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Grimoire Noir

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Beautiful, spooky, and utterly enchanting, Vera Greentea and Yana Bogatch's Grimoire Noir is a charming graphic novel about coming to terms with your own flaws and working past them to protect those dear to you.

Bucky Orson is a bit gloomy, but who isn’t at fifteen?

His best friend left him to hang out with way cooler friends, his dad is the town sheriff, and wait for it―he lives in Blackwell, a town where all the girls are witches. But when his little sister is kidnapped because of her extraordinary power, Bucky has to get out of his own head and go on a strange journey to investigate the small town that gives him so much grief. And in the process he uncovers the town’s painful history and a conspiracy that will change it forever.

283 pages, Paperback

First published July 23, 2019

34 people are currently reading
3425 people want to read

About the author

Vera Greentea

20 books121 followers
Vera Greentea really wants to buy a haunted house one day. In the meantime, she spends her time writing YA and middle-grade about witches, and pretending that the footsteps behind her are ghosts. (They're not. They usually belong to her rather large and clumsy cat, Caspian.) One day, though...

Vera Greentea's first traditionally published book is GRIMOIRE NOIR (July 2019, Macmillan/First Second), but she has been writing and self-publishing comics through her own imprint Greentea Publishing for several years. If you like spooky stories about the Day of the Dead, or demon cookbooks, or animals haunted by creepy spirits, find more of Greentea's writing at greenteapublishing.com.


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5 stars
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3 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 870 reviews
Profile Image for s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all].
1,573 reviews14.9k followers
September 7, 2025
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With summer receding into autumn, I pulled Vera Greentea and Yana Bogatch’s Grimoire Noir down from the shelves during a thunderstorm the other night to revisit this spooky and artistically gorgeous graphic novel. I am a huge sucker for noir aesthetics and plot which this book certainly delivers on But wait, there’s more (to be read in Billy Mays’ voice)! Blackwell is cut off from the rest of the world because its inhabited by witches and ghosts and the story is complete with a fairly rich lore on how they came to be and why only women are able to possess these powers. While a bit light and rushed on plot even with all it’s twists and turns, the artwork more that delivers and this is such a fun ride any hiccups in the narrative are easily glossed over making this a perfect read for spooky season.

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The noir elements are delightful here with greyscale art, endless rain instead of fog, loads of depression and a detective in a trenchcoat and fedora aided exclusively by women in his search for his missing sister. Nobody smokes but my noir itch has been scratched and there are plenty of red herrings to misdirect the plot in order for more backstory and worldbuilding to slowly seep in. The book also delivers on witchcraft elements with a mysterious coven, cool powers unique to each witch, and lots of ghosts and dark narrative elements that will creep under your skin. It’s well constructed and a lot of fun.

The story sometimes feels rushed but overall it works. There is a great tension between the two protagonists, Bucky and Chamomile, who were friends until Bucky’s relative jealousy of her witch abilities began to fracture their bond. She aids him in his search for his likely-kidnapped sister, but keeps her distance and functions as a sort of femme fatale for the noir aspects. The flashback scenes of their friendship and their fumbling attempts to reconnect are moving and add another great layer to the already textured emotionally somber and heavy tone of the book. Narrative aside, the characters really drive it and there is a very wonderful and diverse cast for the story to play with, most notably the witches’ coven and a slow-burn side-story about a powerful family from which the coven leader, Matilda, belongs. Luckily all the side-plots converge and the conclusion feels very satisfying and even surprising. A noir success for sure.

What really makes this story fun, however, is the art. Everything is highly stylized and absolutely gorgeous. The landscapes are eerie and detailed and the character designs are outrageously cool. The greyscale art has only small touches of color on occasion, which really pop, suchs as Cham’s piercing blue eyes. The characters are very expressive, the frames feel very fluid, and the art produces such an engaging and eerie tone it is hard to put down yet you’ll find yourself pausing to get lost in the lovely art.

