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Sunhead: An Earnest Young Adult Romance About Queer Teen Friendship and Discovery
In this queer coming-of-age teen graphic novel by breakout talent Alex Assan, high schooler Rotem feels herself growing apart from her friends in a million inexpressible ways. But when her classmate Ayala takes an interest in her latest obsession—a vampire romance novel called Sunrise—Rotem suddenly feels a little less alone and more like herself than ever before. This incisive and stunningly gorgeous debut is perfect for fans of Bloom and Gender Queer.
Rotem is a Sunhead, a fan of the international smash hit Sunrise series of books and films. There’s just something about the book that speaks to her. She’s obsessed with the main character, Edmund, and no one else gets it. But all that changes when she befriends Ayala, a shy classmate and avid book lover who seems to be as swept away by the romance as she is. The two become fast friends, but as their deep connection grows stronger, Rotem starts to wonder: what exactly draws her to this story?
Alex Assan’s debut Sunhead is an earnest coming-of-age graphic novel that explores how the stories we love help us understand our friendships, our relationships, and ourselves.
Rotem is a Sunhead, a fan of the international smash hit Sunrise series of books and films. There’s just something about the book that speaks to her. She’s obsessed with the main character, Edmund, and no one else gets it. But all that changes when she befriends Ayala, a shy classmate and avid book lover who seems to be as swept away by the romance as she is. The two become fast friends, but as their deep connection grows stronger, Rotem starts to wonder: what exactly draws her to this story?
Alex Assan’s debut Sunhead is an earnest coming-of-age graphic novel that explores how the stories we love help us understand our friendships, our relationships, and ourselves.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
January 30, 2024
Reading the blurb, I was not aware that Sunhead is a lighthearted and cozy queer coming of age story about an Israeli teenager. Looking up the author, I was very happy to see that he is very staunchly pro-Palestine, with numerous posts condemning the Israeli government on his X platform and yet, this cozy narrative left me feeling very off.
This graphic novel reads like it is yet another form of pinkwashing where Israelis appeal to the LGBTQ+ community in order to deflect attention from its apartheid government. It feels like a deflection of the problems Palestinians face in their own land as it completes the entire cozy story without once even hinting toward the genocide happening just miles away.
Furthermore, the pinkwashing is also evident for queer Israelis within their community as it seems like these teenagers are just very openly allowed to be happy and queer with their sapphic crushes and then later on, being fluid in gender without any social issues popping up because of their queerness. The absence of any conversation on LGBTQIA+ rights in a queer graphic novel set in Israel where there is still an ongoing fight for queer rights and equality, is to me, a curious choice to make.
Instead this book casually talks about the many difficulty Israeli teenagers who enjoy reading face as they have to wait for translations of English books into Hebrew so they can read them. Also a fairly curious choice to make as a plot point since the BDS movement calls for a cultural boycott since "Israel instrumentalizes culture to cover up their violations of international law, creating a false impression that Israel is a 'normal' country just like any other."
Additionally, there is perhaps an unintentional mirroring in one of the major plot devices as in this graphic novel, the plot revolves around the MC reading this novel's version of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer called "Sunrise" which is a book in and of itself deemed highly problematic for multiple reasons, most notably for its conspicuous colonial gaze on Indigenous people.
While I am very proud of the author for speaking up on one of his platforms, I do wish he used the opportunity to make a larger impact by taking a stance in his published work.
This graphic novel reads like it is yet another form of pinkwashing where Israelis appeal to the LGBTQ+ community in order to deflect attention from its apartheid government. It feels like a deflection of the problems Palestinians face in their own land as it completes the entire cozy story without once even hinting toward the genocide happening just miles away.
Furthermore, the pinkwashing is also evident for queer Israelis within their community as it seems like these teenagers are just very openly allowed to be happy and queer with their sapphic crushes and then later on, being fluid in gender without any social issues popping up because of their queerness. The absence of any conversation on LGBTQIA+ rights in a queer graphic novel set in Israel where there is still an ongoing fight for queer rights and equality, is to me, a curious choice to make.
Instead this book casually talks about the many difficulty Israeli teenagers who enjoy reading face as they have to wait for translations of English books into Hebrew so they can read them. Also a fairly curious choice to make as a plot point since the BDS movement calls for a cultural boycott since "Israel instrumentalizes culture to cover up their violations of international law, creating a false impression that Israel is a 'normal' country just like any other."
Additionally, there is perhaps an unintentional mirroring in one of the major plot devices as in this graphic novel, the plot revolves around the MC reading this novel's version of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer called "Sunrise" which is a book in and of itself deemed highly problematic for multiple reasons, most notably for its conspicuous colonial gaze on Indigenous people.
