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Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom
"Nancy Drew is seventeen and good at everything...ESPECIALLY solving crimes. But her totally-in-control-and-obviously-running-perfectly-smooth-(but-not-really) life hits a snag when a mysterious message drags her back to the hometown she left behind. There she'll have to find out which of her friends are still her friends, which are enemies, and who exactly is trying to kill her...and (hopefully) stop them before they succeed. KELLY THOMPSON (Uncanny X-Men, Mr. & Mrs. X, Jessica Jones) and JENN ST-ONGE (Giant Days, The Misfits) team up to present an all-new modern spin on a classic mystery icon!"
125 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2019
79 people are currently reading
1117 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Thompson
768 books1,033 followersKELLY THOMPSON has a degree in Sequential Art from The Savannah College of Art & Design. Her love of comics and superheroes have compelled her since she first discovered them as a teenager. Currently living in Portland, Oregon with her boyfriend and the two brilliant cats that run their lives, you can find Kelly all over the Internet where she is generally well liked, except where she's detested.
Kelly has published two novels - THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE KING (2012) and STORYKILLER (2014) and the graphic novel HEART IN A BOX from Dark Horse Comics (2015). She's currently writing ROGUE & GAMBIT, HAWKEYE, and PHASMA for Marvel Comics and GHOSTBUSTERS for IDW. Other major credits include: A-Force, Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps, Jem and The Holograms, Misfits, Power Rangers Pink, and the creator-owned mini-series Mega Princess.
Kelly's ambitions are eclipsed only by her desire to exist entirely in pajamas. Fortunately pajamas and writers go hand in hand (most of the time). Please buy all her stuff so that she can buy (and wear) more pajamas.
Kelly has published two novels - THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE KING (2012) and STORYKILLER (2014) and the graphic novel HEART IN A BOX from Dark Horse Comics (2015). She's currently writing ROGUE & GAMBIT, HAWKEYE, and PHASMA for Marvel Comics and GHOSTBUSTERS for IDW. Other major credits include: A-Force, Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps, Jem and The Holograms, Misfits, Power Rangers Pink, and the creator-owned mini-series Mega Princess.
Kelly's ambitions are eclipsed only by her desire to exist entirely in pajamas. Fortunately pajamas and writers go hand in hand (most of the time). Please buy all her stuff so that she can buy (and wear) more pajamas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 393 reviews
March 6, 2019
Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom by Kelly Thompson and Jenn St. Onge (Illustrator) is a 2019 Dynamite entertainment publication.
This is not your grandmother’s Nancy Drew!
This graphic novel gives our favorite teenage detective a long overdue makeover of sorts. I’m not sure if one would categorize it as an updated version of the classic or if it might qualify as a reboot.
Either way, these teenagers might stun fans of the traditional version. Young Adult readers, however, will probably love it.
The colorful illustrations are amazing, capturing the character’s personalities and the scenery, beautifully. The mystery is geared towards a younger audience, as it should be, but is solid enough, though not on the same scale of the Nancy Drew novels.
I think it is great fun to have a Nancy Drew graphic novel, and I'm glad someone has thought to give Nancy and her friends a much -needed makeover. However, some changes were too drastic for a YA series, which has always been geared toward middle grade and younger teens, not the older YA crowd- in my opinion. A nice balance between the old and the new might be the better approach.
Other than that, I like the concept and enjoyed seeing the Hardy Boys featured in this story, too. I hope there are more installments in the works.
3.5
This is not your grandmother’s Nancy Drew!
This graphic novel gives our favorite teenage detective a long overdue makeover of sorts. I’m not sure if one would categorize it as an updated version of the classic or if it might qualify as a reboot.
Either way, these teenagers might stun fans of the traditional version. Young Adult readers, however, will probably love it.
The colorful illustrations are amazing, capturing the character’s personalities and the scenery, beautifully. The mystery is geared towards a younger audience, as it should be, but is solid enough, though not on the same scale of the Nancy Drew novels.
I think it is great fun to have a Nancy Drew graphic novel, and I'm glad someone has thought to give Nancy and her friends a much -needed makeover. However, some changes were too drastic for a YA series, which has always been geared toward middle grade and younger teens, not the older YA crowd- in my opinion. A nice balance between the old and the new might be the better approach.
Other than that, I like the concept and enjoyed seeing the Hardy Boys featured in this story, too. I hope there are more installments in the works.
