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Victor und Nora: Gegen die Zeit
GOTHAMS TRAGISCHSTE LIEBESGESCHICHTE
Nora Faria liebt das Leben. Doch ihre Tage sind gezählt, denn sie leidet an einer unheilbaren Krankheit. Die noch verbleibende Zeit will sie im Sommerhaus der Familie in Gotham City in vollen Zügen genießen – bis zu ihrem 17. Geburtstag, an dem sie sich das Leben nehmen will.
Der 17 Jahre alte Victor Fries hat dagegen wenig Freude am Leben, denn er gibt sich die Schuld am Tod seines Bruders. Seine Eltern schotten sich seither ab und Victor widmet sich einzig und allein der Wissenschaft.
Bis Victor Nora kennenlernt. Sein erkaltetes Herz schmilzt dahin und die beiden erleben einen wundervollen Sommer im Rausch der Liebe. Als Victor jedoch von Noras Erkrankung erfährt, macht er sich wie besessen daran, ein Heilmittel zu finden. Doch ihm läuft die Zeit davon. Dennoch will er unter keinen Umständen noch einen geliebten Menschen verlieren. Koste es, was es wolle.
Die New York Times-Bestsellerautorin Lauren Myracle (Tage wie diese, ttyl) und der Künstler Isaac Goodhart (Under the Eine Catwoman-Geschichte) präsentieren eine tragische Liebesgeschichte, die davon handelt, was es bedeutet zu lieben, aber auch loszulassen.
Nora Faria liebt das Leben. Doch ihre Tage sind gezählt, denn sie leidet an einer unheilbaren Krankheit. Die noch verbleibende Zeit will sie im Sommerhaus der Familie in Gotham City in vollen Zügen genießen – bis zu ihrem 17. Geburtstag, an dem sie sich das Leben nehmen will.
Der 17 Jahre alte Victor Fries hat dagegen wenig Freude am Leben, denn er gibt sich die Schuld am Tod seines Bruders. Seine Eltern schotten sich seither ab und Victor widmet sich einzig und allein der Wissenschaft.
Bis Victor Nora kennenlernt. Sein erkaltetes Herz schmilzt dahin und die beiden erleben einen wundervollen Sommer im Rausch der Liebe. Als Victor jedoch von Noras Erkrankung erfährt, macht er sich wie besessen daran, ein Heilmittel zu finden. Doch ihm läuft die Zeit davon. Dennoch will er unter keinen Umständen noch einen geliebten Menschen verlieren. Koste es, was es wolle.
Die New York Times-Bestsellerautorin Lauren Myracle (Tage wie diese, ttyl) und der Künstler Isaac Goodhart (Under the Eine Catwoman-Geschichte) präsentieren eine tragische Liebesgeschichte, die davon handelt, was es bedeutet zu lieben, aber auch loszulassen.
Paperback
First published November 3, 2020
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About the author
Lauren Myracle
95 books2,024 followersLauren Myracle is the author of numerous young adult novels. She was born in 1969 in North Carolina. Lauren Myracle holds an MA in English from Colorado State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. she has written many novels, including the famous IM books, ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r.
Her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected as one of ALA's "Best Books for Young Adults" for the year 2004. It was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers." Her middle-grade novel, Eleven, came out 2004, followed by its YA sequels (Twelve, Thirteen, Thirteen Plus One) .
Her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected as one of ALA's "Best Books for Young Adults" for the year 2004. It was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers." Her middle-grade novel, Eleven, came out 2004, followed by its YA sequels (Twelve, Thirteen, Thirteen Plus One) .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 391 reviews
January 30, 2022
"Is that cheesy?" -- Victor Fries
"A little." -- Elinor 'Nora' Faria
Holy understatement, Batman! -- it felt like there was enough melted Velveeta in this tragic graphic novella to fill the Arkham Asylum. Now, I certainly don't mind a comic book-based or -derivative storyline, and I'm not even opposed to a romantic tale with a dose of melancholy - the talented Ms. Camille Pagan is my go-to novelist of choice for that genre - but DC's Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story landed with such a resounding thud that is registered 8.0 on my internal Richter scale. I was not fond of the dreary title characters and could not suspend the required disbelief that they were only sixteen and seventeen years old. (I suppose they could just be the most knowledgable, mature and quick-wittedly verbose adolescent duo EVER, but bumping them ahead a scant few years to college-age would've been more . . . realistic? Not to mention a bit more appropriate given their sexual activity . . . but whatever.) I guess the plot of Erich Segal's old chestnut Love Story needs a revamp or revival every generation, but I'll stick with the original compared to this attempt.
"A little." -- Elinor 'Nora' Faria
Holy understatement, Batman! -- it felt like there was enough melted Velveeta in this tragic graphic novella to fill the Arkham Asylum. Now, I certainly don't mind a comic book-based or -derivative storyline, and I'm not even opposed to a romantic tale with a dose of melancholy - the talented Ms. Camille Pagan is my go-to novelist of choice for that genre - but DC's Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story landed with such a resounding thud that is registered 8.0 on my internal Richter scale. I was not fond of the dreary title characters and could not suspend the required disbelief that they were only sixteen and seventeen years old. (I suppose they could just be the most knowledgable, mature and quick-wittedly verbose adolescent duo EVER, but bumping them ahead a scant few years to college-age would've been more . . . realistic? Not to mention a bit more appropriate given their sexual activity . . . but whatever.) I guess the plot of Erich Segal's old chestnut Love Story needs a revamp or revival every generation, but I'll stick with the original compared to this attempt.
