Nothing earth-shattering, but this was an entertaining classic mystery/adventure graphic novel that would be good for middle grade kids. Could open doors to further reading about Arctic exploration, Shackleton, sea creatures, Jules Verne...

In short: A small town with secrets, sea creatures, nerdy kid, arty kid, spooky castle, reclusive old lady. Nice illustration style!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to review.

This was an entertaining read, but felt very predictable. Honestly felt like reading Nancy Drew meets Scooby-Doo with a good splash of small town intrigue. It was entertaining and would be great for a less discerning young person, but the book doesn't really challenge the reader in any way.

Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC copy.

The story was exciting and compelling, a real page turner. Excellent to see multiracial families presented in a story that doesn't explicitly focus on racism.

This was a cute old-timey graphic novel that I enjoyed. I liked the mystery. It was recommended for Maverick's list in Texas.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
I enjoyed The Inkberg Enigma. The art work was bright, colourful and appealing to me, and the story, though not complex, was was full of intriguing mystery. There wasn’t a great deal of character development, and I found myself wanting to know more about characters’ backstories, but all in all, it was a fun read. I think this graphic novel works well for its intended audience.

King has created something of an homage to Lovecraft with this book. The parallels are certainly present. This is a fairly fanciful plot and yet it follows a clear internal logic. Each action has a consequence and leads to further plot complications. The characters are somewhat underdeveloped and the art is a bit flat. But the plot is reasonably engaging, especially for kids with an affinity for investigation and the mystical.

*very minor spoiler*

I received a review copy on NetGalley earlier today. When I picked it up to see if it was something I wanted to read, I found myself finishing the graphic novel in one sitting. Now I did see the occasional missed word here or there, but it did not hinder my experience or enjoyment. I would definitely be interested in picking up another book by the author/artist duo. I didn’t know if I would enjoy the art style but I grew to enjoy it by the end. I would say that in regards to the art style, it was easy to tell who the bad guys were because they had a sickly colour to their skin tone. I would recommend this graphic novel to anyone looking for a super fun, quick, and easy read to get you through the day, or even a reading slump.

Thanks again to Publisher Spotlight for sending a review copy my way

A fun entry in the "kids search for truth in small town full of secrets" genre. Art is bold and colorful, and characters have a touch of golden age comics to them.

This was a perfect children's comic.
This was such a unique mystery and was perfectly told.
These characters were fleshed out right from the beginning. You connect to each of them in different ways. It feels so seamless.
The pace was perfect which is hard to do.
The mystery was interesting enough to want to keep reading but not too dark for children to read.
I think all ages could enjoy this.

Graphic novels are, in a certain sense, ageless in their span. I can see The Inkberg Enigma being a text that captures upper elementary, middle school, and young adult readers. There is a sense of adventure that is enjoyable, and the art is colorful and detailed. I would gladly recommend this book for a wide range of readers and found it to be a wonderful reading experience.

A good graphic novel takes you on twists and turns, even if it is written for children.

You don't want the story telegraphed to you.

So, this graphic novel sets us up to believe that there is some sort of sea monster in the bay, and well, yup that is what it is.

So, even though the kids are solving a mystery that no one else in town has noticed, even with a mayor with a scar on his face (can you get any heavy handed then that in pointing out <em>bad guy here</em>).

And we never really understand why Miro loves to buy books, other than he does. It is almost as though that is thrown in as a red herring, and then nothing is done with it.

So, this is an ok adventure story, but there is no nuance. Also, the backgrounds are amazing, but some of the people drawn are really flat. Not sure why this is.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

I loved The Inkberg Enigma. It was such a fun, quick read that incorporated my favorite elements of the genre. The book starts with Miro, the main character, selling off random objects from his attic to pay for his book addiction (sorry, not sorry, that's exactly what this child "suffers" from!) and stumbling upon a mystery while in town. The literary references throughout the text were wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring town and wondering what was going on and how the mysterious woman in the castle could be involved.

A quick enjoyable read with a simple plot that keeps the reader intrigued. It does feel like a familiar story so I wasn't blown away by it. There was a little bit of a tone clash for me - there was death but the impact of it was not felt.

A quick, enjoyable graphic mystery for middle grade readers. I feel like there were some gaps in the story - both in background information about Miro and his dad as well as parts of the plot I found confusing. (Considering the mysterious circumstances had been going on for so long, people in the town seemed pretty clueless.) I did still enjoy the story and liked the nod it gives to the writings of Jules Verne. Recommended for middle grade readers who care more about action than character development.
Review based on an ARC received through NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this one! It was a quick read but tells an interesting story of mystery and monsters. The story was easy to follow, I liked the old-timey feel of the illustrations, and the plot was interesting. I liked seeing how everything came together by the end. It was definitely predictable/cheesy at times but that didn't stop me from enjoying the story.

This is a really sweet and classic mystery tale where the kids in town noticed something is off, start investigating, and solve the mystery with little to no adult help. I liked the characters quite a bit and just thought this was a really sweet adventure/mystery story.

Miro and Sia live in a prosperous fishing village called Aurora, but something sinister lies beneath. Thus begins a really fun adventure that involves killer sea creatures, an ancient cult, doing research at libraries AND museums and a really cool old heiress. Miro and Sia are both startlingly realistic teens who tackle the town's mystery like the Scooby gang. A great graphic novel for any age and a perfect summer read.

Slacker Miro Temple has been clandestinely raiding the attic for antiques to sell so as to buy first-edition books. What for? Feisty photographer Zia realizes that something really odd is going on in the fishing town of Aurora — something involving impossible sea creatures. What could that be? When the two pair, the cautious bookworm and the intrepid would-be adventurer discover secrets about their town’s history that put their own lives in danger. This thrilling middle-grade graphic novel by New Zealand author Jonathan King will appeal to readers of all ages.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Myrick Marketing & Media, and Gecko Press in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Damn, when I read the synopsis I thought it was going to be a fun, interesting adventure. That was not the case.

There isn't a single captivating thing about this, the characters are very one dimensional, the dialogue is quite weird and the story is predictable. A child could enjoy this for sure I guess, but anyone would over 5 wouldn't.

Just a friendly reminder that just because something is for kids, doesn't mean it shouldn't be good.

Set in the small fishing town of Aurora, The Inkberg Enigma tells the story of characters Miro and Zia, as they set out on an "adventure" to unravel the secrets of their hometown. The story is fast-paced, pretty straightforward, and an easy read for young readers.

This graphic novel does a good job in laying out a simple story to follow, from the setup, the action, and the overall execution. That being said, I felt the plot was a bit forced upon its main characters, as they really had no reason going into the adults' business other than for the "sake of adventure," which led me to often wondering, why are they getting so involved in the first place? What is the motive here?

The details of the backgrounds and settings were very carefully drawn, creating some pleasant visuals and full page illustrations. While plenty attention to detail was here, the people in this book are drawn rather awkwardly, with stiff facial expressions and crooked eyes. You get used to the "style" as you continue reading, but it doesn't necessarily mesh well with the backgrounds.

This read is likely more well-suited for younger readers, who will find enjoyment in the action, mystery, and easy-to-follow story.