Pantomime

by Christopher Sebela, David Stoll (illustrator)

Haley and her brother, Max, are alone after their mother’s death and are sent to Wayfair Academy, a special needs boarding school. Eventually, they find family amongst other deaf children. One night the group decides to dip their toes into crime… the thrill is too much to leave behind. They soon find out that stealing from the wrong person, has its consequences. With no one to turn to but each other, they must make a choice, one where no one comes out the same.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery, Comics, Crime, Mystery Thriller

Kindle Edition

First published July 20, 2021

Reviews

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pantomime by Christopher Sebela is an interesting read!

I will say, I do like the fact that one of our main (and opening!) characters is deaf. I found it unique and super cool that ASL was used in the book (even if you can't see/tell exactly how they're using it - so accuracy isn't there). I haven't found many books that had characters who are hard of hearing, so I was impressed and glad I picked this book up and can share it. Add in characters who are mute and don't/can't talk and it's even more interesting! We need more books with leads showcasing real and relatable conditions.

I was amused that one of the adults basically had the "Charlie Brown" effect of the dialogue just being random squiggles instead of actual words. That made me smile!

The crime aspect was okay. The heist is fun and engaging! It kept me entertained and pulled into the book. Throw in the awesome art style and you've got yourself a fun time.

This book didn't stand out as my favourite, but I don't quite have any way it could have done better. It seems like a great start that could have had a little more editing perhaps? Overall, it's a great read and I do recommend it!

Three out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Diamond Book Distributors and Mad Cave Studios for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[ᥫ᭡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

Pantomime tells the story of two silblings, Max and Haley, are sent to a boarding school and make friends who, just like them, are deaf or mute. They plan and succesfully execute a heist, but as usually with heist stories, bigger problems soon follow.

I didn't particularly love this, but I also didn't dislike it either. The heist story part was admittedly nothing really new, you have probably read a few books with a storyline like that. I did like the art style and the way ASL was integrated in the story.

I also enjoyed seeing a character that uses they/them pronouns without it being made into a big deal. I like the art style too so that's a plus. All in all I don't really have anything to say, I liked it but tbh it's not something memorable.

[Zedsdead · Rating 2 out of 5]

Semipro thieves rob the wrong guy and find themselves permanently employed pulling jobs to pay off their debt. Can they pull off a twisty turny heist that will get them out from under the mobster's thumb?

I enjoyed the depiction of deaf protagonists that didn't seem to view them as handicapped and didn't make deafness the story's epicenter; their lack of hearing figured into the plot logically but incidentally.

Otherwise Pantomime didn't work for me. The illustration...the people look like mannequins and the backgrounds are little more than blank panels of color. It reads like the author did no research into the skills, equipment, or connections such robberies would require. The twists aren't twisty and the turns aren't turny.

This was an unflavored, plastic-wrapped rice cake of heist stories.

[Alex Sarll]

I suppose it's partly because I'm simply not much of a crime comics fan, but I can't help looking with a certain scepticism at the recent trend for heist yarns which just switch the demographics of the heisters around a little and consider that job done. They don't always rest there - 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank had all sorts of clever formal tricks to back up the elevator pitch of a heist by children. Here, though: the heist crew are deaf and/or mute teens. They're diverse along other axes too. That aside, I'm not convinced the bulk of the story has got anything new. Does it even count as a spoiler to say that after their first proper job, the heistee tracks them down and now they have to heist some more to pay off the debt incurred? I'm not sure it does, given what an entirely basic heist complication that one is. Even little details like the depiction of sign language, which could have salvaged some interest, don't quite come off; somewhere in the interaction between the lines and the colours, what should have been hands in motion have often ended up looking more like the character signing has acquired extra, entirely solid extremities. There are attempts at thematic resonance which sort of work, pointing up the ways in which both as deaf people and criminals, the protagonists are looking at a world that's not designed to make it easy for them. And around midway there's a too-brief glimpse of a comic that would have interested me much more, meshing the crime stuff with a story of that last bittersweet summer before schoolfriends go their separate ways. Otherwise, I'm sure the representation will be enough that some people will enjoy this, but for me it felt like a well-meaning misfire.

(Netgalley ARC)

[Trinity Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for approving me for this ARC. This is no way influences my thoughts or opinions

Gorgeous artwork and lovely storytelling make up this epic journey of friends who meet at a boarding school and start their own heist group.

A super quick and fun read that I think so many people will enjoy. I also love the diversity found here. And, honestly, the ending leaves just enough open-ended that it might just haunt you for a long time after finishing. Like any good book should.