While the story might only deserve 3 stars, 5 stars can’t contain the brilliance of the art and giving this anything less than 4 feels cheap. My 10 year old has been obsessed with this book for 2 years now and is frequently found rereading it under the covers at night. It is quick but lasting, and just a fun-filled ride. Get in the spooky season mood with Grimoire Noir>!

4/5

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Profile Image for destiny ♡ howling libraries.
2,002 reviews6,197 followers
March 9, 2019
This is a little tough to rate, because I honestly want to give the artwork 5 solid stars, and the storyline 3 at best. It's a positively stunning book with a lot of lovely and unique characters, but the plot needs more fleshing out and the ending was confusing, anticlimactic, and didn't really make much sense. There are definitely some noir elements to allude to the title, but by the time you reach the conclusion, it feels like there were a lot of vague red herrings thrown out there just to up the "mystery" of it all. All in all, I wasn't a huge fan of this one, but it has potential and I'd probably give these authors another chance if they release another graphic novel as pretty as this one.

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Profile Image for Mir.
4,974 reviews5,332 followers
July 27, 2021
Solid art and a number of interesting images and ideas.
Weaker in terms of characters and a especially dialog, which often seemed flat and boring.

I think this suffered from trying to do too much in not enough space. A number of interesting touches didn't end up going anywhere and some intriguing characters like the Tucker siblings and the Crows got so little page time they weren't developed enough.

In short, a lot of good stuff that doesn't really come together into something memorable. I'd probably try the author again. 3.5 stars.

Profile Image for Calista.
5,432 reviews31.3k followers
August 12, 2021
I loved this story. It set such a mood and a tone. Let's start with the artwork. It's black and white, but there are pages where the artist bring in one color to highlight a pumpkin field or blue eyes subtlety. The story is about magic and the artwork takes you into this magical world and I love it. The tone is very much noir and it will be a great middle grade read for kids and above.

Bucky Orson is dressed like an old time detective in a trench coat. His sister has disappeared and he is trying to find her. The funny thing about this town is it's a town full of witches. Only girls have magic and they can't leave the town. There is a magical barrier to protect them. The town has many secrets and Bucky learns many of them as he is looking for his sister.

Wow!!! This story was amazing. It was just the story I needed right now. I wish there was more in this world. I love this book. I want to own it.

If you can stand graphic novels at all, you should check this book out.
Profile Image for Jessica.
Author 26 books5,911 followers
October 17, 2019
Let me just get this off my chest: THE ART IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. I mean, seriously. The book is worth it for the art ALONE. The story is also good, but I felt a little cheated. There was so much world building and character building that when it was over I was like, WAIT WHAT NOW THAT CAN'T BE ALL YOU MUST TELL ME MORE! So, yes, I would love a sequel, should the author and illustrator choose to bless us with one. In the meantime here's a wonderful spooky ghosts/witches/detective story, perfect for Halloween!
Profile Image for Jay G.
1,648 reviews443 followers
September 28, 2019
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...

I was sent a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

Bucky Orson wants nothing more than to find his little sister, Heidi, who disappeared one day from her bedroom without a trace. At first, their parents just think she is playing a trick, she is a witch with the ability to become invisible after all. But as time continues to pass, and Heidi doesn't come home, they begin to wonder if she was kidnapped. Determined to find his sister, Bucky begins an investigation into the towns people and discovers more than he bargained for.

The artwork in this graphic novel is absolutely breathtaking. The colours and facial expressions really bring these characters to life. I was instantly hooked into the story and these characters. I found it so interesting that only the females of the town were able to have magic and that they were never able to leave, almost making their powers more of a curse than a gift. The conclusion was a bit rushed, if I'm being honest, but I still enjoyed the journey to get there.

This is the PERFECT Halloween read and I recommend you pick up a copy, for the artwork alone.
Profile Image for aphrodite.
521 reviews876 followers
September 22, 2019
OH MY GOD THIS WAS SO GOOD !!!

I’m such a sucker for short stories, especially ones told with such beautiful art. the setting of this is exactly what I’ve been into lately: a town where everyone accepts and is conscious of magic. it gives me noir beautiful creatures vibes and I loved it.