August 18, 2021
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (DC Comics) in exchange for an honest review.
I give this book 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5.
What a tragic love story!
This was another great comic from the DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults imprint. This one followed a young Victor Fries (aka Mr. Freeze) as he first meets Nora (aka Mrs. Freeze). I thought this comic set up their origin story nicely.
The comic really delves into the emotional states of the characters and the tragedies of their lives. There was a lot of depth and complexity to them. Both Victor and Nora have a lot of grief and it was interesting to see how they dealt with that. If you like tragic young adult love stories, then you’ll probably like Victor and Nora’s story!
Since this is a comic, I have to talk about the artwork. It is amazing!The use of colors in showing their relationship was very clever. Victor was cool blues, while Nora was warm hues. The colors were also useful in distinguishing whose point of view was being shown. There were also a few art style changes in the comic that were super fun. For example, on pages 38-39, the art changes to the Tim Burton skeleton look, which was so spot on!
Overall, I really enjoyed this young adult take on a famous Gotham villain couple!
I give this book 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5.
What a tragic love story!
This was another great comic from the DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults imprint. This one followed a young Victor Fries (aka Mr. Freeze) as he first meets Nora (aka Mrs. Freeze). I thought this comic set up their origin story nicely.
The comic really delves into the emotional states of the characters and the tragedies of their lives. There was a lot of depth and complexity to them. Both Victor and Nora have a lot of grief and it was interesting to see how they dealt with that. If you like tragic young adult love stories, then you’ll probably like Victor and Nora’s story!
Since this is a comic, I have to talk about the artwork. It is amazing!The use of colors in showing their relationship was very clever. Victor was cool blues, while Nora was warm hues. The colors were also useful in distinguishing whose point of view was being shown. There were also a few art style changes in the comic that were super fun. For example, on pages 38-39, the art changes to the Tim Burton skeleton look, which was so spot on!
Overall, I really enjoyed this young adult take on a famous Gotham villain couple!
July 28, 2021
Est ce que je donne même 4.5????
Histoire tragique et touchante, bien construite et magnifique pour les yeux🥺🤧 j’ai tellement aimé les personnages et leur récit que j’ai lu d’un seul coup!!! Je ne connais VRAIMENT PAS l’univers des super héros ou de DC dont je ne sais pas plus ce qu’il leur arrive dans le futur mais si jamais il y a une suite ou d’autres comics qui racontent leur histoire je veux les lire oh la la
Histoire tragique et touchante, bien construite et magnifique pour les yeux🥺🤧 j’ai tellement aimé les personnages et leur récit que j’ai lu d’un seul coup!!! Je ne connais VRAIMENT PAS l’univers des super héros ou de DC dont je ne sais pas plus ce qu’il leur arrive dans le futur mais si jamais il y a une suite ou d’autres comics qui racontent leur histoire je veux les lire oh la la
November 5, 2020
Ok, I wasn't prepared to get my heart shattered while reading a YA graphic novel, but here we are.
December 30, 2021
I have....mixed thoughts on this one.
Firstly, the art is gorgeous and some sections were done in a more tone-changing style (like when they're discussing the worst ways to die and it shifts to a more Tim Burton-esque style). I also really liked Victor.
Unfortunately, this followed a very "Sick Lit" storyline of "Uptight Boy meets Manic Pixie Sick Girl who teaches him how to Live Life To The Fullest before something bad happens to her". Nora was a "lol so quirky!!!!" Manic Pixie Dream Girl and the insta-love between her and Victor honestly made the story much worse--I mean come on, it's a Mr. Freeze backstory and his whole thing is that he froze his girlfriend/wife/whatever's body to keep her in stasis until he can cure her illness. It would have been much more compelling if Nora had been a childhood friend or a long-time girlfriend as opposed to a girl he met two months ago but is now obsessed with. Something also felt off to me about the way that Nora's was handled. I can't figure out what it specifically is or how to phrase it, but as someone who deals with mental health issues myself, it felt almost romanticized and I think it was handled poorly.
Firstly, the art is gorgeous and some sections were done in a more tone-changing style (like when they're discussing the worst ways to die and it shifts to a more Tim Burton-esque style). I also really liked Victor.
Unfortunately, this followed a very "Sick Lit" storyline of "Uptight Boy meets Manic Pixie Sick Girl who teaches him how to Live Life To The Fullest before something bad happens to her". Nora was a "lol so quirky!!!!" Manic Pixie Dream Girl and the insta-love between her and Victor honestly made the story much worse--I mean come on, it's a Mr. Freeze backstory and his whole thing is that he froze his girlfriend/wife/whatever's body to keep her in stasis until he can cure her illness. It would have been much more compelling if Nora had been a childhood friend or a long-time girlfriend as opposed to a girl he met two months ago but is now obsessed with. Something also felt off to me about the way that Nora's was handled. I can't figure out what it specifically is or how to phrase it, but as someone who deals with mental health issues myself, it felt almost romanticized and I think it was handled poorly.
November 18, 2020
I just panned Swamp Thing: Twin Branches for being too angsty and having an introverted scientist for a lead character, but here in a tragic love story those elements work, mostly because the reserved Victor Fries is overshadowed by the giant personality of Elinor Grace "Nora" Faria. The nicer art helps also.