3.5
August 7, 2019
When I was young, living in a house with sisters, there were all these "girl" books about the house that I also read, some of which had been handed down from someone in the family from the previous generation: Hardy Boys, Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, mysteries for children/tweens/ya. There were romances, too. And I just devoured them all, reading for escape, not edification.
There have been other efforts to resuscitate Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, of course, in books/tv/films, but this is a solid comics series by Dynamite "modernized" to include guns and drugs and some mild profanity. The series, mostly women-created, focuses on Nancy, but the Hardy Boys are part of the mystery-solving club, too, as a wide group of teens try to figure out just who it is wants to kill the inimitable Ms. (Miss, in the original) Drew. (Such imagined violence would not have been part of an original Carolyn Keene [a pseudonym for the writers Mildred Wirt Benson and Walter Karig] series; with titles such as Nancy Drew and the 99 Steps, Nancy's Mysterious Letter).
Part of the almost predictable update is that Nancy's "crowd" include queer friends, friends of color, references to Taylor Swift and so on, but it's meant for younger audiences so is not all that edgy. It's a bit of Scooby and Buffy, really, a group of fun-loving friends on a project. It's Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland "let's put on a play, gang!" only this gang is solving mysteries. Kelly Thompson's the writer, and she makes it fun, and the art from Jenn St.-Onge is light and breezy and colorful. Escapist fun, not for edification, I was relieved to see.
There have been other efforts to resuscitate Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, of course, in books/tv/films, but this is a solid comics series by Dynamite "modernized" to include guns and drugs and some mild profanity. The series, mostly women-created, focuses on Nancy, but the Hardy Boys are part of the mystery-solving club, too, as a wide group of teens try to figure out just who it is wants to kill the inimitable Ms. (Miss, in the original) Drew. (Such imagined violence would not have been part of an original Carolyn Keene [a pseudonym for the writers Mildred Wirt Benson and Walter Karig] series; with titles such as Nancy Drew and the 99 Steps, Nancy's Mysterious Letter).
Part of the almost predictable update is that Nancy's "crowd" include queer friends, friends of color, references to Taylor Swift and so on, but it's meant for younger audiences so is not all that edgy. It's a bit of Scooby and Buffy, really, a group of fun-loving friends on a project. It's Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland "let's put on a play, gang!" only this gang is solving mysteries. Kelly Thompson's the writer, and she makes it fun, and the art from Jenn St.-Onge is light and breezy and colorful. Escapist fun, not for edification, I was relieved to see.
February 28, 2019
I've never been the biggest Nancy Drew fan, but I remembered the characters well enough that my favorite thing about this graphic novel was seeing them re-imagined as modern, fun teens. (HIGH key loving the fact that my fave from my childhood, George, grew up to be a queer punk girl?!) The plot was okay—a little underwhelming, maybe, and certainly predictable—but the characters were fun and the art was lovely, so I feel pretty comfortable giving this 4 stars. I assume this creator is going to make more in this 'series', and if that's the case, I think I'll check them out, too.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 1, 2020
UPDATE: Buddy read this with my brother and it's still top notch 👌
Time to be honest: this was the very first Nancy Drew anything I've ever read. Same for the Hardy Boys. I even had some of their books on my shelf growing up. I just didn't really care enough or thought they would be boring since they weren't about fairies or sharks (I had eclectic interests, okay).
So forgive for being surprised, but this reimagined graphic novel was kinda amazing?? And it's making me want to read actual Nancy Drew? I shelve about a million of these things at the library every day and maybe I should check one out for myself.
The Art
First things first, the art in this was super good! A lot of comics have that weird state-of-being I have started calling "rushed by a deft hand" in which the artist(s) is/are clearly talented but also clearly didn't have time to be precise, so things end up looking...odd, to put it kindly. A lot of Western comics have this issue, so color me surprised when this turned out to be pretty, well, pretty!
The character designs are all distinct from each other and really did a good job at portraying at face value who these people are. The fashion, the posture, the facial expressions all told of what any given character was thinking behind their dialogue. A lot of comics lack this and end up with poorly done sarcasm and the like because the body language doesn't come across through the medium. Even little things, like how tense the shoulders are during the scene spoke volumes about what was happening. I loved it! I absolutely loved it!
And let it be said that Nancy's fashion sense is peak preppy grunge and I absolutely stan. I would wear literally anything she had on.
The only qualm I have with the art, though, is that there were a few inconsistencies, and they seemed to be grouped together in the climax, which did distract me from the narrative a bit. It wasn't major, just some weird hair color changes and a few panels that seemed to be out of order or something. I'm sure that last one made sense on paper but on my phone screen and the limitations it has, I had to go back a few times because I lost track of the order of events.
