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Archival Quality
Everything you need to know is in the archives.
The Logan Museum is a mysterious old building practically covered in skulls, and also the new workplace of Celeste "Cel" Walden, a librarian who was let go from her previous job after a mental breakdown. But Cel is desperate to feel useful, and Abayomi Abiola, the Logan Museum's chief curator, is desperate to hire a new archivist.
Cel soon realizes the job is unlike any other she's had. There's an apartment onsite she's required to live in, she only works in the middle of the night, and she definitely gets the impression that there's more to the museum than Abayomi and her new boss, Holly Park are letting on.
And then strange things start happening. Odd noises. Objects moving. Vivid, terrifying dreams of a young woman Cel's never met, but feels strangely drawn to. A woman who for some reason needs Cel's help.
As Cel attempts to learn more about her, she begins losing time, misplacing things, passing out--there's no denying the job is becoming dangerous. But Cel can't let go of the woman in her dreams. Who is she? Why is she so fixated on Cel? And does Cel have the power to save herself?
The Logan Museum is a mysterious old building practically covered in skulls, and also the new workplace of Celeste "Cel" Walden, a librarian who was let go from her previous job after a mental breakdown. But Cel is desperate to feel useful, and Abayomi Abiola, the Logan Museum's chief curator, is desperate to hire a new archivist.
Cel soon realizes the job is unlike any other she's had. There's an apartment onsite she's required to live in, she only works in the middle of the night, and she definitely gets the impression that there's more to the museum than Abayomi and her new boss, Holly Park are letting on.
And then strange things start happening. Odd noises. Objects moving. Vivid, terrifying dreams of a young woman Cel's never met, but feels strangely drawn to. A woman who for some reason needs Cel's help.
As Cel attempts to learn more about her, she begins losing time, misplacing things, passing out--there's no denying the job is becoming dangerous. But Cel can't let go of the woman in her dreams. Who is she? Why is she so fixated on Cel? And does Cel have the power to save herself?
280 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2018
20 people are currently reading
2475 people want to read
About the author
Ivy Noelle Weir
21 books138 followersIvy Noelle Weir is a writer of comics and prose. She is the co-creator of the Dwayne McDuffie Award-winning graphic novel Archival Quality (Oni Press), the upcoming The Secret Garden on 81st Street (Little, Brown for Young Readers), and her writing has appeared in anthologies such as Princeless: Girls Rock (Action Lab Entertainment) and Dead Beats (A Wave Blue World). She lives in the greater Boston area with her husband and their two tiny, weird dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 618 reviews
November 16, 2018
Following a very intense mental "episode" twenty something Cel Walden loses her job working in the tech department at a library. Desperate for another job she takes a position as an "archivist" at a local medical museum. Before long she becomes embroiled in the strange goings on there. From an ominous seeming, enigmatic board of directors to the off putting head curator to mysterious noises and "accidents" in the darkest hours of the night Cel suddenly has a lot on her plate to figure out. Can she solve the mysteries within the museum while also dealing with her own rapidly escalating mental health issues?
The answer's "kinda" in case you were curious.
I spent A LOT of time trying to articulate just for myself what my issues were with this book. Some of them are personal and I'll get to that in a minute. But lets look at the book itself first. Its an interesting premise. I sort of assumed that this was going to be a mentally ill person deals with a haunted former mental health facility and presumably confronts her own issues while doing so thing? Or maybe the haunting was going to be a metaphor for her inability to deal with her issues?
Or maybe not.
First off what we've got here is an immensely, hugely, gigantically unlikable heroine. Cel is the worst. We're informed that she's been in this state of what is apparently severe depression for over five years. She refuses help because she thinks help means "being locked up." She's border line emotionally abusive (her poor, loving, totally understanding of her issues boyfriend who uses all the right language when he talks to her and isn't remotely pushy or patronizing gets the worst of it) to all the people who love her and want her to get help and repeatedly tells anyone who doesn't immediately believe her battshittery that they don't believe in her or are "abandoning" her.
Okay, I said to myself, maybe that's the point? Cause that's not a bad idea either, the notion that mental illness doesn't mean you can't also be an asshole. I think there's definitely a tendency in fiction these days to put the mentally ill on a pedestal where their illnesses define them and somehow make them immune to being not nice people.
Like I'm a mentally ill recovering addict and I can be an absolute horror of a human being and it has NOTHING to do with the illness I assure you. But again we'll get back to that later.
What's weird is the writer seems to have a pretty intricate understanding of depression and its treatment. But the moment where Cel realizes what she really needs and the good intentions of all those around her who've been yelling versions "please get some help" at her for the entire book never happens! She's the exact same person from beginning to end.
So then we get to the actual story. While its a great idea and a good setting it never really delivers. We're meant to be afraid or at least concerned about this scary board of directors but we never really learn anything at all about them and they don't really do anything scary. There are plot points, like BIG ones, that never get resolution of any kind. Everyone except Cel is really, really underdeveloped and even she is relegated to hugely angry mentally ill girl with really no other defining characteristics or personality. There's just such a "ho hum" kind of quality to this and by the end it all just kind of peters out to nothing. Its all just very sloppy.
Now for the personal stuff.
I don't love the way mental illness is portrayed in this book. For lack of a better way of putting it Cel becomes "obsessed" with solving the mystery in this place. Every other character repeatedly tells her this is not a great thing for her mental well being. When they do that she tells them they don't believe in her, that this will "fix" her, if they don't let her do this they're "abandoning" her. Now these are things that a person dealing with something like this does. They get obsessive, they lash out at the people closest to them, they deny there's a problem, they decide if they can just fix this one random thing EVERYTHING will be okay. The problem of course is that's not true. You DO need help in these situations, you need to ask for it, you need to acknowledge that you have a problem, you need to accept some level of responsibility for who you hurt and how you act in these moments because you're still YOU.
Cel NEVER does this. As far as the story is concerned her illness or issues or whatever (she's never formally diagnosed) WILL be fixed if she solves the haunting.
I have a real problem with the idea that we should support mentally unwell people in their delusions and patronize them when they're in the throws of something really serious as if that's somehow helping them.
My other issues is slightly stupid but bear with me.
I HATE the way librarians are portrayed in this book. Cel wants a job in a library because its boring and familiar and she doesn't need to use her brain. She says this. This did not endear her to me at all. When she gets to the museum and meets the head librarian we learn that the head librarian is not a librarian at all. She's a med student who left med school and just like decided she was a librarian. At one point she and Cel have a conversation about what Cel's job title is and head librarian's all "you work in a library so you're a librarian!"
oh hell no.
They also never do any actual work that librarians do. I know its a museum and its a little different but Cel's "archiving" job is total nonsense. She scans photos and documents. That's it. That's all she does. We NEVER see the head librarian do anything at all. They make lame passing references to the collection "being a mess" whatever that means but there's never any indication of what they're doing to fix it. What they do do is sit around and drink a lot of coffee and talk about ghosts and how Cel needs help.
