I like zombie stories, and i love graphic novels. Ever After has beautiful illustrations with moments haunting.
The story is good, and sometimes I felt poetic tones.

Following Vivi and Eva we meet their stories and what they past, for me it was interesting. But in some moments the story was confused, where I felt the lack of a greater explanation.

My final remarks, i recommend reading, for me the focus of the real story was on Vivi e Eva and not on zombies, and it's a reading with glorious art.

2.5 Stars

This sounded like such a great concept but I think I would've appreciated more explanation or background on the zombies. I didn't find the two lead characters to be very believable or relatable and I ultimately didn't care what happened to either of them.

Received via Netgalley. All opinions are expressly my own.

Ever After is a beautifully crafted story, with a very human look at a zombie Apocalypse in Germany. Despite the setting, Ever After allows the main characters of Vivi and Eva to explore themes of sickness, family, and freedom in a hauntingly beautiful setting. The only shortcoming for me was the art style wasn't exactly for me and was a bit more on the sketched side than the cover shows, which was jarring in the beginning but I got used to it toward the middle.

*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*

Beautiful illustrations. The story wasn't really for me, but it was cute. I like the dog part. The plant zombies was cool, almost like mother nature calling them home. I liked that the zombies didn't harm animals.
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free translated copy for review.

This graphic novel is equal parts beautiful and haunting. I'm a little bit squeamish when it comes to body horror, so there were several moments that made me wince, but I was compelled to keep reading to find out what would happen to these girls. It was quite melancholy, but in the best possible way, And the art style is gorgeous.

I quiet struggled with what this book is about. I thought it was solely about zombies and zombie apocalypse, but then it tackled about mental health that I didn't understand at first. But as I finished the book, I get it. I understand why it had to be that way. And to think this is a translated work, so maybe that affected the comprehension on the book. But the art is amazing. I can tell it's gruesome with all the blood, so that is great!

This was a very unique story set in the zombie apocalypse. It focuses on the journey of one girl from inside a safety zone to escaping out into the world and the various trials she faces. It was a really action packed story and the friendships she made along the way were interesting.

I loved this one! It was a fantastic graphic novel and a sad, but great story! I recommend this to anyone who likes dystopian/apocalypse fiction!!

Even though I liked the idea of two girls trying to get to safety and stay away from Zombies, I still wasn't ready for the beginning of this *before* they end up on the train. I had a few moments where I wondered where this was going, or if the art was too much or graphic - but I think if you like zombies and are ready for the gore that comes attached to that then you will do just fine.

Horror isn't my usual genre, however I am always interested in Graphic Novels of varying genre's because the variety of art and story telling is so interesting. This was no different, with stunning art and a well told story. Personally, I liked the companion that appears towards the end ^_^

This was so amazing. I loved the zombies and all the artwork. I could see this one becoming a movie or tv show fairly easily. I loved it!! You will be turning the page so fast!! Now the disclaimers this one is creeptastic!! If you can't deal with the scary then this book is not for you!! I need more!!

It's hard to get attached to these characters in so little time. Even though their life has turned on the tragic side, I still feel they were missing some depth.
The storyline is quite simple and easy to grasp, even though we don't get all the information at the beginning. If you are looking for context and build-up storyline from start to finish, you won't get one. But you can't also expect more from a graphic novel under 300 pages.
I felt that sometimes the story went in directions that were hardly believable, but since this is an apocalyptic horror story, I won't held this accountable in my overall reading experience.
I like a good zombie story and this one delivered. Even though the plot was quite basic, I found that the zombie aspect was new and interesting. The transition between living and dead was not immediate and you were still able to see some part of humanity within the infected.
Bear in mind that this is very graphic and violent as it contains frames showing blood, injuries, death (corpses), as well as suicide attempts and mature language.
The drawing were pleasing to the eye and there was a lot of gorgeous frames with amazing and vibrant colors.

I was given a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When an zombie-apocaliptic world becomes the normal day to day, how would you keep living on? How would you face your fears, anxiety and remorse?

In this great graphic novel, we get to acompany two characters that not only have to fend for themselves in a zombie dominated world but also battle (for better or worse) their own internal apocalipses.

A fair mix between the beauty (of the color palet and character desing) and the crude approach to reality (with a content warning on triggering topics such as suicidal tendencies, phisical violence and mourning), this story will make you reflect on how you want your future to be, and how you can make the best out of the worst.

A the end, the questions that EverAfter brings: What would you choose to believe? What decisions would you make? Who would you trust? and above all, Are you willing to keep on going?

This story was kind of bland in my opinion and I felt that it could have been easier to follow. That being said I am not generally a fan of graphic novels, so still give it a shot if you are, but if you aren't or are just trying to get into the genre, I would skip this one.

"I believe Earth’s a wise old woman… A landlord, in fact. And humans didn’t pay their rent for too long. What’s going on now… is an eviction."

At first, reading this felt a little like tapping through the computer-controlled dialogue bits during online RPGs—disjointed, off-kilter, somewhat non-emotive. I didn’t really know where the story was headed most of the time, and sometimes the action between panels jumped what seemed like a step too far (or not far enough), meaning I’d have to go back and re-read to figure out what happened.

But around the halfway mark, the story really begins to coalesce. We start to understand what’s driving Vivi—what she truly fears, more than even the undead.