The only downside is that you really do have to have a suspension of disbelief. This is in no way a realistic story and if you don't go into it with that in mind, it's very hard to enjoy at times.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

For all its flaws, this remains an intriguing book. First, all the main characters are teens in a boarding school for excluded children, and all sign to each other using ASL. And I don't know how other comics have handled visually portraying signing, if at all, but I really liked the way the artwork put multiple poses for the hands on the same image, and especially how the speech bubbles originated at the hand. It feels such an obvious thing to do, yet still a surprising one, and it actually makes it even clearer than some bad lettering efforts elsewhere just who is saying what. The characters that use vocal communication either get unintelligible mumbles with lettering by drunken ants, or get a grey block of text superimposed on their speech bubbles to show the interpretation and translation involved in lip-reading.

But enough of the visual and technical language of the piece, what of the plot? Our children find community in their gang the likes of which they've never previously known, and when a teacher confiscates some tech they rally round for each other, break in to his office and steal it back. When the family of one of them has a deadline to get a lot of money or the kid is sent home, they decide to break into a sleaze-ball's house and raise the funds that way. But... the sleaze-ball is far too astute to be robbed, however unlikely the people doing the thieving, and blackmails them all into being little Artful Dodgers, Oliver Twists and the like, doing crime after crime after crime...

And so they do. But this is about character as well as how an unlikely criminal empire gets formed, frustrated and broken up. The people on these pages have problems outside of their enforced career as well as because of it, and so we get their arc as well as that of the gang. Now a fair bit of the crime story is far-fetched, but on the whole succeeds in entertaining, even to the point of surprising, thus making this a really fresh-seeming genre piece, with heart. I'll never thank anyone for thrusting a character with a "they" pronoun down my throat, for it's so bloody annoying and confusing, and eagerly await the days we can get the proper use of our language back. That aside, this was thoroughly readable, and does at least one thing, if not more, you'll probably not have seen before in your comics.

[Shaelene (aGirlWithBookss) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm feeling a little conflicted about this novel, there were quite a few things I enjoyed and some things I had issues with.

To get some context, this is a crime novel in which teenagers going to a private boarding school for students with disabilities- in this particular case deaf and hard of hearing & mute individuals. They decide to start stealing and soon try for bigger things and get rolled up with a crime boss who gets the teenagers to steal for him. Soon the kids are in deep and struggle their way out only for them to get messed up in it again years later after things have paid off quite well for them.

I really appreciated that the author chose teenagers with disabilities, it's not something that is represented often enough in books, especially in the manner in which this is presented- they are just teenagers and students going to school, except they choose to spend their spare time robbing people. The ASL is integrated into the story quite well, I just enjoyed seeing other disabled humans doing what humans do. I also felt that to my knowledge the disabilities were portrayed in an accurate manner.

And I also enjoyed the story as a whole, it was super engaging, very well thought out, and crafted. I felt like I was at the edge of my seat the entire time, while also yelling at these kids and hoping they would smarten up and stop stealing, which leads me to why I’m conflicted.

I get that the story needed an interesting element- it is a crime novel after all. I'm not going to pretend that morally I am perfect, but once these teenagers got into deep doo-doo with the crime boss dude and managed to escape without being killed or arrested, I'd figure they’d realize that what they were doing is risky and dangerous, and not that they would turn to it again. The ending seems a little far fetched, and I ended up really disliking the main female character who was obviously the ‘mastermind’- I get that she was supposed to be morally grey and she was doing a hell of a lot of self-preservation, I just think she took it too far, but I guess that wouldn’t have made for a good story now would it?

Overall, I really enjoyed this one, but because of the ending will only be giving it 4 stars.
I highly recommend this for the disability rep and great storytelling.

**ARC provided by Mad Cave Studios via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Ije the Devourer of Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was gripping because it was so different. This is the first graphic novel that I have read which incorporates American Sign Language and focuses on a group of main characters who are deaf.

Haley and her brother Max, are sent to a boarding school for the death when their mother dies. They make friends, but when one of their group needs money, they plan and execute a robbery. The group find this thrilling and decide to carry out further robberies. It is thrilling until they rob the home of a local crime lord and everything goes downhill from there. Suddenly what seemed like fun is scary and the group have to find a way to free themselves from the crime lord's malignant pressure.

It is an interesting story because the young people are anti-heroes. It is easy to cheer them on even as they commit crimes and at the same time try to escape the clutch of the crime lord. They have immense skills and abilities, but are drawn further and further into a trap. The thrilling part of this is how they manage to escape, how they change as individuals and how they move forward, or not.

