An adventurous tale of cunning and revenge, replete with rich characters in sharp opposition to each other, acting in the name of family loyalty. Stunning illustrations and effective prose make “A Sparrow’s Roar” an exciting read for fans of historical fiction, action, and drama.

I found this one generally familiar in the plot set up - varied cultures meant to be working together for a collective good with at least one plotting to betray the others. It reminds me of The Nameless City or Avatar The Last Airbender. We've got identity swapping, the undervalued character displaying courage, a brash and poorly planned attack. I liked the simplicity of the story but felt like I was missing something. It would have benefitted from a little more background information.

Giving this book a one star seems harsh, but I simply did not like this graphic novel. That's not to say it's bad, by any means. In fact, I think it had some great themes, and had characters and setting that a lot of people will really like... but it wasn't for me. I spent most of my reading experience really confused as to what was happening, and I'm beginning to realize that I am not a huge fan of constant sword-fighting or the kind of setting this book had.

Again, my rating reflects a ME problem, not at all a BOOK problem, so don't let my review deter you from reading this if you like graphic novels and the premise sounds intriguing!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really great graphic novel that I didn't even know was being released internationally until a bunch of my friends tweeted about it! 😅 It's quite a popular comic since it's indie days, but I wasn't as active a local comic book reader then so this was my first time to go through the story and be WOW-ed by its entirety.

The story follows Per of Esterpike as she presents herself as her late sister to meet with leaders and officials of their country and ask for aid and protection from the horde of enemies dead set on disrupting the peace.

It is wonderfully done and I appreciate including at least one reference to a historical and cultural thing that I recognized immediately. :) The plot is not very complex, but it isn't too simple either. It's in that sweet spot between excitedly knowing what ~might be coming next bec of familiar themes, and still compels me as a reader to not put the book down at any point.

There were time jumps and similarities of characters that kind of got me confused a little bit, but it didn't make it less interesting and entertaining. I did need to get over the intensity and action in one go first, and then reread for better comprehension, but that's on me. LOL. 

And speaking of action, my gosh! I didn't really expect such intense war and battle scenes with the art style's seemingly fun, light and colorful delivery, but the fight scenes were done great! I also remember that this wasn't colored before this and mighty props to C.R. Chua bec I can imagine what a challenge that might've been. Well, the fact that it's rereleased in color and with such wide distribution now means they've pulled it off so well.
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I highly recommend this to lovers of tales with knights, strong women and sisterhood. 4 of 5 stars. *I will also be getting a print version of this bec it'll look gorgeous in my shelves!

A Sparrow's Roar gives us the story of a young warrior who, due to unfortunate circumstances has to fill in for her older sister. Per has to impersonate her sister and convince the Generals of the kingdom's city-states to help in the upcoming invasion. But what happens when during that quests, she realizes that the country is under a much larger threat?

A great tale filled with humor and bittersweet moments, A Sparrow's Roar is an ideal read for the fans of fiction and graphic novels.

When a seemingly harmless prank goes wrong, knight-in-training Per of Esterpike watches her sister Elena, famed hero and leader of Lions, murdered by a barbarian horde set on wiping Esterpike off the map. Together with Elena’s second-in-command Amelia, Per must impersonate her sister and travel to Unity’s capital to convince the Generals of each city-state to provide aid against the oncoming horde. But as Per moves forward on her quest, she comes upon a conspiracy that might just threaten Unity itself!

This was so good! I really enjoyed the art style and the plot was great.

*Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Hello Again!

A few weeks ago I finished the last volume that is currently available for Fence and since then I have been kind of hopping around in the graphic novel world looking for a new long-running graphic novel series to take Fence's place in my reading rotation. The way I usually read is to have a physical book from my nightstand stack, a kindle book (which is usually an ebook ARC or a library borrow), an audiobook (either from Libby, Hoopla, or Audible), and then a graphic novel. I like to read the graphic novels in between novels or whenever I am starting to feel a little burnt out (and sometimes when I just need a quick brain break from work).

I have a few graphic novel series that are long-running that I keep the next issue on hand on my Kindle so whenever I am ready I can jump in and I know I will enjoy them and be able to relax! Every once in awhile I throw in a stand-alone graphic novel or something new but I usually stick with my long-running series until I am caught up. Some of the long running graphic novels I have had or currently have in the rotation are: Saga (I am sadly all caught up and constantly checking for when more will be out, check out the reviews for each volume), Giant Days (I am still reading this one but I learned just recently that it will be ending soon and I will cry a million rivers), Fence (I am all caught up on this one as well and eagerly awaiting the next volume), and The Woods (this one is a more recent addition but I am really enjoying it)! So since I am currently only reading two long-running graphic novel series I decided to pick up this stand-alone!