November 4, 2022
The graphics are very pretty. (Didn't know it was a backstory of Mr. Freeze from DC universe though)
Nora and Victor are your typical first-puppy-love couple, they were cute. Again, loved the illustrations!
Nora and Victor are your typical first-puppy-love couple, they were cute. Again, loved the illustrations!
September 13, 2022
Although an enjoyable YA read, I continue to unjustly compare all new Mister Freeze stories to the near perfect “Heart of Ice” S1:E3 from the televised “Batman:The Animated Series”. That 1992 origin story (penned by Paul Dini) was so deliciously sublime, that any new Mister Freeze stories will struggle to meet or exceed Heart of Ice’s tragic gothic pathos.
With that said, if you haven’t seen the animated short “Heart of Ice” (and I HIGHLY recommend that you do), then by all means, this graphic novel is a very enjoyable entry point and exploration of the character, especially for teen readers.
With that said, if you haven’t seen the animated short “Heart of Ice” (and I HIGHLY recommend that you do), then by all means, this graphic novel is a very enjoyable entry point and exploration of the character, especially for teen readers.
July 16, 2024
this was SO GOOD
January 28, 2021
A very powerful and moving story about learning to live life in the moment.
August 18, 2022
*More like 3.5 stars than 3.*
Somewhat enjoyable yet largely problematic, this was possibly DC’s boldest YA graphic novel yet!
Victor was a supposedly awkward and shy character but really he was a mixture of charming and goofy. At times he was creepily possessive of Nora (an issue which was never addressed) although that could be viewed as being in line with Doctor Freeze as a character. On the other hand, Nora was your classic manic pixie dream girl for the most part. Her main personality traits were crazy and quirky which grated on me at first, until I realised her characterisation made a lot more sense when it was revealed she was going to die soon, and suddenly all her words and erratic behaviour made sense. Yet she was also problematic in several of her decisions and her reluctance to communicate with people who cared about her screamed of teenage stupidity rarely seen since the early 2010s.
There was nothing particularly new in this graphic novel. It featured a story that’s been told a million times before: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy learns girl is sick, girl dies, the end. (See Midnight Sun, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, etc.) The plot did lack some integrity in the sense that Nora’s illness wasn’t even a real existing one, but her mental struggles were, so it had that, at least. The first quarter of the graphic novel moved at a speed faster than an accelerating batmobile and the progression of Victor and Nora’s relationship didn’t slow down much from there. The end had so many moral issues but not enough pages to spare to discuss them and so, rather infuriatingly, the couple didn’t discuss any of their issues properly and the ending felt unsatisfactory and rushed.
The art style was great. Both Victor and Nora were drawn in such a way that they looked really good-looking. The artistic decision to draw certain scenes in different art styles as an homage to Tim Burton and other artists was the only uniquely interesting thing about this whole graphic novel.
Somewhat enjoyable yet largely problematic, this was possibly DC’s boldest YA graphic novel yet!
Victor was a supposedly awkward and shy character but really he was a mixture of charming and goofy. At times he was creepily possessive of Nora (an issue which was never addressed) although that could be viewed as being in line with Doctor Freeze as a character. On the other hand, Nora was your classic manic pixie dream girl for the most part. Her main personality traits were crazy and quirky which grated on me at first, until I realised her characterisation made a lot more sense when it was revealed she was going to die soon, and suddenly all her words and erratic behaviour made sense. Yet she was also problematic in several of her decisions and her reluctance to communicate with people who cared about her screamed of teenage stupidity rarely seen since the early 2010s.
There was nothing particularly new in this graphic novel. It featured a story that’s been told a million times before: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy learns girl is sick, girl dies, the end. (See Midnight Sun, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, etc.) The plot did lack some integrity in the sense that Nora’s illness wasn’t even a real existing one, but her mental struggles were, so it had that, at least. The first quarter of the graphic novel moved at a speed faster than an accelerating batmobile and the progression of Victor and Nora’s relationship didn’t slow down much from there. The end had so many moral issues but not enough pages to spare to discuss them and so, rather infuriatingly, the couple didn’t discuss any of their issues properly and the ending felt unsatisfactory and rushed.
The art style was great. Both Victor and Nora were drawn in such a way that they looked really good-looking. The artistic decision to draw certain scenes in different art styles as an homage to Tim Burton and other artists was the only uniquely interesting thing about this whole graphic novel.
November 4, 2020
This one portrays a more human side of a notorious villain of Gotham city. I like.
May 30, 2021
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 9, 2023
I was craving a graphic novel and this fit the bill perfectly. really loved the art and I personally enjoy these comic origin reimaginings quite a bit.
November 17, 2020
Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story
Written by Lauren Myracle
Illustrated by Isaac Goodhart
*Thank you to DC Comics for sending me a copy to review. *
When I first saw that Lauren and Isaac were teaming up again for another graphic novel, I knew I couldn’t wait get it in my hands. After what they produced with Catwoman, I was completely blown away by their teamwork and story. (Be sure to check that review here.) Anyway, I had thought that Victor and Nora was a side story to their Catwoman one, and guys, I was sooooo wrong. This is a completely new series and I honestly couldn’t be happier. Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story was one of the most intriguing novels I have read this year. Not only did Isaac tackle multiple art techniques and ideas, but Lauren was able to create Victor to be likable and give the reader feelings for him. So, if you didn’t know (and this could potentially be a spoiler alert in the next installment as it wasn’t exactly forward in this novel) Victor is the DC Supervillain, Mr. Freeze. Lauren was able to capture Victor in such an innocent light that it truly compels the reader to stay drawn in. Like he has something hiding up his sleeve…but I suppose we may find that out later.