I imagine there will be more volumes to this considering how it ended but it wasn’t so much a cliffhanger where I’m dissatisfied. I didn’t have any expectations going in but I was pleasantly surprised but how entertaining this graphic novel was.
Profile Image for Whitney Jamimah.
849 reviews71 followers
February 6, 2023
10/2019
5 stars for the art and 3.5 stars for the storyline.
This is a noir style book about a small town in which only females can be born with magick. They can use it, they are protected by law to use it but they are trapped in the town to keep their magick under wraps. Our main character Bucky is a male and he is magick-less but his sister Heidi is showing the most promise with magick that has been seen in many years and she has gone missing. Bucky sets out to discover where his sister has gone.

I thought the story was fun. The pacing was just right and like I said before, the art is gorgeous. On the second to last page there was a few panels that to me felt like there will probably be another book and I would definitely not argue with that! I’d be thrilled to immerse myself in another story created by these two talented women. My only complaint is that this book was so well done I’d imagine it takes a long time to finish and I don’t want to wait!

10/2022
Still waiting for that second installment (lol). I looked and it doesn’t appear that there is anything that’s been announced for a continuation. The art in this book is just absolutely stunning, that’s the shining star of this book. The story is good enough but that art makes it more than worth while. When I finished the book I wanted to go back and reread it simply for the gorgeous drawings.
Profile Image for Sud666.
2,330 reviews198 followers
July 26, 2021
I generally don't care for YA, but I rather like this unique little find. The story reminded me of the Harrow County series by C. Bunn.

In the small town of Blackwell, there exists a coven of witches. The town protects the witches and in return, their powers fall within "the law" and they are restricted to the village boundaries. One day, Heidi, the Sheriff's daughter disappears. Her brother, Bucky, must look for clues to find his sister. As he is doing this, he is helped by his former friend, Cham. These two stumble across what seems to be a conspiracy that could involve any number of players.

While for the most part, the story was good. The ending was rather abrupt and I felt that there should be a lot more to this story. Is there another volume? I'd certainly read it. While by no means bad, I had much higher hopes for the story. There is quite a lot of good material for a deeper story. It is almost as if the author ran out of space.

But, no matter what, I much heap bounteous praise on Yana Bogatch's absolutely gorgeous artwork. I loved it and that was the main reason I bought the book. It is 5 star material. A gorgeous art style that uses color creatively. Bucky's character is always portrayed in a black and white format that enhances his "detective noir" style. I certainly hope to see much more of this artist. Beautiful artwork.
Profile Image for JohnnyBear.
172 reviews17 followers
January 20, 2022
Strong 6 out of 10

Grimoire Noir is a paranormal graphic novel by Vera Greentea and Yana Bogatch. You follow a character named Bucky. He lives in a town where all the girls have these charms that give them magical powers, but the catch is that they can never leave the town. Bucky's little sister suddenly goes missing, so Bucky goes full-out Sherlock Holmes to try and find her. Bucky also has a friend, named Cham, who supposedly is helping him with the search.

Ghost

The artwork in this book is truly phenomenal. This must have taken an extraordinarily long time to create. The composition is always really creative and moves your eyes perfectly throughout the page. All the gritty textures and dank colors really give this book a unique feeling. The character designs are great but my only criticism in the art department would have to be that all of these characters look like "A" list actors/actresses. It's like Keeper of the Lost Cities level of perfection in the character designs. It does give this book a different feel since everyone looks stunning and perfect, but I would've liked to see more grittiness in the character designs.

The artwork is easily somewhere around 9.5/10, but the story could've been done with some better pacing. I found myself confused about a lot of parts in this book. Also, I think some of the dialogue could've been rewritten to be more clear. This book is tainted by the less than stellar, (at times) writing, but I would've liked a more clear plot, and maybe some better exposition.

Bucky

It's a decent read. You don't generally get a lot of graphic novels that deal with more gritty and paranormal storylines. I enjoyed this book, but I would've maybe done a few more drafts to help make this book more clear. I think I'd like it more on future re-reads, if I get around to re-reading it. Definitely worth getting if you're a fan of incredible artwork though!

