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Silver Vessels
A group of friends go on a mission in the Florida Keys to uncover a lost treasure and end up getting more than they bargained for.
What happens when a bunch of teens get together at the Florida Keys for an unforgettable summer of Treasure hunting?
After obsessing over a history lesson at school, Joshua enlists his two best friends to travel to the Florida Keys for the summer to hunt for the treasure of Our Lady of Atocha, a Spanish treasure galleon and the most widely known vessel of a fleet of ships that sank in a hurricane off the Florida Keys in 1622. Staying up, sneaking out, and searching for a legendary buried treasure is just the beginning of the summer of their lives!
What happens when a bunch of teens get together at the Florida Keys for an unforgettable summer of Treasure hunting?
After obsessing over a history lesson at school, Joshua enlists his two best friends to travel to the Florida Keys for the summer to hunt for the treasure of Our Lady of Atocha, a Spanish treasure galleon and the most widely known vessel of a fleet of ships that sank in a hurricane off the Florida Keys in 1622. Staying up, sneaking out, and searching for a legendary buried treasure is just the beginning of the summer of their lives!
176 pages, Paperback
Published March 12, 2024
77 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 6, 2024
Thank you to the publishes – Mad Cave Studios – for giving me access to this book as an E-ARC. All opinions are my own.
This was a fun read. Very vibrant colours, and I really liked the illustrations made by Katia Vecchio, very youthful and fun!
We follow three friends on their summer holiday as they uncover a mystery and a mysterious society who are on the look for the titular silver vessels. It takes place in Florida, and one get to read some history concerning different forts and other such buildings in the state.
This was a fun read. Very vibrant colours, and I really liked the illustrations made by Katia Vecchio, very youthful and fun!
We follow three friends on their summer holiday as they uncover a mystery and a mysterious society who are on the look for the titular silver vessels. It takes place in Florida, and one get to read some history concerning different forts and other such buildings in the state.
January 6, 2024
I’d like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I’ve always been a fan of treasure hunting books so I was excited to read this one. It follows three friends as they go to Florida in search for treasure. They meet a group of men called the Apex who say they can help them, but at what cost? An interesting read with an art style to match.
December 13, 2023
Silver Vessels is a cute graphic novel about three teenagers who go to Key West to visit family and do some treasure hunting.
Josh wants to discover the treasure of the Silver Ships, and he thinks he knows just where to look. The hard part is getting his parents to agree to let him visit his grandfathers Matt and Ivan, who live in Key West, and to agree for his best friends, Hope and Hunter, to come along.
Of course, there are bad guys, called The Apex, looking for the treasure as well, and they underestimate the intelligence of Josh, Hunt and Hope. They have to find the treasure, using The Apex's technology to do it, while trying to keep The Apex from actually taking it and using for their own gain.
The entire story could use some fleshing out - everything happens quickly and with little effort - and the LGBTQIA acceptance message also feels a bit heavy-handed at times. But I also applaud the writers for portraying teens as being at this stage of questioning and figuring out who they like and what identity feels right. The grandfathers' story also could have been fleshed out. It would have been really interesting to see what obstacles they've faced. The fact that Josh's father hasn't been very accepting of their relationship was mentioned but not explained.
To me, this book straddles the line between middle grade and young adult. It is about teenagers, and involves a little romance, but nothing more than a kiss is portrayed in the novel. It would be appropriate for older elementary school and middle school readers, but some older teens might enjoy it as well.
Thanks to Maverick for the advance copy of this book!
Josh wants to discover the treasure of the Silver Ships, and he thinks he knows just where to look. The hard part is getting his parents to agree to let him visit his grandfathers Matt and Ivan, who live in Key West, and to agree for his best friends, Hope and Hunter, to come along.
Of course, there are bad guys, called The Apex, looking for the treasure as well, and they underestimate the intelligence of Josh, Hunt and Hope. They have to find the treasure, using The Apex's technology to do it, while trying to keep The Apex from actually taking it and using for their own gain.