Also, and this could just be my phone being dumb or a weird glitch in the file, but the art was kinda pixelated the whole time, which was particularly odd because the text boxes were fine.
The Story
I LOVED the story!! It was so good!!! It was well paced and well executed. There were definitely some cliches in there but they were cliches I generally like so I didn't mind them. I loved how the characters were written and how they grew or didn't grow. Nancy was my favorite, Bess being a close second, with Frank in third place. Honestly, the only character I didn't really care for was Pete but I'm not mad about it. We just didn't really click.
The mystery was awesome. This totally knew how to do detective fiction the right way, where the reader can figure things out too instead of the plot just kind of happening all at once out of nowhere. Things felt consistent and I had a great grasp on the themes and arcs.
One thing that's kinda important to note is that there is a dead mom trope going on, so if that's a trigger for anyone, I'd stay away. It's central to two characters arcs, one of them being Nancy Drew herself, so it's impossible to avoid.
Conclusion
I loved it! I need more in this series!
Time to be honest: this was the very first Nancy Drew anything I've ever read. Same for the Hardy Boys. I even had some of their books on my shelf growing up. I just didn't really care enough or thought they would be boring since they weren't about fairies or sharks (I had eclectic interests, okay).
So forgive for being surprised, but this reimagined graphic novel was kinda amazing?? And it's making me want to read actual Nancy Drew? I shelve about a million of these things at the library every day and maybe I should check one out for myself.
The Art
First things first, the art in this was super good! A lot of comics have that weird state-of-being I have started calling "rushed by a deft hand" in which the artist(s) is/are clearly talented but also clearly didn't have time to be precise, so things end up looking...odd, to put it kindly. A lot of Western comics have this issue, so color me surprised when this turned out to be pretty, well, pretty!
The character designs are all distinct from each other and really did a good job at portraying at face value who these people are. The fashion, the posture, the facial expressions all told of what any given character was thinking behind their dialogue. A lot of comics lack this and end up with poorly done sarcasm and the like because the body language doesn't come across through the medium. Even little things, like how tense the shoulders are during the scene spoke volumes about what was happening. I loved it! I absolutely loved it!
And let it be said that Nancy's fashion sense is peak preppy grunge and I absolutely stan. I would wear literally anything she had on.
The only qualm I have with the art, though, is that there were a few inconsistencies, and they seemed to be grouped together in the climax, which did distract me from the narrative a bit. It wasn't major, just some weird hair color changes and a few panels that seemed to be out of order or something. I'm sure that last one made sense on paper but on my phone screen and the limitations it has, I had to go back a few times because I lost track of the order of events.
Also, and this could just be my phone being dumb or a weird glitch in the file, but the art was kinda pixelated the whole time, which was particularly odd because the text boxes were fine.
The Story
I LOVED the story!! It was so good!!! It was well paced and well executed. There were definitely some cliches in there but they were cliches I generally like so I didn't mind them. I loved how the characters were written and how they grew or didn't grow. Nancy was my favorite, Bess being a close second, with Frank in third place. Honestly, the only character I didn't really care for was Pete but I'm not mad about it. We just didn't really click.
The mystery was awesome. This totally knew how to do detective fiction the right way, where the reader can figure things out too instead of the plot just kind of happening all at once out of nowhere. Things felt consistent and I had a great grasp on the themes and arcs.
One thing that's kinda important to note is that there is a dead mom trope going on, so if that's a trigger for anyone, I'd stay away. It's central to two characters arcs, one of them being Nancy Drew herself, so it's impossible to avoid.
Conclusion
I loved it! I need more in this series!
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July 29, 2019
Nancy Drew is back and reimagined as a modern teenaged sleuth.
I'll be the first to admit that I am not a Nancy Drew fan. My mother handed me the first three books in the series with a "I loved these, you love them too" (no, not you'll—this explains much about my very complicated relationship with her) and I hated them. I felt that 95% of the time was Nancy matching her pumps to her purse and explaining that George was a girl, and that the other 5% was her bumbling about into mysteries and then getting rescued by people. It was booooooooring.
Anywho, this Nancy is a lot more like Veronica Mars. She's super smart, super sassy, and has a troubled past (and a missing mother...well, dead, but still) that has come back to haunt her.
Her friends are also much more diverse in this go-round, with fantastic sapphic rep, fat rep, POC rep and much more. Plus the Hardy Boys make an appearance!! And Bess is 100% fantastic in every way.