Old Man
Profile Image for Kathy.
3,273 reviews57 followers
October 18, 2020
The artwork is incredible, the story was okay. There was a lot of development going into a character, and then it stopped and we didn't see them much after that. Just didn't really work for me.
Profile Image for Inna.
823 reviews249 followers
October 13, 2020
This graphic novel about witches was so admirably written and beautifully illustrated that I definitely will read it again next October!
P.S. Need the sequel!
Profile Image for Mandy.
636 reviews67 followers
September 29, 2019
I hadn't heard anything about this book before it was advertised for my library online. I'm always down for a missing sister plot line, but then add in witches? Yes, please! I was pleasantly surprised by just how good the art was as well. It was dark, moody, broody, and wonderfully detailed. I was super impressed, and I loved how atmospheric and spooky the art got while still bringing a light to it.

The biggest issue that I had with the book was perhaps I never fully grasped it overall. I always felt like there was just something out of reach that I couldn't connect the dots on. I just wanted to fully get it, but I struggled. I also had issues with some of the characters - I never connected with them, and Bucky felt so selfish to me at times especially with Cham. The plot was interesting and I was pretty invested, but it just felt...off?

Overall, this was a decent graphic novel that provided an intriguing world and wonderful art. Really, I would recommend this book for the art, but the story was just okay.
Profile Image for iris :).
12 reviews30 followers
April 21, 2021
Okay, here's my kinda review thing.

I thought the art was amazing, but honestly, that could be my brain overcompensating for my lack of artistic abilities. The plot? I wasn't sold. I liked it until the end, when everything was all of a sudden better. It was CLIMAX (not that great of a climax, I should add) and then HAPPY EVER AFTER.

I did feel for Griselda, though. Her story was kinda sad.

disappointed gifs | WiffleGif
Profile Image for Channa.
199 reviews33 followers
March 29, 2020
5 stars for the artwork, 2 stars for the storyline!

I didn't really connect with the characters, found the dialogue clunky, and also happen to despise , so the plot just wasn't for me. But the artwork - GORGEOUS! I need more illustrations from this artist, and I need them now!
Profile Image for taylor ⛅️ ann wright.
Author 2 books398 followers
September 2, 2024
This was everything I could have asked for in a graphic novel.
I’m keeping this and rereading it every fall. It’s decided. 🍁
This was spooky, yet cozy, full intrigue and mystery. The storytelling and world building was a perfect balance of intricate yet easy to follow.
I. Loved. This. 👏🏼✨
Profile Image for Victoria.
395 reviews78 followers
June 2, 2020
В загадочном городе Блэквелл все девочки имеют магические способности, а мальчики – нет.

Как и почему это произошло? Какая тайна много веков прячется в одном колодце? Все ли довольны таким положением вещей и к чему оно может привести? Об этом мы узнаем, посмотрев на ситуацию глазами главного героя – Бакки, который расследует внезапное исчезновение своей младшей сестры.

Всем любителям магии, волшебного, готической мрачной атмосферы, ведьм и колдовства – «Чёрный гримуар» просто must-have для вас. А её визуальная составляющая просто ВАУ (листалка доступна в сториз и в актуале профиля «Листалка»).

Сам сюжет и правда цепляет. Это не пустышка с кучей волшебства, а трогательная история и дружбе, и о принятии своих способностей и недостатков, о зависти, о том, как научиться жить будучи самим собой в этом мире.

Мне книга очень понравилась, так что я даже пока не убираю на полку с прочитанным, а периодически листаю её, разглядываю. После чтения не хочется выныривать в реальный мир, хочется остаться в этом волшебном городке и дальше разгадывать его секреты.