The entire story could use some fleshing out - everything happens quickly and with little effort - and the LGBTQIA acceptance message also feels a bit heavy-handed at times. But I also applaud the writers for portraying teens as being at this stage of questioning and figuring out who they like and what identity feels right. The grandfathers' story also could have been fleshed out. It would have been really interesting to see what obstacles they've faced. The fact that Josh's father hasn't been very accepting of their relationship was mentioned but not explained.
To me, this book straddles the line between middle grade and young adult. It is about teenagers, and involves a little romance, but nothing more than a kiss is portrayed in the novel. It would be appropriate for older elementary school and middle school readers, but some older teens might enjoy it as well.
Thanks to Maverick for the advance copy of this book!
March 12, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Maverick for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review! 🥰🫶
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I had so much fun with this! I should definitely read more books that involve treasure hunts. That being said though this was grounded in reality, the plot is something that realistically wouldn't happen. But once you get over how unlikely it is for these kids to go on this hunt, it's a fun read! This reminded me a lot of James Patterson’s middle grade series Treasure Hunters which I remember loving. This is such a crazy story about three kids who get hired by this shady organization to find a hidden shipwreck. It's such a fun book.
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I loved all the queer rep in this! Our MC’s has two grandpas who are active SCs and one of Joshua’s best friends begins to use they/them pronouns and comes to the conclusion she likes she/they by the end of the story. Along with that, Joshua’s other best friend has a crush on him and spoiler they end up getting together. I love how the rep was included and it wasn't a big deal and just was there! I really enjoyed reading, it felt like I was watching a movie! 😊🫶
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I had so much fun with this! I should definitely read more books that involve treasure hunts. That being said though this was grounded in reality, the plot is something that realistically wouldn't happen. But once you get over how unlikely it is for these kids to go on this hunt, it's a fun read! This reminded me a lot of James Patterson’s middle grade series Treasure Hunters which I remember loving. This is such a crazy story about three kids who get hired by this shady organization to find a hidden shipwreck. It's such a fun book.
.
I loved all the queer rep in this! Our MC’s has two grandpas who are active SCs and one of Joshua’s best friends begins to use they/them pronouns and comes to the conclusion she likes she/they by the end of the story. Along with that, Joshua’s other best friend has a crush on him and spoiler they end up getting together. I love how the rep was included and it wasn't a big deal and just was there! I really enjoyed reading, it felt like I was watching a movie! 😊🫶
December 15, 2024
I appreciated the representations included in this graphic novel, but the plot was all over the place.
May 10, 2024
The plot is frankly kind of a mess. Three young teens are the only ones who can figure out three blindingly obvious, publicly known clues, and instantly fall afoul of a bizarre and transparently evil secret society that wear shark helmets and constantly monitor all conversations had in the vicinity of cell phones. Basically nothing about the plot makes sense or follows from the original premise. The emotional connections between the main characters do make sense, but everybody talks in long speeches to each other, which drains the last drops of believability out of the book.
November 14, 2024
The story was OK at best. The interpersonal relationship seemed a bit forced. ....but the art was very good.
March 26, 2024
3/25/2024 V cute, with a smart, unconventional cast. Full review tomorrow probably at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
3/26/2024 Middle-grade/Young Adult treasure hunting by the sea, with a diverse cast of leads? Sign me up!
Josh Friedman is a young teen (late middle schooler? early high school?) who's a wee bit obsessed with finding lost treasure. When he hears that the remains of a shipwreck have been found near where his maternal grandfather lives down in Florida, he immediately tries to convince his mom to let him spend the summer there. Grandpa Matt and his husband Grandpa Ivan have long extended an invitation for Josh to come visit, and to bring friends, too, if he likes -- no kid wants to be stuck with only his granddads for company, after all. Josh knows that his best friends Hope and Hunter would 100% love spending some time on the beach, and will hopefully be just as enthusiastic when he brings up the prospect of finding where the shipwrecked treasure really is.