While the mystery itself was a little quick and kinda predictable (and what is up with Nancy's love of thigh highs??), it was a lot more high stakes than I remembered and much snarkier.
I'm super happy I finally got around to reading this!
I'll be the first to admit that I am not a Nancy Drew fan. My mother handed me the first three books in the series with a "I loved these, you love them too" (no, not you'll—this explains much about my very complicated relationship with her) and I hated them. I felt that 95% of the time was Nancy matching her pumps to her purse and explaining that George was a girl, and that the other 5% was her bumbling about into mysteries and then getting rescued by people. It was booooooooring.
Anywho, this Nancy is a lot more like Veronica Mars. She's super smart, super sassy, and has a troubled past (and a missing mother...well, dead, but still) that has come back to haunt her.
Her friends are also much more diverse in this go-round, with fantastic sapphic rep, fat rep, POC rep and much more. Plus the Hardy Boys make an appearance!! And Bess is 100% fantastic in every way.
While the mystery itself was a little quick and kinda predictable (and what is up with Nancy's love of thigh highs??), it was a lot more high stakes than I remembered and much snarkier.
I'm super happy I finally got around to reading this!
September 29, 2019
Welcome Back,
Before I even start to talk about plot with this one I have to say I have always been a huge Nancy Drew fan since I was a tiny child. I used to read the Nancy Drew books (I would get them from the library constantly, and whenever I saw one in a thrift shop it was mine), I played the video games (which my library also had but I have several still on PC today, thank you Steam), watched the newer movie when it came out (even got a copy as a birthday gift one year), and now I highly anticipate watching the new Nancy Drew show. So when I saw this new Nancy Drew graphic novel in my hoopla I was like a must-read, must-own, must consume! I heard another booktuber talk about this graphic novel and give it high praise so that only excited me more. So without further ado let's talk about the new Nancy Drew.
SPOILERS AHEAD
In this new graphic novel, Nancy Drew is living in a different town from where she grew up with her father. Here is she solving mysteries and kicking butt like always with her crew (she has two new teammates that help her with tech and other stuff) however, one day after some mystery-solving Nancy arrives home to find a letter (you know the kind from television with the cut out magazine letters) that is sending her running back to her hometown and the place where her mother died. Nancy arrives and her and her old gang (including Bess, George, the Hardy Boys, and a few others) go off to the caves to try to solve this mystery but all they find is a bigger one!
I want to start by saying I loved this graphic novel so much more than I ever thought I would. I already love Nancy Drew but this was amazing. I never wanted it to end and when it did end I immediately went to Goodreads to see if I could find out if the author was writing more in the series. I, unfortunately, could not find anything but I sincerely hope to hear that they are sometime soon because I want more! The illustrations are amazing, the way this author and illustrator made Nancy is one of my favorite Nancys and I love her crew just as much! I am giving this graphic novel five stars and if you have not yet read it definitely check it out ASAP.
Before I even start to talk about plot with this one I have to say I have always been a huge Nancy Drew fan since I was a tiny child. I used to read the Nancy Drew books (I would get them from the library constantly, and whenever I saw one in a thrift shop it was mine), I played the video games (which my library also had but I have several still on PC today, thank you Steam), watched the newer movie when it came out (even got a copy as a birthday gift one year), and now I highly anticipate watching the new Nancy Drew show. So when I saw this new Nancy Drew graphic novel in my hoopla I was like a must-read, must-own, must consume! I heard another booktuber talk about this graphic novel and give it high praise so that only excited me more. So without further ado let's talk about the new Nancy Drew.
SPOILERS AHEAD
In this new graphic novel, Nancy Drew is living in a different town from where she grew up with her father. Here is she solving mysteries and kicking butt like always with her crew (she has two new teammates that help her with tech and other stuff) however, one day after some mystery-solving Nancy arrives home to find a letter (you know the kind from television with the cut out magazine letters) that is sending her running back to her hometown and the place where her mother died. Nancy arrives and her and her old gang (including Bess, George, the Hardy Boys, and a few others) go off to the caves to try to solve this mystery but all they find is a bigger one!
I want to start by saying I loved this graphic novel so much more than I ever thought I would. I already love Nancy Drew but this was amazing. I never wanted it to end and when it did end I immediately went to Goodreads to see if I could find out if the author was writing more in the series. I, unfortunately, could not find anything but I sincerely hope to hear that they are sometime soon because I want more! The illustrations are amazing, the way this author and illustrator made Nancy is one of my favorite Nancys and I love her crew just as much! I am giving this graphic novel five stars and if you have not yet read it definitely check it out ASAP.