There are some trigger warnings:
Death of a parent, death of a sibling, talk of suicide, suicide attempt, terminal illness, grief, and even PTSD from trauma. There could be a few more, but these were the ones that stood out to me enough to mention.
Lauren and Isaac have mastered the art of capturing the readers heart strings and pulling on them. If you take a novel like A Fault in Our Stars and toss it in a jar, add a hint of Tim Burton, a smudge of Shakespeare, an ice cube, a flame, and a dash of teenage drama…give it a good shake. You would have this graphic novel. Now, come on, I’m only kidding a little bit please don’t do that. I do not condone the damaging of books. But truly, Victor and Nora are characters that will stick with you for a while.
“Just, for years I’ve reached out to no one. And if anyone reached out to me… Well, I made sure to keep my heart protected. And then this girl comes along. And… and… She melts me.”
While to most people Victor Fries is evil, you can’t help but wonder if his mission is what destroys him. Love. That is truly what breaks us all right? He just wants to save the person he loves, is that too much to ask…? This young origin story was truly a fascinating read. It was entertaining, beautiful, and well written.
Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story is hands down one of the best graphic novels I read this year. Definitely up in my top 5 without a doubt. I hope you all give it a chance.
I wish you all health, safety, and happiness as we get through these troubling and challenging times!
Until next time,
Brittany from DauntlesslyReading
Written by Lauren Myracle
Illustrated by Isaac Goodhart
*Thank you to DC Comics for sending me a copy to review. *
When I first saw that Lauren and Isaac were teaming up again for another graphic novel, I knew I couldn’t wait get it in my hands. After what they produced with Catwoman, I was completely blown away by their teamwork and story. (Be sure to check that review here.) Anyway, I had thought that Victor and Nora was a side story to their Catwoman one, and guys, I was sooooo wrong. This is a completely new series and I honestly couldn’t be happier. Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story was one of the most intriguing novels I have read this year. Not only did Isaac tackle multiple art techniques and ideas, but Lauren was able to create Victor to be likable and give the reader feelings for him. So, if you didn’t know (and this could potentially be a spoiler alert in the next installment as it wasn’t exactly forward in this novel) Victor is the DC Supervillain, Mr. Freeze. Lauren was able to capture Victor in such an innocent light that it truly compels the reader to stay drawn in. Like he has something hiding up his sleeve…but I suppose we may find that out later.
There are some trigger warnings:
Death of a parent, death of a sibling, talk of suicide, suicide attempt, terminal illness, grief, and even PTSD from trauma. There could be a few more, but these were the ones that stood out to me enough to mention.
Lauren and Isaac have mastered the art of capturing the readers heart strings and pulling on them. If you take a novel like A Fault in Our Stars and toss it in a jar, add a hint of Tim Burton, a smudge of Shakespeare, an ice cube, a flame, and a dash of teenage drama…give it a good shake. You would have this graphic novel. Now, come on, I’m only kidding a little bit please don’t do that. I do not condone the damaging of books. But truly, Victor and Nora are characters that will stick with you for a while.
“Just, for years I’ve reached out to no one. And if anyone reached out to me… Well, I made sure to keep my heart protected. And then this girl comes along. And… and… She melts me.”
While to most people Victor Fries is evil, you can’t help but wonder if his mission is what destroys him. Love. That is truly what breaks us all right? He just wants to save the person he loves, is that too much to ask…? This young origin story was truly a fascinating read. It was entertaining, beautiful, and well written.
Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story is hands down one of the best graphic novels I read this year. Definitely up in my top 5 without a doubt. I hope you all give it a chance.
I wish you all health, safety, and happiness as we get through these troubling and challenging times!
Until next time,
Brittany from DauntlesslyReading
August 19, 2021
This thing should come with a mandatory side of anti-depressants. I mean COME ON! Victor Fries is top tier villain Batman hierarchy and this doesnt do him justice. The narrative and the illustrations are in open conflict with each, both are simultaneously diminished because of this. If the writer had concentrated on forming a stronger connection based on anything other than tragedy maybe the illustrator wouldnt have had to rely so heavily on allegory. Nothing happens in this story! It's all flashbacks and skipping over any unpleasantness that usually accompanies any budding relationship. It's absolutely hollow. The illustrations are morbid without character. how is a woman's lust for life the result of personal tragedy and the reason for suicidal tendencies? That makes no sense. I mean there is this one part during their cemetery meet cute (rolled my eyes so hard I woke up) when the illustrator goes all Corpse Bride for no purpose. It like the illustrator just got bored trying to inject some sense of action into this and just started throwing audibles.
October 20, 2020
A sold start to the origin story of Victor Fries, who will one day become notorious DC villain Mr. Freeze.
It’s a good premise for a “how they went bad” type of origin story, though when we leave off after this graphic novel, we have no clue as to how that might happen. Indeed, it’s a strangely hopeful finish to a story that we know will ultimately end very, very badly.
Normally I would assume this was merely the first installment in Myracle’s version of how Fries becomes Freeze, but these YA villain origin graphic novels don’t tend to work like that. So it feels a bit empty and odd to end where it does, but perhaps our patience will ultimately be rewarded with a follow-up.