For Josh thinks he has a significant lead on the location of the wrecks of ships once so laden with treasure that they earned the nickname Silver Vessels. A news report mentioned the discovery of worthless trinkets in the shipwreck, but Josh is convinced that these trinkets are actually clues to where the vessels still lie in hiding. Once he and his friends get down to Key West, they can start exploring in earnest.
And sure, maybe he has a little bit of an ulterior motive in getting the gang all together. But he's not the only one with secrets, as he'll swiftly discover. Worse, The Apex, a society of cutthroat treasure hunters, has figured out Josh's interest in the Silver Vessels, and isn't above using the teens to further their own ends. Will Josh, Hope and Hunter be able to figure out not only where the treasure is and what to do about it, but also how to outwit The Apex while sorting through their feelings for one another?
First, I loved the brown people representation in this book, as well as the LGBTQ+. The teens' conversations feel messy and raw, but are ultimately led by their loyalty to and care for one another. I loved too how Matt and Ivan were able to be frank with Josh about their own family, and loled when Ivan backpedaled hard when he thought Josh wanted to have The Talk with him.
Intellectually speaking, I appreciated the science behind the kids' discoveries. While I didn't necessarily agree with Josh's assertion that the first and third locations were on the upper edge of plausibility, I was absolutely fascinated by the second location and honestly loved everything about it. The only question left over was who made these places and left these clues? I'm hoping that gets addressed in a follow-up book.
Katia Vecchio's art is terrific. The characters aren't hyper-idealized models but just seem like regular people, tho I did laugh at the deliberate positioning of The Apex as an overgrown boy band in one of the larger panels. The colors really bring Key West to life, and while I wasn't sure whether the first hidden location was meant to be a diorama or real at first, I quickly figured it out. Mostly, I loved the kinetic energy of her art. There were panels where I didn't even need written sound effects to "hear" what was going on.
Overall, this was a really fun title of MG/YA adventure and self-discovery that I'm hoping gets a sequel sooner rather than later.
Silver Vessels by Steve Orlando & Katia Vecchio was published March 12 2024 by Maverick and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
3/26/2024 Middle-grade/Young Adult treasure hunting by the sea, with a diverse cast of leads? Sign me up!
Josh Friedman is a young teen (late middle schooler? early high school?) who's a wee bit obsessed with finding lost treasure. When he hears that the remains of a shipwreck have been found near where his maternal grandfather lives down in Florida, he immediately tries to convince his mom to let him spend the summer there. Grandpa Matt and his husband Grandpa Ivan have long extended an invitation for Josh to come visit, and to bring friends, too, if he likes -- no kid wants to be stuck with only his granddads for company, after all. Josh knows that his best friends Hope and Hunter would 100% love spending some time on the beach, and will hopefully be just as enthusiastic when he brings up the prospect of finding where the shipwrecked treasure really is.
For Josh thinks he has a significant lead on the location of the wrecks of ships once so laden with treasure that they earned the nickname Silver Vessels. A news report mentioned the discovery of worthless trinkets in the shipwreck, but Josh is convinced that these trinkets are actually clues to where the vessels still lie in hiding. Once he and his friends get down to Key West, they can start exploring in earnest.
And sure, maybe he has a little bit of an ulterior motive in getting the gang all together. But he's not the only one with secrets, as he'll swiftly discover. Worse, The Apex, a society of cutthroat treasure hunters, has figured out Josh's interest in the Silver Vessels, and isn't above using the teens to further their own ends. Will Josh, Hope and Hunter be able to figure out not only where the treasure is and what to do about it, but also how to outwit The Apex while sorting through their feelings for one another?