While I am very proud of the author for speaking up on one of his platforms, I do wish he used the opportunity to make a larger impact by taking a stance in his published work.
April 24, 2024
This was a lovely graphic novel. I thought the art was great and really brought the story to life, which was good because there were pages with just illustration. This is a queer coming of age story set in Israel (but other than talk of Hebrew I didn’t see a lot of signs that told me it was set there). I also wondered if the queer behaviors in this book would have been so easily accepted in Israel. I love seeing more queer work out there, so I know I was inclined to like this, but I couldn’t help but think I would have loved it more if the central story wasn’t around a teen obsessed with Twilight for being the most romantic story of all time. Rotem read “Sunrise” and was obsessed but her friends and family didn’t get her obsession. Until she meets a quiet reader at school and lends her the book and she shares the obsession. The friendship stirs up some feelings with Rotem and makes her thinks more about who she is and what exactly she likes so much about Sunrise. This is a very quick read and very sweet and cozy.
July 11, 2024
In Tel Aviv, teenage Rotem spends her free time hanging out with friends and obsessively re-reading her favorite book, Sunrise, a vampire romance. She doesn't know anyone else into the series and has to wait for the next book to come out in Hebrew. But she does meet another reader, Ayala, who sits out of gym class every single week, sometimes with a Jane Austin novel. Rotem lends Ayala the vampire book and suddenly she has a fandom friend. This book very delicately, and at times wordlessly, explores the way a fictional story can act as a lens for teen questioning of gender and sexuality. The book feels almost memoir like with its groundedness in very real teen emotions and relative lack of external conflict. It's a simple story but beautifully illustrated and relatable.
August 3, 2024
This graphic novel was ok. It was pretty much about a girl that was obsessed with a book ,that talked about vampires.
The graphic was cute and easy to follow
The graphic was cute and easy to follow
November 29, 2024
i am staunchly aligned in solidarity with the Palestinian people's fight for sovereignty. #FREEPALESTINE is an inseparable part of my values. i am a queer african living in america and i have a deep and dedicated disdain for Israel. furthermore, i am revolted by the pinkwashing used to garner empathy during the ongoing seige and genocide against the Palestinian people. i recognize that majority -not all- queer Israeli's are brainwashed in zionist religious dogma thus i picked Sunhead up because i am interested in the lives of queer people everywhere, and insight is always valuable.
now all that said, would i recommend this to anyone? no. i loved parts of this absolutely: i loved the silence, and stillness of it. so much of the book is propelled forward by both elements. i loved how much it revealed the interiority of queer teenagers and shows the patient and sweet development of a queer lesbian romance, however it does nothing to root those teenage lives in specificity of living in Tel Aviv and being Israeli.
readers learn about the scholastic pressures of Israeli youth, rotem and ayala share concerns for studying for classes. the graphic novel vaguely makes mention of ayala having a health condition felt like it was thrown in just for the heck of it without appropriately fleshing through how disability affects young people's lives, especially in a warzone.
what upset me the most about this graphic novel is that readers are to assume that Israeli youth are "oblivious" and "apolitical" in a way we simply factually know they are not. yes, teenagers are self-absorbed; no, they cannot ignore a war effort around them. it feels like more work to not mention AT ALL the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, to mention how Tel Aviv is settler colony within a settler state, to not mention the zoning restrictions that control how Palestinians move around, to not mention any of this patronizes readers and assumes they are dumb when in fact we are not. and espeically not the teen demographic for which this book was written.
i know some people might say "why can't queer stories just be about queer people and not be enmeshed in politics" and to that i say "politics is enmeshed in policing, surveilling and eradicating queer life. we are forced to be political". to which i mean, no queer person is living in a silo or a vacuum of existence. their existence, comforts, struggles, and etc are influenced by the societies they belong to and to deny THAT in this graphic novel feels careless, disingenous and disrespectful to the characters.
this could've been so much better and it wasn't.
now all that said, would i recommend this to anyone? no. i loved parts of this absolutely: i loved the silence, and stillness of it. so much of the book is propelled forward by both elements. i loved how much it revealed the interiority of queer teenagers and shows the patient and sweet development of a queer lesbian romance, however it does nothing to root those teenage lives in specificity of living in Tel Aviv and being Israeli.
readers learn about the scholastic pressures of Israeli youth, rotem and ayala share concerns for studying for classes. the graphic novel vaguely makes mention of ayala having a health condition felt like it was thrown in just for the heck of it without appropriately fleshing through how disability affects young people's lives, especially in a warzone.