I went to grad school to get my job. I worked really hard and I continue to work really hard. I know archivist's and catalogers who work really hard at what they do. Its complicated, time consuming and yes sometimes thankless work but it requires brains and dedication and sometimes more than one graduate degree. Its not the perfect job for a deeply depressed person who didn't graduate college and wants something "mindless" to do. You don't get to call yourself a librarian or an archivist because you work in a library. You earn that just like you would anything else.
So a little respect if you please.
The answer's "kinda" in case you were curious.
I spent A LOT of time trying to articulate just for myself what my issues were with this book. Some of them are personal and I'll get to that in a minute. But lets look at the book itself first. Its an interesting premise. I sort of assumed that this was going to be a mentally ill person deals with a haunted former mental health facility and presumably confronts her own issues while doing so thing? Or maybe the haunting was going to be a metaphor for her inability to deal with her issues?
Or maybe not.
First off what we've got here is an immensely, hugely, gigantically unlikable heroine. Cel is the worst. We're informed that she's been in this state of what is apparently severe depression for over five years. She refuses help because she thinks help means "being locked up." She's border line emotionally abusive (her poor, loving, totally understanding of her issues boyfriend who uses all the right language when he talks to her and isn't remotely pushy or patronizing gets the worst of it) to all the people who love her and want her to get help and repeatedly tells anyone who doesn't immediately believe her battshittery that they don't believe in her or are "abandoning" her.
Okay, I said to myself, maybe that's the point? Cause that's not a bad idea either, the notion that mental illness doesn't mean you can't also be an asshole. I think there's definitely a tendency in fiction these days to put the mentally ill on a pedestal where their illnesses define them and somehow make them immune to being not nice people.
Like I'm a mentally ill recovering addict and I can be an absolute horror of a human being and it has NOTHING to do with the illness I assure you. But again we'll get back to that later.
What's weird is the writer seems to have a pretty intricate understanding of depression and its treatment. But the moment where Cel realizes what she really needs and the good intentions of all those around her who've been yelling versions "please get some help" at her for the entire book never happens! She's the exact same person from beginning to end.
So then we get to the actual story. While its a great idea and a good setting it never really delivers. We're meant to be afraid or at least concerned about this scary board of directors but we never really learn anything at all about them and they don't really do anything scary. There are plot points, like BIG ones, that never get resolution of any kind. Everyone except Cel is really, really underdeveloped and even she is relegated to hugely angry mentally ill girl with really no other defining characteristics or personality. There's just such a "ho hum" kind of quality to this and by the end it all just kind of peters out to nothing. Its all just very sloppy.
Now for the personal stuff.
I don't love the way mental illness is portrayed in this book. For lack of a better way of putting it Cel becomes "obsessed" with solving the mystery in this place. Every other character repeatedly tells her this is not a great thing for her mental well being. When they do that she tells them they don't believe in her, that this will "fix" her, if they don't let her do this they're "abandoning" her. Now these are things that a person dealing with something like this does. They get obsessive, they lash out at the people closest to them, they deny there's a problem, they decide if they can just fix this one random thing EVERYTHING will be okay. The problem of course is that's not true. You DO need help in these situations, you need to ask for it, you need to acknowledge that you have a problem, you need to accept some level of responsibility for who you hurt and how you act in these moments because you're still YOU.
Cel NEVER does this. As far as the story is concerned her illness or issues or whatever (she's never formally diagnosed) WILL be fixed if she solves the haunting.
I have a real problem with the idea that we should support mentally unwell people in their delusions and patronize them when they're in the throws of something really serious as if that's somehow helping them.
My other issues is slightly stupid but bear with me.
I HATE the way librarians are portrayed in this book. Cel wants a job in a library because its boring and familiar and she doesn't need to use her brain. She says this. This did not endear her to me at all. When she gets to the museum and meets the head librarian we learn that the head librarian is not a librarian at all. She's a med student who left med school and just like decided she was a librarian. At one point she and Cel have a conversation about what Cel's job title is and head librarian's all "you work in a library so you're a librarian!"
oh hell no.
They also never do any actual work that librarians do. I know its a museum and its a little different but Cel's "archiving" job is total nonsense. She scans photos and documents. That's it. That's all she does. We NEVER see the head librarian do anything at all. They make lame passing references to the collection "being a mess" whatever that means but there's never any indication of what they're doing to fix it. What they do do is sit around and drink a lot of coffee and talk about ghosts and how Cel needs help.
I went to grad school to get my job. I worked really hard and I continue to work really hard. I know archivist's and catalogers who work really hard at what they do. Its complicated, time consuming and yes sometimes thankless work but it requires brains and dedication and sometimes more than one graduate degree. Its not the perfect job for a deeply depressed person who didn't graduate college and wants something "mindless" to do. You don't get to call yourself a librarian or an archivist because you work in a library. You earn that just like you would anything else.
So a little respect if you please.
February 1, 2018
Ohh, where do I begin with this.
I really did want to love this book, the idea and the premise were so promising and I was hooked...
I did appriciate that it dealt with mental health, th diverse characters and the whole idea of thw museum and its macabre secret, but my appreciation ends here.
The story was poorly executed, the charaters fell flat and I, as a person that strugles with depression, could not relate to the main character Cel. In fact I found her incredibly immature for her age and annoying, and I did not care about her nor about the others.
Their dialogues were unrealistic and I facepalmed through the entire book...
As for the art, unfortunately it could not make it up for the story either.
It did not work out for me, but that does not implies that you will feel the same way.
I really did want to love this book, the idea and the premise were so promising and I was hooked...
I did appriciate that it dealt with mental health, th diverse characters and the whole idea of thw museum and its macabre secret, but my appreciation ends here.
The story was poorly executed, the charaters fell flat and I, as a person that strugles with depression, could not relate to the main character Cel. In fact I found her incredibly immature for her age and annoying, and I did not care about her nor about the others.
Their dialogues were unrealistic and I facepalmed through the entire book...
As for the art, unfortunately it could not make it up for the story either.
It did not work out for me, but that does not implies that you will feel the same way.
August 20, 2018
Archival Quality
is a graphic novel about Celeste “Cel” Walden who’s battling mental health issues on her own. Due to her condition, Cel was fired from her work as a library assistant; she searched for a new job online and found an archivist opening in the Logan Museum. She was hired immediately by Abayomi, the Chief Curator, and she was offered a free lodging in the museum’s apartment; Cel is required to work after museum hours thus the complimentary accommodation.
Working alone in a graveyard shift in a museum of medical history, Cel often encountered paranormal activities. Aside from that, she frequently dreamt of a woman who was trying to show Cel on what happened to her. The woman was seeking help from Cel, therefore, she tried to seek for clues alone. However, Abayomi found out what she was doing and he told Cel that he also experienced what she was facing. They team up and Holly, the librarian, later help them searching out what could be the ghost desires.