The premise: Two years ago, the dead begin to reanimate, bringing down the apocalypse. Ever After opens in Weimar, Germany, inside a safe compound fortified by fences. Vivi’s a patient at the psychiatric hospital; she is haunted by hallucinations about her little sister, who is presumably roaming the German countryside.

Throughout the course of the story, we follow Vivi’s journey from timid girl dependent on others to someone who comes to terms with her grief and guilt. Along the way she’s joined by Eva, a snarky girl fighting off a transformation of her own; several of the undead; and an intriguing individual who seems part-sentient-zombie and part-plant. I wish that the botanical aspects of the undead were explored more, because I thought that really set Ever After apart from other zombie world-building I’ve encountered.

CONCLUSION: A disjointed story that ends just as it's getting poignant—I would've enjoyed Ever After more if Vivi's coming-into-her-own began sowing its seeds (no pun intended!) earlier in the book.

I am more stone, than flesh and bone. I’ve seen life, I’ve seen death. I never sleep, I keep good watch, for ghosts who’d steal my breath...
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!!
It is the second one I read, and I really like the experience of doing it. So I’m very greatful for being given the chance.
Now, my honest review:

I really liked the story. At first I was a little bit lost with who was talking, or what was really happening. It was easy for me to lose the thread, but after I kept on reading, I got used to her unique style, and caught up.
The illustrations were beautifully made, and the story that it’s told, is it as well.
By the end I was almost tearing up, because the friendship that developed during the story was truthfully gorgeous and real.
I really enjoyed reading how they overcame and dealt with their fears and past traumas.
And I actually don’t know what else to say other than, If you are looking for a unique story, told in an a unique way, with beautiful illustrations and a strong golden relationship, this is the book for you.
Thanks for reading me, and again, I’m super greatful with NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book. I hope you liked my review...

[3.5/5]

I generally love apocalyptic stories (though they scare me) and I was excited to read this! It sounded extremely interesting and the art style is so pretty! I must admit that having read it, it lacked quite a bit in plot. Certain motives were unclear and though it can't be as detailed as say a 500-page novel, it could definitely be more.

Criticism aside, it was a quick read and really pleasing to the eye. I might actually purchase the physical copy because it looks so good! Wish it had more plot, or multiple volumes because I loved the concept and the short but sweet character relationships and developments!

This graphic novel was beautifully done. The images told a story in a way that words could not. I felt a little uncertain as to the flow of the story as it was out of my typical genre but I did enjoy reading through their journey.

t/w: attempted suicide

i think my favourite part about this graphic novel is the art work, it's honestly amazing. the colours are vibrant & the illustrations are just great.

eva & vivi were great characters. they were both struggling in their own way, but really grew to support & care about each other.

although this was about a zombie apocalypse & the hardships everyone now had to face, i felt like this graphic novel tried to incorporate some more positive components. these positive aspects didn't take away from the severity of the reality around them, but they were able to look at the good sometimes instead of always focusing on the bad. vivi's experience in the garden was one of my favourite scenes it was like she started to find some peace.

some things were unclear, i know viv was struggling with grief, but there was more to it. it seemed that she had anxiety & hallucinations (possibly schizophrenia?) i'm not 100% sure it was a bit unclear.

i do believe that there was a lot of content that was squeezed into a short amount of space. i think if it were a bit longer & a bit more detailed it would have been more consistent & would have eliminated minor gaps in the story or areas that can be easily questioned.

What initially pulled me to requesting this title on Netgalley was the art on the cover and the name of the author, Olivia Vieweg. The name sounded Dutch or German and as a Dutch person I always find that interesting. I was right. Olivia Vieweg is a German author who originally published this graphic novel in German back in 2012. As such this takes place in Germany.

The story follows two young girls, Eva and Vivi. The world as they knew it changed 2 years ago when the zombie apocalypse started. Now many of the cities are hidden behind gates with a non-human operated train going back and forth between the cities for supplies.  Vivi was taken into a mental health ward when she was found. Eva has been working at the gates.

The first thing I noticed is that the art isn't as consistent as the cover would suggest. They try to keep the feel of the cover going throughout the graphic novel but it doesn't always work. The colors of the sky in the cover feels whimsical and with a story with as much graphic novel and heavy emotions it doesn't feel quite right. The colors are somewhat muted. On the other hand I also think this is just the style of the author.

While the book is close to 300 pages I felt I wasn't getting enough world building as a whole. What triggered the zombie apocalypse. What about the rest of the world? How does the weeds taking over the zombie infection work? I have so many questions about these things and they should have been answered. Especially as this is a standalone work.

The characters are dealing with a lot of things. Vivi is dealing with the grief and guilt of the death of her sister. Eva feels abandoned when the apocalypse started and is dealing with a zombie mutation after having been scratched. There are a lot of themes of mental health in here. On occasion I thought it was done well. But for the most part I still felt like I wasn't getting what I really needed in this book to truly feel something for these characters.

All in all I felt that the story just felt unfinished at the end.

I usually enjoy watching apocalyptic stories unfold, but this one was not for me. I can appreciate the artwork for being beautiful. It was very graphic as well.
But the story over all, was not my favourite. I felt very confused as to where it was going pretty much the entire way.
I most likely will not be buying the book unfortunately.