what upset me the most about this graphic novel is that readers are to assume that Israeli youth are "oblivious" and "apolitical" in a way we simply factually know they are not. yes, teenagers are self-absorbed; no, they cannot ignore a war effort around them. it feels like more work to not mention AT ALL the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, to mention how Tel Aviv is settler colony within a settler state, to not mention the zoning restrictions that control how Palestinians move around, to not mention any of this patronizes readers and assumes they are dumb when in fact we are not. and espeically not the teen demographic for which this book was written.
i know some people might say "why can't queer stories just be about queer people and not be enmeshed in politics" and to that i say "politics is enmeshed in policing, surveilling and eradicating queer life. we are forced to be political". to which i mean, no queer person is living in a silo or a vacuum of existence. their existence, comforts, struggles, and etc are influenced by the societies they belong to and to deny THAT in this graphic novel feels careless, disingenous and disrespectful to the characters.
this could've been so much better and it wasn't.
August 25, 2024
Damn. God this was fun and cute and subtly clever. Reaaally like this one. I've been on a graphic novel kick recently and while I can't decide if Sunhead is my favorite of what I've been reading lately, it's definitely top 3.
I feel like Sunhead captured certain niches of the sapphic experience that I haven't seen portrayed anywhere yet, and I really appreciate it for that. I also just enjoy how messy but thoughtful the protag Rotem is and how long she got to sit in confusion with her own feelings. I liked how getting so bent out of sorts over her own interest in a girl shoved Rotem out of her normal behaviors BUT more importantly that she didn't--at least explicitly on the page--put a finger on what it was she was feeling or noticing about herself, so you the reader are just trapped in this tense non-verbal hell with her as you wait for her to finally pull out of her funk and make a move and make it clear what she wants and how she's processed herself. It was awesome lol, I was sweating
Other things I like:
- Loved the casual slice of life that is the cast being a bunch of teenagers going to school near Tel Aviv, Israel. I just liked the change of scenery and culture.
- The stuff going on with the color palettes, my god. Just flipping through the book, it's even more obvious the shift in hues, warm vs. cool tones, the changes in saturation (more romantic tension/longing = everything gets bolder) ... mwah! I didn't notice it at first because Rotem was soon spending so much time with her LI that the change between Rotem with friends vs. Rotem with her crush wasn't as dramatic, but when [REDACTED] happens and suddenly there's this great distance ... oooo the differences are like night and day. AND THE WAY ROTEM'S PAGES WOULD SHIFT IN COLOR EVEN WHEN SHE WAS ALONE, HINTING WHAT SHE WAS THINKING ABOUT OR FEELING WITHOUT EXPLICITLY SAYING IT? THE WAY THE PALETTE WOULD SHIFT PANEL BY PANEL EVEN, NOT JUST PAGE BY PAGE?! Mamma mia ....
- Super cute art style, loved the way faces/people were drawn, awesome page composition and the use of saturation on the page also to highlight important characters so they pop against their more mundane backgrounds ... mwah. (Or even the reverse setup at some points, the implications of which I found fascinating--presuming there are actually implications to find lol.)
- I love when panels become abnormal in shape and edge and get all weird. I love a blank page except for the tiny visage of the protag so you can see and feel just how alone they are. I just love funkily designed pages, man, they're sooooo cooooool!
Awesome story, no notes, was biting my nails there for a bit worrying about how the book would end but I really liked how it closed out. I hate blind buying books from bookstores with a passion because WHAT IF IT SUCKS but I will admit, in the case of Sunhead, I am very pleasantly surprised and pleased to have this one on my shelf. Hell yell!
EDIT: There are some reviews on this book trying to analyze Sunhead as secretly meaning more than it does, such as it having a purposefully imperialist slant, or being a purposeful attempt to distract from the Israeli genocide of Palestinians, which. Listen. First off what do I know but also as far as I can see, there's nothing in the narrative that's giving pro-empire or pro-Israel or anti-Palestine. What clarified for me that these characters WERE in Israel specifically and not anywhere else is a single line spoken by Rotem wherein she asks if another character lives near Tel Aviv. That's it. Israel isn't even a word said somewhere in the book, nor is Palestine, and the book has nothing to do with nation states or progressivism or human rights, or--yeah, nothing.
Also, yeah, Sunhead came out on May 7th, 2024, but let's use our heads here. To actually sketch, plot, draw, and edit all of Sunhead no doubt took at least a year, but likely a few. And that doesn't take into account how much time it took Sunhead to be accepted for publication, edited, had proofs run, and THEN finally be physically published. Alex Assan had no way of knowing Israel was going to commit heinous atrocities again in a couple years, so Sunhead can't have been the author's (extremely inadequate if so) attempt at making a pro-Israel, pro-genocide statement.