The tale of the Archival Quality may not be that spooky enough to frighten readers, but I like it because the story was actually interesting. And through careful consideration, readers will be left with the message that we should respect not only the living but also the remains of the dead.
Working alone in a graveyard shift in a museum of medical history, Cel often encountered paranormal activities. Aside from that, she frequently dreamt of a woman who was trying to show Cel on what happened to her. The woman was seeking help from Cel, therefore, she tried to seek for clues alone. However, Abayomi found out what she was doing and he told Cel that he also experienced what she was facing. They team up and Holly, the librarian, later help them searching out what could be the ghost desires.
The tale of the Archival Quality may not be that spooky enough to frighten readers, but I like it because the story was actually interesting. And through careful consideration, readers will be left with the message that we should respect not only the living but also the remains of the dead.
September 17, 2020
I admit my attention was first snagged by the title.
"Archival Quality," in case you don't know, means that a material is resistant to or does not cause degradation in materials. Lignin or acid free paper, for instance, which don't yellow and crumble with time.
This book is not about that.
If there was a connection, it was metaphorical and I didn't get what the author was driving at.
In fact, if anything, everybody and everything in the book was pretty prone to disintegration -- so maybe the title is a joke?
Working in an archive is presented as an undesirable job, which is annoying to me because I would like that job. Although I guess not night shift. WHY scanning of archival documents has to occur at night is never explained, I mean yeah, they say it has to be after the museum is closed to the public but it happens in a basement office and I've worked in museums and libraries and office jobs do not have to take place after hours and no one patronizes the museum anyway and this was one of many suspenseful set-up elements that never really amounted to anything.
Like the mysterious Board of Trustees. They are always meeting. They are always watching. They may have murdered the previous head archivist! We never meet most of them. What they are up to is both insignificant and implausible and in no way justifies the amount of villainous effort they are putting in. And if they're up to no good why do they want the archivist to live on the premises? I assumed that they had a dire fate in store for her but they didn't so it makes no sense.
Basically, this is a haunted-former-insane-asylum story.
If you watch horror films or read YA horror you know there are million of them.
I appreciate the author trying to do something new with that subgenre, but I'm going to say she ultimately failed to do so.
I found the book disappointing, but not so much so that I would write off the author or illustrator. They both appear in their jacket photos to be quite young and I'd be willing to try something else by both or either of them in a couple years.
"Archival Quality," in case you don't know, means that a material is resistant to or does not cause degradation in materials. Lignin or acid free paper, for instance, which don't yellow and crumble with time.
This book is not about that.
If there was a connection, it was metaphorical and I didn't get what the author was driving at.
In fact, if anything, everybody and everything in the book was pretty prone to disintegration -- so maybe the title is a joke?
Working in an archive is presented as an undesirable job, which is annoying to me because I would like that job. Although I guess not night shift. WHY scanning of archival documents has to occur at night is never explained, I mean yeah, they say it has to be after the museum is closed to the public but it happens in a basement office and I've worked in museums and libraries and office jobs do not have to take place after hours and no one patronizes the museum anyway and this was one of many suspenseful set-up elements that never really amounted to anything.
Like the mysterious Board of Trustees. They are always meeting. They are always watching. They may have murdered the previous head archivist! We never meet most of them. What they are up to is both insignificant and implausible and in no way justifies the amount of villainous effort they are putting in. And if they're up to no good why do they want the archivist to live on the premises? I assumed that they had a dire fate in store for her but they didn't so it makes no sense.
Basically, this is a haunted-former-insane-asylum story.
If you watch horror films or read YA horror you know there are million of them.
I appreciate the author trying to do something new with that subgenre, but I'm going to say she ultimately failed to do so.
I found the book disappointing, but not so much so that I would write off the author or illustrator. They both appear in their jacket photos to be quite young and I'd be willing to try something else by both or either of them in a couple years.
April 18, 2018
Cel has just lost her job at the library. It's inferred that she had some kind of mental breakdown at work. She finds a new job as an archivist at a medical museum. It's a very odd job in that there's an apartment for her to stay at in the basement and she has to do the archiving by herself overnight. It makes very little sense. She, of course, starts hearing strange noises, things are knocked off shelves, all the usual cliched spectral visitations. Meanwhile her boyfriend is constantly trying to get her to see a doctor about her mental health issues. Yadda, yadda, yadda, she decides to track down the spirit visiting her.
This reminded my of a wannabe Kate Leth and Brittany Williams Hellcat book only with poorer storytelling and art. This book is long. Really long. And takes over half the book for anything to really happen. Then everything happens in the last 20 pages, and things like the missing previous director are forgotten. The book resolves the mystery abruptly without a payoff. I was looking for quite a few more answers and felt cheated.
This reminded my of a wannabe Kate Leth and Brittany Williams Hellcat book only with poorer storytelling and art. This book is long. Really long. And takes over half the book for anything to really happen. Then everything happens in the last 20 pages, and things like the missing previous director are forgotten. The book resolves the mystery abruptly without a payoff. I was looking for quite a few more answers and felt cheated.
November 17, 2018
Archival Quality is an interesting and somewhat dark story about a young woman who becomes the overnight archivist librarian for an asylum-turned-library, where dreams of a strange and tortured young woman lead her on a chase for answers and a way to offer reprieve to a broken, lost spirit haunting the library.
The art style in this graphic novel isn't my favorite, but it's made up for by how much I enjoyed the plot and how easily I could relate to Cel. Celeste is struggling tremendously with her mental health, but she's afraid of seeking help, despite the fact that her illnesses cause her to lash out, react irrationally, and panic over everyday situations. There's a panel in the book where she gets angry at her boyfriend and then breaks down crying and saying she doesn't understand why she's angry and she's just tired of feeling this way, and wow, did I feel that.
I definitely think the main plot of the story isn't the ghost or the mystery, but is Cel's struggles with her own mental health and the journey she embarks upon to find her way to therapy and seeking help, so I wouldn't recommend going into this expecting any sort of scary, in-depth ghost story—but if you can relate to that feeling of having no control over your mental health and being unsure of where to go for help, I think Cel's story might resonate with you, too.
Thank you so much to Oni Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The art style in this graphic novel isn't my favorite, but it's made up for by how much I enjoyed the plot and how easily I could relate to Cel. Celeste is struggling tremendously with her mental health, but she's afraid of seeking help, despite the fact that her illnesses cause her to lash out, react irrationally, and panic over everyday situations. There's a panel in the book where she gets angry at her boyfriend and then breaks down crying and saying she doesn't understand why she's angry and she's just tired of feeling this way, and wow, did I feel that.
I definitely think the main plot of the story isn't the ghost or the mystery, but is Cel's struggles with her own mental health and the journey she embarks upon to find her way to therapy and seeking help, so I wouldn't recommend going into this expecting any sort of scary, in-depth ghost story—but if you can relate to that feeling of having no control over your mental health and being unsure of where to go for help, I think Cel's story might resonate with you, too.