First, I loved the brown people representation in this book, as well as the LGBTQ+. The teens' conversations feel messy and raw, but are ultimately led by their loyalty to and care for one another. I loved too how Matt and Ivan were able to be frank with Josh about their own family, and loled when Ivan backpedaled hard when he thought Josh wanted to have The Talk with him.
Intellectually speaking, I appreciated the science behind the kids' discoveries. While I didn't necessarily agree with Josh's assertion that the first and third locations were on the upper edge of plausibility, I was absolutely fascinated by the second location and honestly loved everything about it. The only question left over was who made these places and left these clues? I'm hoping that gets addressed in a follow-up book.
Katia Vecchio's art is terrific. The characters aren't hyper-idealized models but just seem like regular people, tho I did laugh at the deliberate positioning of The Apex as an overgrown boy band in one of the larger panels. The colors really bring Key West to life, and while I wasn't sure whether the first hidden location was meant to be a diorama or real at first, I quickly figured it out. Mostly, I loved the kinetic energy of her art. There were panels where I didn't even need written sound effects to "hear" what was going on.
Overall, this was a really fun title of MG/YA adventure and self-discovery that I'm hoping gets a sequel sooner rather than later.
Silver Vessels by Steve Orlando & Katia Vecchio was published March 12 2024 by Maverick and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
August 27, 2024
This is just a strange graphic novel. Josh is going to visit his grandfather and grandfather's partner, and brings his friends Hope and Hunter along. That's not the strange part. The strange part is that Josh decides to go treasure hunting, and there just happens to be an elite rich group monitoring them (somehow? still didn't really understand how they were overhearing the conversations). This rich group decides that they're going to trick the kids to do the searching for them, and the kids find these underground worlds filled with ancient tribes and dinosaurs. There's no explanation how these worlds exist a few feet down into the earth. While we've managed to dig deep into the earth's crust, we would not be getting there in a single evening... Also, there's treasure and these rich elite group (who all dress as different sharks) wants it for themselves. There's some awkward feints at the end, and the world is saved by the three kids. Also, Joshua confesses his feelings to Hope, but they reject him, then Hunter expresses his feelings to Joshua and they kiss, and it's just really awkward to read because they're 12. The world is saved in the end and everyone is happy, and they are on a new adventure to find more treasure. This really felt like a graphic novel only middle schoolers should read because they can suspend their disbelief better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book before publication.
This was such a cute story full of twists and turns, grand adventures, and representation. The age of the characters was a little hard to distinguish. The kids look so young but they’re supposed to be in high school, or about to enter high school. I teach ninth and tenth grade kids-they look older than these kids. Having LGBTQ children as the leads in a book, as well as their sidekicks, made my heart swell. Representation is so important in middle grade and young adult stories. We have an established male adult couple who hint at familial issues. We have a boy who likes his friend, the protagonist, and doesn’t know if his friend likes him back. We have a non-binary character. These characters are from different ethnicities, races, genders, and ages.
The art is stunning, full of texture and color. Many of the frames moved like a movie, and so a lot of the imagery in the book made the experience more than just reading.
Students in my school would definitely enjoy reading this, and I plan on adding the book to my classroom library.
This was such a cute story full of twists and turns, grand adventures, and representation. The age of the characters was a little hard to distinguish. The kids look so young but they’re supposed to be in high school, or about to enter high school. I teach ninth and tenth grade kids-they look older than these kids. Having LGBTQ children as the leads in a book, as well as their sidekicks, made my heart swell. Representation is so important in middle grade and young adult stories. We have an established male adult couple who hint at familial issues. We have a boy who likes his friend, the protagonist, and doesn’t know if his friend likes him back. We have a non-binary character. These characters are from different ethnicities, races, genders, and ages.
The art is stunning, full of texture and color. Many of the frames moved like a movie, and so a lot of the imagery in the book made the experience more than just reading.
Students in my school would definitely enjoy reading this, and I plan on adding the book to my classroom library.