Another reviewer is trying to say this book is also a form of pinkwashing. I understand that Israel's use of pinkwashing historically is pretty atrocious. However. Again. Observe the book. There's no gay/trans rights subplot going on here. Nobody's sticking it To The (Hetero) Man. Homophobia isn't even a plot point in the story. This book also isn't something Israel sponsored or published. This book was published by HarperCollins, which is a New York City based American publishing company. Kinda missing the ball on pinkwashing, to say the least.
EDIT EDIT (8/25/24): It looks like some other reviewers didn't notice the whole color palette thing going on and there's the frequent complaint of nothing happening in the story. Maybe I'm too air-headed or something and that's why I liked the story but reading these other reviews, I think it is notable to point out the color palette thing because honestly it does a LOT of storytelling by itself, it's the subtext telling you what's happening with the protag and her feelings when the story is short on words. If you missed that ... yeah I'd get why this is confusing. Feels like a book you could use in an English class to teach, IDK, storytelling through symbolism (or in this case, color palette.)
I feel like Sunhead captured certain niches of the sapphic experience that I haven't seen portrayed anywhere yet, and I really appreciate it for that. I also just enjoy how messy but thoughtful the protag Rotem is and how long she got to sit in confusion with her own feelings. I liked how getting so bent out of sorts over her own interest in a girl shoved Rotem out of her normal behaviors BUT more importantly that she didn't--at least explicitly on the page--put a finger on what it was she was feeling or noticing about herself, so you the reader are just trapped in this tense non-verbal hell with her as you wait for her to finally pull out of her funk and make a move and make it clear what she wants and how she's processed herself. It was awesome lol, I was sweating
Other things I like:
- Loved the casual slice of life that is the cast being a bunch of teenagers going to school near Tel Aviv, Israel. I just liked the change of scenery and culture.
- The stuff going on with the color palettes, my god. Just flipping through the book, it's even more obvious the shift in hues, warm vs. cool tones, the changes in saturation (more romantic tension/longing = everything gets bolder) ... mwah! I didn't notice it at first because Rotem was soon spending so much time with her LI that the change between Rotem with friends vs. Rotem with her crush wasn't as dramatic, but when [REDACTED] happens and suddenly there's this great distance ... oooo the differences are like night and day. AND THE WAY ROTEM'S PAGES WOULD SHIFT IN COLOR EVEN WHEN SHE WAS ALONE, HINTING WHAT SHE WAS THINKING ABOUT OR FEELING WITHOUT EXPLICITLY SAYING IT? THE WAY THE PALETTE WOULD SHIFT PANEL BY PANEL EVEN, NOT JUST PAGE BY PAGE?! Mamma mia ....
- Super cute art style, loved the way faces/people were drawn, awesome page composition and the use of saturation on the page also to highlight important characters so they pop against their more mundane backgrounds ... mwah. (Or even the reverse setup at some points, the implications of which I found fascinating--presuming there are actually implications to find lol.)
- I love when panels become abnormal in shape and edge and get all weird. I love a blank page except for the tiny visage of the protag so you can see and feel just how alone they are. I just love funkily designed pages, man, they're sooooo cooooool!
Awesome story, no notes, was biting my nails there for a bit worrying about how the book would end but I really liked how it closed out. I hate blind buying books from bookstores with a passion because WHAT IF IT SUCKS but I will admit, in the case of Sunhead, I am very pleasantly surprised and pleased to have this one on my shelf. Hell yell!
EDIT: There are some reviews on this book trying to analyze Sunhead as secretly meaning more than it does, such as it having a purposefully imperialist slant, or being a purposeful attempt to distract from the Israeli genocide of Palestinians, which. Listen. First off what do I know but also as far as I can see, there's nothing in the narrative that's giving pro-empire or pro-Israel or anti-Palestine. What clarified for me that these characters WERE in Israel specifically and not anywhere else is a single line spoken by Rotem wherein she asks if another character lives near Tel Aviv. That's it. Israel isn't even a word said somewhere in the book, nor is Palestine, and the book has nothing to do with nation states or progressivism or human rights, or--yeah, nothing.
Also, yeah, Sunhead came out on May 7th, 2024, but let's use our heads here. To actually sketch, plot, draw, and edit all of Sunhead no doubt took at least a year, but likely a few. And that doesn't take into account how much time it took Sunhead to be accepted for publication, edited, had proofs run, and THEN finally be physically published. Alex Assan had no way of knowing Israel was going to commit heinous atrocities again in a couple years, so Sunhead can't have been the author's (extremely inadequate if so) attempt at making a pro-Israel, pro-genocide statement.
Another reviewer is trying to say this book is also a form of pinkwashing. I understand that Israel's use of pinkwashing historically is pretty atrocious. However. Again. Observe the book. There's no gay/trans rights subplot going on here. Nobody's sticking it To The (Hetero) Man. Homophobia isn't even a plot point in the story. This book also isn't something Israel sponsored or published. This book was published by HarperCollins, which is a New York City based American publishing company. Kinda missing the ball on pinkwashing, to say the least.