September 28, 2019
A solid graphic novel adaptation of Nancy Drew! I liked that the characters and setting are updated to be more diverse: there are characters of colour, queer characters, and a plus-sized character. There are also a few pop culture references sprinkled. The plot is just okay, the mystery is a bit more violent than the old Nancy Drew - just a head's up. I liked the art!
September 8, 2020
These days, beloved classic characters aren't what they used to be...and this book is a perfect example of that.
Between the profanity and misuses of God's name, the sexual references, and the drug content, this is not what I'm used to from Nancy Drew. Granted, the Files series--aka my favorite incarnation of the famed teenage sleuth--is a bit edgier than the original novels, but it still keeps things clean-cut; there may be violence, peril, and intensity, but it still feels like a Disney Channel Original Movie. This didn't.
While the artwork was great--hence, the two stars instead of one--reading this made me want to ask: Whatever happened to Randolph Scott? (If you don't know what that's an allusion to, Google it.)
Between the profanity and misuses of God's name, the sexual references, and the drug content, this is not what I'm used to from Nancy Drew. Granted, the Files series--aka my favorite incarnation of the famed teenage sleuth--is a bit edgier than the original novels, but it still keeps things clean-cut; there may be violence, peril, and intensity, but it still feels like a Disney Channel Original Movie. This didn't.
While the artwork was great--hence, the two stars instead of one--reading this made me want to ask: Whatever happened to Randolph Scott? (If you don't know what that's an allusion to, Google it.)
June 3, 2019
Fun! I really liked this cast of characters, and of course especially grumpy George and her girlfriend Danica! Shout out too to Bess being fat and a romantic lead. I will admit that I was never a Nancy Drew fan as a kid, so I don't have any prior connection to these characters, but I really liked this. It's definitely slightly more adult than the originals (including drugs and murder), but there's still a lightness and humour in the band of friends working together to solve a mystery. I'll definitely keep reading!
March 11, 2019
"We have so much history...those ties go deep and aren't easily cut."Friends, this was such an enjoyable read! I've been suffering from the worst reading slump for the past couple of months and just wanted to read and finish something. I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books, and I figured that there is probably no better cure for a slump that a dose of nostalgia -- and how right I was!
One of the things I loved most about reading Nancy Drew was how strong, smart, and capable she a character she is. I loved the reimagining of the characters we know and love as modern day teenagers, and unlike some other reboots that I've read this is written in a way that doesn't alienate a younger reader unfamiliar with the source material but also doesn't alienate people my age that are in it for the nostalgia factor.
I don't read a lot of graphic novels, but I was impressed with how good the character development is in these first 5 issues! Thompson managed to give the reader a real sense of who the characters are and their complicated backstory effortlessly. With Nancy returning after seven years of drifting apart from her friends, the graphic novel briefly touches on that hurt but also shows how with some friends you can just fall back into patterns as if no time passed at all. I liked that the Hardy boys are also in these comics and how gloriously diverse this is.
There was a conversation between George and Nancy that I especially loved that dealt with our propensity to apologize for being emotional or crying. George's response was so perfect: "Why is crying dumb anyway? What are we -- freaking robots?"I really appreciate the normalization of crying in fiction, and the way that both Nancy and Pete are processing their grief in different ways but also are kind of brought together through their loss as well.
Overall this was a really fun read and I will be watching for the next issue because OH GOODNESS THAT ENDING! I loved the art style and the writing is easy to follow, witty, and full of life as the voices of the characters shine through the pages. I definitely recommend this to fans of strong female characters that aren't all pointy (can be soft, too), mystery lovers, and those that read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys as a kid.
CONTENT WARNINGS: grief, loss of a loved one, murder
Many thanks to the publisher for sending me an eARC via NetGalley for review. Quotations are taken from an uncorrected proof and may change upon publication.
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July 22, 2019
Nancy Drew (and the Hardy Boys) are back in graphic novel form! It was only about a decade that Nancy was gone as she had a running series with Papercutz until about 2010 (see Nancy Drew Vampire Slayer. Nancy is now with Dynamite and is much edgier than any other version Nancy Drew. My wife is a lifelong Nancy fan, so I've seen the movies, the shows, and am familiar with the books.