Thank you so much to Oni Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 11, 2018
Thought I was going to looooove this.
Mental health ✅
Librarians✅
Diversity✅
Ghosts!✅
But naw guys. The art was weird especially since the main character's design was focused on the LEAST.
Mental health ✅
Librarians✅
Diversity✅
Ghosts!✅
But naw guys. The art was weird especially since the main character's design was focused on the LEAST.
March 6, 2018
Trigger Warning - mental health.
This should have been the perfect graphic novel for me. I hate writing negative reviews and I want you to know there are plenty of really positive reviews too. I would encourage you, if you’re considering reading this graphic novel, to check out some of the 4 and 5 star reviews as well. Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for you. 😊
Our main character, Celeste Walden (Cel), has lost her dream job in a library as a result of a breakdown, lives at home and has been in a five year relationship with Kyle. Kyle sometimes comes across as fairly passive aggressive but most of the time he appears genuinely concerned about his girlfriend’s mental health. Kyle like The X Files so I figure he must be a good guy.
Despite Kyle’s concerns Cel winds up with a job at the Logan Museum as an archivist. The archivist job comes with a fully furnished apartment, which is pretty sweet deal for someone who scans antique medical documents and photos for a living.
Almost immediately Cel starts losing time, dreaming of a girl she’s never met but feels compelled to help and items tend to move around unassisted. Her boyfriend is understandably worried about her mental health and she’s pretty good at being the cranky girl pushing people away.
Cel’s boss is Holly Park, the Head Librarian, who’s worked at the museum for three year, has a girlfriend called Gina, and rocks purple hair with a couple of sections of blue. Prior to this job Holly was a medical student.
Abayomi Abiola (Aba) is the 29 year old chief curator who manages the collections and is kind of a mystery for much of the book. He’s standoffish and cold, and you get the impression he knows more about the museum than he lets on.
I spent the majority of the graphic novel wondering how the museum stays open when there are apparently very few customers. I was so close to giving up for more than half of the story because it seemed to drag out, I had no connection with (and didn’t particularly like) any of the characters and the plot didn’t seem that cohesive.
There were mysteries of who the girl was that Cel was dreaming about and if there was a connection between Cel and her, who the Board members were, what they did and why Cel wasn’t allowed on the third floor, what happened to the previous curator that vanished, and what the deal was with Aba. Some questions were answered but frustratingly others weren’t.
I did appreciate the diversity in the characters as well as the exploration of how people with mental health conditions have been treated and mistreated throughout psychiatric history.
Ultimately though, I was expecting more from this paranormal mystery and unfortunately I was fairly bored for most of the story. While I know people experience mental health conditions differently I found Cel’s character irritating, particularly the amount of time she spent snapping at the other characters. Frankly I was surprised she made it past the interview to get the job in the first place and shocked she managed to keep the job.
Favourite line (by Holly) - “Be gone. I have to librarian.” (page 183)
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Oni Press for the opportunity to read this graphic novel.
This should have been the perfect graphic novel for me. I hate writing negative reviews and I want you to know there are plenty of really positive reviews too. I would encourage you, if you’re considering reading this graphic novel, to check out some of the 4 and 5 star reviews as well. Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for you. 😊
Our main character, Celeste Walden (Cel), has lost her dream job in a library as a result of a breakdown, lives at home and has been in a five year relationship with Kyle. Kyle sometimes comes across as fairly passive aggressive but most of the time he appears genuinely concerned about his girlfriend’s mental health. Kyle like The X Files so I figure he must be a good guy.
Despite Kyle’s concerns Cel winds up with a job at the Logan Museum as an archivist. The archivist job comes with a fully furnished apartment, which is pretty sweet deal for someone who scans antique medical documents and photos for a living.
Almost immediately Cel starts losing time, dreaming of a girl she’s never met but feels compelled to help and items tend to move around unassisted. Her boyfriend is understandably worried about her mental health and she’s pretty good at being the cranky girl pushing people away.
Cel’s boss is Holly Park, the Head Librarian, who’s worked at the museum for three year, has a girlfriend called Gina, and rocks purple hair with a couple of sections of blue. Prior to this job Holly was a medical student.
Abayomi Abiola (Aba) is the 29 year old chief curator who manages the collections and is kind of a mystery for much of the book. He’s standoffish and cold, and you get the impression he knows more about the museum than he lets on.
I spent the majority of the graphic novel wondering how the museum stays open when there are apparently very few customers. I was so close to giving up for more than half of the story because it seemed to drag out, I had no connection with (and didn’t particularly like) any of the characters and the plot didn’t seem that cohesive.
There were mysteries of who the girl was that Cel was dreaming about and if there was a connection between Cel and her, who the Board members were, what they did and why Cel wasn’t allowed on the third floor, what happened to the previous curator that vanished, and what the deal was with Aba. Some questions were answered but frustratingly others weren’t.
I did appreciate the diversity in the characters as well as the exploration of how people with mental health conditions have been treated and mistreated throughout psychiatric history.
Ultimately though, I was expecting more from this paranormal mystery and unfortunately I was fairly bored for most of the story. While I know people experience mental health conditions differently I found Cel’s character irritating, particularly the amount of time she spent snapping at the other characters. Frankly I was surprised she made it past the interview to get the job in the first place and shocked she managed to keep the job.
Favourite line (by Holly) - “Be gone. I have to librarian.” (page 183)
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Oni Press for the opportunity to read this graphic novel.
April 7, 2018
Hoo boy, there's a lot wrong here. The main character is insufferable instead of sympathetic. The characters don't start investigating the mystery until the last quarter of the book. The art is so shaky that character's pupils are sometimes going in violently opposing directions. Worst of all, this is set in a museum library and archive, written by a librarian, that treats librarianship like a fallback job.
The characters that work here are a college dropout, a med school dropout, and someone who inherited the job because the actual librarian is gone. You get the distinct impression that becoming a librarian is something any idiot can do.
The characters that work here are a college dropout, a med school dropout, and someone who inherited the job because the actual librarian is gone. You get the distinct impression that becoming a librarian is something any idiot can do.
February 13, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley
This was a really nice story that managed to be cute and creepy at the same time. I liked how it dealt with Celeste's mental illness and also tied it back into the ghost story and talked a bit about the history of how we've handled mental health [aka not well]. I liked all the characters but also they all felt a little bit two-dimensional and some of their actions I feel were only there to move the plot forward and not because they actually made sense. Really cute character designs though, I love all of Holly's outfits!
This was a really nice story that managed to be cute and creepy at the same time. I liked how it dealt with Celeste's mental illness and also tied it back into the ghost story and talked a bit about the history of how we've handled mental health [aka not well]. I liked all the characters but also they all felt a little bit two-dimensional and some of their actions I feel were only there to move the plot forward and not because they actually made sense. Really cute character designs though, I love all of Holly's outfits!
September 23, 2020
Oy....
Where to even start with this....