April 28, 2024
Oh dear. Three young teens, who it appears have had a combined total of zero lessons in how teens actually speak, are in the Florida Keys because one of them knew of a shipwrecked treasure and needed the others as cover for exploring it. Except he thinks the actual rewards are now in three forts on the Keys – because, you know, a clue like "a stone foundation brick" can ONLY EVER POSSIBLY MEAN ONE THING. Except… there's a bigger except, as they have to stumble over who is what sexuality before they can do anything. Except – there's an even bigger except, and it is the true masters of the hunting treasure trade, who are seven dudes who permanently wear shark-shaped masks and monitor every single conversation within hearing of any smart device for key words. Such as "stone foundation brick", perhaps.
This is pathetic, drawn incredibly badly, scripted as dumbly as possible, and of course has fallen down the woke "straight representation is evil" trap. There wasn't a single redeeming thing about it – and that was before Sharkie and his men turned up, looking like G-Force fanboys gone wrong. Bad? It's in a rare "this has to be a joke, surely?!" category.
This is pathetic, drawn incredibly badly, scripted as dumbly as possible, and of course has fallen down the woke "straight representation is evil" trap. There wasn't a single redeeming thing about it – and that was before Sharkie and his men turned up, looking like G-Force fanboys gone wrong. Bad? It's in a rare "this has to be a joke, surely?!" category.
March 12, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early arc of this story!
I had so much fun. Quick fun read.
The trio is so iconic. Love them, such cuties.
It wasn’t just fun though. There were some deep and important messages.
Honestly some of it really didn’t suit how kids their age would act. It was way too sophisticated/insightful and suggestive. Is that just me?
Literal old men spying and using children for their use. Disgusting.
-Friendship
-Found family
-Vacation in Florida Keys
-Love and crushes
-Queer
-Questioning everything
-Adventure
-Treasure hunting
-Beautiful art
-Gay grandparents
Quotes
“Us? Make history?”
“I can barely make breakfast.”
“Each of us has their own definition of treasure.”
“That’s surprisingly bold, from a sensodyne user.”
“Gag me with a spoon.”
“The most beautiful things in the world are the things that don’t last. They change, their time passes, they’re rare. That’s what makes the time you have with them special.”
I had so much fun. Quick fun read.
The trio is so iconic. Love them, such cuties.
It wasn’t just fun though. There were some deep and important messages.
Honestly some of it really didn’t suit how kids their age would act. It was way too sophisticated/insightful and suggestive. Is that just me?
Literal old men spying and using children for their use. Disgusting.
-Friendship
-Found family
-Vacation in Florida Keys
-Love and crushes
-Queer
-Questioning everything
-Adventure
-Treasure hunting
-Beautiful art
-Gay grandparents
Quotes
“Us? Make history?”
“I can barely make breakfast.”
“Each of us has their own definition of treasure.”
“That’s surprisingly bold, from a sensodyne user.”
“Gag me with a spoon.”
“The most beautiful things in the world are the things that don’t last. They change, their time passes, they’re rare. That’s what makes the time you have with them special.”
April 12, 2024
This one ended up being such a cute and fun read. In it we follow three teenagers on the cusp of entering high school, all three of them very much in a space where they are figuring out their own identities, but also scared of change and what those revelations might mean. Josh is the leader of the three and he becomes obsessed with the recent discovery of a shipwreck and the fact that the fabled treasure that should have been inside the ship is not there. He hatches a plan for he and his friends to visit his grandfathers for the summer so that they can go on their own treasure hunt. Lots of hijinks ensue as they search down the clues and find amazing things, get roped in by a questionable group and face the consequences of lying to their grandfathers. It's a fun story, full of adventure as well as heart.
