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The Pass
In this keenly observed character study, up-and-coming London chef Claudia struggles to balance the weight of ambition with her personal life.
In her early thirties, Claudia is fast becoming a sensation on the culinary scene. While putting her chic London restaurant, Alley, on the map, she decides to enter the upcoming Chef of the Year competition. All this, as she is also attempting to make a name for herself beyond the shadow of her famous chef father. As the day of the competition nears, tensions simmer as the pressures of ambition, business, family, and friendship threaten to throw her world awry.
In The Pass, NYT-reviewed British comic artist Katriona Chapman brings to life the fast-paced, high-pressure atmosphere of restaurant life, with a lived-in cast of characters including chef Claudia, her best friend and sous chef Lisa, and barman Ben. Chapman delves into themes of identity, the pains of expectation and success, and the allure of running from the life you’ve built. A sensitive and affecting slice of life, rendered in soft digital coloring.
In her early thirties, Claudia is fast becoming a sensation on the culinary scene. While putting her chic London restaurant, Alley, on the map, she decides to enter the upcoming Chef of the Year competition. All this, as she is also attempting to make a name for herself beyond the shadow of her famous chef father. As the day of the competition nears, tensions simmer as the pressures of ambition, business, family, and friendship threaten to throw her world awry.
In The Pass, NYT-reviewed British comic artist Katriona Chapman brings to life the fast-paced, high-pressure atmosphere of restaurant life, with a lived-in cast of characters including chef Claudia, her best friend and sous chef Lisa, and barman Ben. Chapman delves into themes of identity, the pains of expectation and success, and the allure of running from the life you’ve built. A sensitive and affecting slice of life, rendered in soft digital coloring.
184 pages, Hardcover
First published January 20, 2026
1 person is currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Katriona Chapman
13 books17 followersI'm Kat... an illustrator and comic artist/writer living in London. Most of my work is based around graphite - usually pencil with digital elements. I started out working as a children's book illustrator and have worked with publishers all over the world. I publish small-press books and zines under the name of Tomatito Press and in 2013 I co-created the graphite anthology Tiny Pencil alongside artist/writer Amber Hsu. My latest project is a collection of comics, illustration & writing called Katzine. It comes out twice a year. I am most inspired by travel, day to day life and the natural world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 6, 2025
(3.5) Claudia Grace is a rising star in the London restaurant world: in her early thirties, she’s head chef at Alley. But she and her small team, including sous chef Lisa, her best friend from culinary school; and Ben, the innovative Black bartender, face challenges. Lisa has a young son and disabled husband, while Ben is torn between his love of gardening and his commitment to Alley. Claudia is more stressed than ever as she prepares for a competition. All three struggle with their parents’ expectations. A financial crisis comes out of nowhere, but the greater threat is related to motivation. I was drawn to this graphic novel for the restaurant setting, but it’s more about families and romantic relationships than food. Several characters look too alike or much younger or older than they’re supposed to, while there’s a sudden ending that suggests a sequel might follow.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
August 25, 2025
I liked the full color illustrations, but overall this book was slow-moving and pretty depressing. The author did a good job of portraying how exhausted everyone is; I think the main character only smiled twice. Ambiguous ending left me confused. Had to flip back a few pages to see if I missed something.
Read as an eARC via Edelweiss. Publication date January 20, 2026.
Read as an eARC via Edelweiss. Publication date January 20, 2026.
January 22, 2026
A beautifully illustrated story on the life of an up and coming culinary star in London. Unfortunately, the tale was too disjointed to match the excellence of the art, leaving me dissatisfied.
March 6, 2026
I really loved this book. the characters, the art, the depiction of the desperate stress of adult life. every page was beautifully rendered.
I found the final scene a little confusing but not enough to throw me off the book
I found the final scene a little confusing but not enough to throw me off the book
January 21, 2026
I really wanted to like this, but it felt like it threw in a TON of storylines (addiction, embezzlement, winning a cooking competition) and really didn’t explore them beyond the surface. I wanted more from it than that. If it had chosen a few instead of SO MANY, it would have worked better
I loved the idea of this and where it was going, but everything felt surface and it lacked depth. We do need more stories set in the restaurant world though!