I guess I will start with the most obvious thing - the art in this does not match the story AT ALL. The art is VERY juvenile, which gives the graphic novel the immediate appearance of being something that should be aimed at teens or even tweens - but (despite the fantasy elements of the story) the themes in the story itself are way too adult for this audience.
The protagonist is an adult woman suffering from diagnosed clinical depression so severe that it has cost her a job, since she was incapable of actually DOING her job (we actually see her sitting in a closet at her job crying and hiding) and yet she refuses help from not only from her family and friends, but also from doctors... instead she decides that what is best for her is to take on an even MORE difficult and demanding job, and torpedo the heck out of her FIVE YEAR relationship with a guy who is not only the nicest dude on the planet, but also genuinely cares about her. (She breaks up with him because he is worried about her and wants her to get help).
Then we throw in the freaking ghost of a lobotomized former patient of a horrible turn of the century asylum and nothing here makes ANY SENSE!
Also, not to be a total nit-picker, but I am a librarian - a REAL ONE with a DEGREE, and it annoyed the absolute CRAP out of me that not one of the characters were AT ALL qualified to do their jobs, (two of the main characters are college drop-outs who somehow become a museum archivist and a librarian???? REALLY?) and the ONE person who actually finished college tells everyone that he sucks at doing research? AY DIOS MIO!
Where to even start with this....
I guess I will start with the most obvious thing - the art in this does not match the story AT ALL. The art is VERY juvenile, which gives the graphic novel the immediate appearance of being something that should be aimed at teens or even tweens - but (despite the fantasy elements of the story) the themes in the story itself are way too adult for this audience.
The protagonist is an adult woman suffering from diagnosed clinical depression so severe that it has cost her a job, since she was incapable of actually DOING her job (we actually see her sitting in a closet at her job crying and hiding) and yet she refuses help from not only from her family and friends, but also from doctors... instead she decides that what is best for her is to take on an even MORE difficult and demanding job, and torpedo the heck out of her FIVE YEAR relationship with a guy who is not only the nicest dude on the planet, but also genuinely cares about her. (She breaks up with him because he is worried about her and wants her to get help).
Then we throw in the freaking ghost of a lobotomized former patient of a horrible turn of the century asylum and nothing here makes ANY SENSE!
Also, not to be a total nit-picker, but I am a librarian - a REAL ONE with a DEGREE, and it annoyed the absolute CRAP out of me that not one of the characters were AT ALL qualified to do their jobs, (two of the main characters are college drop-outs who somehow become a museum archivist and a librarian???? REALLY?) and the ONE person who actually finished college tells everyone that he sucks at doing research? AY DIOS MIO!
September 8, 2018
The cover and title are a little misleading! I was expecting a paranormal romance about archives, instead got a slightly spooky mystery about mental health and the legacy of psychiatric sanatoriums. I would have preferred the former, but the latter was alright. I don't think the art will be for everyone, but I found it charming.
Also not to be That Librarian - there's some big suspension of disbelief to be done regarding how this fictional library/archive/museum is operated - but there is one particularly glaring unreality that could have been corrected in a number of ways. If there was, posted on a popular online job board, an archival job with no degree requirement that came with a fully furnished apartment - I don't care if the archives were haunted by forty distinct ghosts that needed to be fed and bathed daily, there is no way Celeste would be the only applicant.
Also not to be That Librarian - there's some big suspension of disbelief to be done regarding how this fictional library/archive/museum is operated - but there is one particularly glaring unreality that could have been corrected in a number of ways. If there was, posted on a popular online job board, an archival job with no degree requirement that came with a fully furnished apartment - I don't care if the archives were haunted by forty distinct ghosts that needed to be fed and bathed daily, there is no way Celeste would be the only applicant.
January 14, 2019
I just had a really hard time suspending my disbelief over the basic premise of "these medical archives will hire a college dropout as an archivist and we provide an on-site apartment for you to live in and you can only digitize things at NIGHT because those are just the hours okay!" Like...yeah sure that's the setup for a haunted house story or whatever but I feel like the author could have tried a little harder to make that setup make...sense?
That said....the artwork is cute and I appreciate the diverse cast and, I guess I appreciate the inclusion of a clinically depressed main character (although I didn't feel like her whole arc was very fleshed out the way it COULD have been)? But rly would only recommend to diehard fans of haunted house type stories.
That said....the artwork is cute and I appreciate the diverse cast and, I guess I appreciate the inclusion of a clinically depressed main character (although I didn't feel like her whole arc was very fleshed out the way it COULD have been)? But rly would only recommend to diehard fans of haunted house type stories.
February 4, 2018
I received an e-arc from netgally for an honest review.
The main reason I drawn to this graphic novel was because I work in a museum and the prospect of dealing with haunted objects is something we joke about.
The story centers around Cel, who lost her job in a library due to her mental illness and subsequent breakdown. She then sucures a job in a museum which was once a sanitarium amougst other things.
The fact that the location itself is quite unsettling is one thing, but her co-worker doesn't help by being distant and strange. From the beginning things start happening. Noises, bangs, dreams. All making Cel feel 'crazy'. But it's only the start of her journey in the museum.
I really enjoyed this. The main focus of this is mental health and how a young woman battles with it daily. It also connects with the treatment of past generations and makes you realise how lucky we are today to have some great options and help available.
As with all stand alone graphic novels, you never get the real depth of the story in such a short volume. But this would certainly make an interesting novel if padded out.
It's due out in April for anyone who would care to enjoy it.
The main reason I drawn to this graphic novel was because I work in a museum and the prospect of dealing with haunted objects is something we joke about.
The story centers around Cel, who lost her job in a library due to her mental illness and subsequent breakdown. She then sucures a job in a museum which was once a sanitarium amougst other things.
The fact that the location itself is quite unsettling is one thing, but her co-worker doesn't help by being distant and strange. From the beginning things start happening. Noises, bangs, dreams. All making Cel feel 'crazy'. But it's only the start of her journey in the museum.
I really enjoyed this. The main focus of this is mental health and how a young woman battles with it daily. It also connects with the treatment of past generations and makes you realise how lucky we are today to have some great options and help available.
As with all stand alone graphic novels, you never get the real depth of the story in such a short volume. But this would certainly make an interesting novel if padded out.
It's due out in April for anyone who would care to enjoy it.
December 23, 2017
This, was not what I was expecting... yes it is a ghost story inside of an archive, but more than that, it's a story about overcoming fears and personal demons. An and fast paced graphic novel, thank you Netgalley for providing me this arc.
June 23, 2018
This book kind of fell flat for me. Positives first: diverse characters (in terms of race and sexual orientation), dealing with mental health issues, a female lead (who's also a librarian), a ghost story, and an old mental health institution.