Of course some of this felt a bit far fetched but it was well drawn and both gripping and entertaining. I do wonder if there will be another book because it is the quite of story that needs one.

Coy provided by Mad Cave Studios/Diamond Book Distributors via Netgalley.

[Genevieve Paquette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this in the Read Now section of Netgalley. The concept looked interesting, deaf/mute teenage thieves taking on a violent criminal. I was also interested to see how a graphic novel would illustrate ASL.
The art wasn't my favorite style, but it was consistent and suited the tone. I'm not sure how to explain it, but Pantomime was definitely a YA, and the art hammered that home.
The story was fast-paced and carefully plotted, but the twist at the end... here's the thing. Throughout the story there was this creeping sense of dread, a suspicion that things weren't what they seemed. I expected a big, shocking reveal that never quite materialized. It was left intentionally vague and only partly explained, which, on the one hand, made it that much more sinister and unnerving, but on the other... I felt kind of cheated. For the first 4/5th of the book, we get no indication of the deep-seated resentments and motivations of one character that the twist in the final act hinges on. It came out of nowhere, and because of that, it didn't really /work/.
That said, it was a interesting little crime caper, and the ASL element really worked well.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel with disability and LGBTQA+ representation? Yes please!!
Max and Haley are all each other has after the death of their mother. They are sent off to Wayfair Academy, a school for children with special needs. Haley is deaf and Max is mute. They find their own little family at the academy, and decide to break into a campus building to retrieve some confiscated items. When their petty crime goes off without a hitch, they decide they want more.
This is such a cool graphic novel. I enjoyed the ASL throughout the book. Also, the graphics were very good!
I also enjoyed having an unreliable narrator - it’s always fun when you’re not sure who you can trust!

Pantomime will be released July 20, 2021.

I received an advanced review copy of this book via NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Pantomime' by Christopher Sebela with art by David Stoll is a graphic novel about a group of students who commit burglaries.

After Haley and Max's mother dies, they are sent to Wayfair Academy, a school for the deaf. They make friends there and find a common interest: planning and committing burglaries. This works until they fall into the clutches of a local gangster who makes them work for him. Now they just want out.

I really liked this group of characters and the suspenseful story. I liked the word bubbles emanating from the characters palms. The art is good too.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Mad Cave Studios, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Zanyalis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for a review.


Started reading the comic and was halfway through it but since I didn't download it to my phone or laptop, I couldn't finish it because it was archived. Not sure of the season.

Anyway, half of what I read was a little dry but readable. The school was quite strange but the diverse kids were fantastic. I wish I could have finish it.

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ooooh, dark, but good.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the best thing Christopher Sebela has done. It's about a deaf sister and her mute brother. They are sent to a special needs school after their mother passes away. There they make some friends and start committing heists since no one would consider a group of deaf kids committing robberies. However, they quickly rob the wrong person and have to "earn" back what they owe him. It's a fun story full of double crosses.

I like how almost all of the word balloons are drawn from deaf people's hands and if the person doesn't know ASL, they just talk in squiggles like Charlie Brown's teacher. The entire scenario just gives the book a unique perspective.

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an “Ocean’s Eleven”-style heist team-up story but with the notable twist of it being a group of teenagers who are students at an academy for the deaf. That’s not the only variation on the basic premise, there is also something off about the lead character, Haley, that is gradually revealed over the course of the volume. A blurb-advertised novelty of the book is that it features American Sign Language. Without the element of time / movement, mostly what this does is serve as a reminder that the main characters are deaf.

The premise is that a sister and brother, Haley and Max, are orphaned and end up being sent to Wayfair Academy, a boarding school for the deaf and deaf-mutes. In time, Haley becomes the ringleader of this troupe of teenaged burglars, starting with a retrieval by theft, during which they only “steal” confiscated electronics that belong to the students, themselves. We can see that Haley is drawn to crime, and is always on the lookout for a problem that they might “solve” through theft, as when one of the kids can’t afford tuition because her parents are in legal trouble. However, during these fledgling criminal days, one can’t see yet whether Haley is just a risk-loving teenager going through an adventure-seeking phase, or something else entirely. Generally, she is presented as a sympathetic character (disabled and orphaned nerd – how much more sympathetic could one get,) but we see these glints of crazy. The first real burglary-for-profit that they commit (for the previously-mentioned tuition fund) turns out to be the house of a local crime lord. From this point, they get sucked into working for this man, a man they call “The Manager.” The balance of the story is about whether they can get out from under the thumb of this thug who was their first true victim.