SPOILERS AHEAD

In this stand-alone graphic novel, we meet Per of Esterpike who has watched her sister, the famed hero, Elena die in battle. Per and Elena's second in command Amelia work together to help Per impersonate Elena and help her travel to the capital of Unity. Per needs to convince the generals to provide aid for an upcoming battle however, things definitely do not go as planned and Per discovers something she definitely should not. Along her journey, Per finds out about a conspiracy theory that will threaten the entire country! Per now has to stop this conspiracy and complete her journey all while impersonating her sister! Is she up for the task? Will anyone find out she is pretending to be her sister?

Overall, I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot! Like I said above I do not read stand-alone graphic novels often so this was a super nice change of pace and I really enjoyed what it brought to the table. However, there were parts of the story that were hard for me to get into and I think honestly that it was on me. I seem to struggle with the more fantasy-based graphic novels but I still enjoyed this one and found the art to be gorgeous! The colors were vibrant and the blue that was used repeatedly was so beautiful (like I would put it on my walls beautiful). I am giving this three and a half stars on Goodreads!


**I was given this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review from the publisher!

A wonderful graphic novel about a younger sister having to take her older sisters place. Set in several kingdoms with tons of warrior women, it teaches about bravery and sisterhood. The contrast between the cute drawing style with some of the more serious topics worked well although I had to get used to it. You see Per being thrown into this role of responsibility and the way she deals with it. It balances a combination of humour and serious things, like war. I enjoyed the plot although I sometimes got confused because of scenes in the past that I first took for the present.

A story about a young warrior who has to step into her sister’s big shoes, A Sparrow’s Roar is simplistic, sweet and full of action. The story skips a bit back and forth (I was so glad to have read the synopsis first because the sisters’ design is quite alike), but it tells of Per’s older sister being invited to be one of the four Great Generals that govern the kingdom. When a prank of Per’s leads to her sister being unprepared for an attack, she takes on her name and position to petition them to help her home, Esterpike, from being attacked again. While impersonating her larger-than-life sister is a bit challenging, the bigger difficulty comes in finding out the motives of one of the other Generals. By turns funny, and emotional, the story blends both drama and action into a fulfilling arc. I feel like Per’s feelings could have been explored a bit more, as well as that of Amelia’s (was she Elena’s gf, too, I can’t be sure but there were hints). The vibrant coloring and brilliant storyboard, complement the artwork style well, making it quite engaging to read. And hey, bonus – you get realistic girl warriors who are both buff and feminine!

Another case of me not fully reading the synopsis before reading the book and not expecting much, but having my expectations completely blown away. "A Sparrow's Roar" is like the middle-grade graphic novel to Tamora Pierce, who is (in my opinion) a goddess when it comes to women-lead fantasy. I need this book to be in the hands of every little girl ever.

Growing up on a strict diet of helmeted heroines and woman warriors, I have long had an affinity for female-lead fantasy. So when BOOM! Studios revealed the striking cover and excerpt of A Sparrow’s Roar, an original graphic novel from cartoonist C.R. Chua (Adventure Time, Regular Show) and co-writer Paolo Chikiamco (High Society, Mythspace), I knew I had to give it a read.

"Per and her older sister Elena are both knights in the land of Esterpike. But while Per is a mere knight-in-training, Elena is a war hero and the revered commander of the most famous soldiers in all the land, the legendary Lions of Esterpike.

When disaster strikes, Per must do the unthinkable and pretend to be her sister in order to travel to the capital and rally the troops against an enemy that only she knows about. It’ll take all her strength, cunning, and a bit of help from her sister’s second-in-command, Amelia, to pull it off, but with the fate of the people in her hands, Per has no choice but to step into Elena’s boots in order to save the kingdom."

A Sparrow’s Roar is all about sisterhood and the bonds associated, whether they are formed by blood or battle. It tackles the concepts of personal identity, feelings of inadequacy and stepping into shoes much larger than one’s own only to learn how to run before you can walk. 

This fantasy mini-epic doesn’t take place in a dank dungeon or a mountain pass but in the throes of political imbalance and change. The novel’s fast pace, comedic timing, and deeply human characters keep it from becoming bogged down by longwinded legislative intricacies or the grim reality bearing down on the land of Esterpike, making it an approachable read for anyone who may pick it up.

The characters and setting of A Sparrow’s Roar are instantly relatable and engaging, and while the reader gets a taste of each of the big picture motivations driving the story, I found myself wanting to know more about the nuanced and smaller details dotted throughout the story. The greater lore at work is established early on and while some aspects are explored and neatly tied up, others are left tantalizingly in the background.

This is especially true for the dynamics, friendships, and loyalties between the novel’s female characters. Almost every single female-identifying character introduced to us is in a position of political or military power and have their own history with one another, histories that I would gladly read more about after scarfing down this helping.

The art is colorful and charming for a story with such a serious backdrop and is a great reflection of the heart and soul of the story being told. Bright color pallets reflect the mood and tone of each panel, while each character’s emotions are conveyed with such clarity in moments that tug at the heartstrings, elicit a giggle or have you holding your breath.

