Duel

by Jessixa Bagley, Aaron Bagley (Illustrator)

A rivalry between sisters culminates in a fencing duel in this funny and emotional debut graphic novel sure to appeal to readers of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale.

Sixth grader Lucy loves fantasy novels and is brand-new to middle school. GiGi is the undisputed queen bee of eighth grade (as well as everything else she does). They’ve only got one thing in common: fencing. Oh, and their sisters. They never got along super well, but ever since their dad died, it seems like they’re always at each other’s throats.

When GiGi humiliates Lucy in the cafeteria on the first day of school, Lucy snaps and challenges GiGi to a duel with high sisterly stakes. If GiGi wins, Lucy promises to stay out of GiGi’s way; if Lucy wins, GiGi will stop teasing Lucy for good. But after their scene in the cafeteria, both girls are on thin ice with the principal and their mom. Lucy stopped practicing fencing after their fencer dad died and will have to get back to fighting form in secret or she’ll be in big trouble. And GiGi must behave perfectly or risk getting kicked off the fencing team.

As the clock ticks down to the girls’ fencing bout, the anticipation grows. Their school is divided into GiGi and Lucy factions, complete with t-shirts declaring kids’ allegiances. Both sisters are determined to triumph. But will winning the duel mean fracturing their family even further?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Sports, Realistic Fiction, Family, Grief, Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

Published November 7, 2023

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book about two sisters who were taught to fence by their father. After their father passes away GiGi (older sister) and Lucy (younger sister) find that they are no longer close; they start to fight even as their overworked mother tries to hold the family together. When GiGi trips Lucy in the school cafeteria Lucy challenges GiGi (who wants to be captain of the fencing team) to a 'duel'. Just one caveat: children are portrayed fencing in this book with no adult supervision. When reading this book to/with children it must be stressed that this is NEVER allowed. I understand that children may do this - but it must be discouraged strongly. I fenced foil, épée and sabre in college and beyond. Children should not be allowed to do anything unsupervised.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two sisters who couldn't be more opposite fight to the death in a fencing match.

Haha, just kidding. But not really.

I enjoyed this middle grade graphic novel about new schools, sibling rivalries, the myth of perfection, and how families fracture and heal after a parent dies. It's a heavy read with a lot of love and humor...and fencing.

[Hannah]

I needed a palate cleanser to jumpstart a reading slump and wow was this not exactly the light read I thought I was picking up (my fault for being reductive about graphic novels). That said, I thought the sibling rivalry was suuuuuper well rendered--it's rare to see true cruelty rendered in such a thoughtful way, versus more common cartoonish meanness (particularly in...cartoons, ba-dum tssch). So mad props there. I have to say I am still totally confused about how fencing works even with the many explainers, but that could be because I was reading this at like midnight. The premise seemed outlandish, especially given how real the cruelty and grief were, so that's maybe my only complaint. Premise is very lighthearted cartoony, emotions are very seeeerious graphic novel.

[lauraღ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In both fencing and life, you will encounter many opponents, but you must always try to find your rhythm with them, because just like in a dance, they are really your partner. To truly match up with them, you must first understand who you are and who they are.

Really great little middle grade graphic novel about sisters navigating grief and a turbulent relationship. They recently lost their father, and things have been really tough for them and their mother. Their constant bickering and fighting explodes into a confrontation at school, and they make a pact to duel each other in three weeks. This was a really great exploration of sibling rivalry and grief, which also weaves in the sport of fencing (which their father loved and taught them both). I thought it did a great job of showing both Gigi and Lucy's sides of the story; their unique frustrations and the ways they were trying to cope with losing their father. They both had little subplots with their friends that I enjoyed. I liked the depiction of a parent's grief from the perspective of a child, and how this showed compassion for the mother while still showing that she hasn't been doing a perfect job with relating to her kids. The sisterly relationship is, of course, at the heart of this, and it was lovely. Tough to see them fighting it out, but very heart-warming, in where the journey took them. Not my favourite art style, but it was fun and dynamic, and while simple, it managed to be super expressive with the characters' emotions.

I mainly read this to see if it would be appropriate and digestible for the 8/9-year-old I'm gifting it to, and I think it is! And I'm happy I ended up enjoying it myself.

[Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet middle grade graphic novel that tackles the complex sibling relationship along with a family grieving process after losing a loved one (ce: the dad dies off page). I really liked how we got to hear from both sisters’ points of view and how the conflict was resolved through communication rather than a duel. I also liked the inclusion of how to fence at the beginning of each chapter and how a certain move is incorporated metaphorically in the chapter.