Negatives: First, the way the characters interact with each other feels "off." In other words, the actions they take throughout make sense, but they act in ways that are kind of cliched and don't seem totally realistic (Abayomi being totally unwilling to discuss the board and living in fear of them, how Cel acted with her depression, and Kyle's actions in trying to convince her to seek help). Second was the treatment of Cel and her mental health issues. It was realistic, but also seemed a little oversimplified. True, even after she seeks therapy it's not like she's instantly better, but it's also not as simple as freaking out at work and losing your job over it and then being totally able to find a new job right away. Third, the ghost story. Too many hints early on with not much to go on, and then when we do figure out what's going on, the conclusion comes very quickly and it seems too easy of a fix. Also, perhaps too many parallels to Cel's own experiences—not necessarily a bad thing, but again, too convenient here. Fourth, whatever happens to the doctor who mysteriously disappeared the year before? Fifth, why does Cel have to work at night? It's never explained why she can't work during the day like her coworkers.
To sum up, the idea is cool and I really enjoy the artwork, but it didn't quite work for me.
Negatives: First, the way the characters interact with each other feels "off." In other words, the actions they take throughout make sense, but they act in ways that are kind of cliched and don't seem totally realistic (Abayomi being totally unwilling to discuss the board and living in fear of them, how Cel acted with her depression, and Kyle's actions in trying to convince her to seek help). Second was the treatment of Cel and her mental health issues. It was realistic, but also seemed a little oversimplified. True, even after she seeks therapy it's not like she's instantly better, but it's also not as simple as freaking out at work and losing your job over it and then being totally able to find a new job right away. Third, the ghost story. Too many hints early on with not much to go on, and then when we do figure out what's going on, the conclusion comes very quickly and it seems too easy of a fix. Also, perhaps too many parallels to Cel's own experiences—not necessarily a bad thing, but again, too convenient here. Fourth, whatever happens to the doctor who mysteriously disappeared the year before? Fifth, why does Cel have to work at night? It's never explained why she can't work during the day like her coworkers.
To sum up, the idea is cool and I really enjoy the artwork, but it didn't quite work for me.
December 18, 2017
Solid 3.5 stars
I don't know who bottom 2 girls are but 3 standing are, Molly, Gina and Caleste
I really liked the cast here, all of them. All had their flaws but it made book more compelling in the end. I think blurb is pretty accurate and all you need to know to get into this book.
The entire book in color (another kudos) and so easy to read fonts as they are not super tiny or anything - Great job, Weir and Steenz for amazing art.
I don't know who bottom 2 girls are but 3 standing are, Molly, Gina and Caleste
I really liked the cast here, all of them. All had their flaws but it made book more compelling in the end. I think blurb is pretty accurate and all you need to know to get into this book.
The entire book in color (another kudos) and so easy to read fonts as they are not super tiny or anything - Great job, Weir and Steenz for amazing art.
December 28, 2021
↠ 4.29 cawpile | 2.5 stars
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Celeste (mc) has an undiagnosed mental health condition; Black & sapphic scs.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Celeste (mc) has an undiagnosed mental health condition; Black & sapphic scs.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram
June 15, 2018
I mistakenly thought this book was aimed towards much younger readers, but it has a rather dark plot about the damages of ableism in regards to those with mental illness. Don't let the soft, cute artwork trick you! There's some really interesting stuff being discussed in these pages, though I do wish the author had pushed a bit far in some of the themes. Really interesting and unique find in the YA graphic novel world.
July 2, 2025
CW: medical trauma, mental illness, toxic relationship
OOH. OOH I AM SO ANGRY.
This book was the biggest disappointment of the year. Of the decade.
While I applaud the concepts going into this book, I found they were deeply flawed and executed extremely poorly. The message of this story was bogged down by toxic character relationships, questionable archival practice, and the main character's inability to take criticism or accept help.
Perhaps it's my fault for reading this as an archivist (with a Master's in museum studies), but ooh this book made my blood boil.
For the record, most ghost sightings occur through dreams and other inner-mind means. The single sighting of a traditionally ghostly-ghost is on page 241.
Right from the start, the premise of this comic was utterly baffling. Have either of these characters even had a conversation with another human being before?! Not only did miscommunications about the nature of Cel's role abound, details came up only after she had been offered the role.
And, of course, while the minutia of a job does not make for the most compelling of reading, there is not a single word said about the standards set in this museum for metadata or digital file storage. And they don't have..... Internet? Where are you storing these scans? What system are you using to archive them? Where do the photos get put once they're scanned? I hate to believe Cel was simply scanning photos, because then you would end up with a sloppy folder full of disorganized files and no accompanying information. And that's a bigger nightmare than the fucking ghosts.
And she didn't even wear gloves while handling the photographs. The over 100-year-old photographs .
And don't even get me started on when Cel said, "This is boring!" about research and Abayomi replied, "It often is." Clearly you are in the WRONG line of work because oh my god. Oh my good lord. Ooh I was so mad. That's the best part, idiots. The research is what I live for. I spend my hours organizing photographs and paper so other people can research as well!
And don't even get me started on the board members plotline.
1.
2.
3.
4. (Source: I took artifact and cultural heritage law during my Master's. From a practicing lawyer. Karen, ily and miss you.)
All that being said. If you're interested in conversations about cultural heritage and human remains in museums, instead of this book, I would recommend you read Dark Archives by Megan Rosenbloom instead. She delves into the history of and ethics behind several collections of remains and books bound in human skin, which was clearly as great a violation as . There may not be any ghostly-ghosts, but there's still plenty of spookiness to go around.
I cannot in good faith recommend this book.
OOH. OOH I AM SO ANGRY.
This book was the biggest disappointment of the year. Of the decade.
While I applaud the concepts going into this book, I found they were deeply flawed and executed extremely poorly. The message of this story was bogged down by toxic character relationships, questionable archival practice, and the main character's inability to take criticism or accept help.
Perhaps it's my fault for reading this as an archivist (with a Master's in museum studies), but ooh this book made my blood boil.
For the record, most ghost sightings occur through dreams and other inner-mind means. The single sighting of a traditionally ghostly-ghost is on page 241.
Right from the start, the premise of this comic was utterly baffling. Have either of these characters even had a conversation with another human being before?! Not only did miscommunications about the nature of Cel's role abound, details came up only after she had been offered the role.
And, of course, while the minutia of a job does not make for the most compelling of reading, there is not a single word said about the standards set in this museum for metadata or digital file storage. And they don't have..... Internet? Where are you storing these scans? What system are you using to archive them? Where do the photos get put once they're scanned? I hate to believe Cel was simply scanning photos, because then you would end up with a sloppy folder full of disorganized files and no accompanying information. And that's a bigger nightmare than the fucking ghosts.
And she didn't even wear gloves while handling the photographs. The over 100-year-old photographs .
And don't even get me started on when Cel said, "This is boring!" about research and Abayomi replied, "It often is." Clearly you are in the WRONG line of work because oh my god. Oh my good lord. Ooh I was so mad. That's the best part, idiots. The research is what I live for. I spend my hours organizing photographs and paper so other people can research as well!
And don't even get me started on the board members plotline.
1.