In the end, A Sparrow’s Roar is a female-lead fantasy with heart, nuance, realistic portrayals of the relationships that it explores, and room to grow if C.R. Chua and Paolo Chikiamco decide to see just how much further their little sparrow, Per, can soar.

A Sparrow’s Roar is available now at your friendly local comic book shop and will be available on October 22, 2019, in bookstores and major online retailers. Digital copies are available wherever comics are sold, including comiXology and the BOOM! Studios app.

First off, the art style of this graphic novel is so cute. I love the colors and the sometimes rough sketch aspect to panels.

Secondly, this graphic novel is short. I was able to finish it in what felt like no time at all and I enjoyed it. I liked the overwhelming presence of strong female characters and the story was both sad, but hopeful.

I will say that I felt a bit lost at the beginning because I couldn't tell what was current and what was past, but after I realized what was going on I fully enjoyed it.

Per and his sister Elena, are opposed: the first's playful, impatient and especially bad with a weapon in hand, and the second's calm, respected and a war heroine, leader of the Lions.
When Per goes to see his sister being murdered by a gang of barbarians, she will pretend to be her and try to protect her nation while avenging her sister.

This comic was a nice read, although it took me a while to get inside it. We slalom between plots and challenges, but some questions remain unanswered, which is a shame because it seems that this book hasn't a second book.
The developed universe is interesting, but there are, as said above, elements that lack depth, while they have piqued my curiosity, and that I would have liked to develop.

I took a little time to dissociate the two sisters, who look alike like two drops of water and I, unfortunately, didn't particularly attach to the characters...

In short, a good read but with some minor flaws! ^^

At first I was very confused by this. It seems out of order. I had to start over again and comb through it carefully to figure out what was really going on. Once I did I enjoyed it. I should've just read the synopsis but I rarely do unless I need guidance. lol. The illustrations are anime-like but it's not a manga, you don't have to read it from back to front.

The correct rating for A Sparrow's Roar would be more like 3.5 stars actually. I'm all for adventure comics where girls have to save the day and this was surely one of those. Per of Esterpike pranks her sister, who's the leader of Lions and a hero. The prank ends up in a barbarian horde destroying everything and Elena gets killed in the process and now the whole Esperpike land is in danger. Per has to pretend to be her sister and get aid to save the land, but there's treachery everywhere. Gladly she has help in the form of the second-in-command, Amelia. There's quite a lot of death in the comic, which actually works nicely. This is not a princess story, but a medieval knight story in a sense and still this isn't depressing, which was good. The plot is slightly hard to grasp at first and the sisters look almost the same, so it takes time to really get into the story. The parts of the amulet didn't really make all that much sense either.

The art looks slightly crude for my taste, since it makes it somewhat hard to follow the story too. I do like the colors and the facial expressions, which are the best part. The balance is off with the speech bubbles too at times, when they are too stuffed and the font isn't the best possible. Still, I do like a comic like this that has adventure in it and is still strong and even grave with its topic. A Sparrow's Roar is about growing up before you're ready and taking responsibility. It's about sisterhood, which is the greatest part, since comics with that at its center are quite scarce. Sadly so.

Short graphic novel set in a fictional world rife with political intrigue. Per's older sister is a rising general but she struggles to live in her shadow and, following her death in combat, with her ghost. The quick pace limits the emotional impact of the story overall, but for a fast adventure read it fits the bill.

Overall, I enjoyed this graphic novel in one bus ride and I hope we can see more of Per and the Lions. 

Amazing artwork and the evident rawness and simplicity of the drawn character are visually appealing.

The only thing that can still be improved is the story pacing because the back stories were condensed and felt squeezed in but overall, as I said earlier, the story is enjoyable.

This story is about a young woman named Pers who looks up to and is jealous of her warrior sister Elana. The story is about family and being strong in your own way and it was a delightful and action packed read. The art is amazing and the story keeps you on your toes. I only wish that the pacing wasn't so fast. I would have loved to stay in this world longer.

This was a super action-packed quick read with an amazing art style. Although I don’t quite fit the best audience/reader for this plot (sorry I wish I enjoyed action more!), I still found the sisterly relationship incredibly sweet.

The world itself is pretty intriguing and because the story itself was so short, I would love to see and learn more about it!

This is a really great story about family and courage. While some of the art made it difficult to tell certain characters apart, that did play into a twist which was well done. This book set up great motivations for the characters and leaves room for more books in the story world, while still bringing this story to a satisfying conclusion.

Based on the cover art, I had thought this was about a middle school character. It isn't, and that becomes more apparent as the story goes on. Instead, it is about young adults, trying to protect and lead while living up to family legacies.

I have provided an honest review after having received an ecopy of the book through Netgalley.