Odessa is a unique and action packed graphic novel with an almost unexpected kick of adventure. It is a suspenseful ride filled with high stakes, in fact much higher stakes than I expected. This is a fun and fast paced story with a unique art style. I didn’t love the art but it wasn’t because it wasn’t good, instead it just wasn’t quite my style. The characters weren’t boring but they also all felt like something that I’ve read before. This book is still a good book and it definitely wasn’t boring, however it didn’t blow my mind and it wasn’t something that will stick with me forever. In short it’s a fun graphic novel that will definitely be someone else’s five star but not mine.

I've been kind of disillusioned with the post-apocalyptic genre recently since it seems there is so much of it and it can get so depressing. This book, though, might have changed my mind a little bit. The world it presents is immersive and well thought-out, but still very plausible. I liked a lot of the characters. I think the pink color scheme was an interesting choice because pink is seen as such a feminine, gentle color, but when you think about it, doesn't blood run pink, as well? I'm interested in seeing where the story goes from here.

The graphic novel will follow these three brothers and their journeu to find their mon after eight years. They have no idea where she is and what she is doing. They only have a letter and hope. It is a quick read with a mix of emotion in between. I really liked the characters and the dinamic between them. I didn't know it was a first book in a possibly series, so that got me by surprise Either way, I read it in one sitting, plus the end was good with that cliffhanger we love to see.

Gorgeous art. Lots of plot though I wish it was a stand-alone instead of the beginning of a series. Premise really reminds me of Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld.

It is really hard for me to have words for this book that feel sufficient. Odessa is a heart-wrenching tale of three Vietnamese-American kids after the apocalypse trying to find their mom. We have Virginia the hard-ass eldest who wants to pretend she is strong and mighty when she is mostly really angry and sad. We have Wes the middle child who is combative but so very smart and a problem solver, and the Youngest Harry who is just a little kid trying to survive and still find the joy in the things around him. Man do these kids go through it too. But Jonathan Hill does such a phenomenal job of making these characters feel so solid and so real in such a short period of time. And it isn't just the main three kids there are 3-4 side characters that felt just as significant as the kids and had the same emotional impact on me. Speaking of emotional impact, I cried while reading this, not just once but roughly 3-4 times. While I am a bit of a cry baby, Graphic novels typically don't impact me as strongly as this did. Seriously as I am writing this review I am thinking more about this book and crying a bit again. The world building is also very strong. It is clear that Jonathan Hill put a lot of thought into what a post-apocalyptic America would look like. There are a few common tropes in here, but I think that they are introduced in pretty inventive ways. The one thing I was not completely thrilled about is that there is a tiny hint of romance that does not feel very developed, but as this will at least have a sequel I am very confident that Hill will solve that in the next installment. This book is my favorite graphic novel of the year and a strong contender for one of my favorite books of the year so far. It deals a lot with the ideas of grief, loss and what it means to truly be living. I do not think I can emphasize enough that this is a must read for anyone who likes post-apocalyptic settings or wants to be hurt by a book. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Oni Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. And thanks to Johnathan Hill for making me cry more than I could have reasonably expected to on a Sunday night.

The art style was great, I enjoyed the minimal salmon color. The storyline was intriguing but I found myself wanting to know more of what happened to the world know more of the damage which I found I lacked.
Overall, it was a good storyline I might continue.

The premise of Odessa is that it’s a post-apocalyptic tale of three Vietnamese American children on a quest across America to find their mother. But it’s so much more than that. It explores human behaviour following a catastrophic event, the complexities of human relationships (especially family) and is also a journey of self-discovery.

For Virginia, Wes and Harry, life will never be the same. This is a dangerous quest but they’ve all decided that being reunited with their mother is worth the risk.

I have to start by saying that I loved Odessa. For me, it was one of those impossible to put down books. The artwork was beautiful and the story was beyond captivating. I didn’t want it to end… but more on that later.

Ginny is one of the most relatable characters I’ve ever read. Although our cultural background is different, we are very similar. We’re both stubborn, older sisters to younger brothers who hold a somewhat idealistic and pacifistic perspective of what the world should be like. Now I can’t begin to imagine the enormity of making this journey under the weight of that responsibility. But unfortunately for Ginny, her brothers have followed her. She doesn’t have a choice. (And to be fair, I’m sure my brothers would have done the exact same.)

