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Colossal (Volume 1): A Graphic Novel
Not yet published
Expected 5 May 26Love, humor, and powerlifting collide in Colossal, a massively successful international Webtoon now presented in print, about a young aristocrat who’s about to discover that the heart may be the strongest muscle of all!
Jade, a young French noblewoman, has a problem. Her parents expect her to marry a rich prince to save their dwindling family fortune. But Jade doesn’t want to fall in line or in love—all she wants to do is pump iron and get. Those. Gains!
Jade’s obsession with powerlifting and getting strong is at odds with the image of a delicate flower that society expects from her. When—in a fit of rage—she sends a fellow high-society teen, obnoxious pretty boy Nathaniel, flying through a buffet table during a ball, it looks like Jade’s secret may be out! But before a scandal erupts, the quick-thinking teen comes up with a brilliant excuse: Love made her do it!
Now, Jade finds herself in a dizzying courtship dance between spoiled Nathaniel; Alexander, a stable hand she wants to get lifting tips from; Eloise, a mean girl hiding a soft heart; and Simon, Nathaniel’s insufferable best friend. Can Jade keep her secret and learn that that strength isn’t only measured by how much one can deadlift?
Silly, heartfelt, and full of surprises, Colossal is a young adult rom-com graphic novel with a shojo manga twist perfect for readers who loved Cursed Princess Club, Heartstopper, and True Beauty.
Jade, a young French noblewoman, has a problem. Her parents expect her to marry a rich prince to save their dwindling family fortune. But Jade doesn’t want to fall in line or in love—all she wants to do is pump iron and get. Those. Gains!
Jade’s obsession with powerlifting and getting strong is at odds with the image of a delicate flower that society expects from her. When—in a fit of rage—she sends a fellow high-society teen, obnoxious pretty boy Nathaniel, flying through a buffet table during a ball, it looks like Jade’s secret may be out! But before a scandal erupts, the quick-thinking teen comes up with a brilliant excuse: Love made her do it!
Now, Jade finds herself in a dizzying courtship dance between spoiled Nathaniel; Alexander, a stable hand she wants to get lifting tips from; Eloise, a mean girl hiding a soft heart; and Simon, Nathaniel’s insufferable best friend. Can Jade keep her secret and learn that that strength isn’t only measured by how much one can deadlift?
Silly, heartfelt, and full of surprises, Colossal is a young adult rom-com graphic novel with a shojo manga twist perfect for readers who loved Cursed Princess Club, Heartstopper, and True Beauty.
256 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 5, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Good for what it's attempting to be. I would have preferred a storyline going in a different direction, but the characters were all interesting, and I liked the diversity in body types, especially among Jade's gym friends.
I received a free copy for review
I received a free copy for review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really wanted to love this one. The premise is so fun: an aristocratic girl who just wants to be buff and lift weights, but is constantly being shoved into the role of a ditzy, perfect debutante. It sounds like the perfect setup for a fun, subversive read, but unfortunately, the execution felt a bit amateurish to me.
My biggest issue was the world-building. I couldn't quite figure out the "when" or "where" of this story. Is it contemporary? Is it an alternate universe where France still has a royal family today? There were references to "princesses" that left me confused as to whether they were literal royals or just a metaphor for "perfect" girls. This lack of clarity made it hard to get grounded in the narrative from the start.
The story itself feels very juvenile. I know the target audience is Teen/YA, so that's expected to an extent, but it leaned a bit too much into being "silly" rather than actually funny. I found most of the adults to be completely insufferable—which I think was the point, as they’re meant to be the obstacles to her goals, but it made for an annoying reading experience at times.
That said, there are some redeeming qualities. I actually liked the side characters more than the lead, and I appreciated that the first volume takes the time to set up everyone's individual struggles. There are also a couple of moments of accountability for the rich, sheltered characters that I really liked seeing; it added some much-needed depth to an otherwise surface-level story.
Overall, it’s a decent start for a younger audience, but for me, it was just "okay." It sets the stage well for future volumes, but the tone and the inconsistencies in the setting kept me from fully engaging with it.
My biggest issue was the world-building. I couldn't quite figure out the "when" or "where" of this story. Is it contemporary? Is it an alternate universe where France still has a royal family today? There were references to "princesses" that left me confused as to whether they were literal royals or just a metaphor for "perfect" girls. This lack of clarity made it hard to get grounded in the narrative from the start.
The story itself feels very juvenile. I know the target audience is Teen/YA, so that's expected to an extent, but it leaned a bit too much into being "silly" rather than actually funny. I found most of the adults to be completely insufferable—which I think was the point, as they’re meant to be the obstacles to her goals, but it made for an annoying reading experience at times.
That said, there are some redeeming qualities. I actually liked the side characters more than the lead, and I appreciated that the first volume takes the time to set up everyone's individual struggles. There are also a couple of moments of accountability for the rich, sheltered characters that I really liked seeing; it added some much-needed depth to an otherwise surface-level story.
Overall, it’s a decent start for a younger audience, but for me, it was just "okay." It sets the stage well for future volumes, but the tone and the inconsistencies in the setting kept me from fully engaging with it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams Kids for an arc. All opinions are my own.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Genre: Graphic Novel
Are There Gay People in this?*: ✅
This is very cute and whimsical! The art is absolutely adorable, and I think the message is very nice and uplifting. Really the only thing that I didn't love was that sometimes it felt like we were in the modern world, and sometimes it felt more historical. But I know this is French, so maybe this is an American moment and rich French people are just like that.
Anyways, my favorite character is Simon and I am really obsessed with him.
* I count a book as including gay people if any of the main or supporting characters are implicitly or explicitly queer or trans. This does not necessarily mean the protagonist is queer or that there is a queer romance
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Genre: Graphic Novel
Are There Gay People in this?*: ✅
This is very cute and whimsical! The art is absolutely adorable, and I think the message is very nice and uplifting. Really the only thing that I didn't love was that sometimes it felt like we were in the modern world, and sometimes it felt more historical. But I know this is French, so maybe this is an American moment and rich French people are just like that.
Anyways, my favorite character is Simon and I am really obsessed with him.
* I count a book as including gay people if any of the main or supporting characters are implicitly or explicitly queer or trans. This does not necessarily mean the protagonist is queer or that there is a queer romance
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Net Galley and ABRAMS Kids for this ARC.
3.5⭐ rounded up to 4⭐
Colossal was a cute slice of life coming of age story. It follows our protagonist Jade, a high society teenager who's family may or may not be struggling to stay is said society. They push her to socialize with families who have more money and power. Forcing her into uncomfortable events and situations. Eventually these situations lead to her making friends, but she still wants to hide her secret, that she's swole. I feel that some of the plot moved along too quickly, not leaving the reader with much connection to the newly introduced characters. I also didn't feel like the chapters connected well after the midway point. The fundraising ARC just came out of nowhere and didn't really connect with the previous chapters.
3.5⭐ rounded up to 4⭐
Colossal was a cute slice of life coming of age story. It follows our protagonist Jade, a high society teenager who's family may or may not be struggling to stay is said society. They push her to socialize with families who have more money and power. Forcing her into uncomfortable events and situations. Eventually these situations lead to her making friends, but she still wants to hide her secret, that she's swole. I feel that some of the plot moved along too quickly, not leaving the reader with much connection to the newly introduced characters. I also didn't feel like the chapters connected well after the midway point. The fundraising ARC just came out of nowhere and didn't really connect with the previous chapters.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Disappointingly, I found it to be all flash and no substance.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews