arthur was overly sweet. I laughed at some of the scenes where he was returning lost wallets, walking older women across the street, and feeding children. Not necessary. It was overkill.

Overall, the art was beautiful. I enjoyed flipping the pages and being submerged under water. However, I just can’t see myself following Mira on her next adventure.

Book review: Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige; illustrated by Stephen Byrne
Pub Date: 02 Apr 2019
Read courtesy of netgalley.com

Mera: Tidebreaker is an origin story of Mera and Aquaman. It says so on the back cover. Otherwise, I never would have known these characters already existed. I'm not a comic book hero follower, so this was a total introduction to these characters for me.

As a graphic novel, it fell a little flat. As others have opined, the romance developed too quickly in story form; although, I could see the foreshadowing of Mera being unable to fulfill her plan and to end up loving rather than hating her father's foe. That's part of the story's flaws, too; it was really a quite predictable story. But there was confusion, too; without background knowledge of the characters, I had to read others' reviews of the graphic novel to know that Xebel was a penal colony.

I was enthralled by the drawing, however. It's difficult to give the ocean a personality, and illustrator Stephen Byrne's portrayal of water was fantastic. On the other hand, his portrayal of Mera was inconsistent.

Because of the terse treatment of the plot, I don't know whether or not this would best be recommend to fans of DC Comics or to people who are newbies of the DC Comics franchise. Both might be disappointed.

A good introduction to a strong DC Comics character, Mera. Would love more depth in her story and character building but a good stepping stone to a big universe. Gives the reader an example of seeing past what's only skin deep, there is more to someone that just heritage. Can't wait to read more.

I received this eARC from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I tried so hard to like this graphic novel. The premise was so promising, but, alas, the events in the story ultimately failed to capture my attention. The plot was too obvious, the ending too predictable. The relationship between Mera and Arthur lacked any sense of development and felt way too rushed, even for a YA graphic novel. I was also disappointed by the cliché tropes dealing with rebellion, following a parent’s footsteps, young love, and facing consequences – maybe this was intended for middle school grades? If yes, then this would be a perfect read for younger audience.

I received an email with the ARC information for this book a few days after I finished watching Aquaman, naturally I had to jump at the chance to read this. This graphic novel has some awesome graphics and the plot line was fun to see through Mera’s eyes. Unfortunately, the beginning of the graphic novel was difficult to follow and once you got over that hump, it was way too predictable. I wish that there was something that would set this book apart but I just wasn’t impressed..

This book is for some, but not for me. It simply felt clunky and awkward. The romance was rushed and poorly written. Arthur’s ‘Gary Stu’ background wasn’t entirely believable either.

Sigh. This had such promise, but it was so predictable and on-the-nose. Did her hair really have to be red, like the Little Mermaid comparisons weren't already right there? It felt it was too rushed too - I would have liked it more drawn out so we really got to know the characters. Mera had all the makings of a great badass heroine, but she just had to go and ruin everything for a guy she just met (ugh, why?) On the other hand, I did enjoy the artwork (though can someone explain to me how they were drinking out of champagne flutes underwater? And how her dress stayed down underwater? Like, I know it's a comic book but the lack of physics bothers me lol)

Cute retelling of a Marvel comic. Well designed graphics and layout. Told from Mera's point-of-view, this Aquaman spin-off is sure to delight many graphic novel and/or comic fans.

*Received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty good stand alone graphic novel. It was nice to see Mera get her own YA title since she's normally just a secondary character. The plot was okay, but I think that I would have preferred to see Mera have her own adventures that didn't revolve around Aquaman's origin story. The artwork was good and the color palate was unique, with mostly sea greens and Mera's bright red hair. I liked how Mera was drawn, she wasn't overly sexualized. Still I can't help feeling like Mera deserves a better. However, I would still recommend it to teens or adults looking for Aquaman read alikes or woman super heroes.

Overall I thought this will definitely appeal to the targeted audience--older MG and YA readers. It is a little bit of a trope, the daughter who breaks free from her controlling father to try to make her own way in the world, makes mistakes, falls in love, but I didn't mind reading it. Weirdly, I thought some of the characters all looked alike? For die hard Aquaman fans it probably won't suit, but if you're new to comics and want to read a different take, you could do worse.