Ginny has obviously been through a lot in her seventeen years of life. The earthquake has ended the world as she knew it then her mum left and her life gets flipped upside down again when she receives a birthday present from her absent mother. Knowing that her mother is alive, she longs to be reunited with her. So she sets off without any information about her mother’s whereabouts, completely disregarding the warnings from others about how dangerous a quest it will be. I won’t tell you too much more than that because spoilers but it turns out that it is a very dangerous quest.

There are some wonderful secondary characters that really add to the beauty of the story. I loved how three-dimensional they all are. Everyone has their good and bad qualities to highlight that it’s more of a spectrum than a clear cut good vs. evil and it’s done in a really beautiful way to add momentum to the story each time. I also loved the LGBTQIA+ representation – I believe there were at least three characters? Again, this goes back to the complexities of human relationships that’s at the heart of Odessa.

Now, back to the ending. This is the one thing that I’m not sure how I feel about. On the one hand, I was disappointed that it left it open-ended. On the other, I was thrilled that I’d be able to rejoin Ginny, Harry and Wes in the future. So I’ll leave it as I don’t love it but I don’t hate it either.

Odessa was a lovely graphic novel following the adventure of three siblings trying to find their mother.

I absolutely loved the illustrations, particularly the colours used - pink, white and black, instead of the usual black and white found in graphic novels.

The story dealt with so many issues which was impressive through a graphic novel; family, friendship, love, death, gangs, grief and so much more.

Can't wait to find out what happens next!

Odessa was a fun read with a compelling premise which took some time, but did hook me.

Odessa, the MS, was a little immature and often rude but these negative traits did serve me to like her better by seeing her as a whole character and not just her best parts.

I also liked the drawing and the illustrations - they were very well made!

The book was heartwarming as well as heartbreaking but.overall, a good read.

I couldn’t get into this graphic novel unfortunately. I liked the art, but I had a few run-ups at it and didn’t manage to get into it properly. Sorry this isn’t a proper review, but I don’t believe in reviewing books I am unable to finish.

This is a great "kid version" of walking dead. An older sister sets out to find her mother after the US is torn apart by earthquakes and continental shifts. The relationships and bonds develop as the small band travels further and deeper into unsafe territory. The world building in this graphic novel is gripping and I'm excited to see what happens next!

Interesting concept. I like the idea of a road trip through post-apocalyptic USA. The beginnings of a f/f relationship is always great and family dynamics driving the plot is always nice. However, it was just too long and slow for me. Also, I don't understand how the girl followed but, oh well. I enjoyed it but I don't know if I'll follow along.

There was a film in 2005 called London. It was not set in London. It was about a character called London, I bring that up here because the same trope is used here in Odessa. Its not set in the Ukraine, rather it is set in a post-apocalyptic California, after the big one has destroyed much of society. Its a picaresque road journey through this destroyed land with a young woman searching for her mother - the titular Odessa. Its a handsome bit of work which unfortunately hews quite close to a number of relatively cliched plotting which will not surprise you much if you've seen Mad Max, the odd zombie flick and the Incredible Journey. That isn't to say its bad, it tells its (part of the story - it ends with a to be continued...) well. But the travels of a seventeen year old and her much younger siblings bickering across a destroyed America lacked the sparks it promised at the beginning. There are a few twists near the very end which sort of redeem it, but that only comes from some quite convenient plotting.

I am also a bit torn on the art here. Its quite rough and cartoonish, which is fine particularly for the bickering brothers (who are drawn with odd shaped heads that belies Hill's confidence in distinguishing his regulars). His grizzled older men stand out well, but the choice to loosely colour the black and white art with a pink wash in places picks up some of the art but becomes very one note after a while. Experimenting with other single palate washes, as per silent film tinting could have offered a bit more variety and helped the art when it moves from rural to urban, day to night. The background are good and the storytelling is clear, but due to the loose nature of the linework it doesn't always get across the scale of the earthquakes disaster. There's a couple of iconic stabs at San Francisco which work - a collapsed Golden Gate Bridge and some destroyed freeway ramps, but I wanted the art to do a bit more on that front. Again it does come into its own in the last act where a big action scene plays out in the art well.