The story is clever, played out as an elaborate and risky plan in a manner appropriate of heist stories. The character development feels muddled as one is reading. While, by the book’s end, it seems quite clear who Haley really is, the fact that it’s light years away from who we would have guessed in the opening panels means that the tone of the book is largely changed. It almost feels like it’s a genre change from caper-based crime fiction to something that definitely doesn’t merit as whimsical a term as “caper.”

I would have liked to have had a better sense of this being a deaf team of burglars. Maybe I was missing subtle cues in the art or text, but - besides the use of sign language and, perhaps, one scene where a character is oblivious to something happening around them (which could have just been run-of-the-mill obliviousness) - it was easy to forget these kids were deaf. [I will admit, part of this might be my inability to relate. I think it would be a particular kind of terrifying to commit crime without being able to hear. My head would be swiveling about like a hoot-owl’s. Maybe these kids were just better acclimated to high-risk activity in a sensory-deprived situation.]

It’s a compelling story, but does feel a bit disjointed by way of this tone shift. Some readers might find this appealing, others troubling. It’s also good to have a work that both features deaf lead characters, and paints them as complexly as any other characters. If it sounds like it would be up your alley, it’s definitely worth checking out.

[Cat S · Rating 4 out of 5]

My age rating for this book is on my blog😊

This was definitely a graphic novel like any other that I've read before! I really loved almost everything about it. The fact that this was a graphic novel that included signing was something that I never really thought could've existed and I love the way it was presented. Plus, I've always loved books and movies that have to do with heists and tricks, which was definitely right up my alley in terms of the premise. I just ate up this book in less than a day because of how immersive it was.

As someone who's been studying ASL and Deaf culture for a couple of years now, I was INCREDIBLY impressed to see some representation of the Deaf/mute community in a graphic novel. I've just never seen it done and it was just awesome. This is honestly what drew me to this book in the first place because I wanted to see how they drew characters signing and everything. The fact that the book's whole premise revolved around my favorite type of story was just the most amazing bonus!

As I said before, I've always loved heist movies or movies that have to do with deception and trickery to get away with something. Movies like Ocean's 11 (and all the other Ocean's movies) are movies that I could watch constantly and never get tired of them. I even like the Now You See Me movies because that kind of has the same vibe. Anyway, this book just thoroughly had that vibe of an amazing heist movie and I hope to read WAY more books and graphic novels like this. It was just so refreshing to take a break from all my fantasy books and have this intense (but amazing) story.

[David Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The short version: A well-crafted, taut heist tale with a group of special needs kids that keeps the pages turning.

The long version: Pantomime is hit for sure. There are a lot of heist stories out there, but this one definitely adds a few new wrinkles by making the crew a group of children with disabilities (deaf, selective mutism). The pacing in this graphic novel is excellent and the story keeps you turning the pages. The characters are well developed and for the most part their arcs both make sense and are told in an engaging way.

The art in the novel is crisp and clean and the action is easy to follow. Additionally the comic is well laid out so that your attention is drawn where it should be.

The biggest drawback here is the ending which I’m torn about. It’s not all butterflies and rainbows, which I like, however, there seems to be a step missed in the relationship between the two main characters, like a simple conversation might have changed things. Still, I get why the story goes where it does so I can’t hate on it too much

Overall a solid 4 out of 5 and a graphic novel I’d recommend to anyone who asks.

Component Ratings
Concept/Idea: 4.5 out of 5
Artwork: 5 out of 5
Layout: 4.5 out of 5
Dialogue: 4 out of 5
Characters: 4 out of 5
Character development: 3.5 out of 5
Plot: 4 out of 5
Ending: 4 out of 5

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Haley and Max’s mother died, they were sent to Wayfair Academy, a boarding school for deaf students. One night, after Max’s devices are taken by a teacher, they decide to steal everything the teacher has taken from students. Since that crime was a success, they decide to do some more thefts with their friends. However, they soon rob the wrong man, and end up spending years paying back for those crimes.

I love boarding school stories. This was a special boarding school for deaf children. It was the perfect setting for these kids to plan their crimes, since they all lived together without parental supervision.

This is the first book I’ve read where all of the characters are deaf. It worked well in graphic novel format because the movement of their hands was illustrated. Their speech bubbles led away from their hands, instead of their mouths. The children were underestimated because of their deafness. They were able to use the perception that others had of them being weak to their advantage.

Pantomime is a great crime graphic novel!

Thank you Mad Cave Studios for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for the digital galley of this comic.

Pantomime is like Ocean’s but with kids (at first) who use ASL to communicate.

