Technically it's a day after midweek but what the hey. I finished a nice little graphic novel yesterday so I'll provide my review of it and also continue with my look at women authors whose work I've been enjoying; this author also writes graphic novels.
Just Finished
"The Infinity Particle, a Sci-Fi graphic novel by Wendy Xu is my first exposure to her work. It's an excellent story about love and AI. Clementine, an aspiring scientist moves from Earth to Mars with her little AI, SENA, a cute little butterfly-like creature. She is moving away from Earth to get away from what has become an untenable situation with her mother (more about this comes out during the course of the story).
She has a job with one of the great AI scientists, Marcella Lin. She will be working in a shop with Nadiya, a shop that repairs AIs. Clementine finally meets the 'wonderful' Marcella and also her humanoid AI, Kye. A relationship will develop between them over the rest of the story. There is a bug within Kye that comes about whenever he is with Clementine. SENA helps get into Kye's workings to find out the problem. Part of the problem is Marcella who abuses the poor AI which brings back awful memories of Clementine's life on Earth.
The two friends and SENA make a journey across Mars to meet Marcella's mentor, Dr. Han, who helps correct Kye's glitches and also deal with the disturbed Marcella.
It's a wonderful story. The artwork is lovely, the AI's are so cute. There are stories within stories; the AI development, the burgeoning friendship / relationship between Clementine and Kye. It's just such an entertaining, rich story that draws you in immediately and keeps you attention from beginning to end. Super characters, great artwork and a wonderful story. (4.0 stars)"
Women Authors Whose Work I've Been Enjoying - Victoria Jamieson
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| Victoria Jamieson |
"I was checking out the latest arrivals in one of my favorite local book stores, Books 4 Brains, and as usual picked up a few. When Stars Are Scattered by Omar Mohamed; Victoria Jamieson was one of the books I picked up. I had to try it right away and once started could not put down this wonderful graphic novel. It tells the true story of the childhoods of Omar and his brother, Hassan, as they grow up in a refugee camp, Dadaab, in Kenya.
Omar and Hassan are parentless. They came from war-torn Somalia along with thousands of other refugees. Omar saw his father shot to death by 'soldiers' and lost contact with his mother. When they arrive in the camp, they are put together and taken under the wing of Fatumah who becomes their de facto guardian / mother.
The story tells of their growing up in this refugee camp. It's a difficult, boring life. Omar looks after his younger brother. Hassan cannot vocalize, uses only one expression, Hooyo, which, we discover much later, does mean something. Hassan also suffers from seizures and the refugee camp doctors can't discover the cause or know how to treat them.
Eventually, Omar start going to school with his best friend Jeri. He is persuaded that it's the best way he can get help for his brother. An education might put him on the List of those refugees selected to be moved to a host country, the US, Canada, etc. At school, Omar also becomes friends with two young girls, Nimo and Maryam. Both want an education so they don't have to marry. All of the children have great ambitions to be teachers, lawyers, social workers.
But as Omar says, 'refugee camps are supposed to be a temporary place to stay until it's safe to go back home. I guess no one expected the war to last so long, though, because Hassan and I have been here for 7 years'. Life is often a boring wait, lining up for water, lining up for food. As each month ends, their monthly ration begins to dry up and the children go hungry until the next food ration is provided.
It's hard for all the children but for the girls even more so. Some are allowed to go to school, but at lunch time must rush home to do their chores to help feed, wash, etc their siblings and care for their parents. Maryam, who desperately wants to go to Canada to go to college is married off to help provide her family with enough money to continue to support the other children. But even with that heartbreak, she helps Omar with his brother so he can continue with his education.
It's a heartbreaking story but wonderfully told and even in this heartbreak there is hope, joy, positivity. The boys continue to hope that their mother will eventually come to the camp. Omar and Hassan are finally selected to go to the US where Omar has become an advocate for refugees and now helps those who STILL live in Camp Dadaab. The story definitely opens your eyes to the plight of the countless refugees around the world. Beautifully drawn by Victoria Jamieson, beautifully told by Omar Mohamed and brightly colored by Iman Geddy. (4.5 stars)"
"I had recently read Victoria Jamieson's When Stars Are Scattered and thought it was excellent. Deciding to explore some of her other work, I purchased Roller Girl, published in 2015 and a Newberry Honor winner in 2016. It was most enjoyable.
The graphic novel follows Astrid, a twelve-year old girl who is finding that her life is changing. Her childhood friend Nicole doesn't want to join roller derby camp with her, instead is more interested in signing up for a dance camp and goes with Astrid's 'enemy' Rachel!!! This begins a difficult summer for Astrid.
Astrid lies to her mother about Nicole not attending roller derby camp. She is supposed to be car-pooling with Nicole but instead roller skates between the camp and her home. Astrid is suddenly finding that roller skating / derby isn't quite as easy as she assumed it would be; Astrid had visions of herself being the new star of the local Portland ladies' team, the Rose City Rollers. There is friction at home, due to Astrid's lie and feelings of guilt. There is friction with Nicole and Rachel whenever they meet. There is ongoing frustration about her inability to succeed at camp.
The one good thing is that Astrid has begun a secretish correspondence with the Rose City star, Rainbow Bite, who offers her encouragement. As the summer winds down, the camp leaders let the girls know that during the last home game of the season, the camp will do a demonstration of the sport at half time. Astrid is disappointed to discover she won't be selected as a jammer (roller derby jargon for the one who gets the points). Her new friendship with another derby camp girl, Zoey is damaged because Zoey is picked as a jammer and Astrid can't hide her jealousy and disappointment.
Everything will come to a head of course but you have to read this excellent story to see how it ends up. It's wonderfully told by Victoria Jamieson and beautifully drawn and brightly inked. A great story for middle graders and, of course, adults. Most enjoyable. I think I might have to check out All's Faire in Middle School next. (4.0 stars)"
"The author of Roller Girl is back with a graphic novel about starting middle school, surviving your embarrassing family, and the Renaissance Faire.
Eleven-year-old Imogene (Impy) has grown up with two parents working at the Renaissance Faire, and she's eager to begin her own training as a squire. First, though, she'll need to prove her bravery. Luckily Impy has just the quest in mind--she'll go to public school after a life of being homeschooled! But it's not easy to act like a noble knight-in-training in middle school. Impy falls in with a group of girls who seem really nice (until they don't) and starts to be embarrassed of her thrift shop apparel, her family's unusual lifestyle, and their small, messy apartment. Impy has always thought of herself as a heroic knight, but when she does something really mean in order to fit in, she begins to wonder whether she might be more of a dragon after all."
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