EDIT EDIT (8/25/24): It looks like some other reviewers didn't notice the whole color palette thing going on and there's the frequent complaint of nothing happening in the story. Maybe I'm too air-headed or something and that's why I liked the story but reading these other reviews, I think it is notable to point out the color palette thing because honestly it does a LOT of storytelling by itself, it's the subtext telling you what's happening with the protag and her feelings when the story is short on words. If you missed that ... yeah I'd get why this is confusing. Feels like a book you could use in an English class to teach, IDK, storytelling through symbolism (or in this case, color palette.)
March 3, 2025
a sweet graphic novel with lovely art and fun characters - however, as other reviews have said, it feels disconcerting to read a story set in modern israel that makes absolutely zero mention of the palestinian genocide. while i really loved the premise, as i was reading it i kept feeling kind of off and wondering hm....modern tel aviv....something's missing here?? it's like sure i love a queer meet-cute too but if it's an adorable coming-of-age story of the ottoman empire set in 1915 armenia...we're glossing over some Very Relevant details.
it's important to mention too that the author has expressed pro-palestinian views and that there are certainly ways that this story could've been altered to avoid this issue - a hefty portion of the responsibility here falls on HarperAlley as well for choosing to go forward with the book as is and then profiting off of an innocent cute romance story set in israel in the middle of an ongoing genocide.
overall i just think it's an odd choice for a setting for this type of story - if you're going to tell a story set in modern israel, then the war is going to be part of that story. there's just no way around it. when you consider the current suppression of palestinian authors and the way their achievements are being minimized or withheld, the story's attempt at being apolitical feels glaringly irresponsible. stories have power, they influence the way we see the world, and pretending they don't (especially as a queer artist and author) is disingenuous and disappointing.
it's important to mention too that the author has expressed pro-palestinian views and that there are certainly ways that this story could've been altered to avoid this issue - a hefty portion of the responsibility here falls on HarperAlley as well for choosing to go forward with the book as is and then profiting off of an innocent cute romance story set in israel in the middle of an ongoing genocide.
overall i just think it's an odd choice for a setting for this type of story - if you're going to tell a story set in modern israel, then the war is going to be part of that story. there's just no way around it. when you consider the current suppression of palestinian authors and the way their achievements are being minimized or withheld, the story's attempt at being apolitical feels glaringly irresponsible. stories have power, they influence the way we see the world, and pretending they don't (especially as a queer artist and author) is disingenuous and disappointing.
February 14, 2024
I really enjoyed this heartfelt queer YA coming of age graphic novel debut featuring a plus size teen girl obsessed with a vampire romance book, Sunrise. No one else understands Rotem's obsession until she meets Ayala, and the two girls bond over their shared love for Sunrise. While Rotem and Ayala grow closer, Rotem has to come to terms with new and confusing feelings after the two share a kiss.
The text is spare in this book but I liked that about it since it gave the illustrations a chance to really shine and play the majority of the storytelling. I was also pleasantly surprised with the disability rep (Ayala has arthritis) but I had hoped that would have been expanded on a bit more than it was.
Overall this was a lovely sapphic friends to lovers YA romance set in Tehran perfect for fans of books like Bloom or Persepolis. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I look forward to reading more by this author/artist.
The text is spare in this book but I liked that about it since it gave the illustrations a chance to really shine and play the majority of the storytelling. I was also pleasantly surprised with the disability rep (Ayala has arthritis) but I had hoped that would have been expanded on a bit more than it was.
Overall this was a lovely sapphic friends to lovers YA romance set in Tehran perfect for fans of books like Bloom or Persepolis. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I look forward to reading more by this author/artist.
October 19, 2024
This was a cute coming-of-age graphic novel. I really liked the art style and the plot, however I was really confused by the setting of Tel Aviv--the setting had no bearing on the plot and this story could have been set literally anywhere else. It felt like a weird choice that didn't go with what otherwise is a uplifting queer story.
October 29, 2024
A great coming of age queer story. If I read this during my teenage years, things might have been smoother sailing, but glad to have these now nonetheless.
February 19, 2024
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss.)
High school student Rotem is a "Sunhead" - a diehard fan of the vampire romance series SUNRISE. Her friends, not so much. Just as she's feeling increasingly alienated from them - especially her bestie, Nicole - she finds a kindred spirit in Ayala, who not only reads SUNRISE on her recommendation (gasp!), but loves it as much as she does. As the girls spend more and more time together, Rotem is surprised to find that she might be interested in more than 'just' friendship.
