Nina and her village endure six relentless days of the week—each one personified as a snarling, angry wolf that steals their time. They once enjoyed a restful Sunday, but rumor has it that day now lies at the bottom of a well, guarded by a witch. Exhausted and determined, Nina descends into the well to reclaim their day of rest, facing trials and tribulations along the way—though not everything is as it seems.

A glorious modern fairy tale inspired by the Brothers Grimm, this graphic novel is both visually stunning and deeply meaningful. The artwork is exceptional, with exquisite craft and coloring that bring the story to life. With its sweet, timely message and accessible storytelling, it will resonate with readers of all ages. The narrative explores not only our willingness to work and serve others but also the vital importance of making time for rest.

The back matter offers a fascinating look at the artist’s process, from initial sketch to final page, which young readers in particular will find enchanting. Highly recommended for both library shelves and personal collections.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

an absolutely stunningly detailed and fast paced graphic novel about the importance of not only taking pride in hard work and helping those who need it, but the importance of relaxing and spending time doing
the things you love with the people you love.

i’m blown away by the details in the art of the graphic novel — i also found some of the art to be very tim burton-esque, which i loved!

Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for sending this Digital Review Copy for review consideration! All opinions are my own.

***

A short and sweet reflection on the importance of rest told through a mix of German and Romanian fairy tales.

Nina, trapped in an endless cycle of chores by the six angry wolves of the week, sets out to find the legendary wolf Sunday, hoping to bring peace to her overworked village. The only problem is that Sunday was stolen by a powerful witch, or so the story goes. Along the way, Nina is joined in her journey by a mirror version of herself, one that is all play and no work, and faces several challenges that test her resilience, including the gut-punching question of how she can find Sunday if she doesn’t even know what it’s like. With color-coded artwork ranging from burnout grey buildings to a tree made of rainbow branches, unique panel shaping, and buoyant art style, readers will find themselves quickly flipping through each page only to return to the page before, finding new details the longer that they look. Geared towards middle grade readers yet holding timely significance for an adult audience, Ileana Surducan’s The Lost Sunday (2025) will draw in both those who love the comfort of a fairy tale and fans of graphic novels with whimsical art styles like The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill.

A short and sweet reflection on the importance of rest told through a mix of German and Romanian fairy tales.

(Includes fairy tales, story, plot, early sketches, and character sheets)

Pub Date: June 16, 2025

ISBN: 9781637157756

Publisher: Oni Press

Review Posted Online: May 06, 2025

At first glance, this is a story of a girl who works too hard all the time in a place built around work, and she just desires a little free time. But this story is about rest. What is rest? Is it important? And why? Just some questions you may ask yourself while reading this book. It also about selflessness and working with and for community.

I thought the art was delightful. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

90%

What a darling story! Less a graphic novel and more a graphic story, but still a delight. It's a sweet little fairy tale, brilliantly reminding us that happiness is not a given, and that sometimes finding joy takes a little bit of work.

I particularly love the flowy, dreamy art style and beautiful coloring - while it's a short and quick story, I found myself lingering in admiration for quite a while over some of the pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the e-ARC of The Lost Sunday!
4 / 5 ⭐
I've been lucky enough to receive a handful of Oni Press graphic novels through Netgalley before, and they've always been engaging and full of character. The Lost Sunday is no exception, a quick, charming read about taking time to rest. In such stressful times, this comes as a welcome reminder, and the art style is gorgeous and whimsical.

So the reason I wanted to read this is as y'all know I love graphic novels and I saw this one from one of my favourite publishers (Oni Press) so I decided to apply for it. Friends, I'm so happy I got to read this one. First of all this is such a cute quick little read, I ended up reading it in one sitting because of how short it is and most of the storytelling being the imagery. The artwork throughout this is adorable and nostalgic and definitely gives off that fairytailesque vibe it's trying to portray. I loved every minute of the story and really resonate with needing to take a break rather than pushing myself too hard (which I think every single disabled person has felt at some point) and even though this wasn't directed towards disabled people, just people in general, it was such a nice reminder to have. I can't get enough of retellings and this was such a perfect one to add to my collection. I would genuinely recommend this story to everyone and anyone because it is 1000% something that everyone can relate do and I genuinely believe everyone deserves that little reminder that the book is trying to portray. I will definitely be picking myself a copy of this book when it comes out and possibly a copy for my brother so he can have it for my niece and nephews.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC.

This was an absolute beautiful and magical graphic novel. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous - the colour palette is beautiful and the level of detail to every small element only adds to the quality of this graphic novel. If that wasn’t enough, the storyline provides whimsy whilst simultaneously providing a compelling lesson, making this story applicable for both children and adults.
The inspiration for this story does not feel drowned or too similar but a wonderful blend of the inspired text and the author’s interpretation.
Overall it was a joy to read!