2.
3.
4. (Source: I took artifact and cultural heritage law during my Master's. From a practicing lawyer. Karen, ily and miss you.)
All that being said. If you're interested in conversations about cultural heritage and human remains in museums, instead of this book, I would recommend you read Dark Archives by Megan Rosenbloom instead. She delves into the history of and ethics behind several collections of remains and books bound in human skin, which was clearly as great a violation as . There may not be any ghostly-ghosts, but there's still plenty of spookiness to go around.
I cannot in good faith recommend this book.
August 13, 2020
3.5 stars. Celeste “Cel” Walden loses her job as a Library Assistant and answers a posting for an Archives Assistant at a medical museum. The building housing the museum has been different things over its lifetime, including a psychiatric facility.
Soon after Cel begins working at the place (it’s a creepy building, with its silences and lack of visitors, and mysterious Board of Directors), she begins dreaming of a young woman who seems to be undergoing some sort of pseudoscientific treatment for her psychological issues. Cel is particularly affected as she has suffered from depression for years, and there are parallels between her fears and mental health and this mysterious woman’s.
I got chills thinking of how people of colour, and women, have been treated by the medical field for years, and had a bad feeling about why Cel was dreaming about this woman, and why her ghost was so angry. So the story and visuals were working for me in that respect. I had a slightly harder time understanding some of Cel’s actions, and though I could appreciate how her mental health was affecting her behaviour.
And I flat out loved Holly Park, museum Librarian, and her compassion, warmth, smarts, and killer hair and wardrobe.
Soon after Cel begins working at the place (it’s a creepy building, with its silences and lack of visitors, and mysterious Board of Directors), she begins dreaming of a young woman who seems to be undergoing some sort of pseudoscientific treatment for her psychological issues. Cel is particularly affected as she has suffered from depression for years, and there are parallels between her fears and mental health and this mysterious woman’s.
I got chills thinking of how people of colour, and women, have been treated by the medical field for years, and had a bad feeling about why Cel was dreaming about this woman, and why her ghost was so angry. So the story and visuals were working for me in that respect. I had a slightly harder time understanding some of Cel’s actions, and though I could appreciate how her mental health was affecting her behaviour.
And I flat out loved Holly Park, museum Librarian, and her compassion, warmth, smarts, and killer hair and wardrobe.
December 28, 2018
I picked this up randomly at the library based on the cover, and after reading would not recommend it.
The basis for the story is that it parallels a woman in the 21st century struggling with mental health and a woman in the 20s-30s who was institutionalized and abused for her mental illness. The ghost of the latter tries to get the former to help her expose the corrupt institution, which is now the museum where the 21st century woman works.
I thought the artwork was super jarring in contrast with the topic - it didn't match at all, especially since some of the characters looked kind of sloppy. There were lots of characters of color, but there really wasn't a lot of depth. I also hated the main character - she was super shitty and kind of abusive, and I feel like the book didn't address that mental illness does not equal abusiveness.
I also felt like the message fell super flat - it turned mental health into a scary ghost story, warning against the dangers of what happens when mentally ill people "go bad." We really didn't get that much into the ghost's character and as a result she just felt like a warning of what deteriorating mental health can be. The book feels so hollow and disingenuinous on such a sensitive topic.
The basis for the story is that it parallels a woman in the 21st century struggling with mental health and a woman in the 20s-30s who was institutionalized and abused for her mental illness. The ghost of the latter tries to get the former to help her expose the corrupt institution, which is now the museum where the 21st century woman works.
I thought the artwork was super jarring in contrast with the topic - it didn't match at all, especially since some of the characters looked kind of sloppy. There were lots of characters of color, but there really wasn't a lot of depth. I also hated the main character - she was super shitty and kind of abusive, and I feel like the book didn't address that mental illness does not equal abusiveness.
I also felt like the message fell super flat - it turned mental health into a scary ghost story, warning against the dangers of what happens when mentally ill people "go bad." We really didn't get that much into the ghost's character and as a result she just felt like a warning of what deteriorating mental health can be. The book feels so hollow and disingenuinous on such a sensitive topic.
April 6, 2019
My first sitting-outside read of the year!
The author based the main character, Cel, on her own experiences in libraries and archives. Cel’s depression is based on the author’s life too, and the result is a very real, uncomfortable, tense, but ultimately hopeful read. The artwork was quiet and melancholy, a perfect match for the setting. I really liked Cel’s persistence in her pursuit to free Celene, and how she compared and contrasted their experiences with mental illness.
The author based the main character, Cel, on her own experiences in libraries and archives. Cel’s depression is based on the author’s life too, and the result is a very real, uncomfortable, tense, but ultimately hopeful read. The artwork was quiet and melancholy, a perfect match for the setting. I really liked Cel’s persistence in her pursuit to free Celene, and how she compared and contrasted their experiences with mental illness.
November 7, 2018
I enjoyed this book for its representation of mental health and how it can effect someone and those around them when they are at their lowest. It highlights how important it is to have those people in your life who are there for you when you do get to that low point.
May 20, 2018
This is an effectively executed, slow building haunted house story about a woman with mental health issues dealing with how others perceive her, especially as she gets engulfed in the supernatural events surrounding her in her new job.
April 27, 2025
This was just fine for me. I didn’t really love our main character and didn’t really understand her actions. The ending was also very abrupt.
March 17, 2025
This felt like it was almost there, but not quite. I think a lot of it came down to tone and framing, it was hard to pinpoint who the target audience this was for. A good rule-of-thumb (though not always) is the audience is aimed to match the age or demographic of the main character, in this case, mid- to late-twenties and dealing with mental illness, though as someone squarely in this demographic, it didn't really resonate. The humor throughout the book felt like it was aiming to add levity, but it felt a little jarring next to pretty horrifying history and heavy subjects, just didn't mesh well. It felt like it was aiming for an open but optimistic future in the end, but it felt anticlimactic and a little unearned.
I agree with other reviews that Cel is a frustrating main character and her treatment of Kyle seems extreme. I think the book tries to frame it like she's flawed and messy, but the narrative still rewards her actions. Again, it seems at-odds with the goals the story was trying to accomplish. I also agree that it doesn't seem like she really addresses her mental health,
I'm going to gently defend the criticisms about archival work here. A lot of the negative-leaning reviews aren't happy that "all she does is digitize the whole time!" But, I ask, what did they want to see her do in her day-job, exactly? Create a collection development policy? Call the HVAC guy? Argue with a donor? Deaccess parts of the collection? A lot of archival work, especially for someone new to the role (and the field) is going to be some of the grunt work like digitizing box after box of medical records. I also didn't think the digitizing took up that much of the runtime. Yes, it's what she did in her daily work and yes, it's a little grating how much she complains about archival work being boring, but most of the book involved her working with Abayomi and Holly on the ghost stuff.
All in all, I wasn't really impressed. You can tell a lot of care went into this and that the creators understood archives and mental illness, I just don't think a lot of the intentions made it on the page here.