So. I really wanted to like SUNHEAD ... but if I knew from the jump that it was set in Israel, I probably wouldn't have requested an ARC. Judging from his socials, the author is a supporter of Palestine, but you wouldn't know it from reading SUNHEAD. Not that there's anything Islamophobic in there. There's just ... nothing at all. Reading a contemporary graphic novel set in Israel, it's disconcerting to see absolutely zero indication of the mass slaughter and genocide happening just miles away (about 45, to be exact), perpetrated by the MC's own government in her name. The whole thing just felt surreal.
All this aside, I didn't really fall in love with SUNHEAD otherwise. Rotem is hard to root for. She's kind of an asshole to everyone around her. I, too, have a habit of geeking out (sometimes to the point of excess), and am surrounded by IRL people who just don't get me. It can be lonely and demoralizing; I get it. But honestly, you've got to learn to compartmentalize. Nicole isn't the enemy because she's indifferent towards Edmund. If your friends aren't into it, join a fan group online, geez.
Additionally, Ayala suffers from undiagnosed joint pain, and it's bad enough that she has to sit out every gym class. Rotem makes a joke about how it must be nice. To be fair, she feels awful when Ayala can't make the walk home without resting - but not bad enough to actually apologize for her earlier shitty comment. So there's that.
And then there's SUNRISE, which is very obviously based an another, massively popular and super-problematic vampire romance series. (Is it just me, or is Zoe bear a striking resemblance to Kristen Stewart?)
Originally I wasn't going to rate this title, but after some thought, I decided to give it 3/5 based on the artwork and storyline, with a star deducted for the setting (or rather, lack of crucial context re: the setting).
High school student Rotem is a "Sunhead" - a diehard fan of the vampire romance series SUNRISE. Her friends, not so much. Just as she's feeling increasingly alienated from them - especially her bestie, Nicole - she finds a kindred spirit in Ayala, who not only reads SUNRISE on her recommendation (gasp!), but loves it as much as she does. As the girls spend more and more time together, Rotem is surprised to find that she might be interested in more than 'just' friendship.
So. I really wanted to like SUNHEAD ... but if I knew from the jump that it was set in Israel, I probably wouldn't have requested an ARC. Judging from his socials, the author is a supporter of Palestine, but you wouldn't know it from reading SUNHEAD. Not that there's anything Islamophobic in there. There's just ... nothing at all. Reading a contemporary graphic novel set in Israel, it's disconcerting to see absolutely zero indication of the mass slaughter and genocide happening just miles away (about 45, to be exact), perpetrated by the MC's own government in her name. The whole thing just felt surreal.
All this aside, I didn't really fall in love with SUNHEAD otherwise. Rotem is hard to root for. She's kind of an asshole to everyone around her. I, too, have a habit of geeking out (sometimes to the point of excess), and am surrounded by IRL people who just don't get me. It can be lonely and demoralizing; I get it. But honestly, you've got to learn to compartmentalize. Nicole isn't the enemy because she's indifferent towards Edmund. If your friends aren't into it, join a fan group online, geez.
Additionally, Ayala suffers from undiagnosed joint pain, and it's bad enough that she has to sit out every gym class. Rotem makes a joke about how it must be nice. To be fair, she feels awful when Ayala can't make the walk home without resting - but not bad enough to actually apologize for her earlier shitty comment. So there's that.
And then there's SUNRISE, which is very obviously based an another, massively popular and super-problematic vampire romance series. (Is it just me, or is Zoe bear a striking resemblance to Kristen Stewart?)
Originally I wasn't going to rate this title, but after some thought, I decided to give it 3/5 based on the artwork and storyline, with a star deducted for the setting (or rather, lack of crucial context re: the setting).
January 31, 2024
This book reminds me of the days of Twilight. Our main character Rotem is a “Sunhead”. She is a fan of the Sunrise vampire romance novels. No one else understands her devotion to these books until she makes a new friend who finds them just as wonderful as she does. This book takes place in Israel, which for the most part doesn’t matter, except for the parts when they’re talking about American schools and having to learn a second language. I find that quite funny. However, this story is its own romance and knowing that it’s OK to be a little bit different, to like what you like, and like who you like. This book is very sweet and endearing and I wish it went further than it did, but it ended at a perfect happily ever after.
December 22, 2023
thanks to netgalley for a free arc of this title in exchange for an honest review. as someone who came of age during the twilight craze, this story really hit home in terms of the nostalgia and tenderness it evokes. it's a sweet story, with a good representation of sexual confusion, but the pacing and organization was a bit off for me. i also wanted more of ayala's character. i get that this is rotem's story, but ayala was introduced as a very compelling character and a lot of her nuance was eliminated by the end of the story. the art and story were really nice, but it could have used some organizational editing and supplemental development of characters that weren't rotem.
October 16, 2025
I feel deeply frustrated by this title. The story itself is fine, the characters are fine, and I think there are a lot of elements of this story that I could personally relate to.
At the same time. There is absolutely no indication in any of the blurbs of this book or the description that states that this graphic novel takes place in Israel, with all of the characters being Israeli. I'm deeply bothered by the way the book doesn't acknowledge the elephant in the room that comes with any story set in Israel. While I understand that the author himself is a Queer/Trans Israeli and staunchly pro-Palestine, the way the publisher avoided mentioning Israel in any description or marketing material feels purposeful and frankly, deceptive. After realizing that this book was set in Israel and doing research on the author, I decided to carry on to see if the author would address anything related to Palestine and Israel's continued apartheid, but that never happened.
At least it wasn't long, so I could get through it quickly.
At the same time. There is absolutely no indication in any of the blurbs of this book or the description that states that this graphic novel takes place in Israel, with all of the characters being Israeli. I'm deeply bothered by the way the book doesn't acknowledge the elephant in the room that comes with any story set in Israel. While I understand that the author himself is a Queer/Trans Israeli and staunchly pro-Palestine, the way the publisher avoided mentioning Israel in any description or marketing material feels purposeful and frankly, deceptive. After realizing that this book was set in Israel and doing research on the author, I decided to carry on to see if the author would address anything related to Palestine and Israel's continued apartheid, but that never happened.
At least it wasn't long, so I could get through it quickly.
November 30, 2024
(3.0) An endearing queer coming of age with warm tonal artwork. It has the usual fangirl obsessive tendencies you’d expect in grade school (cue handsome vampires). But at times ,it was flat out boring, the latter half of the book was mainly frames without dialogue.
August 21, 2024
Did I just randomly pick up queer teen twilight fanfic in graphic novel form? Yup. 5/5 no notes.
December 26, 2024
Cute and I want more of this story.
August 16, 2024
It has 194 pages not 256 pages. You got it wrong. You should stop doing that.
January 29, 2024
3.5 rounded up.
SUNHEAD is a cute, cozy graphic novel about a high school student that finds a new friend because of their shared interest in a book. The book is clearly Twilight by another name. This makes the story completely relatable to those of us that were into the Twilight series back in the day when it was releasing!
I liked a lot about this book, especially the art style and the fact that the budding relationship is queer. However, there were things I really would have liked to see expanded upon. Near the end of the book, the main character starts experimenting with their gender expression by getting a shorter haircut and wearing more masculine-coded clothing. I would have loved to see more gender exploration! I also found myself wanting to learn more about Ayana, the romantic interest.
Overall this book is cute, and I recommend it especially if you used to be into Twilight (or are a part of its resurgence in popularity.)
eARC provided by HarperAlley and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
SUNHEAD is a cute, cozy graphic novel about a high school student that finds a new friend because of their shared interest in a book. The book is clearly Twilight by another name. This makes the story completely relatable to those of us that were into the Twilight series back in the day when it was releasing!
I liked a lot about this book, especially the art style and the fact that the budding relationship is queer. However, there were things I really would have liked to see expanded upon. Near the end of the book, the main character starts experimenting with their gender expression by getting a shorter haircut and wearing more masculine-coded clothing. I would have loved to see more gender exploration! I also found myself wanting to learn more about Ayana, the romantic interest.
Overall this book is cute, and I recommend it especially if you used to be into Twilight (or are a part of its resurgence in popularity.)
eARC provided by HarperAlley and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 24, 2024
A quick read since most of it is just illustrations.
August 20, 2025
This was like. Perfectly acceptable. The main character was a bit hard to root for, but I was very impressed by how many panels had no dialogue. A lot of this GN takes place in very quiet moments, and I like that the book was willing to stay in that silence. I think it was particularly good at showing the feeling of becoming fannishly obsessed with something. Decent, but not amazing.
But the reviews for this book are, uh, kind of bleak and a bit transparent. This book is set in Tel Aviv. This setting doesn't impact the story much, aside from the plot point that the sequel and movie are out in English but need to be translated into Hebrew. The author is vocally pro-Palestine on social media. And yet a huge portion of the reviews are negative because of the setting.
Do we demand that books set in Florida devote a portion of their runtime to condemning Don't Say Gay? Do we demand books set in China condemn the Uyghur genocide? Do we demand books set in the UK condemn the transphobic government? No, not unless those atrocities are relevant to the story being told.
I will continue to condemn the Israeli government as long as they continue to commit atrocities. But I feel like a concerning amount of people are way too eager to condemn Israeli people for the act of existing.