The relationship between Victor and Nora feels a little rushed, but otherwise well plotted. The art is lovely, and Myracle, as always, does a good job of tugging your heartstrings without getting too schlocky.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
It’s a good premise for a “how they went bad” type of origin story, though when we leave off after this graphic novel, we have no clue as to how that might happen. Indeed, it’s a strangely hopeful finish to a story that we know will ultimately end very, very badly.
Normally I would assume this was merely the first installment in Myracle’s version of how Fries becomes Freeze, but these YA villain origin graphic novels don’t tend to work like that. So it feels a bit empty and odd to end where it does, but perhaps our patience will ultimately be rewarded with a follow-up.
The relationship between Victor and Nora feels a little rushed, but otherwise well plotted. The art is lovely, and Myracle, as always, does a good job of tugging your heartstrings without getting too schlocky.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Read
October 29, 2020Pros:
- Nice art - I especially liked how the art style changed in some scenes
- Suicide prevention resources included at the end of the book
Cons:
- Both main characters had weird personalities: Nora was too “quirky” for me, and Victor just creeped my out
- Their relationship felt rushed
- There was no plot
Overall I’d rate this novel somewhere between 2 and 3 stars.
[I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
- Nice art - I especially liked how the art style changed in some scenes
- Suicide prevention resources included at the end of the book
Cons:
- Both main characters had weird personalities: Nora was too “quirky” for me, and Victor just creeped my out
- Their relationship felt rushed
- There was no plot
Overall I’d rate this novel somewhere between 2 and 3 stars.
[I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
November 3, 2022
Victor lives a solitary existence, wracked with guilt about the death of his older brother Otto, and closing himself off to the world. The only bright spot is his job as a scientist, where he hopes to make significant contributions.
Nora believes in living every day to the fullest. But that’s not just a mantra: she has a terminal illness that will rob her of everything—movement, speech, memory. She’s determined not to let that get her down until it’s time, and she has a plan.
Victor and Nora have a not-quite meet-cute in the cemetery where his brother and her mother are buried. Little by little, Nora’s devil-may-care attitude thaws Victor’s frozen heart. But when he discovers the secret Nora’s been hiding, he’s determined to use science to save her—but what will the consequences be?
This graphic novel, beautifully drawn and full of emotion, is essentially the origin story of Mr. Freeze, who resurfaces in Batman comics (and a movie). There’s no hint of his ultimate supervillain future here, but obviously there’s a tinge of sadness along with hopefulness.
I’m a fan of graphic novels, especially ones with some emotional heft to them. I really enjoyed this.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
Nora believes in living every day to the fullest. But that’s not just a mantra: she has a terminal illness that will rob her of everything—movement, speech, memory. She’s determined not to let that get her down until it’s time, and she has a plan.
Victor and Nora have a not-quite meet-cute in the cemetery where his brother and her mother are buried. Little by little, Nora’s devil-may-care attitude thaws Victor’s frozen heart. But when he discovers the secret Nora’s been hiding, he’s determined to use science to save her—but what will the consequences be?
This graphic novel, beautifully drawn and full of emotion, is essentially the origin story of Mr. Freeze, who resurfaces in Batman comics (and a movie). There’s no hint of his ultimate supervillain future here, but obviously there’s a tinge of sadness along with hopefulness.
I’m a fan of graphic novels, especially ones with some emotional heft to them. I really enjoyed this.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
December 17, 2020
Beautiful, heartbreaking story. I'm enjoying these twist on superhero story graphic novels.
December 23, 2023
Iiieeek... I don't know what to say. Just wanted it to end finally. But the charakters are cool und I like the artwork.
March 1, 2024
This follows the melodrama theme from alot of the YA graphics. However, I feel like Mr. Freeze was always kinda melodramatic, if downplayed. The art was pretty good in this one as well.
One of the better DC YA's
One of the better DC YA's
November 3, 2020
Decent, nothing less, but also nothing more than this...
Amazing art though!
Amazing art though!
June 6, 2021
4.5 🌟 An interesting story where 2 different people need each other. One wants to live and the other person is as if doesn't exist.
The illustrations are beautiful and the story, although short, transmits a lot. Waiting for the next book!
The illustrations are beautiful and the story, although short, transmits a lot. Waiting for the next book!
Want to read
October 20, 2020I don’t know about this one... In the storylines I’ve read, Victor is a creepster who owns Nora’s preserved body and calls her his wife without consent. Because, you know, ✨romance✨
But I think it probably breaks from the comic storylines. Most of the YA DC graphic novels have featured the author’s unique take on the characters and backstories. Hopefully this is the case for Victor and Nora. If not, it will definitely be a painful and infuriating read.
But I think it probably breaks from the comic storylines. Most of the YA DC graphic novels have featured the author’s unique take on the characters and backstories. Hopefully this is the case for Victor and Nora. If not, it will definitely be a painful and infuriating read.
March 21, 2022
Okay so I first read this back in like July of last year. I decided to re- read it today. I really love the whole concept of the story and the characters. I still really like this book as much as I did the first time reading it. But, now that I think of it, I kind of feel as if Victor and Nora's relationship was maybe a bit rushed? At least that's what I think. For now, I think I'll keep it a five star rating.
May 13, 2021
The graphic work was alright, but the characters were absolutely AWFUL and the writing was HORRIFIC. I've also read Lauren Myracle's other work and I don't think her writing style is for me. Nora talked as if she was a child, the sexy part was so cringey I almost threw up. The plot was meh but nothing really good to say about this novel.
June 24, 2021
Tears...tears everywhere....
November 3, 2020
ARC was provided by NetGalley and DC Entertainment in exchange for an honest review.
This review is being published after the release date (November 3rd, 2020)
Content/Trigger Warnings: Talk of death, talk of suicide and suicidal thoughts, scene of attempted suicide, loss of a loved one (in the past), loss of a parent (in the past), grief, PTSD/trauma, terminal illness
I don’t talk about it often, my love and appreciation for one of the saddest love stories in all of the Gotham Universe. While there are many love stories, many ships and pairings that happen, none of them quite compare to the love story of Victor and Nora. Victor Fries/Mister Freeze is probably one of my most favorite Gotham “villains” and truly, he’s just a man on a mission to save the one he loves. Being able to read this graphic novel in advance and see a whole new take on Victor and Nora makes me fall in love with this couple all the more. Also, I now have a deeper appreciation doe these characters and their younger side
Our story follows Victor, a cryogenicist, who’s headed to Gotham Cemetery to visit his brother’s grave, as his grief and trauma weigh heavy on his shoulders. Nora and her family have just moved to a new house in Saint Agnes, to be closer to where her mother is buried. Upon their arrival at the new house, Nora decides to go visit her mother’s grave. Thus, these two characters cross paths and spark a very unusual conversation between one another. From here on out, these two will be pulled two one another and a romance will slowly bloom between them.
When I say I loved these two characters and how they come together, I mean I really loved these two characters come together. Victor isn’t like your typical love interest. He’s very soft spoken, brilliant, and so compacted with love and passion. And Nora, she’s one hell of a firecracker. She’s whimsical, sarcastic, and she brings people out of their shell. These two balance each other out incredibly well. The chemistry shared between them is apparent from the very beginning, despite the unusual conversation. I don’t talk about it enough because it’s such a fifty-fifty chance, but I like to believe there are the cases where two broken people can heal one another, love each other so fiercely and deeply, and make the world seem a little brighter. And I truly believe with my whole and soul that Victor and Nora are one of those relationships.
What I truly love most about Victor and Nora’s relationship is their love. Out of all the love and relationship pairings, none shine quite as bright as this particular relationship. These characters love one another so beautifully, so deeply, and I don’t think here has ever been a relationship in the Gotham Universe that had a more devoted partner than Victor when it comes to Nora. For those who aren’t familiar with the DC Universe or the Gotham Universe, Victor gave up everything for Nora. His love for Nora basically consumed him to the point of the only thing that has ever mattered has been finding a cure for Nora. Victor never cared if he came off as villain or how his actions impacted the those around him, his whole world revolves around Nora and finding the cure. And seeing how Nora and Victor come to love one another in this book, despite knowing everything they both carry on their shoulders, their love for each other grounds them in those difficult times. I really loved that the author included those moments of grounding because it’s so important to show how powerful love truly can be.
Of course the story itself is very well done. I’m not sure if the author actually researched the story of Victor and Nora, but reading this graphic novel felt like author did. I loved how the author alternated the story between Nora and Victor’s perspective. Most of the graphic novels out there only has Victor’s perspective of everything. So it’s a nice breath of fresh air to see Nora’s side of things. It’s also a nice change to see these this couple in their youth. Before Victor became Mister Freeze and before Nora became frozen. It’s nice to see these two characters in love and being in their relationship with one another. And just the mundane things like hanging out with friends and arguing with family. We also see the harder, more difficult side of things concerning their mental health and Victor who's coping with his trauma and PTSD. I really appreciated see those sides of Nora and Victor. It’s nice to see that side of these characters before everything became intense in their story.
And I have to talk about the art because as always, Isaac Goodhart has such a beautiful art style. I really loved seeing the Tim Burton type of twist in the beginning. That was such a pleasant surprise and I think that was my particular favorite. However, the artist has a fantastic way of highlighting these scenes that are softer, kinder and the scenes that are intense like the panels where Nora is seeing the crow. The way those panels were designed with the shading and lighting really made for a great reading experience.
My only real issue with this graphic novel has to be the one key detail that’s always remained true to Victor and Nora’s story line. Victor and Nora were and always have been married when Victor froze Nora. While I’m not sure if this was an intentional change for the story, given the audience this graphic novel is trying to target, but this is one key element that should have been included especially since this could have impacted the way this graphic novel concluded. Even more so, it seems the scene of attempted suicide was included (which has never be a part of Victor and Nora’s story) to replace the fact that Victor and Nora have been married. If you were to really look at the context of the graphic novel, we already see Nora and Victor fight over Victor suggesting he cryogenically freeze Nora until he can find a cure. Then the whole scene of attempted suicide comes in to play. In a way, depending on what you take away from this, all of these events lead to painting Victor in a negative light and making it seem like he was giving Nora no other choice than to be frozen. For my reading experience, personally, I would have preferred if we saw them elope or actually have a wedding ceremony compared to this one tweak of their story line. It comes off as hopeless, very negative way to lead into an ending for this graphic novel and I think it would have really benefitted this graphic novel to have a little more good scenes than fully wrap this graphic novel up on such a heavy note.
Overall, I really enjoyed myself reading this graphic novel. I definitely think the marriage panel could have been added in to help balance the heaviness of the ending and to also stay semi-true to Victor and Nora’s original story. Also, I think this graphic novel shouldn’t have been so heavy with the death and suicide elements. If this graphic novel is targeting a younger audience, I’m not sure if going the darker route was the best past to take especially when it concerns those who are typically reading middle grade level books. However, I really liked this. It was so refreshing to see these characters outside of their usual setting, you know, Victor being a villain and Nora being fully frozen. And if you couldn’t tell, I just really love and appreciate the love story that is Nora and Victor’s. My heart felt so full reading this. And I have to mention the mental health and trauma/PTSD representation was very well done. I really liked how we got see those pieces throughout the book. I definitely recommend this to those who enjoy the DC Universe or even the Gotham Universe. I especially recommend this to those who love Victor and Nora’s relationship like I do. And of course, if you need a quick read or you’re look for a new graphic novel to pick up then I have to recommend this graphic novel!
The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
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This review is being published after the release date (November 3rd, 2020)
Content/Trigger Warnings: Talk of death, talk of suicide and suicidal thoughts, scene of attempted suicide, loss of a loved one (in the past), loss of a parent (in the past), grief, PTSD/trauma, terminal illness
“So. Fire. Ice. Both hold the power to snuff out life. But love. Stronger than fire, more powerful than ice. Where love surrounds, life abounds.”
I don’t talk about it often, my love and appreciation for one of the saddest love stories in all of the Gotham Universe. While there are many love stories, many ships and pairings that happen, none of them quite compare to the love story of Victor and Nora. Victor Fries/Mister Freeze is probably one of my most favorite Gotham “villains” and truly, he’s just a man on a mission to save the one he loves. Being able to read this graphic novel in advance and see a whole new take on Victor and Nora makes me fall in love with this couple all the more. Also, I now have a deeper appreciation doe these characters and their younger side
Our story follows Victor, a cryogenicist, who’s headed to Gotham Cemetery to visit his brother’s grave, as his grief and trauma weigh heavy on his shoulders. Nora and her family have just moved to a new house in Saint Agnes, to be closer to where her mother is buried. Upon their arrival at the new house, Nora decides to go visit her mother’s grave. Thus, these two characters cross paths and spark a very unusual conversation between one another. From here on out, these two will be pulled two one another and a romance will slowly bloom between them.
When I say I loved these two characters and how they come together, I mean I really loved these two characters come together. Victor isn’t like your typical love interest. He’s very soft spoken, brilliant, and so compacted with love and passion. And Nora, she’s one hell of a firecracker. She’s whimsical, sarcastic, and she brings people out of their shell. These two balance each other out incredibly well. The chemistry shared between them is apparent from the very beginning, despite the unusual conversation. I don’t talk about it enough because it’s such a fifty-fifty chance, but I like to believe there are the cases where two broken people can heal one another, love each other so fiercely and deeply, and make the world seem a little brighter. And I truly believe with my whole and soul that Victor and Nora are one of those relationships.
What I truly love most about Victor and Nora’s relationship is their love. Out of all the love and relationship pairings, none shine quite as bright as this particular relationship. These characters love one another so beautifully, so deeply, and I don’t think here has ever been a relationship in the Gotham Universe that had a more devoted partner than Victor when it comes to Nora. For those who aren’t familiar with the DC Universe or the Gotham Universe, Victor gave up everything for Nora. His love for Nora basically consumed him to the point of the only thing that has ever mattered has been finding a cure for Nora. Victor never cared if he came off as villain or how his actions impacted the those around him, his whole world revolves around Nora and finding the cure. And seeing how Nora and Victor come to love one another in this book, despite knowing everything they both carry on their shoulders, their love for each other grounds them in those difficult times. I really loved that the author included those moments of grounding because it’s so important to show how powerful love truly can be.
“Just, for years I’ve reached out to no one. And if anyone reached out to me… Well, I made sure to keep my heart protected. And then this girl comes along. And… and… She melts me.”
Of course the story itself is very well done. I’m not sure if the author actually researched the story of Victor and Nora, but reading this graphic novel felt like author did. I loved how the author alternated the story between Nora and Victor’s perspective. Most of the graphic novels out there only has Victor’s perspective of everything. So it’s a nice breath of fresh air to see Nora’s side of things. It’s also a nice change to see these this couple in their youth. Before Victor became Mister Freeze and before Nora became frozen. It’s nice to see these two characters in love and being in their relationship with one another. And just the mundane things like hanging out with friends and arguing with family. We also see the harder, more difficult side of things concerning their mental health and Victor who's coping with his trauma and PTSD. I really appreciated see those sides of Nora and Victor. It’s nice to see that side of these characters before everything became intense in their story.
And I have to talk about the art because as always, Isaac Goodhart has such a beautiful art style. I really loved seeing the Tim Burton type of twist in the beginning. That was such a pleasant surprise and I think that was my particular favorite. However, the artist has a fantastic way of highlighting these scenes that are softer, kinder and the scenes that are intense like the panels where Nora is seeing the crow. The way those panels were designed with the shading and lighting really made for a great reading experience.
My only real issue with this graphic novel has to be the one key detail that’s always remained true to Victor and Nora’s story line. Victor and Nora were and always have been married when Victor froze Nora. While I’m not sure if this was an intentional change for the story, given the audience this graphic novel is trying to target, but this is one key element that should have been included especially since this could have impacted the way this graphic novel concluded. Even more so, it seems the scene of attempted suicide was included (which has never be a part of Victor and Nora’s story) to replace the fact that Victor and Nora have been married. If you were to really look at the context of the graphic novel, we already see Nora and Victor fight over Victor suggesting he cryogenically freeze Nora until he can find a cure. Then the whole scene of attempted suicide comes in to play. In a way, depending on what you take away from this, all of these events lead to painting Victor in a negative light and making it seem like he was giving Nora no other choice than to be frozen. For my reading experience, personally, I would have preferred if we saw them elope or actually have a wedding ceremony compared to this one tweak of their story line. It comes off as hopeless, very negative way to lead into an ending for this graphic novel and I think it would have really benefitted this graphic novel to have a little more good scenes than fully wrap this graphic novel up on such a heavy note.