И автору, и иллюстратору – БРАВО!
Profile Image for Kim.
1,604 reviews36 followers
June 7, 2020
My friend Alicia's recent review put this graphic novel on my radar, and I enjoyed my introduction to the small town of Blackwell. Since the witch-trials several centuries ago, all of the girls are born with Magick, but are unable to leave the confines of the town. Bucky’s little sister Heidi disappeared a couple of days ago, and his mother, distraught, cannot stop crying. Which is a problem, because her tears are linked to rainfall, and the town is starting to flood. As police chief, Bucky’s dad needs to respect the delicate political balance and can’t just search all the houses without evidence. Bucky isn’t so restricted, and he’s doing his own investigating, complete with trench coat and fedora.

The story itself meanders a fair amount, and rates about a 3. But the beautifully drawn panels more than make up for a somewhat uneven storyline. Yana Bogatch’s moody, goth illustrations carry the story along and are such a visual treat. Her work is 5-star all the way.

Teens who enjoy a good dose of creepiness in their graphic novels will devour this.
Profile Image for Karyl.
2,133 reviews151 followers
December 4, 2020
First things first — this book is GORGEOUS. The artwork is just so incredibly done, with great detail paid to every line. I also loved how some of the frames had a definitely depth of field, with the items in the foreground crisp and clear, and those in the background blurry, like you’d get with a photograph. It really pleased me.

But while the artwork is absolutely stunning, the plot itself leaves a bit to be desired. There’s a lot of world building and character development, and then it just... ends. I realize that the author probably wants to publish a sequel, which would be grand, but it’s not just that it ends somewhat on an anti-climax. There’s just so much more that the author could have done with the characters she’s given us. I feel like we got just the barest taste of her world and her thoughts, and it’s a bit disappointing.

That said, I did enjoy this book, and I really hope the author publishes a sequel, hopefully one a bit more fleshed out.
Profile Image for Jessica Mae.
260 reviews27 followers
April 4, 2020
This cover caught my attention the first time I saw it on the shelf, and I'm so glad I finally picked it up! It has such a spooky, beautiful, Harry Potter-esque atmosphere that I instantly fell in love with. The artwork is gorgeous, the story is compelling... I just can't say enough good things about it. My only complaint is that it's too short! I would easily read a long book series that expanded on this world. (I'm open to suggestions!)
Profile Image for Phoebe.
76 reviews7 followers
November 9, 2019
This story really lacked for me, I’d probably give it 2.5 stars. HOWEVER the artwork is phenomenal and I would give it all the stars in the universe.
Profile Image for SpaceBubble.
222 reviews26 followers
November 6, 2021
Des planches magnifiques avec des dessins pleins de ronds et déliés, des couleurs ensorcelantes et une histoire belle et entêtante. J’ai adoré cette lecture, et elle plaira a beaucoup d’autres. Elle se situe dans la catégorie young adult, et effectivement, je pense que les enfants et jeunes ados ne comprendront pas la morale sous-jacente.
Profile Image for Aliks Pendragon.
107 reviews39 followers
October 19, 2022
hmmmm j'en parlerai plus longuement sur le blog, je suis très mitigée.
Profile Image for October.
41 reviews4 followers
August 25, 2025
3.5*

The illustrations in this were phenomenal! The story was a little rushed towards the end but it was an adorably witchy graphic novel.
Profile Image for Jill.
1,314 reviews26 followers
July 9, 2019
I really loved this graphic novel. The story is all about a town where all the girls born in the town have magical powers. Our story starts off with Heidi, the daughter of the town sheriff, going missing. Her brother, Bucky, tries to help investigate her disappearance and goes around the town asking questions. I really liked this book because there were plenty of twists and turns throughout. I thought I had figured out what was going on but I was wrong which I actually enjoyed! The worst thing in a mystery type book is when you figure it out from the beginning. The artwork was really gorgeous too. It really added to the story and was very visually pleasing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Fern.
639 reviews50 followers
October 12, 2019
The art in this is absolutely STUNNING and really sets the mood of the story. Sadly the actual story was not as fleshed out as it should have been.
It was a really interesting witchy concept and is a perfect story for this October spooky season. But a lot of really interesting plot points are left unresolved or are introduced but never played off at the end. Also the ending was really rushed and barely explained anything. I really wanted this to be an amazing read but sadly I think it should have been a 2 or 3 volume story so everything could have been resolved.
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