The Puzzling Fate of Millicent Graves is a modern take on Greek mythology and the fates. Millicent and her family live in a boarding house with three strange older women (the fates) after her family faces financial hardship. Her mom has blown through most of the family savings on her dream venture in rearranging fish tanks. In the attic, Millicent stumbles upon a room full of puzzles with uncanny resemblances to the people in her life. As she moves some of the pieces around, she has to deal with the consequences of messing with fate.

As an avid puzzler and fan of mythology, this book appealed greatly to me. I can also see students enjoying the story. This will be a buy for my library.

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

This was a fun graphic novel. I really enjoyed the story and loved this book. This will be a great kids read.

This little story of a girl trying to control everything in her life and getting frustrated when those around her won't comply is very compelling and relatable. Who hasn't looked at someone and wished they could change them or control their actions so things could be different? Millicent shows that might not be the best idea. Absolutely amazing and funny.

This graphic novel was fun, mysterious, and had plenty of puzzling twist and turns. Perfect for mystery fans, puzzle-people, & graphic novel fans - will definitely be adding this to my classroom library!

I love this graphic novel SO MUCH! Dora M Mitchell has created wonderful characters, tackling a perplexing mystical problem. Millicent wants to make everyone around her perfect. What kid doesn't want that? And when Millie sees an opportunity in an old woman and the puzzles she makes that seem to come true, Millie grabs on, with increasingly disastrous consequences that only Millie can fix. The Puzzling Fate of Millicent Graves is a wonderfully imaginative new take on the mythical story of the fates, coupled with fun artwork. I highly recommend.

Book Title: The Puzzling Fate of Millicent Graves
Author: Dora M. Mitchell
Genre / Age Range: Graphic novel / Mystery, coming-of-age / Middle grade (ages 8–12)
Read-Aloud or Independent Read: Independent read

What My Young Readers Thought
Ages: 8 and 10
Favorite part: The mystery elements but overall it didn’t fully click for them.
What made them laugh (or gasp or cry): They were interested in Millie’s world but didn’t feel as connected to her emotional journey—it might land more with older or more introspective readers.
What stuck with them after reading: The idea that not everything can be fixed or stay the same—but that doesn’t mean it’s broken.
Would they read a sequel or recommend it to friends? Maybe—for a friend who enjoys quiet, reflective stories.

What I Thought as a Parent
Quality of writing and storytelling: Thoughtful, clever, and emotionally rich—great visual storytelling paired with real heart.
Themes or topics worth discussing: Change, perfectionism, learning to let go, making peace with uncertainty, and accepting that life doesn’t always stay in neat little boxes
Content notes (if any): Slightly spooky in tone, but nothing inappropriate
Educational or emotional value: High—it opens the door to conversations about change, loss, control, and growth
What I appreciated most: The metaphor of puzzles worked beautifully—Millie’s journey reminds readers (and grown-ups) that it's okay when things fall out of place, and life isn’t always meant to go back to how it was. It’s a message that resonated deeply with me, even if it didn’t hit as hard for the kids.

Quick Impressions
Fun and engagement: Medium for younger kids—higher for readers ready for emotional depth
Writing quality: Strong and nuanced
Relatability and themes: Especially meaningful for kids learning to navigate big emotions or major changes
Age appropriateness: Best for ages 9–12
Re-readability: Yes, particularly for reflective or sensitive readers

Would We Recommend It?
Overall impression: Yes—a quiet, beautiful story about embracing imperfection and finding strength in uncertainty
Who we think would enjoy it: Readers who love gentle mysteries, graphic novels with emotional layers, and stories about identity and change
Best time or setting to read it: When navigating a transition—new school year, family change, or just a season of growth
Perfect for fans of: The Girl and the Ghost, Crushing, or The Okay Witch

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance copy. All opinions are entirely our own.

Millicent and her sister Gillie live with their parents in a flat in a house with their landlady, Nona, and her sister Babs, who are both older and crochety. Millie's mother runs an aquarium consulting business, and their father has stopped being a professor and now washes window. Millie's neighbor, Sam, annoys her with constant nicknames and random observations, and Gillie is constantly bringing bugs into their shared room. When Millie meets another older woman in the attic, doing puzzles, she starts to realize that the puzzles control the lives of the people around her. She tries to "fix" everyone, but just ends up making Gillie less fun, and sets an infestation of monkeys on Sam. She keeps trying to make things better, but only makes them worse, to the point where her parents say they have no children. Consulting Nona and the other ladies, Millie finds out secrets about them and the puzzles. Trying to change people's lives has caused a rift in the world that sucks people into another world. Will Millie be able to change things back the way they were?

This had an interesting premise, and the three Fates don't get much coverage in middle grade literature. I did enjoy Sam, and how Millie slowly became friends with him. The cracks in the world made the situation more dire; I sort of wish that Millie had to deal with various changes in the people she knew in more realistic ways instead. I liked the drawings of the house.

The Puzzling Fate of Mallicent Graves is an imaginative graphic novel that artfully blends whimsy, fantasy, and a poignant exploration of order versus chaos. The story follows Milli, a girl who craves order in a world that seems irretrievably disorganized. While her mother and father pursue unconventional paths—her mom’s passion for marine biology leading to a risky business venture, and her father trading academia for the quirky life of a window cleaner—Milli struggles with the reality of her family’s new circumstances, including a move to a cramped rented apartment and sharing a room with her sister and having annoying Sam, her classmate, as her neighbour.

The turning point comes when Milli stumbles upon a room filled with puzzles in her apartment’s attic. There, she discovers that each puzzle piece represents a part of a person’s identity, and by tweaking these pieces, she can subtly alter those around her. She starts with her little sister, then moves on to her classmate Sam, and even her own parents. However, as Milli manipulates these puzzles to create the perfect life—where everyone plays their “proper” role—she begins to notice cracks in reality, a sign that forcing perfection might have unintended consequences.

Ultimately, The Puzzling Fate of Mallicent Graves is a story about the beauty of imperfection. Milli learns that while it’s natural to desire order, true happiness comes from accepting life’s unpredictability and embracing the unique quirks of those around us. The novel’s imaginative narrative, combined with its engaging illustrations, creates a vivid world that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

This graphic novel left me reflecting on how our attempts to control every detail can sometimes lead to unexpected disruptions—and how the very imperfections we try to hide might be what make life truly special.