February 28, 2024
This starts off pretty good before it goes off the deep end. Three friends go to spend the summer with one of their grandpas and his husband in Key West. They went down there to find a lost pirate treasure. That's when things get goofy. You'd expect it to be lost underwater. For some reason instead it's buried under three Civil War forts that really do exist. Put they are all way below ground and filled with dinosaurs for some inexplicable reason. The first time it happened I thought it was some strange museum display because they didn't seem to move at all until one of the kids took something. The bad guys are these ultra rich guys who wear shark hats. It's just the kind of dumb I've come to expect from Steve Orlando.
March 6, 2024
I very much appreciated the LGBTQ representation in this book. I also enjoyed the adventures into the other worlds. Were they worlds? I’m not sure. It was interesting, though. I could’ve done without the apex shark head people. The story would’ve been better if it was just kids going on fun adventures, I didn’t need all the weird adults trying to ruin things for them. It took me forever to finish this one, because the story just didn’t keep me interested enough. I had to force myself to finish the book. I’m giving this 4 stars only because of the pretty pictures and the lgbtq characters and the resources at the end. If it wasn’t for that, it would be a 2 star book easily. The story just wasn’t what I wanted it to be. Nevertheless, I appreciate what it was trying to do at least.
February 5, 2024
This is a very cute graphic novel..
Its a very balanced book having various elements in it. It not only caters to the adventurous spirit of the story but also has a touch of LGBTQ to it. It talks about the feelings of the kids when they come of age.
The characters were so well developed. the plot of the story was complete and it kept the readers glued to the passages. There were small world buildings here and there.
The language of the book was not only simple but also lucid. The illustrations were not only colourful but also bright
ratings : 3.7/5
.Thanks to netgalley for the advance copy of this book!
Its a very balanced book having various elements in it. It not only caters to the adventurous spirit of the story but also has a touch of LGBTQ to it. It talks about the feelings of the kids when they come of age.
The characters were so well developed. the plot of the story was complete and it kept the readers glued to the passages. There were small world buildings here and there.
The language of the book was not only simple but also lucid. The illustrations were not only colourful but also bright
ratings : 3.7/5
.Thanks to netgalley for the advance copy of this book!
March 9, 2024
The overall story of this was interesting with the treasure hunting and adventure of the tree teens. I felt that character development fell short, we got to see and get to know the grandparents more than we got to know the kids. The kids character development felt kind of forced as you didn't see and character growth progression it was just this was their confusion and it magically was resolved in the end. With the topic these kids were facing I would have loved to see more of their journey figuring it out then what there was. The art was very well drawn and really brought out there adventures.
March 5, 2024
Bright, bold, colorful. The art in this graphic novel is beautiful and helps in telling the story perfectly.
The story is that of summer adventures, fun, friendship, and… then some more.
I loved the LGBTQ representation (of course!), and my personal favorite was how it does not feel age specified. There are twists and turns, and it feels like it might be appealing to any age, really, starting from middle-grade. As long as you are into graphic novels that have deeper meaning and a solid story, this one is for you.
The story is that of summer adventures, fun, friendship, and… then some more.
I loved the LGBTQ representation (of course!), and my personal favorite was how it does not feel age specified. There are twists and turns, and it feels like it might be appealing to any age, really, starting from middle-grade. As long as you are into graphic novels that have deeper meaning and a solid story, this one is for you.
April 6, 2024
This adventure is told in the format of a comic strip, and I think that might encourage some readers to engage with it differently. It's probably different from the kind of thing I'd usually read, but I did find it a lot of fun. I also connected with the characters and their values. The book is so bold and bright, and the pictures really stand out on the page.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
April 21, 2024
This is a great YA graphic novel with adventure, colour, action, imagination and also all sort of diversity. It is a nice story of adventure with young people going up against the bad guys and making discoveries but also making discoveries about themselves.
Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
July 12, 2024
I was completely unsure why this was marketed to teens. The kids did not look or act like teens in my mind. Also the structure of the graphic novel was odd as they liked to finish sentences in boxes on the top of the following page. Not every sentence ending is important and it just became strange after awhile.