But the reviews for this book are, uh, kind of bleak and a bit transparent. This book is set in Tel Aviv. This setting doesn't impact the story much, aside from the plot point that the sequel and movie are out in English but need to be translated into Hebrew. The author is vocally pro-Palestine on social media. And yet a huge portion of the reviews are negative because of the setting.
Do we demand that books set in Florida devote a portion of their runtime to condemning Don't Say Gay? Do we demand books set in China condemn the Uyghur genocide? Do we demand books set in the UK condemn the transphobic government? No, not unless those atrocities are relevant to the story being told.
I will continue to condemn the Israeli government as long as they continue to commit atrocities. But I feel like a concerning amount of people are way too eager to condemn Israeli people for the act of existing.
August 19, 2024
I wasn't this ridiculous about Vampire Diaries was I? Right?
Right?
Just kidding. I know I was.
Sunhead is a cute coming-of-age graphic novel (and slight Twilight parody) that shows why so many of us turn to fandom and fanfic. We find comfort in communities and safe spaces to discover parts of ourselves that we can't always find in the real world. It's why so many hold onto to problematic things like that wizard story. How do you let go of something that's such a huge part of the person you are today? It's extremely hard. Stories are and will always be important. If it matters to you, then it matters. 💜
Sunhead is a cute coming-of-age graphic novel (and slight Twilight parody) that shows why so many of us turn to fandom and fanfic. We find comfort in communities and safe spaces to discover parts of ourselves that we can't always find in the real world. It's why so many hold onto to problematic things like that wizard story. How do you let go of something that's such a huge part of the person you are today? It's extremely hard. Stories are and will always be important. If it matters to you, then it matters. 💜
March 28, 2025
This book was super cute! This was my first time reading something from this author. I've been trying to branch out and read more graphic novels since I love Heartstopper so much. I'm glad I picked this up yesterday and loved all the references to Twilight and Pride and Prejudice. I felt so happy for Rotem when they cut their hair. I didn't realize this book's setting was Israel when I bought it and it doesn't bring up the Palestinian genocide. I've heard the author has stated they're pro-Palestinian and condemned the Israeli government. But I am kinda surprised this book was published so recently considering the genocide.
March 13, 2025
This is a cute queer YA graphic novel about two teens bonding over their love for a not even thinly veiled Twilight (like, I'm honestly not even sure why the author bothered to change the name of the series and characters). Taken on its own, the story is solid and the art is lovely.
I just wish there had been any indication in the blurb that this was taking place in Israel. I'm not sure I would have picked it up had I known, as it's definitely cognitive dissonance to read right now.
I just wish there had been any indication in the blurb that this was taking place in Israel. I'm not sure I would have picked it up had I known, as it's definitely cognitive dissonance to read right now.
June 24, 2025
50%
I think I can see what the author was going for, but the execution wasn't great.
First of all, you can't write something entirely in English, and then 1/3 of the way in have a character say "hey you know English really well, could you read this for me?" as if the reader was somehow supposed to magically know they were, in fact, speaking Hebrew the whole time.
Secondly, the last 1/3 of the book felt a lot like the author just ran out of ideas for the characters and just slapped a bunch of images together.
I THINK this is supposed to maybe be a queer love story, but it's so poorly executed that it's hard to tell what the point of the story was.
I think I can see what the author was going for, but the execution wasn't great.
First of all, you can't write something entirely in English, and then 1/3 of the way in have a character say "hey you know English really well, could you read this for me?" as if the reader was somehow supposed to magically know they were, in fact, speaking Hebrew the whole time.
Secondly, the last 1/3 of the book felt a lot like the author just ran out of ideas for the characters and just slapped a bunch of images together.
I THINK this is supposed to maybe be a queer love story, but it's so poorly executed that it's hard to tell what the point of the story was.
July 2, 2024
Cute story about friendship that starts based on common interests and turns to more.
If you were obsessed with twilight when it came out this story I'd for you. I also love that the story is set where the characters speak Hebrew and talks about how the books need to be translated, which adds to the characters.
If you were obsessed with twilight when it came out this story I'd for you. I also love that the story is set where the characters speak Hebrew and talks about how the books need to be translated, which adds to the characters.
October 28, 2025
This was cute. It really captures what it’s like to be a teenage fan girl and also beautifully captures what it means to follow your heart and accept yourself as you are at a very pivotal time in someone’s life. It was a little surface and I was hoping for a little more depth, but I still think it was lovely.
September 2, 2025
Wonderful texture and a great use of color. I love how the pink and red color of her fantasizing about knock-off Twilight into her irl, "omg is this a crush." The wordless section towards the end was very well done and reminiscent of a similar section from New Moon. Very good!
June 2, 2024
I wish Sunhead by Alex Assan had a little more to it or was a little shorter, but it's still a solid coming off age story.
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