I loved the idea of this and where it was going, but everything felt surface and it lacked depth. We do need more stories set in the restaurant world though!
February 4, 2026
Although I enjoyed the graphic illustrations in this book, unfortunately no one smiled. The story was very depressing with conflicts in the family, a worn-out staff, and a secret kiss that could have led to something. This book intrigued me because of the synopsis but did let me down. There was an abrupt ending that had me confused and wondering.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this series. This was a honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this series. This was a honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
In her third full-length graphic novel, Katriona Chapman takes us into the kitchen of an upscale London restaurant, Alley, finally getting traction after a string of good reviews land in the papers -- but the coin of success comes with a flipside of misfortune.
The executive chef, Claudia, is the daughter of a famous chef, trying to prove her own mettle and taking home a competition win might help her step out from his suffocating shadow. Her sous chef, Lisa, is overstressed at work, and overburdened with a sick husband, young child and wastoid brother at home. The affable, charming Ben mixes the drinks, but can’t convince his parents to come dine at the restaurant and see how well it and he is doing.
The move in this direction won’t be a big surprise to anyone who has followed Kat’s social media, which often features cooking and baking vlogs. Food has become such a central thing to people’s lives, something to connect through, and Claudia and Lisa forge a relatable sisterhood through food during culinary academy. The centrality of that bond makes this a gentler, smaller story than Breakwater was though. Almost necessarily, it doesn’t quite hit the very (very) high highs that that one hit, but that is a brutally unfair comparison to make (for context, Breakwater would easily be in my top twenty all-time graphic novels). It’s a different thing.
I was a little surprised that the book didn’t put more focus on the food that Claudia and Lisa were cooking, especially the competition menu that Claudia came up with. The narrative doesn’t suffer from not seeing the particulars of the recipes, but I would have liked to see it. (the French edition does get some in the backmatter). I remember back to Francis Ford Coppola’s commentary for The Godfather, that if people got nothing else from it, at least they’d know how to make a good pot of sauce and I always liked that idea, however silly it was.
Kat’s art shines here, once again in color, like her first book, Follow Me In (from Avery Hill). Her line and texture work are sumptuous and I really can’t think of anyone else in comics working in this kind of style. Like a lot of the best food, it’s a slow, painstaking process, but the end result is absolutely worth it.
The executive chef, Claudia, is the daughter of a famous chef, trying to prove her own mettle and taking home a competition win might help her step out from his suffocating shadow. Her sous chef, Lisa, is overstressed at work, and overburdened with a sick husband, young child and wastoid brother at home. The affable, charming Ben mixes the drinks, but can’t convince his parents to come dine at the restaurant and see how well it and he is doing.
The move in this direction won’t be a big surprise to anyone who has followed Kat’s social media, which often features cooking and baking vlogs. Food has become such a central thing to people’s lives, something to connect through, and Claudia and Lisa forge a relatable sisterhood through food during culinary academy. The centrality of that bond makes this a gentler, smaller story than Breakwater was though. Almost necessarily, it doesn’t quite hit the very (very) high highs that that one hit, but that is a brutally unfair comparison to make (for context, Breakwater would easily be in my top twenty all-time graphic novels). It’s a different thing.
I was a little surprised that the book didn’t put more focus on the food that Claudia and Lisa were cooking, especially the competition menu that Claudia came up with. The narrative doesn’t suffer from not seeing the particulars of the recipes, but I would have liked to see it. (the French edition does get some in the backmatter). I remember back to Francis Ford Coppola’s commentary for The Godfather, that if people got nothing else from it, at least they’d know how to make a good pot of sauce and I always liked that idea, however silly it was.