I agree with other reviews that Cel is a frustrating main character and her treatment of Kyle seems extreme. I think the book tries to frame it like she's flawed and messy, but the narrative still rewards her actions. Again, it seems at-odds with the goals the story was trying to accomplish. I also agree that it doesn't seem like she really addresses her mental health,
I'm going to gently defend the criticisms about archival work here. A lot of the negative-leaning reviews aren't happy that "all she does is digitize the whole time!" But, I ask, what did they want to see her do in her day-job, exactly? Create a collection development policy? Call the HVAC guy? Argue with a donor? Deaccess parts of the collection? A lot of archival work, especially for someone new to the role (and the field) is going to be some of the grunt work like digitizing box after box of medical records. I also didn't think the digitizing took up that much of the runtime. Yes, it's what she did in her daily work and yes, it's a little grating how much she complains about archival work being boring, but most of the book involved her working with Abayomi and Holly on the ghost stuff.
All in all, I wasn't really impressed. You can tell a lot of care went into this and that the creators understood archives and mental illness, I just don't think a lot of the intentions made it on the page here.
December 14, 2019
Celeste Walden takes a new job at a creepy old medical museum after being let go from her previous job after a mental breakdown. There are odd aspects to her new situation. She's encouraged to live in an on-site apartment, and required to work during the night. She begins to have bizarre dreams, possibly related to the history of the building, and hearing unexplained noises. Clearly something is going on, but her new supervisor seems reluctant to talk about it …
This was a fun, slightly spooky tale. There's a great deal of depth to the setting and the characters. Although there are supernatural elements, things are, for the most part, played fairly realistically. No power mad sorcerors or supervillain lairs beneath the museum or anything like that.
Steenz’ art makes me happy. It manages to be cartoony without being goofy. And she gets an impressive range of expressions from what at first appear to be fairly simple faces.
I definitely enjoyed this. Recommended!
This was a fun, slightly spooky tale. There's a great deal of depth to the setting and the characters. Although there are supernatural elements, things are, for the most part, played fairly realistically. No power mad sorcerors or supervillain lairs beneath the museum or anything like that.
Steenz’ art makes me happy. It manages to be cartoony without being goofy. And she gets an impressive range of expressions from what at first appear to be fairly simple faces.
I definitely enjoyed this. Recommended!
Read
May 8, 2018All of my librarian friends need to read this graphic novel about books/archives/libraries/information and who owns information. It was fascinating and spooky and relatable. It also has a very realistic depiction of mental health and how people with mental illnesses are treated in the past and present.
May 18, 2019
***I received this book free from a Goodreads giveaway***
Actual Rating: 3.25 stars
Despite being a paranormal mystery, this graphic novel has such colorful cute artwork and I adored it! I read the entire thing in two sittings and I can’t believe I didn’t pick it up sooner (I won it from a Goodreads giveaway over a year ago, whoops).
Archival Quality follows, Cel, a young woman recently fired from job as a librarian after having a mental breakdown at work, as she tries to pick herself back up and move forward by accepting a job at the Logan Museum. But weird things quickly begin to happen as she assumes her role as the archivist. Things in the museum begin to move of their own accord and she starts losing time. Not to mention, Cel’s dreams are haunted by a woman who she has never met. Cel becomes desperate to find out what this woman wants, because she believes helping her will allow Cel to also help herself.
First off, I was totally enthralled by the mystery in this book! With each new incident, I became more and more curious to figure out how Cel was connected to the ghost, what was up with the Logan Museum, and how Cel was going to help.
And of course I loved diversity and themes of this book! The majority of characters are people of color, there’s a f/f side character couple, and depression and mental illness play a big role in the story. I have a relative who is currently struggling with mental illness, and I saw a lot of parallels between their experience and Cel’s (e.g. the breakdowns, spurts of uncontrolled anger, lashing out at those trying to help, not wanting to take medication/see someone for help). I wish they read, so I could ask them if they’d be interested in picking this book up.
I think the biggest thing that prevented me from rating this graphic novel higher was the ending. The ending felt rushed and overly simplified. I was left with many questions and confused on what exactly had happened. This perhaps stemmed from the fact that the worldbuilding remained very ambiguous in relation to its supernatural elements.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I wish I could have had more pages with Cel and her companions. I think Archival Quality could have been much more praiseworthy if there had been more time spent on the ending and the history/workings of the museum. Despite this though, I would recommend giving this book a try if you’re looking to read more graphic novels involving mental health and/or ghosts.
Trigger Warnings: mental illness, depression, breakdowns, abuse of mental health patients in historic asylums, collection of human body parts
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You can see this review, my other reviews & additional bookish posts at my blog: Are You My Book?
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March 29 2018:
Aaaaah, I just won a copy of this book in a giveaway! :D
Actual Rating: 3.25 stars
Despite being a paranormal mystery, this graphic novel has such colorful cute artwork and I adored it! I read the entire thing in two sittings and I can’t believe I didn’t pick it up sooner (I won it from a Goodreads giveaway over a year ago, whoops).
Archival Quality follows, Cel, a young woman recently fired from job as a librarian after having a mental breakdown at work, as she tries to pick herself back up and move forward by accepting a job at the Logan Museum. But weird things quickly begin to happen as she assumes her role as the archivist. Things in the museum begin to move of their own accord and she starts losing time. Not to mention, Cel’s dreams are haunted by a woman who she has never met. Cel becomes desperate to find out what this woman wants, because she believes helping her will allow Cel to also help herself.
First off, I was totally enthralled by the mystery in this book! With each new incident, I became more and more curious to figure out how Cel was connected to the ghost, what was up with the Logan Museum, and how Cel was going to help.
And of course I loved diversity and themes of this book! The majority of characters are people of color, there’s a f/f side character couple, and depression and mental illness play a big role in the story. I have a relative who is currently struggling with mental illness, and I saw a lot of parallels between their experience and Cel’s (e.g. the breakdowns, spurts of uncontrolled anger, lashing out at those trying to help, not wanting to take medication/see someone for help). I wish they read, so I could ask them if they’d be interested in picking this book up.
I think the biggest thing that prevented me from rating this graphic novel higher was the ending. The ending felt rushed and overly simplified. I was left with many questions and confused on what exactly had happened. This perhaps stemmed from the fact that the worldbuilding remained very ambiguous in relation to its supernatural elements.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I wish I could have had more pages with Cel and her companions. I think Archival Quality could have been much more praiseworthy if there had been more time spent on the ending and the history/workings of the museum. Despite this though, I would recommend giving this book a try if you’re looking to read more graphic novels involving mental health and/or ghosts.
Trigger Warnings: mental illness, depression, breakdowns, abuse of mental health patients in historic asylums, collection of human body parts
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You can see this review, my other reviews & additional bookish posts at my blog: Are You My Book?
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March 29 2018:
Aaaaah, I just won a copy of this book in a giveaway! :D
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