Member Reviews
DNF I tried to read this, but it did not hold my attention. I ended up DNFing it, but do hope to one day finish it when I am in the right mood for this sort of story. |
I definitely liked the premise of this story, but it was difficult to follow and had also difficulties to read because of the font chosen. I think few improvements could have been done, but I loved the illustrations and the colors chosen therefore I decided to give 3 stars instead of 2. |
Ce n'est pas une époque très vendeuse mais j'ai eu un vrai plaisir à la découvrir! En revanche j'ai un peu moins aimé les dessins, j'ai trouvé que l'intrigue manquait parfois de réalisme, mais l'intrigue est prenante alors il est assez simple de rester plonger dans l'histoire. J'ai beaucoup aimé l'histoire avec les enfants, j'ai trouvé cela très touchant et j'ai hâte de pouvoir lire la suite |
This was more boring than I expected to be it.. I was hard to follow, I had to read some pages more than once to understand, what is going on. Except for the strong beginning, it lacks something that would keep me on my butt and rea dit. Really a shame, that art was nice though. |
I gave this a two out of five stars. I didn't care much for this graphic novel Aristophania. It was hard to follow at times. I really want to like this. |
Aristophania follows three young siblings in early 1900s Paris. Raised by their mother after their father was killed, the Francœur siblings have only known struggle. When their mother is arrested and they find themselves alone, the Francœur children encounter a mysterious and magical woman claiming to know their father. I definitely liked the premise of this story - I love magical worlds that exist on the fringe of the "normal" world. In a lot of ways, this read as Dickens meets high fantasy, and I loved the mood that gave. I did feel a little let down, however. Reading this felt simply like a "taste" - almost like reading a prologue rather than a fully developed novel. Technically speaking, I also need to criticize the choice of font for the speech bubbles. It was incredibly difficult to read, especially on a screen. (Granted, I did read an ARC, so maybe this has been changed since publishing?) Lastly, (I always have to say something about the art), the art was a major positive. Very well-drawn and appealing to look at. I especially applaud the use of color to emphasize mood and setting. Overall, this story showed promise, even though I felt a bit unfulfilled. I'm intrigued enough to probably pick up volume two. |
Love the art style but I didn't like the plot as much as I thought I would. For sure it has a strong beginning and it made me curious enough to keep reading it but sadly didn't last long. The art is gorgeous but not enough for me. |
I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I recently switched over from YA to reading graphic novels and I really love looking at the photos to go along with the stores. This particular story the artist did a great job with the pictures almost as if I imagined them in my head. I would highly recommend this to anyone that is into graphic novels. |
This graphic novel was received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. In a secret war, the future of a magical world that only a few know about is at stake. When Clement is killed while searching for a weapon that could win the war once and for all, all his son Basile knows is that his father is gone and he has to help his mother take care of his two siblings, Calixte and Victor. When their mother ends up in prison for a crime Basile committed, he ends up accidentally calling for help – and changing their lives forever. Aristophania is an intriguing story. I found it to be slow, very, very slow to start. The art is gray and atmospheric, fitting for a story set in 1900s Parisian slums and the gritty world that the characters inhabit. There are some excellent lines in this story, and the character development is wonderful, especially given the shortness of the story itself. The magical elements are slowly revealed to Basile and his siblings, and that’s done very nicely – keeping the mystery while conveying wonder and even a bit of fear. (All of which, again, the art is amazing at helping to detail!) As the start of a potential series it’s very interesting, but readers who want in-your-face starts to their graphic novels might be advised to look elsewhere. |
A good book with a strong story but okay-ish characterization. The illustrations were very beautiful and attractive though. |
I really did not care for this at all. I found it very difficult to follow what was going on, there was far too much text on most pages, and that text was incredibly difficult to read. The art itself was nice enough, but it was not enough to redeem this by more than a couple of stars. Definitely not a good choice for me. Thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for providing me with a DRC of this book. |
Not a bad book, not too great either. I enjoyed the artwork but the plot felt almost rushed and it was hard to read the text at times which didn't make it easy to understand as well. |
I loved the premise of this book. A superhero granny, what's not to like? However the story line was a little boring. it was really hard to keep interested to continue reading this book.I feel that the book could have been a little better if there was a little more excitement. |
A bit slow, but amazing art, choice of colors and plot. and besides. A granny super hero! Who doesn't love that? As someone who was reaised, and still lives with her grandmother, younger me and now time me would love to have her as a superhero just like this. Even if she's already my hero for putting up with me! |
never h, Reviewer
This has an interesting premise. I totally love the concept of a superhero granny. Unfortunately, the storytelling was boring. The sequence of events and the way some things were told rather than shown didn't make for an exciting delivery. It also didn't help that the lettering of the comics was small and dense and there were many talky bits at some points. It ended with a cliffhanger but I'm not sure if I'm going to pick up the sequel. SOUNDTRACK Victorious Wolfmother Victorious |
Over all, I enjoyed this book; the artwork was lovely, the use of color setting the mood nicely, and the story, while a bit slow moving, has some intriguing elements- a little more exposition would've been nice, but hopefully the next volume will give more backstory. And can we talk about the badass old lady heroine? I like her, she's got style and sass! Compelling enough to make me want to read the next volume, but it'll need to pick up the pace to keep me interested. 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4. |
The story was interesting but I'm not sure I liked the execution of it. It felt too compacted and I'm not a big fan of the characters. Also too much text in one bubble most of the time. The art is beautiful though. I don't think I'll pick up the rest of the series unless it's finished so I could binge it. Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review. |
I finally was able to access the book as I was having problems on my end. Thankfully this was resolved and I was able to enjoy Aristophania. I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion. Overall, the book has a great appeal for those who enjoy an Edwardian setting. If you enjoy reading about magical hidden worlds, you will definitely enjoy this book. Azur is just that - a hidden magical word in France. As Madame Countess Aristophania returns to save the children you can’t wait to see what happens as they learn she is a witch. A truly easy read that keeps you wanting more. I highly recommend this book!!! |
Three children are hiding in Paris and end up in a magical land. This is the beginning of their story. This gave me Chronicles of Narnia vibes. I enjoyed the art in this, but I think my favourite was the black and white panels at the beginning. The first half of the comic is very brown and dull, probably how the poor part of early 1900s Paris was. Once we pass into the land of Azur, we end up in a sea of green. I wonder if the magic is connected to the earth? 3.5 stars ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. |
Martha D, Reviewer
While this plot appears to be quite complicated, the panel to panel reading is quite easy to follow. The timing is solid and each moment selected carefully. It's very atmospheric with loads of visual details. THe dark color palate matches the darker tone of the plot. |