Kat’s art shines here, once again in color, like her first book, Follow Me In (from Avery Hill). Her line and texture work are sumptuous and I really can’t think of anyone else in comics working in this kind of style. Like a lot of the best food, it’s a slow, painstaking process, but the end result is absolutely worth it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Claudia Grace is a creative chef who owns her own restaurant named Alley. She was inspired by her father who was a famous chef. With her friend Lisa from uni who helps manage the restaurant and is a talented pastry chef, along with Ben who has a knack for unique cocktails, and Lisa’s brother Jack as the accountant, it all seems like one big family who enjoy each other’s company. Five-star reviews are starting to appear on social media and Claudia has been invited to enter a cooking competition. She feels the pressure to concoct a dish that make everyone’s taste buds going into rapture. With plans to upgrade the restaurant, Lisa having to deal with her husband’s chronic illness (and absence from the restaurant), and Claudia’s parents’ attempts to interfere with her business since they were the financial backers, she has more than enough on her plate (pun intended), especially now that the restaurant’s funds have been compromised. Both Claudia and Lisa have younger brothers who fail to meet their parents’ expectations compared to their older sister’s successes. However, it’s not always what it appears like from the outside.
Even though these characters are adults, it seems more like a coming-of-age story where every character strives to find their true place in the world. That means having to give up something in their lives to achieve their dream. Even though I enjoyed the story overall, there was no particular passage or excerpt that had that spark or “oomph” to make it memorable. The overall tone of the story is rather sad and morose. The illustrations and colors are beautiful and that’s what attracted and kept me reading. The ending was rather surprising leading me to believe there could possibly be a sequel. If so, I look forward to reading it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
Even though these characters are adults, it seems more like a coming-of-age story where every character strives to find their true place in the world. That means having to give up something in their lives to achieve their dream. Even though I enjoyed the story overall, there was no particular passage or excerpt that had that spark or “oomph” to make it memorable. The overall tone of the story is rather sad and morose. The illustrations and colors are beautiful and that’s what attracted and kept me reading. The ending was rather surprising leading me to believe there could possibly be a sequel. If so, I look forward to reading it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a brief examination of the whirlwind life of chef Claudia, who owns and runs her own restaurant, Alley. Her friend from culinary school, Lisa, also works with her as the sous chef, and the two have supported each other's dreams for years. On top of that crew is Ben, who works as the barman, who has dreams of his own despite making creative drinks from scratch. We get snapshots of each of these character's lives and how they intertwine with and affect Claudia's.
We also see Claudia's overbearing family, consisting of her father, a celebrity chef, and a mother who tries to be helpful but is a bit closer to being nagging. There's also Claudia's younger brother Marc, who is hinted at as being a bit of a loser and not successful with his life at all.
Through illness and drug abuse, dashed dreams and even criminal activity, the found family of Alley is tested thoroughly as Claudia and the restaurant grow even more in renown and popularity.
I could identify with a lot of the characters' struggles, and they were well-examined, though a lot of things happened quickly. The ending happened quickly, too, and due to its abruptness, it kind of...hurt. There was a resolution, but not a sense of closure. But...I suppose life is like this, and this is a slice-of-life work, after all.
I think this comic will resonate with people who are ambitious, busy, have dreams, and struggle with people supporting or understanding them. Whether you are into cooking or not, there's something familiar with Claudia's (and the other characters') story here. The art is digital painting but to me it looks like it was created using chalks or oil pastels--brilliant coloring and shading and texture. It makes for a lovely series of images.
It kind of feels like there is potential for a part two with the comic, with the way that it ended. If there is, I'll gladly continue reading.
We also see Claudia's overbearing family, consisting of her father, a celebrity chef, and a mother who tries to be helpful but is a bit closer to being nagging. There's also Claudia's younger brother Marc, who is hinted at as being a bit of a loser and not successful with his life at all.
Through illness and drug abuse, dashed dreams and even criminal activity, the found family of Alley is tested thoroughly as Claudia and the restaurant grow even more in renown and popularity.
I could identify with a lot of the characters' struggles, and they were well-examined, though a lot of things happened quickly. The ending happened quickly, too, and due to its abruptness, it kind of...hurt. There was a resolution, but not a sense of closure. But...I suppose life is like this, and this is a slice-of-life work, after all.