A lovely retelling of a classic fairytale.
Each country has its favorite, this seems to be a popular Romanian one, revamping it to take on the value of work, but also of keeping burnout at bay, pacing yourself, being kind, valuing what you have...
Very cute illustrations, and story good for all age groups as each will be able to pick something from it.

The Lost Sunday is a book that I could read over and over again, devouring the details and thoughtful illustrations. It is fantastical retelling of the lesser known fairytale “The Old Man’s Wise Daughter” where Nina must seek out the witch who stole Sundays, so that she can escape a never-ending cycle of chores and drudgery. I love that this story teaches the importance of rest and leisure, while still taking pride in hard work and motivation. It is a difficult balance to walk and Ileana Surducan does it with such beauty and imagination. I can’t wait to recommend this to all of my fantasy and fairytale lovers.

The Lost Sunday is an engaging, off-beat book, with a thoughtful premise and fascinating lineage. I especially liked the author's elaboration at the end of the book, which detailed the fairy-tale roots of the story, and the conglomeration of inspirations that informed her own vibrant retelling. I enjoyed reading about the author's process, and the reasons behind some of her creative decisions (it was like getting a "behind the scenes" glimpse that we don't often get from the books we read). The story began with an interesting question; what would the world be like without a day set aside for rest?

The Lost Sunday might be a gentle prompt/starting place for a pursuing a deeper grasp of the day's significance beyond the resolution of the fairy tale.

A lovely, feel good graphic novel for kids ages 7 to 12. A good message and fun art. My 7 year old daughter read it and says it is a perfect fit for our shop. I look forward to seeing what else this author/illustrator does.

A beautifully illustrated fairytale retelling of one girl's quest to get back Sunday.

I really enjoyed how the story flowed, from the way it is depicted on the page to the pacing. The colors are also beautiful, with muted tones to signify a world that is rundown by work to bright tones when the importance of rest is portrayed. Nina is spunky, helpful, and emphatic to those around her. She is a heroine you are rooting for, and ecstatic for when her hard work pays off.

It's a classic tale with a modern twist ripe for a new generation.

I could not possibly praise this book enough. The illustration is absolutely mesmerising and the story is simple yet meaningful. I am going to buy multiple copies of this as presents for my students.

'The Lost Sunday' is a charming fairy tale story about the importance of having time to relax and knowing when to step up and help.

Nina helps a different person on each of the six days of the week, but the never ending cycle of work is exhausting, even for someone who likes to help. Supported by her village friends, she sets off on a quest to find the witch of the well, and see if she can restore the lost sunday.

With a beautiful art style, and a good pace, this will be a great story to read to kids and have them follow along.

This was an amazing fairytale about the lost Sunday, a day which people usually rest.

I loved the amazing artwork of this, the colors were so vibrant and the story was so heart warming. I would definitely reads this tale to my nephew and I believe the messages of this tale are really important.

I highly recommend it.

I was recently approved for an ARC of The Lost Sunday by Ileana Surducan, and it turned out to be absolutely magical.

The story takes place in a quiet village where a witch has stolen all the Sundays, and a young woman sets out on a gentle but determined journey to bring them back. It’s a whimsical tale with a fairy tale feel—charming, imaginative, and full of heart. The art is absolutely stunning, with colourful, expressive illustrations that perfectly complement the dreamy tone of the story.

If you love cosy, folklore-inspired stories with beautiful visuals and a touch of quiet magic, The Lost Sunday is a gem you won’t want to miss.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Sunday is a loose fairytale retelling. The main character works every day without rest, since Sunday is missing. She then goes on a quest to find Sunday.

The art style and colour palette are beautiful, perfectly suiting the story’s whimsical feel.

Overall, this book is a lovely read, I highly recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

💭 My Thoughts
Someone go call Disney to make a short film based on this because this was AMAZING! The artwork was vibrant and gorgeous, and the story was paced beautifully with a deep message behind it and had a fairytale feeling reminiscent of the classic childhood tales. I appreciated the overall idea of taking breaks from working daily without allowing yourself to become like the "imaginary Nina" as well as that it's worth it to go out of your way to help others. This is a perfect story to read with your little readers of all ages.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for a digital copy. All opinions are my own

One of the best uses of colour pallets!
This is based on a fairytale found all over the world - two sisters and a witch who challenges them. One tends to be helpful, one selfish.
Here, Nina goes on a quest to rescue Sunday from a witch, burnt out from working so hard and wanting a carefree day.
A chance to relax compared to a prince as a reward? That’s is relatable.

I read this in about ten minutes.
It’s a graphic novel that is magical in its illustrations. The colours were masterfully deployed to suit the themes, moods, days!

Nina’s town, with its suspended, multistory houses, its hidden corners and narrow alleys are inventive and unique.
The auntie states in their note at the end:
It’s a metaphor for one’s mental space—cluttered, compressed, and full of secrets.

This was just delightful!

Arc gifted by ONI Press.