Odessa is a solid adventure tale, and many of my criticisms come just from how familiar the story felt to me. There is also the aim of the quest to find Odessa - a woman who doe snot appear to want to be found - and I wonder if I will have the stamina for another three hundred page book to discover that the journey was the destination. I'll give it a spin, and if you like the art there is plenty here to enjoy. But I felt there was something a bit more ambitious hiding behind the funny headed kids...

This is the first ever graphic novel I read and I thought it was okay. The premise of this book sounded really interesting and the cover really drew me in, but I wasn't really blown away or astounded by the story. I found the villain characters to be more uncompelling than I prefer. There were some moments where it was heartwarming, especially between siblings, and the art style (while not for me personally) really seemed to fit the apocalyptic story.

I think if you're a fan of graphic novels you may really enjoy this, especially if you are a fan of Neal Shusterman but it wasn't personally a good story for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced E Reader copy in exchange for an honest review

Jonathan Hill's Odessa has a lot to unpack. Set in a post-apocalyptic world caused by a shattering earthquake that lasts an entire day, we follow Ginny and her brothers and they embark on a journey to find their mother who abandoned them 8 years ago.

The artwork itself is great. Each character is distinct, ranging from kind passersbys to gritty and gruesome members of respective governing gangs that attempt to kill them for trespassing into their territory. This could be an issue with the digital copy, or purposeful from the author, but the lack of detail in some of the depictions of large settings irked me at times. Images and details within blended too well into the photo, making the setting hard to truly see and immerse oneself in. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the use of pink throughout. I understand how it can represent a brighter time to come, or create some reprieve visually, but it didn't settle too well with myself, and found it clashed more with the tone of the graphic novel.

I really enjoyed the characters overall. I thought Ginny was a headstrong leader, who took every new obstacle with smart and quick impulse decisions. Her brothers were adorable, and I loved the banter between the 3 of them - it was very realistic and added great humour throughout. I enjoyed the other characters met on the journey, but not as much as the siblings.

I do feel like this story is a little too long. It drags at certain points, with the plot jumping as we go through hurdle after hurdle. I was also a little frustrated with the ending, as it was rather abrupt and slightly unsatisfying. However, I am eager to know what happens next, as I really loved the characters, and would like to uncover more of the mystery and see more of the complexities of this dark future.

Overall though, I enjoyed the journey, the artwork, and most of all, the characters.

An average rating for an average book. The ideas were good. I just wasn’t in love with the execution. I enjoyed the illustrations. I had a hard time connecting to the characters. It was an ok read but not memorable. Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the chance to read this.

Eight years ago an earthquake—the Big One—hit along the west coast of the United States. Life as we know it changed forever. But for Vietnamese-American Virginia Crane, life changed shortly after the earthquake, when her mother left and never came back. She has since gotten used to a life without her mother, helping her father take care of her two younger brothers, Wes and Harry. But when a mysterious package arrives for her eighteenth birthday, her life is shaken up yet again. For the first time, Ginny wants something more than to survive. And it might be a selfish desire, but she's determined to find out what happened to her mother—even if it means leaving her family behind.

So this is a post-apocalyptic drama/adventure with hints of Sci-Fi elements that follows a group of kids as they travel. You have Ginny, a naive girl who's a terrible caregiver, you have the middle child Wes who somehow has more common sense than his older sister, and finally you have Harry who's sole job is to be a moron and get in trouble.

If you sensed a hint of bitterness with that last line, you're not wrong. I found a lot of the character's actions to be unbelievable. Harry was born around the time of the earthquake (that's not a spoiler, it's early on) so we can assume they've lived in this new post apocalyptic world for a few years now. I refuse to believe that Ginny and Wes (and most of the good adults too) can have lived in this world since the beginning and still be so stupid. Ginny holds on so tight to her old pre-earthquake moral compass that if it were coal, she'd get a diamond. Her annoying innocence gets them into trouble and even has repercussions for the end of volume one..