I think this comic will resonate with people who are ambitious, busy, have dreams, and struggle with people supporting or understanding them. Whether you are into cooking or not, there's something familiar with Claudia's (and the other characters') story here. The art is digital painting but to me it looks like it was created using chalks or oil pastels--brilliant coloring and shading and texture. It makes for a lovely series of images.
It kind of feels like there is potential for a part two with the comic, with the way that it ended. If there is, I'll gladly continue reading.
February 22, 2026
Oh dear. This talky, episodic look at a pair of chefs and the way they get close to burn-out in no way "brings to life the fast-paced" anything, let alone life at the titular restaurant pass. They cook a few things with no urgency, we see three or four customers, and a lot of the scenes are over the opened wine bottles at the end of the night. I'm not ever going to pretend the characters don't have a hellish job, juggling long hours of physicality with everything else life throws at them – I would have no case to argue if I said this was never on the page.
It's nice to see a book smash the Bechdel test – the two female leads in this are rounded characters, but we needed them to do so much more to make them likeable or interesting for us. It also has to be said this looks wonderful, with great detail for faces, really solid colouring and a fully-fledged, artful approach. But it's the script that is just a no-show – the final third is supposed to begin with a twist I saw coming from the first possible moment. And either side of that it's all really kind of insipid. If this was a dish we'd want acidity and texture as well as everything else. It pains me to say, for all the visual effort gone into this, it's a blancmange.
As far removed from that film-and-TV-show about restaurant life as it's possible to get, I don't think giving this two stars is fair to the potential buyer. One and a half it is.
It's nice to see a book smash the Bechdel test – the two female leads in this are rounded characters, but we needed them to do so much more to make them likeable or interesting for us. It also has to be said this looks wonderful, with great detail for faces, really solid colouring and a fully-fledged, artful approach. But it's the script that is just a no-show – the final third is supposed to begin with a twist I saw coming from the first possible moment. And either side of that it's all really kind of insipid. If this was a dish we'd want acidity and texture as well as everything else. It pains me to say, for all the visual effort gone into this, it's a blancmange.
As far removed from that film-and-TV-show about restaurant life as it's possible to get, I don't think giving this two stars is fair to the potential buyer. One and a half it is.
January 24, 2026
Slice-of-life graphic novel about a chef navigating overwork, competition prep, getting a name out and employee issues.
I love food stories, kitchen stories, cookbooks, chef-life stories, and was particularly interested by this one, following a woman chef. This book ticked lots of boxes... and yet I can't say this really talked to me.
Oddly enough, it was almost like the main character was absent from the book. There is a lot more life in her 2 main helps and those stories were very interesting... so it almost felt like the story centered around the wrong person?
I also had a bit of trouble with the character illustrations. I couldn't really evaluate how old they were. The narrative suggests they're young professionals, but they look much older. They also had very little facial expression, except for overwhelming exhaustion... and because it's all about the people, that made it hard for me to stay invested.
There are things that will talk to a lot of people, themes of disillusionment, burnout, self-discovery, disconnect, which are well addressed.
If you like the restaurant world, you might be interested in giving this one a go.
I love food stories, kitchen stories, cookbooks, chef-life stories, and was particularly interested by this one, following a woman chef. This book ticked lots of boxes... and yet I can't say this really talked to me.
Oddly enough, it was almost like the main character was absent from the book. There is a lot more life in her 2 main helps and those stories were very interesting... so it almost felt like the story centered around the wrong person?
I also had a bit of trouble with the character illustrations. I couldn't really evaluate how old they were. The narrative suggests they're young professionals, but they look much older. They also had very little facial expression, except for overwhelming exhaustion... and because it's all about the people, that made it hard for me to stay invested.
There are things that will talk to a lot of people, themes of disillusionment, burnout, self-discovery, disconnect, which are well addressed.
If you like the restaurant world, you might be interested in giving this one a go.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
this graphic novel is a character study between three friends who are working to run a restaurant called "Alley." You'll like this graphic novel if you like a lot of dialogue, dramas, or close-up character studies.
Overall, it is an interesting look at how each person and family has their own life struggles, in different ways, even if their life looks ideal to another person. The overall plot looks at the ups and downs of life with unexpected challenges and opportunities.
I really loved the friendship between Claudia and Lisa. It was supportive and a priority for both women. It's nice to see a female friendship where both parties have the other's best interest in mind and the narrative twists don't involve backstabbing.
The pacing in the beginning is a bit slow but it does pick up speed by the halfway point. The ending is quite unexpected and more open-ended than expected. I wonder if there will be a follow up graphic novel, or if the unexpectedness is part of the main theme of the book.
Overall, it is an interesting look at how each person and family has their own life struggles, in different ways, even if their life looks ideal to another person. The overall plot looks at the ups and downs of life with unexpected challenges and opportunities.
I really loved the friendship between Claudia and Lisa. It was supportive and a priority for both women. It's nice to see a female friendship where both parties have the other's best interest in mind and the narrative twists don't involve backstabbing.
The pacing in the beginning is a bit slow but it does pick up speed by the halfway point. The ending is quite unexpected and more open-ended than expected. I wonder if there will be a follow up graphic novel, or if the unexpectedness is part of the main theme of the book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is one of those slice of life comics that begins at the end of the story, and so we have to read the rest of the book to find out the why of it all. We see Claudia somewhere in a Parisian looking city, writing to whomever has contacted her, that she just had to leave, and sorry about that.
From there we go back to how she is a chef for an upscale restaurant called The Alley, and that it is going well, but wearing her and her business partner, Lisa, down to a stump.
Something has got to give. Things look great on the outside, but both Lisa and Claudia are not happy.
It is all a slice of life, sort of story. A quick read. There is a lot of human interaction, and we see where things got to where they did, though. There are a lot of lives that are intertwined, and a lot of feelings explored. Not an exciting read, but a pleasant enough distraction, as you try to figure out what the breaking point might be.
Nice illustrations.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 20th of January 2026.
From there we go back to how she is a chef for an upscale restaurant called The Alley, and that it is going well, but wearing her and her business partner, Lisa, down to a stump.
Something has got to give. Things look great on the outside, but both Lisa and Claudia are not happy.
It is all a slice of life, sort of story. A quick read. There is a lot of human interaction, and we see where things got to where they did, though. There are a lot of lives that are intertwined, and a lot of feelings explored. Not an exciting read, but a pleasant enough distraction, as you try to figure out what the breaking point might be.
Nice illustrations.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 20th of January 2026.
March 8, 2026
Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy of this graphic novel for an honest review
In this keenly observed character study, up-and-coming London chef Claudia struggles to balance the weight of ambition with her personal life.
In her early thirties, Claudia is fast becoming a sensation on the culinary scene. While putting her chic London restaurant, Alley, on the map, she decides to enter the upcoming Chef of the Year competition. All this, as she is also attempting to make a name for herself beyond the shadow of her famous chef father.
Reading this was interesting to begin with but with how slow it was it toke me a bit to read it, we see how she tries to deal with so much going on in her life the best she can and still wanna achieve her dream. The main chatacter in this book is showing gow much love she has for her family and career by giving all she can give.
I can see others loving this but for me this book was ok but not great, but the illustrations being fully colour was nice
In this keenly observed character study, up-and-coming London chef Claudia struggles to balance the weight of ambition with her personal life.
In her early thirties, Claudia is fast becoming a sensation on the culinary scene. While putting her chic London restaurant, Alley, on the map, she decides to enter the upcoming Chef of the Year competition. All this, as she is also attempting to make a name for herself beyond the shadow of her famous chef father.
Reading this was interesting to begin with but with how slow it was it toke me a bit to read it, we see how she tries to deal with so much going on in her life the best she can and still wanna achieve her dream. The main chatacter in this book is showing gow much love she has for her family and career by giving all she can give.
I can see others loving this but for me this book was ok but not great, but the illustrations being fully colour was nice
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks a lot Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this graphic novel for free.
I thought the story with Claudia was quite ok, and pretty much an easy read with quite likeable likeable characters. I appreciate that the author showed us how hard it is to be a chef and own a business, especially with staff having different scenarios happening in their own chaotic personal lives. Now I will say without getting into spoiler territory, the ending was rather abrupt and confusing with no context even tho it’s been mentioned but it didn’t quite add up to the story at the same time?? As well, I found the situation with Ben and Claudia quite confusing and unnecessary to be honest. It’s like one minute they were getting on with a kiss and the next, they just didn’t really talk about it much. It was kinda disappointing with mixed signals between the two of them here, I didn’t know whether to ship them or not?!
Also I want to try the dishes the chefs made in this book irl please!
I thought the story with Claudia was quite ok, and pretty much an easy read with quite likeable likeable characters. I appreciate that the author showed us how hard it is to be a chef and own a business, especially with staff having different scenarios happening in their own chaotic personal lives. Now I will say without getting into spoiler territory, the ending was rather abrupt and confusing with no context even tho it’s been mentioned but it didn’t quite add up to the story at the same time?? As well, I found the situation with Ben and Claudia quite confusing and unnecessary to be honest. It’s like one minute they were getting on with a kiss and the next, they just didn’t really talk about it much. It was kinda disappointing with mixed signals between the two of them here, I didn’t know whether to ship them or not?!
Also I want to try the dishes the chefs made in this book irl please!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is my first time seeing Katriona's beautiful illustrations. They are warm and hold a lot of emotions.
The story feels like a very accurate reflection of what life must be like as a chef, opening your own restaurant and dealing with staff, customers, finances and family pressures. There are quite a few storylines, some of which are quite concerning, but the reader is only shown small snippets of each of the stories and moments in time across what feels like a few weeks. This can be confusing at times, but equally shows a good story that I was left wanting to know more. The story ends abruptly, leaving me with many questions I would've liked the answers to - it definitely could have been longer!
[An eARC from NetGalley & Fantagraphics - Thank you!]
The story feels like a very accurate reflection of what life must be like as a chef, opening your own restaurant and dealing with staff, customers, finances and family pressures. There are quite a few storylines, some of which are quite concerning, but the reader is only shown small snippets of each of the stories and moments in time across what feels like a few weeks. This can be confusing at times, but equally shows a good story that I was left wanting to know more. The story ends abruptly, leaving me with many questions I would've liked the answers to - it definitely could have been longer!
[An eARC from NetGalley & Fantagraphics - Thank you!]
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I acknowledge that a slice of life book is intended to be less action packed. However, this book fell incredibly flat to me. 👎 I was bored throughout and had to push myself to finish it. 😵 I remained optimistic that my interest would grow the further I got into the story but I was wrong. ❌
A slice of life story hinges on the characters in my opinion, and I did not feel connected to the characters in the slightest. 🫥 The occasional flashbacks felt out of place, the writing felt clunky, the dialogue empty.
Thank you for the ARC, I hope this book finds readers who will enjoy it more than I. 🤍📖
A slice of life story hinges on the characters in my opinion, and I did not feel connected to the characters in the slightest. 🫥 The occasional flashbacks felt out of place, the writing felt clunky, the dialogue empty.
Thank you for the ARC, I hope this book finds readers who will enjoy it more than I. 🤍📖
February 23, 2026
There are reviews saying this doesn't capture the pace of culinary-life, but it felt lived-in and realistic to me. Parts of the book got talkier than I would like, but then Chapman would throw in a beautifully intricate silent piece just when I was getting nervous. And the art throughout was downright gorgeoust.
I also liked the ambiguous ending. The characters were all at a point of branching in their stories and Claudia getting that chance, too, felt right. I wouldn't mind a sequel, but I'm also glad to have seen where these characters ventured thus far.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC!
I also liked the ambiguous ending. The characters were all at a point of branching in their stories and Claudia getting that chance, too, felt right. I wouldn't mind a sequel, but I'm also glad to have seen where these characters ventured thus far.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC!
March 13, 2026
A fascinating graphic novel about a young chef who struggles with the pressure of running a business and with life, and the expectations and challenges of those family and friends about her.
It is a great story but it struck me that each character had their own challenges and needed to manage them in order to have some kind of peace in their lives. The story ends on a cliff hanger, so I hope there will be a volume two. It also explores family dynamics and how these can help or hinder life and career. It is a fascinating story brought to life by soft colours and great art.
Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
It is a great story but it struck me that each character had their own challenges and needed to manage them in order to have some kind of peace in their lives. The story ends on a cliff hanger, so I hope there will be a volume two. It also explores family dynamics and how these can help or hinder life and career. It is a fascinating story brought to life by soft colours and great art.
Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
February 6, 2026
The illustrations are the jewel of this book, I stared at pages long and again and still can't get enough. The story has an emotional and impactful depth, I could feel the atmosphere built in the story - it was compelling but depressing. The ending left me with heavy feeling of confusion and frustration - the story could have been more. It was like that stanza of a song stuck in your head which keeps bothering you with incompleteness - the book has that aching effect. All in all, the book is a fine read in between and an absolute eye candy.
April 3, 2026
Random pick. I needed a much lighter read after King Sorrow and this fit the bill. It's a somewhat bougie story about a head chef with a lot of pressure to succeed at her restaurant, with additional pressure thrown on top from family and budding relationship with her mixologist. Yes, I know it sounds pretentious and it was, to a certain extent, but there was also mystery and some authentic drama. I noticed that many readers rated this much lower, but I have to disagree. Beautiful art and an engaging story.
April 19, 2026
Thoughts while reading:
1. This is interesting. I love the premise -- food is one of my favorite subjects.
2. I am not seeing how the parents were rude to Marc during the holiday dinner.
3. Wow, we are really breezing over some pretty heavy topics here at record speed.
4. The bartender looks like he's barely ten years old.
Thoughts after finishing:
1. Huh? What just happened?
2. Chekhov's Rule was ignored several times here
3. Also. Huh? What just happened?
4. That was abrupt.
This could really have been a lot better, but instead it was just confusing on so many levels.
1. This is interesting. I love the premise -- food is one of my favorite subjects.
2. I am not seeing how the parents were rude to Marc during the holiday dinner.
3. Wow, we are really breezing over some pretty heavy topics here at record speed.
4. The bartender looks like he's barely ten years old.
Thoughts after finishing:
1. Huh? What just happened?
2. Chekhov's Rule was ignored several times here
3. Also. Huh? What just happened?
4. That was abrupt.
This could really have been a lot better, but instead it was just confusing on so many levels.
March 6, 2026
The soft colors of graphite and colors tell a slice of life story of a young female chef, her bartender, and co-chef and restaurateur. The characters all had the same tired downcast eyes, which was distracting. It was hard to tell the passage of time except that it starts just before Christmas and it was unclear when the story ends or how long the story duration is. I guess about spring or summer, which seems short.
April 14, 2026
A book about life in a kitchen centering three of the people working in it. A lighthearted story with some drama but overall a relatively cozy comic that was perfect bedtime accompaniment with which to fall into dreams of food and flying. I like the art style but feel like the textures of food end up all looking a bit like play-doh as a result. Perhaps good as it did not inspire a midnight craving.
January 23, 2026
Claudia Grace owns the Alley along with her good friend, Lisa, in London. She joins a competition for Chef of the Year, which adds even more to her already overflowing plate. Claudia navigates between relationships with her coworkers, friends, and family. It was a real slice of life story.
#ThxNetGalley #KatrionaChapman #ThePass #Wish
#ThxNetGalley #KatrionaChapman #ThePass #Wish
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
i liked the drawings, but overall i found this book very boring and kind of dragging. i can see how some people might like it, but for me i got bored and had trouble finishing it.
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for letting me read it in advance!
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for letting me read it in advance!
February 26, 2026
I absolutely loved the art in this book, but everything else missed the mark. The storyline seemed like too many things jammed together, with none of them fully explained. as others have mentioned, the rather odd ending left me guessing.
January 28, 2026
Did I miss something. That ending. Ummmmm no. So confused. Illustration was gorgeous. Storyline was all over the place.
February 2, 2026
I read Breakwater, Chapman's last, whenever it came out - five years ago? - so prioritized picking this up. Nice art, interesting setting (a kitchen at a restaurant in London).
February 27, 2026
Fantastic book
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