This is not the first attempt to modernize Nancy, but it's the first time that her stories have much more adult themes . Dynamite began their adultification of Nancy in 2017 with the series "Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and the Big Lie". But Nancy is clearly the star in this work (although the Hardy Boys are in it, but just as part of her team, including Bess and George).
The mystery is solid, the supporting characters are more diverse and fleshed out than in other versions, and the artwork is fine.
I bought this for my daughter (age 15) and wife (age - no way am I going to say) to enjoy. My daughter really liked it and so do I. It's a shame, however, that the more adult themes mean this isn't suitable for the younger ages that would normally be Nancy fans. I can't see teenagers ever picking up this title as they don't want to read stories about their mom's character. Unless there was a new sexy show (like Riverdale or Sabrina) to overcome her image.
This is not the first attempt to modernize Nancy, but it's the first time that her stories have much more adult themes . Dynamite began their adultification of Nancy in 2017 with the series "Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and the Big Lie". But Nancy is clearly the star in this work (although the Hardy Boys are in it, but just as part of her team, including Bess and George).
The mystery is solid, the supporting characters are more diverse and fleshed out than in other versions, and the artwork is fine.
I bought this for my daughter (age 15) and wife (age - no way am I going to say) to enjoy. My daughter really liked it and so do I. It's a shame, however, that the more adult themes mean this isn't suitable for the younger ages that would normally be Nancy fans. I can't see teenagers ever picking up this title as they don't want to read stories about their mom's character. Unless there was a new sexy show (like Riverdale or Sabrina) to overcome her image.
February 18, 2019
Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom is quick, thrilling and fun to read. We get to follow teenage detective Nancy Drew as she and her friends solves mysteries in her old hometown.
I have never read any Nancy Drew books and at first I didn't understand that this was one either. I'm from Sweden and here Nancy Drew is called Kitty so I guess it was quite understandable that I didn't get it at first. But once I figured it out the story itself became more captivating and interesting.
My mother was a huge Nancy Drew fan in her teenage years, so reading something that she loved so dearly — and probably still enjoys — I found the graphic novel even more fun to read.
The story itself has plots that is quite hard to figure out and the ending was nothing like I'd imagined it would be. Therefor the book felt like a classic (in a good way) mystery novel.
I really enjoyed the illustrations. They were beautifully made, colorful and full of life. I feel like this Nancy Drew was a lot more "cool" when it comes to looks than the "old" Nancy, but to me it seemed really fitting considering all the bad ass things she does.
Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite Entertainment for the e-ARC of Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom , I really look forward to the next novel in the series!
Also a big thanks to Kelly Thompson for the fun, mystery read. ❤️
I have never read any Nancy Drew books and at first I didn't understand that this was one either. I'm from Sweden and here Nancy Drew is called Kitty so I guess it was quite understandable that I didn't get it at first. But once I figured it out the story itself became more captivating and interesting.
My mother was a huge Nancy Drew fan in her teenage years, so reading something that she loved so dearly — and probably still enjoys — I found the graphic novel even more fun to read.
The story itself has plots that is quite hard to figure out and the ending was nothing like I'd imagined it would be. Therefor the book felt like a classic (in a good way) mystery novel.
I really enjoyed the illustrations. They were beautifully made, colorful and full of life. I feel like this Nancy Drew was a lot more "cool" when it comes to looks than the "old" Nancy, but to me it seemed really fitting considering all the bad ass things she does.
Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite Entertainment for the e-ARC of Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom , I really look forward to the next novel in the series!
Also a big thanks to Kelly Thompson for the fun, mystery read. ❤️
February 7, 2020
I read a handful of Nancy Drew books as a kid, but nothing about them stuck with me (probably because they were ridiculously bland), so I didn't have any expectations going into this. I did like Kelly Thompson was writing it though - she's helmed some of my favourite comics I've read in recent years. Luckily, this title didn't disappoint!
After receiving a threatening letter in the mail, Nancy Drew finds herself heading back to her hometown to re-investigate the area where her mother suffered a fatal accident with her old crew of best friends.
This was such a fun mystery/adventure. The characters are vibrant and full of life (though I have no idea how they compare to their OG counterparts) and the mystery is delightfully fast-paced without skimming. The only downside is the villain of the mystery is... pretty obvious. But it's a fun ride nonetheless.
St. Onge's art is bright and on the cartoony side which suits this title very well. The characters are also wonderfully diverse: we have a queer punk-rock girl, a plus-sized beauty (who gets to date the hunky athlete!), and some POC characters.