Also, for a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the kids seem to stumble across every nice adult that exists and they just always happen to find what they need. I never once feared for their lives. Even when they were in danger I never ever thought that anything could ever happen to them because their plot armor was so thick that it could withstand a nuclear blast.

The only two characters worth a damn in this were Four Dollar (a guy they stumble upon in a time of need) and Wes because he's not a gigantic moron. Four Dollar was actually an interesting character and I would rather read about him. Wes stood out because he was the smartest both in terms of "street smarts" and emotional intelligence. I believe Ginny was supposed to serve as some sort of moral compass, but she just came across as an idiot.

There was a very very small love story which had to potential to be really cute, but it was greatly ignored in volume one.

Odessa has promise but volume one was a gargantuan let down.

Odessa is a graphic novel by Jonathan Hill. I actually found the description on Netgalley and Goodreads misleading. When the description was talking about an earthquake changing landscapes, I figured that it was either talking about a historical earthquake or one modeled on past events. I thought this was going to be a story about a Vietnamese-American family experiencing poverty post-quake. I did not get that this was an earthquake that would create a dystopia. I suppose I could have figured that out from the broken bridge on the cover, but here we are. There are also semi-supernatural elements in the story that the description did not hint at: the in-story explanation is that the earthquake released new species from somewhere. The only part of the plot I was prepared for was when Ginny and her brothers go on a quest to find their mother (Odessa), who left them eight years before.

The illustrations all have a light pink background, which I think was a smart choice. For one, it suggests a certain level of dustiness, which I think works with the settings. For another, a lot of the story is pretty grim. If the background was blue or brown, I think that would have dragged things down even more. I also thought the slow characterization and reveals about Four Dollars was well done. He evolved during the story, while still maintaining the same voice and feel.

That being said, I don’t think I’ll be continuing with this story. Towards the end of the book, Ginny expresses regret in leading the others to find their mother. She says that it was a huge mistake, and not worth what happened. Unfortunately for the story, I agree with her. At this point, I don’t see how the mother could possibly redeem the eight years she abandoned them for, the costs of getting back home, and everything they suffered to find her thus far. The only reason to continue is sunken cost fallacy. The group has given a lot so far, but they’re still in California and planning to go all the way to Connecticut. With dystopian stories, there’s always the risk that it will become too grim, and this is exactly what’s happened in Odessa.

I was pleasantly surprised by this graphic novel. The art style was really up my alley and I really loved the colours chosen. The emotions and overall plot of the story was depicted really well by the art style in my opinion.

I was not the hugest fan of Ginny just because I found her annoying most of the time but I was the hugest fan for all of the side characters. Her brothers, TK and Four Dollars were literally so good and I honestly felt that they added so much and made the story so interesting.

The plot moved in a very unexpected path and I honestly loved all of it. It was so well done and looking back, I cannot imagine the story in any other way.

Overall, this was a really good story and I would recommend it to anybody that just wants to go for a quick, emotional and fun ride!

The Cascadia fault line, I had to look it up and the first result heralds THE EARTHQUAKE THAT WILL DEVASTATE THE PACIFIC NORTH WEST , living in Scotland an earthquake is not something I need to worry about when I wake up in the morning, 6 feet of snow - yes, a large chasm opening in front of my house - no. I know to a lot of people in this region the worry must be very real.

Odessa is set 8 years after a massive earthquake strikes the fault line, devastating the west coast and taking many lives with it. Our main character is Virginia or Ginny as she prefers to be called, the older sibling to two younger brothers. She lives a quiet life with the boys and her father in a rural settlement, life is very different to what is once was.

An unexpected parcel arrives on her eighteenth birthday from her Mother, it sets Ginny off on a trip to find her but the world has changed and people aren’t as kind and helpful as they once where, everyone is out for themselves and Ginny’s journey wont be easy especially when she finds out her brothers have sneaked along too.

The majority of graphic novels I read are colourful affairs with every colour of the rainbow but this one has a near monochromatic colour scheme which I think works really well. A dystopian future I usually imagine as quite dark and foreboding so this scheme does the job nicely.

The siblings are perfectly written, they bicker and fight as siblings do, they also look out for each other. The adult characters vary from crazed bikers to kindly strangers, they each play their part well.

A good read, definitely worth checking out.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.