February 19, 2024
Thank you Mad Cave Studios, Maverick, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this book. This fun treasure hunt explores topics of friendship and making difficult decisions. Gorgeous artwork makes the story come to life.
May 23, 2024
Unaware of how queer this read was, I gravitated towards the art but fell in love with all of the tiny queer plot lines!!
3 teenagers head to Florida for summer break to find friendship, love, and of course hidden treasure. If only they could bypass the corporate grown-ups getting in the way.
3 teenagers head to Florida for summer break to find friendship, love, and of course hidden treasure. If only they could bypass the corporate grown-ups getting in the way.
June 3, 2024
It's ok. The story lends very middle grade but could be enjoyed by high schoolers. The plot is a little far fetched which gives it elementary school vibes. I think if it was more thought out it would be better.
February 27, 2024
2.5 stars, rounded up.
July 29, 2024
An author should first and foremost be honest with his readers. The impression one gets from reading this graphic novel is that the author considers the readers to be morons.
Let's face it: there is nothing wrong with writing a gay love story. There is a lot wrong with disguising it behind the facade of an adventure bordering on the ludicrous, with antagonists so ridiculous that it is almost impossible not to burst out laughing in their faces.
Let me stress the point well: the villans wear shark masks. Fucking shark masks. If you thought the Psychlos from “Battlefield Earth” with dreadlocks, snot on their noses and ruined fingernails were ridiculous, meet the “bad guys” in shark masks.
Without summarizing the plot, let's put it this way: the main point of the book is that the two friends are in love with each other and are afraid of their feelings (mhh, maybe they are too young?). As a starting point, it is quite dull. But if that's the point of the whole plot, and it's blatant right from the start, why not create a story centered around that, instead of creating - fuck, it makes me laugh too hard - an adventure under the sea where the villains wear shark masks?
To whom does this graphic novel appeal? To teenagers, say ages 11-13. Here, I can guarantee you that NO kid of that age could ever take seriously a story where the villains wear shark masks. So why develop something so ridiculous if the plot point is gay romance anyway? Couldn't he have set the story, for example, at school? Deal with issues dear to teenagers in a mature way? Couldn't he, at most, create an adventure that didn't involve villains in shark masks?
I fear not.
STYLING: ⭐⭐
ORIGINALITY: ⭐⭐
CHARACTER DEV.: ⭐⭐
PLOT DEV.: ⭐
IMPORTANCE: ⭐
Let's face it: there is nothing wrong with writing a gay love story. There is a lot wrong with disguising it behind the facade of an adventure bordering on the ludicrous, with antagonists so ridiculous that it is almost impossible not to burst out laughing in their faces.
Let me stress the point well: the villans wear shark masks. Fucking shark masks. If you thought the Psychlos from “Battlefield Earth” with dreadlocks, snot on their noses and ruined fingernails were ridiculous, meet the “bad guys” in shark masks.
Without summarizing the plot, let's put it this way: the main point of the book is that the two friends are in love with each other and are afraid of their feelings (mhh, maybe they are too young?). As a starting point, it is quite dull. But if that's the point of the whole plot, and it's blatant right from the start, why not create a story centered around that, instead of creating - fuck, it makes me laugh too hard - an adventure under the sea where the villains wear shark masks?
To whom does this graphic novel appeal? To teenagers, say ages 11-13. Here, I can guarantee you that NO kid of that age could ever take seriously a story where the villains wear shark masks. So why develop something so ridiculous if the plot point is gay romance anyway? Couldn't he have set the story, for example, at school? Deal with issues dear to teenagers in a mature way? Couldn't he, at most, create an adventure that didn't involve villains in shark masks?
I fear not.
STYLING: ⭐⭐
ORIGINALITY: ⭐⭐
CHARACTER DEV.: ⭐⭐
PLOT DEV.: ⭐
IMPORTANCE: ⭐
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews