I can't pinpoint what happened in this story, but it did make me wonder why certain things happen in life. A part of me wants to know what really happened. Why did Oscar get these powers? Why did he have to save the fire and/or egg? What exactly does the ending mean? I feel like there wasn't a clear explanation. Maybe that was the intention of the author. Maybe there isn't one way to look at something, maybe the author wanted people to give their own meaning to this story and maybe that's actually not a bad thing. Maybe it's none of that, but perhaps that doesn't matter.

The book was a fast read eventhough it mentioned a lot of heavy and very important stuff. Both the drawings and the writing style made it easier to read. Since it wasn't always obvious what was going on, things could get a little confusing to me, which made it harder for me to follow some of the main character's thoughts. Though maybe we don't have to understand someone in order to hear them, in order to see them for who they are and not for what we think they are.

This story sure gave me a lot of feelings and helped me reflect about certain things in life.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bradford D. Smith II for this read in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the character designs and the set up of the worldbuilding. This book is definitely heavier than I expected from seeing the cover but it is well done. Art was engaging, and the black out panels were placed so well that I really felt drawn into the moment.

I wish it was longer, it really only had me asking questions and didn't really answer any of them by the end, it is a big cliffhanger, but a little bit not wrapped up enough for me, personally.

I enjoyed the novel and I like Oscar’s character. I’m all for black boys and girls being powerful main characters in their stories. Even more so, I think black children (and adults) deserve accurate and tasteful queer rep in media. I would’ve liked for him to have been a little more fleshed out, I felt there was a lot of tell and not show.

This book explores a few tough themes such as racism, homophobia, police brutality.


SPOILERS AHEAD



there was a scene that took me kinda by surprise. there is no world where i personally want to see a grown policeman physically restrain a small boy. it felt very raw to me. i understand why the author/artist wanted this scene is but i would’ve preferred for it to have been implied instead of shown. it would’ve still worked perfectly.


It ended on a cliffhanger but I am excited to see where it goes.

I enjoyed Black Ice as a book for young readers and for comics fans. I would gladly recommend this title for my literacy students, as well as for school libraries. Bradford Smith’s art style is clear and I liked the use of shadow and light in the book. The weaving in of fantasy elements was enjoyable, the story was a nice blend of character development/introspection and adventure, and the book touches on some resonant themes.

A stream-of-consciousness graphic novel, Black Ice takes you on Oscar’s journey into a wildfire, on which he is coming to terms with his new-found powers and abilities and trying to figure out why people are prejudiced against his skin/eye colour.

Oscar’s inner monologues regarding racism were uniquely sympathetic, which I thought was very interesting.

A fun read, but I wish there was more showing and less telling.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I’m curious to learn how the story progresses.