[Amanda Kiefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute story that had big feelings packed into a short and colorful book. While reading, I couldn’t help but immediately think about my sister and I, and how we fought all the time growing up. My dad has not passed away, but my parents did get a divorce which fueled a different dynamic with my sister. We actually got closer and stopped fighting once we understood we were on the same side, so I could see me and my sister in both Gigi and Lucy, as well as in Maddie. These characters were just hurting, and they decided to try to deal with that hurt in different ways which came out wrong sometimes. The constant questioning of why they were hurting each other and being so mean showed that a force outside of them was guiding how they acted, and they just needed that final reconciliation and connection to understand who eachother were. This was such a great book that I think revealed many things about the characters and did it in a good way at a good pace. The illustrations shared just as much knowledge as the words did, and I learned a whole lot more about fencing than I had ever known before!

[Devin Redmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it my social media algorithm or is fencing becoming more popular?
𝘋𝘶𝘦𝘭 by Jessixa Bagley is a graphic novel for 4th grade +. It’s the story of two sisters, Lucy and GiGi, who have always fought and argued but it’s gone to a different level since their dad died. He was a great fencer and was the girls’ coach. During a weak moment, Lucy challenges GiGi to a duel/bout in front of a crowded lunchroom. Will the sport of fencing bring them together or fast track what feels like the road to lifelong enemies?
The book was as much about the difficulty of losing a parent as fencing.
4 / 5 stars

[Sarah Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the sister dynamics and a portrayal of a family relationship weakening with grief before it can regain strength. Siblings can be incredibly cruel to each other even when they don’t actually hate each other, and the sibling dynamic and arc felt so real here. I also enjoyed gaining insight into how fencing actually works as a sport. Overall, a tender and enjoyable book that is centered on family rather than friendship or romance, which I really appreciated.

[Alexius McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t have a sister and man I’m glad I don’t. The two main characters are very realistic and remind me why I’m glad I had a younger brother. This book is funny, heart warming, moving, and definitely showcases siblings at there worse. This book does a great job at teaching a lesson about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, as well as thinking about the other person and what they may be going through. I throughly enjoying reading this book. Rated G

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yikes! And I thought my brother and I fought like cats and dogs growing up. Phew; we had nothing on Lucy and GiGi! These two made fighting an art. I enjoyed all the fencing info and was grateful to see both girls’ POVs as they worked their way through grief and back to each other.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sibling rivalry reaches its peak when two quarreling sisters decide to have a fencing match in front of the entire school and student body.

[Makayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

who among us hasn't wanted to challenge their sibling to a literal duel

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to discussing Duel with colleagues in August at our Summer Book Camp.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible family story.

[Paige V · Rating 5 out of 5]

One graphic novel, two sisters' reviews, who will have the best review? En garde!

🤺 Paige's review:
Two sisters have a fencing duel against each other and must also learn to set aside their differences.

Georgia, or GiGi, and Lucy, two sisters, haven't gotten along since their father died of a severe illness. On the first day of school, GiGi humiliates Lucy by tripping her in front of everyone in the cafeteria. Angered by this, Lucy challenges GiGi to a fencing duel. The two only have three weeks to prepare for the fight. During those three weeks, both sisters learn that a familial relationship isn't easy to manage and must learn to heal the rift that has grown from their father's death.

This book is about a lot of sibling rivalry, to which I can relate sometimes with my little sister. There was also a theme of acceptance and emotional closure as well. I also learned some tidbits about fencing at the beginning of each chapter. It was fun to learn since I knew next to nothing about fencing.

GiGi is a complicated and relatable person. She is passionate and skilled in fencing. Lucy is a spunky little sister. I heard from the summary that Lucy is an avid reader like I am! Their dad sounded like an incredible teacher. Their mom is hardworking.

The illustrations were well done and pretty fun to look at.

Give this book to people who love complex family relationships with a good story.

🤺 Laly's review:
Two sisters, GiGi and Lucy, never got along with each other, especially after their father died. Their father taught them how to get along and how to fence. GiGi and Lucy are total opposites; GiGi is perfect and talented in every way, and Lucy is messy and uncool. GiGi is the best fencer in the school and is part of the fencing team. One day during lunch, GiGi tripped her sister Lucy in front of everyone. Lucy challenges GiGi to a duel to prove that she can't have everything her way and that she is not the best person in the school.

This book is about a big and little sister rivalry with a twist. Fencing was an odd choice for a sport, but it was such a perfect fit. Before I read this book, I thought fencing was like a fight to the death, so this book taught me so much.
The funny thing is that Paige is in 8th grade like GiGi, and I'm in 6th grade like Lucy. At first, I was not too fond of either of the sisters. I thought that both of them were spoiled brats who believed the other had better stuff and love. But as the book approached the end, I started liking the sisters more and more.

Overall, this book is the perfect short read for anyone who wants a fun, big, and little sister rivalry with battles!

This title will be released on November 7! Get your pre-order of this terrific graphic novel.

Happy fighting and reading! Paige & Laly 😉 ❤️
Thank you to the publisher for sharing the ARC with us!

[Law · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original text: I couldn't finish Duel by Jessixa and Aaron Bagley. On to the pile of shame it goes. I'll try again later.

Update:
Representation: Biracial (half Black and half white,) Black and Asian characters
Trigger warnings: Death of a father in the past mentioned and recounted, bullying, grief and loss depiction

Duel, a debut illustrated novel by Jessixa and Aaron Bagley, needed improvements.

It starts with GiGi and Lucy, whose father passed three years ago, straining their relationship that comes to a head with a duel.

The nonlinear structure of Duel is disjointed as there are flashbacks sometimes. It tried to write two POVs in the first person, which did not work, but writing a single POV in the third person would be better.

The art seen in Duel was rough because of the watercolours that the authors or illustrators used. A scene of grass feels incomplete as it looks like a green splotch, and some pages have white space around the edges. The eyes are off-putting because the lines around them are only on the bottom and not on the sides and top. However, the eyes would look better if they have completed lines all around them. There are two palettes, a full-colour one and an unappealing one with blue and purple shades for flashbacks. Additionally, there is little innovation as the tones in the first palette are neutral.

The pacing is lengthy at 320 pages, which could have allowed for more character exploration if they were more likable and had more relatability value, depth and development. Also, there are orange and purple text boxes representing Lucy and GiGi's thoughts. Duel is dialogue-heavy and the pictures should speak for themselves without text overwhelming them.

Duel contains unlikable characters because of their father's death, with GiGi being the worst, but making them more likable would help. The only development that Lucy got was improving her fencing, but she changed nothing other than that.

Score: Five out of ten.

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since their father died, sisters Gigi and Lucy haven’t seen eye to eye. Their mother is worn out by her grief and her demanding job and can’t deal with their constant bickering. Now, Lucy is a new 6th grader at the school where Gigi is the 8th grade Queen Bee, and on Lucy’s first day, the girls get into an altercation that ends with Lucy challenging her sister (and school fencing champion) to a duel. What follows are chapters alternating between each girl’s first-person narration as they go between the past and present, exploring their relationship, where it went wrong, and planning their fencing duel. This story has sports, friendship, sisterhood, family, grief, and even a grandparent relationship, lending it some major kid and adult appeal! It’s a spectacular debut and perfect for readers ages nine and up.

⭐️ A RMG Best Middle Grade Book of 2023 https://readingmiddlegrade.com/best-m...

[Brenda Kahn]

This was unique and engaging, even though I haven't ever heard of a middle school having a fencing team. I fenced in high school and really loved the chapter preambles, where some basic fencing terminology neatly illustrates what's going on in the chapter between the sisters, who are torn apart by grief and misunderstanding.

[Jaclyn Hillis]

“I think we might always feel like that piece is missing. And that’s okay. That’s dad’s piece. We don’t need to replace it or him. But maybe we can fill that space with the love we had for him.”

Lucy is starting sixth grade in her older sister GiGi’s shadow. GiGi is popular and good at everything, and when GiGi humiliates Lucy in the cafeteria on the first day of school, Lucy snaps and challenges GiGi to a fencing duel. Lucy stopped practicing after their fencing coach father died, and GiGi must behave perfectly or risk getting kicked off the fencing team.

There is a lot going on in this story, but it didn’t feel overwhelming. The mother is busy and struggling, and expects the girls to work out their issues on their own. Gigi feels like her father loved Lucy better, and Lucy feels like her sister was able to spend more time with him, since he taught her how to fence. Lucy does things for attention, but GiGi retaliates in very mean ways, so she wasn’t the most likable character. The sibling strive was very relatable, but I can’t even imagine dealing with that on top of grief. While everyone grieves differently, Lucy, GiGi, and their mother were all bottling it up inside instead of working through it together.

I also enjoyed the side characters, particularly Lucy’s best friend Sasha, and their paternal grandmother. It was refreshing to see a positive in-law relationship. Sasha helped Lucy practice fencing, and I appreciated how this was a quality way for them to spend time together. I feel like it’s too common in books that when a friend gets a new hobby, it puts distance in the friendship, and this wasn’t the case here.

I loved the alternating narratives. Lucy’s dialogue was in orange and GiGi’s was in purple, so it was easy for me to know who was narrating that chapter. The flashbacks were also in a different color palette.

I highly recommend this emotional graphic novel for the family and sibling dynamics, and you will learn quite a lot about fencing. I can’t wait to see what the wife-husband creator duo do next! *Don’t skip the author’s note.

[♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is actually a great graphic novel to introduce the topic of grief/coping with grief, especially while young in a family, to young readers. i wasn’t expecting to be so moved my a middle grade graphic novel about two sisters fencing lol.

the story follows two sisters, Lucy and GiGi, as Lucy joins GiGi at the same middle school. both girls are still mourning their father and are navigating how to cope with that loss. as a result, they are constantly arguing and growing apart as their working mother has no time to help out. the result? a planned fencing duel between the two at school.

this was cute; the art style and writing were fairly easy to follow although considering the book is centered around fencing, i didn’t find myself interested in it all that much. the dramatics of middle school was also heavy incorporated which i enjoyed reading about, even as an adult, because i feel like it was accurate. middle school did feel like the end of the world so i can’t judge either main character.

the complicated relationship between the two sisters, was executed very well. their relationship with their mother as well. even if you don’t relate with the grief component on the novel, that part of the novel may reel you in (such as it did with me). me and my sisters are all in our young 20’s so this book was comforting in the way that it was familiar but also knowing that other people understand the complexity of the relationship between sisters. it reminds me of the novel “Tell the Wolves I’m Home” by Carol Rifka Brunt, which also does a wonderful job of demonstrating that same complexity. if you’re interested in that or think you know a kid who might appreciate the themes mentioned above, I think this book is worth reading! just make sure they don’t go around challenging people to public middle school fencing duels lol because I don’t think kids in real life would find it as cool as the kids in the novel did… and also that’s dangerous!

[Deborah Zeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this graphic novel. Fencing is such an interesting sport, and the way this graphic novel was written, helped me as a reader understand. The sibling, dynamic and rivalry between the two sisters is just like any other sister rivalry. Dealing with the loss of a parent at a young age is not easy. I lost my own sister when I was 23 and it’s taking years for me to move on to a place Where it doesn’t hurt as much anymore. I really appreciated how the author dealt with each sister’s grief and the mom’s grief. A piece of the puzzle of their family is missing and now they have to have a new normal. Learning that it’s OK to be angry and it’s OK to miss someone is the path that everyone has to take following the death of a loved one. Thank you for this book. Thank you for explaining the world of fencing.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

(y'all, I'm a GR librarian and I cannot figure out how jacked up these editions are - and we can't edit any of the book data? srsly, who did this?)

So this is an excellent middle-grade graphic novel that I picked up on the recommendation of Jesse on YouTube as part of their Blackathon TBR recs. I wasn't prepared for the level of "meanness" the sisters gave each other - like, they aren't just annoying each other, like they are actively undermining each other (granted, they have some other stuff going on, like grieving the loss of their dad and their mom trying to hold it all together. Although, speaking of the mom, LADY, your kids need some discipline, not being told to "work it out", they are doing some therapy-level of acting out on each other, sheesh; also, you could probably use a therapist, too).

Loved all the fencing references throughout the book, it really helps understand how the sport works.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duel is an engaging graphic novel about sisters, grief and fencing. The beginning of each chapter has information about fencing and the vocabulary, which lends itself to each plot point. Lucy starts 6th grade and she and her 8th grade sister Gigi have been fighting nonstop, since the death of their father. They end up promising to duel each other and the story shows the growth over the next few weeks. I liked the realistic relationship between sisters. There is some fun humor as well. My middle school students will enjoy this book. No swears, some mild crude humor, death of a loved one. 6th grade and up.

[Ms. Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sisters Lucy and Gigi grew up fencing. While always competitive with each other, their love for the sport came from the encouragement of their father, an avid fencer. The sisters constantly feel like their father loved the other sister more; after their father passes away, this feeling drives an immense wedge between the sisters and they become unable to interact without fighting. Their feud reaches a breaking point when Gigi embarrasses her sister on the first day of school. This prompts Lucy to challenge her to a fencing duel. As the sisters prepare for their duel, they are simultaneously forced to reflect on their feelings of grief and the potential to mend relationships within their family.

This graphic novel presents a crucial narrative about the impact of grief. Each member of Lucy and Gigi's family grieves the death of their father in a different way. The text presents an important lesson about endurance during a period of grief; even when the girls feel like nothing will get better, each action that they take brings them closer to hope.

[Joy Kirr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The cover of two fencers never really caught my attention, and it was on my “to read” list for a long time. I love how it’s NOT just about fencing. The death of their father and how the sisters deal with their grief is written very well, and I did shed a couple of tears. Be sure to read the author’s note, as well.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two sisters, both in middle school, struggle in their relationship and ultimately discover their problems are rooted in the loss of their father. One sister challenges the other to duel to fight it out but ultimately discover everything they are fighting about is rooted in the loss of their dad.

[Heather Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young people are going to love this book! Not only will they learn about the sport of fencing, but also how a family faces the grieving process. The power of friendship and family help Gigi and Lucy to see what is truly important.

[Maxie Froelicher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love love loved the fencing terminology on the chapter title pages, that was so cool! Makes me wanna take up fencing ;v;

I received an ARC through my work, thank you to the publisher!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend this fun middle grade graphic novel!!!

[Mrs Heidrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5