Highly recommended, and I really hope there's a volume 2. :)
After receiving a threatening letter in the mail, Nancy Drew finds herself heading back to her hometown to re-investigate the area where her mother suffered a fatal accident with her old crew of best friends.
This was such a fun mystery/adventure. The characters are vibrant and full of life (though I have no idea how they compare to their OG counterparts) and the mystery is delightfully fast-paced without skimming. The only downside is the villain of the mystery is... pretty obvious. But it's a fun ride nonetheless.
St. Onge's art is bright and on the cartoony side which suits this title very well. The characters are also wonderfully diverse: we have a queer punk-rock girl, a plus-sized beauty (who gets to date the hunky athlete!), and some POC characters.
Highly recommended, and I really hope there's a volume 2. :)
August 26, 2019
One of my favorite teen detectives is Nancy Drew and with the upcoming TV series coming, I have been on a Nancy Drew kick. So when I saw this graphic novel at work, I knew I had to read it. Nancy Drew and the Palace of Wisdom starts off with Nancy Drew in her new school and hanging with her new friends and then she arrives home and finds a letter regarding her mother's death and threatening her. The letter is postmarked Bayport - her old hometown where she moved away three years ago when her mother died. Booking a ticket she heads home and is met by her old friends whom they had lost contact. We have George and Bess and the Hardy Boys. As Nancy goes on her adventures, she will realize that her old crew is more hands-on than her new friends and that there is a bit of resentment hanging around. Can the group reunite and solve their own problems before they find themselves in the middle of a police investigation as someone is trying to kill them to stop them from solving a crime? What has Nancy Drew got her friends into this time and is this time maybe a bit over their heads or will they be able to work together and solve the crime and unsolved murder cases before the police? Find out in this fun graphic novel "Nancy Drew and the Palace of Wisdom" for some more Nancy Drew and friends hijinks and prepare yourself for the upcoming CW series "Nancy Drew".
December 23, 2022
hello??????? this is so good?????? like maybe it's a 4.5 but my heart is saying shoot for the stars
February 11, 2019
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley
So pretty much the only experience I've had with either Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys [who are in every issue of this as well, despite not being mentioned in the title] was another reboot comic I read a little over a year ago called The Big Lie [from the same company I think, although I'm not sure if they're supposed to be connected or not]. That being said, I really enjoyed this but I'm not sure how die-hard fans of the originals will feel about it, but if you're open to new interpretations of classic stories then I think it will be a really fun read. The art is super cute and I loved all the characters and character designs. The mystery was exciting and held my attention and I'm definitely interested to see what is going to happen in the next volume.
So pretty much the only experience I've had with either Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys [who are in every issue of this as well, despite not being mentioned in the title] was another reboot comic I read a little over a year ago called The Big Lie [from the same company I think, although I'm not sure if they're supposed to be connected or not]. That being said, I really enjoyed this but I'm not sure how die-hard fans of the originals will feel about it, but if you're open to new interpretations of classic stories then I think it will be a really fun read. The art is super cute and I loved all the characters and character designs. The mystery was exciting and held my attention and I'm definitely interested to see what is going to happen in the next volume.
September 9, 2019
Thank you so much to Diamond Book Distributors for giving me a free copy of this book!
Recently I’ve discovered my love for graphic novels & although I love reading them in physical form, unless I can get them from the library, ebooks are the way to go!
Unfortunately the quality of the images weren’t so good but I still really enjoyed this book :)
It was a nostalgic trip with a basic whodunnit & great characters (Bess & Joe were the cutest!). Slightly aged up a bit (as contains drugs) but really enjoyable for people that watched this kinda thing as a kid!
Recently I’ve discovered my love for graphic novels & although I love reading them in physical form, unless I can get them from the library, ebooks are the way to go!
Unfortunately the quality of the images weren’t so good but I still really enjoyed this book :)
It was a nostalgic trip with a basic whodunnit & great characters (Bess & Joe were the cutest!). Slightly aged up a bit (as contains drugs) but really enjoyable for people that watched this kinda thing as a kid!
April 21, 2019
The art was really really good, but I really didn't feel Nancy Drew that much. I loved the added diversity that we don't see in the original, but Nancy herself didn't feel like Nancy. She really only focused on herself, and continuously did things that would have made me ditch her as a friend. I was really bored through a lot of it, and it was just super eh. But that art was so good, though.
June 6, 2019
We've had the woke millennial rework of Riverdale and Sabrina the Teenage Witch – now it's time for Nancy Drew! I enjoyed this. The artwork looks good, the characters are distinctive, and the story is interesting. Also props for having the queer female characters look 'hot to queer woman' rather than 'hot to straight guys'. I'll be reading the next one.