“But I don’t care. I’m just happy to be alive. Happy to be in love.”
Overall, I really enjoyed myself reading this graphic novel. I definitely think the marriage panel could have been added in to help balance the heaviness of the ending and to also stay semi-true to Victor and Nora’s original story. Also, I think this graphic novel shouldn’t have been so heavy with the death and suicide elements. If this graphic novel is targeting a younger audience, I’m not sure if going the darker route was the best past to take especially when it concerns those who are typically reading middle grade level books. However, I really liked this. It was so refreshing to see these characters outside of their usual setting, you know, Victor being a villain and Nora being fully frozen. And if you couldn’t tell, I just really love and appreciate the love story that is Nora and Victor’s. My heart felt so full reading this. And I have to mention the mental health and trauma/PTSD representation was very well done. I really liked how we got see those pieces throughout the book. I definitely recommend this to those who enjoy the DC Universe or even the Gotham Universe. I especially recommend this to those who love Victor and Nora’s relationship like I do. And of course, if you need a quick read or you’re look for a new graphic novel to pick up then I have to recommend this graphic novel!
The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
Blog|Instagram|YouTube|Ko-fi
July 21, 2021
Welcome Back!
Recently I was wanting to pick up a graphic novel, I had finished a chapter in the novel I was reading and I just wanted to take a little break and read a little something completely different from what I was currently reading. So I headed over to my Hoopla app to see what my borrows looked like for this month. At this point I realized, I had not borrowed anything from Hoopla yet for the month, so I decided to look through the app and borrow a mix of audiobooks and graphic novels. Some of the ones I chose were books on my favorites list within the app and others were new additions to the app that just looked interesting to me. One of the graphic novels, I had on my favorites list was Victor and Nora. I remember several months ago when this book was set to come out, I was really interested in reading this one, I do not know a ton about DC in general but something about the back story of Mr. Freeze just drew me in.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Victor is a seventeen-year-old who is interning at a science lab and also has a brother who passed away when he was younger whose passing he blames himself for. As Victor is visiting his brother's grave one day, he meets a girl in the cemetery, Nora, who is there visiting her mother's grave. The two become quick friends but what Victor does not know is that Nora is sick, she is very sick and she will pass away soon from her illness. But as Victor and Nora become more than friends, she feels she has to tell him. When she tells him, Victor becomes determined to find a way to save her. He begins working tirelessly in his lab to come up with a solution, but ultimately he does not have enough time to cure this disease. But what if instead of curing the disease right now, Victor found more time?
I honestly did not expect to love this book as much as I did. I did not know a ton about Mr. Freeze's back story but I did know that he was once or always involved with a woman named Nora. I also knew that he froze Nora at some point in his story but I honestly never knew why Nora was frozen or if she was ever unfrozen. This book answered so many questions I had about Mr. Freeze's background and I honestly fell in love with both Victor and Nora. I will say I ended up doing a little googling after my read to find out what happens to Nora and Victor later in life. On top of the story, I also loved the art style of this book, it was absolutely beautiful, the colors, the lines, the details, it was all stunning! I would love to have another Victor and Nora graphic novel in the future.
Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars
Recently I was wanting to pick up a graphic novel, I had finished a chapter in the novel I was reading and I just wanted to take a little break and read a little something completely different from what I was currently reading. So I headed over to my Hoopla app to see what my borrows looked like for this month. At this point I realized, I had not borrowed anything from Hoopla yet for the month, so I decided to look through the app and borrow a mix of audiobooks and graphic novels. Some of the ones I chose were books on my favorites list within the app and others were new additions to the app that just looked interesting to me. One of the graphic novels, I had on my favorites list was Victor and Nora. I remember several months ago when this book was set to come out, I was really interested in reading this one, I do not know a ton about DC in general but something about the back story of Mr. Freeze just drew me in.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Victor is a seventeen-year-old who is interning at a science lab and also has a brother who passed away when he was younger whose passing he blames himself for. As Victor is visiting his brother's grave one day, he meets a girl in the cemetery, Nora, who is there visiting her mother's grave. The two become quick friends but what Victor does not know is that Nora is sick, she is very sick and she will pass away soon from her illness. But as Victor and Nora become more than friends, she feels she has to tell him. When she tells him, Victor becomes determined to find a way to save her. He begins working tirelessly in his lab to come up with a solution, but ultimately he does not have enough time to cure this disease. But what if instead of curing the disease right now, Victor found more time?
I honestly did not expect to love this book as much as I did. I did not know a ton about Mr. Freeze's back story but I did know that he was once or always involved with a woman named Nora. I also knew that he froze Nora at some point in his story but I honestly never knew why Nora was frozen or if she was ever unfrozen. This book answered so many questions I had about Mr. Freeze's background and I honestly fell in love with both Victor and Nora. I will say I ended up doing a little googling after my read to find out what happens to Nora and Victor later in life. On top of the story, I also loved the art style of this book, it was absolutely beautiful, the colors, the lines, the details, it was all stunning! I would love to have another Victor and Nora graphic novel in the future.
Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars
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