A group of kids at a “special needs” academy (they hate it’s called that) become friends and pull off a job to keep one of their own in school, but when a bad criminal finds out they stole from him, they become his crew.

Years after they thought they were rid of him, he comes back, and they’ll have to pull the ultimate job to get rid of him completely.

This 6 part graphic novel was a fast roller coaster ride full of heists, queer and deaf kids. I loved it. The art was super cool. There was enbee rep, queer relationships, and very strong friendships. Def recommend and more graphic novels with deaf chatacters plz and thank you.

It’s out now, wherever you get your comcs.

[Katie (BooksRUs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Edelweiss+ for an eARC. Haley and brother Max go to Wayfair Academy after their mother dies. Their first day there, they meet the people who would be their ride or die chosen family. After one of their friends' phone gets taken by a teacher, the group decides to get it back. In doing so, they get a taste for a life that leaves none of them the same. I love how intense this book is. There are stakes in every chapter, on every page. The colors on the pages are intense, usually dark as most of the action takes place at night or in a dark place. The best thing of the books I think was the ASL. I haven't seen ASL done in a graphic novel before, and it was interesting to see the "speech" bubbles linked not to their heads/mouth, but their hands.

[Bill Cass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pantomime is a truly interesting idea. We have a story revolving around a group of kids who need to rely on sign language to communicate (as in they're deaf or unable to speak) and they just happen to be very skilled at being thieves.

This graphic novel captivated me because it's a truly unique idea. It gave off vibes of Robert Kirkman's Thief of Thieves while still being it's own thing.

This felt like a one off graphic novel but I would much rather have a slightly longer one told in two or three parts to get a more fleshed out story. This wasn't bad at all, it just felt rushed. The third act seemed to move at lightning speed especially compared to the first act which moved much slower.

TLDR: Interesting and unique but has pacing issues.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

If anybody should talk about physical disability representation, it's here. Maybe not aspirational but power fantasies about taking advantage of being underestimated is always a plus. The kids path to burglary just feels so organic with how it starts small and eventually becomes bigger. There's a thrill to what they do, with no one the wiser. Of course, there's a genuine sense of addiction that can come in hobbies readers themselves find in, one where it becomes a lifestyle on adrenaline dependence. But more than that, Pantomime uses the tropes of heist genres including double-crossing in a big way. First it's to establish villains in an organic fashion and later at the final chapter when readers expectations are at their highest. I dare not say without spoilers.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the morally grey protagonists, like that everything is from the perspective of Deaf characters so all dialog is signed, like the ending and the unreliable narrator. But the actual heist components are really mushy, without any of the details that make it feel realistic. It also feels kind of unbelievable that the kids would get out from under the crime boss having them steal on command and go right back to doing exactly what got them in that situation in the first place. I could have bought it, with some development, but we skipped over all of that, literally, with a time jump in the middle of the book.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an eARC copy of this title in return for an honest review.

This was a really good read! I enjoyed the story line and how non-ASL speakers did not have actual lines unless they were interpreted. I found it a great way to show what it feels like to be in the deaf community.

I was also glad it had more involved in the story with interesting family dynamics and what it is like to have a found family.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes heist thrillers. There were twists that I did not see coming which made it all the more interesting.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pantomime tells the story of a group of deaf friends (yay inclusion!) who attend a boarding school and organize a heist when one of their own needs money. Overall I thought the story was interesting in theory and the use of ASL was very cool, but ultimately my interest wasn't held. Everything was so dark and dreary. Not the worst plot I've ever read, but it didn't really leave me wanting more.

I was provided this book to read in exchange for an honest opinion. I'd like to thank Net Galley and publisher for this ARC.

#Pantomime #NetGalley

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique. Beautiful. Fun.

This was an incredibly fun romp, with incredibly interesting and diverse characters. The plot is fairly standard for a heist piece, but was fun none the less.

It was unique in the fact that the Language canonically spoken was Sign-Language. Spoken Language being depicted as what equivalents to static. Which really helped to immerse the reader into the story they are reading.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The use of hearing impaired protagonists was interesting but apart from that it was not that memorable.
The biggest problem was that I didn't really feel much for the main characters. Especially since a key point was the bond between Haley and Max.
In conclusion interesting idea but it isn't something you will really remember.

[Deirdre · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when the Mafia meets a group of deaf teenagers? a lot of nefarious crime and adventure. Pantomime is a terrific tale of loss, family and the bonds that hold us together and tear us apart.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok. This story is amazing. And that's without even touching on the incredible diversity and inclusive illustrations. I'm smitten.