December 3, 2025
I've never read any of the original Nancy Drew books. My biggest exposure to the character was watching the 1970s TV show, but that was just an excuse for my young self to watch Pamela Sue Martin on a regular basis (except for those weeks when it was my sister's turn to fawn over Shaun Cassidy). I had no great love of mysteries or teen detectives.
I solely picked this up based on the fact that it was written by Kelly Thompson. And while she has turned in a tidy little action story, it's fairly generic and does little to make Nancy distinct from the cascade of teen detectives that have followed in her footsteps over the past century.
Thompson seems to have moved on from the Drew books, so I guess I will too, and we'll chalk this up as a false start.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contains material originally published in single magazine form as Nancy Drew (2018) #1-5.
I solely picked this up based on the fact that it was written by Kelly Thompson. And while she has turned in a tidy little action story, it's fairly generic and does little to make Nancy distinct from the cascade of teen detectives that have followed in her footsteps over the past century.
Thompson seems to have moved on from the Drew books, so I guess I will too, and we'll chalk this up as a false start.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contains material originally published in single magazine form as Nancy Drew (2018) #1-5.
September 30, 2019
A fresh take on Nancy Drew, though nothing extraordinary. I appreciate the addition of some diversity, since that has historically been lacking in River Heights. (Something that is actually worked into the story...) You won't find Ned Nickerson here, though you will find the Hardy boys. And honestly, I'm just a little bitter that they did not work a Frank/Nancy romance into the story since we've been shipping these two for how long....?!
February 14, 2019
I’m not a Nancy Drew fan. I never read one of those classic books and maybe someone who knows the characters would have a better opinion of it all. But for me, this wasn’t really good. The story isn’t so bad but the characters really get on my nerves. I never was able to like any of them, don’t really know why, but this was very irritating while reading. Maybe it’s my fault...
October 7, 2020
It was a solid read. I enjoyed the characters, the plot was a little predictable, but that wasn't why I was reading this. The art-style is my favorite part of the book, I have to say.
I would read the next volume when it comes out.
I would read the next volume when it comes out.
December 25, 2018
A modern take on a classic!
September 26, 2019
3.5. Fun mystery, fun characters, I love Nancy Drew even though she’s infallible.
March 23, 2019
Kelly Thompson has brought new life to this well-loved character with her quick, witty graphic novel. I was an occasional mystery lover growing up and though I was never an avid fan, I fondly recall the Nancy Drew books I took from my elementary school library. I enjoyed the reintroduction to familiar characters (including The Hardy Boys!) and how Thompson portrays them in their late teen years.
The story begins with the midst of her hi-jinks, finishing up a mystery involving the disappearance of her school's mascot. As Nancy begins searching for her next case, she is suddenly drawn back to her hometown by a mysterious letter relating to the death of her mother. Back in Bayport, Nancy reunites with her old friends and rallies the group to aid her investigation.
The artwork throughout the entire graphic novel is gorgeous, I'm a huge fan of Jess St. Onge's style. The story is filled with interesting twists and a diverse cast of characters. Though the plot didn't completely thrill me, I was definitely hooked by the cliffhanger and I will be looking forward to the next installment.
I received my copy of Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom from Diamond Book Distributors via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story begins with the midst of her hi-jinks, finishing up a mystery involving the disappearance of her school's mascot. As Nancy begins searching for her next case, she is suddenly drawn back to her hometown by a mysterious letter relating to the death of her mother. Back in Bayport, Nancy reunites with her old friends and rallies the group to aid her investigation.
The artwork throughout the entire graphic novel is gorgeous, I'm a huge fan of Jess St. Onge's style. The story is filled with interesting twists and a diverse cast of characters. Though the plot didn't completely thrill me, I was definitely hooked by the cliffhanger and I will be looking forward to the next installment.
I received my copy of Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom from Diamond Book Distributors via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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May 16, 2019All I ask from a Nancy Drew reboot is a legit plus sized Bess and a queer George and this book had both.
January 6, 2020
Artwork was A+++ and I enjoyed the story enough that I'll continue on with the series. I liked that it was Nancy Drew AND the Hardy Boys, with the focus on Nancy. Honestly though, even for it being the beginning of the series it was generic. Overall, I'm not sure if this is better for people with no knowledge of Nancy Drew or people who are already familiar with the characters. I'd say if you're interested, give it a try. Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the review copy, all opinions are my own!
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