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Girl Haven
"Three years ago, Ash's mom, Kristin, left home and never came back. Now, Ash lives in the house where Kristin grew up. All of her things are there. Her old room, her old clothes, and the shed where she spent her childhood creating a fantasy world called Koretris. Ash knows all about how it's a haven for girls, with no men or boys allowed, and filled with fanciful landscapes and creatures. When Ash's friends decide to try going to Koretris using one of Kristin's spell books, Ash doesn't think anything will happen. But the spell works, and Ash discovers that the world Kristin created is actually a real place with real inhabitants and very real danger. But if Koretris is real, why is Ash there? Everyone has always called Ash a boy. Ash uses he/him pronouns. Shouldn't the spell have kept Ash out? And what does it mean if it let Ash in?"
158 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2021
176 people are currently reading
3340 people want to read
About the author
Lilah Sturges
176 books111 followersLilah Sturges is an American writer of comics and fantasy novels. She is best known for co-writing with Bill Willingham the Eisner-award-nominated Jack of Fables, and other comics published by Vertigo Comics / DC Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
March 22, 2021
This is a beautiful comic for kids (and adults) with a wonderful trans coming-of-age story that uses all the portal fantasy tropes to great effect. The characters all shine, including the bunny people (!), and I adore the notion of a high school LGBTQ support group going on an adventure together in a magical realm. You can tell that Lilah Sturges has worked on the Fables comic, because she has a deep understanding of fairy tales and a perfect fantasy aesthetic. And the ending made me cry a lot. Super majorly recommended!!!!
December 20, 2020
I was so disappointed by this book! Easily what I was most excited to receive from NetGalley and what I am now saddest about. Admittedly this is making me want to take a break from NG because of this... run of disappointments.
The premise is fantastic: a boy is drawn into an all-girls world. What does that mean for 'him'? And what does it mean about our society? In general I love stories with gender-based magic being subverted in some way-- off the top of my head, I adore The Witch Boy and its later volumes. Gender-based magic is a GREAT way to mess with a binarist, fundamentalist idea of our gendered society.
And I'm glad to say that that aspect went off without many hitches. It's a little rushed-- I wish the book was that much longer, just because we could've used more scenarios where Ash is Suspiciously Okay With Being Seen As A Girl, but when she brings it up we can tell that it's been simmering beneath the surface for quite a while. So it's not just a case of magic 'knowing', but a case of Ash herself hiding the truth because it's hard to face. And the magic helps her face the fact that, really, she's known the whole time. It's a charming way of simplifying the journey many people take.
Unfortunately, there were many related issues. And now we will talk about those.
Firstly, this book has a case of the angry black woman. There are three kids in the GSA ('Pride Club') at Ash's school, and they're introduced through her getting her nails painted-- as a boy!!!! And this is how we meet not just the two friendly members, but one... slightly more intimidating character.
(spoiler for large images)
This is Chloe. She later tells Ash off for using "you guys," saying it's sexist and introducing herself as a "feminist killjoy"-- a label she also wears on her jean jacket. You may notice that not only is she black, but she's the most butch of the three characters (though it must be said that the smallest, Junebug, is nonbinary.) Junebug is the kid who tells animals facts about themselves ("you're a cat. Did you know that about yourself?"), and Eleanor is the girl who checks in with Ash several times in the Magic Zone (plus chemistry!), Chloe... doesn't have much personality. Except possibly this:
(better quality)
And this:
(better quality)
So let's put it all together. In a school named Marsha P. Johnson Middle School (yes... really), we have three kids in the GSA. One is white and feminine, one is racially ambiguous and feminine (albeit nonbinary), and one is black and butch. The black butch girl is: mean, overly zealous in her social justice endeavors, aggressive, intimidating, grumpy, and 'tough'.
The letterer on this book is a black woman. I'm extremely hesitant to call this an openly racist move, given that the letterer is clearly (based on her website) focused on diverse books and... well, she is black, and I am white. (The author and illustrator are also white.) So instead I will say that this book does not exist in a vaccuum, and just as it was important to depict a white trans girl respectfully, it was also important to depict black butch girls respectfully. Unfortunately, this book failed to do so, and we live in a world where the white LGBT community has failed to treat LGBT people of color respectfully. The "Marsha P. Johnson" thing just feels like some kind of injoke in light of this.
If I can continue on this theme, the "all-female country" also needs to be handled with extreme care. I like most of the book's take on it-- that unfortunately, the country has been poisoned by the fear of men, which has generated conflict. This is the IDEAL take, in my opinion. We live in a world where roughly half of the population is men, and we must live peacefully together. Banning men is not an option, and dreaming of a utopian world without men is not just unrealistic but also harmful for many more complex reasons (eg what do you do if someone turns out a man anyway? are we going to pretend that white women haven't exerted racist forces against black men? how does this work with an accurate conception of gender?)
So I am happy that this was handled well... though I'm unhappy that Chloe's positions were not. Nobody ever speaks to Chloe about this. Of course, she's not a real person with real views-- she's a character written by a white woman. But the book proves that telling off 'boys' for getting their nails painted and making assumptions about them only drives them away. In the scene directly after that, Chloe asks-- seemingly seriously-- how it is that only three people come to Pride Club. And of course the reader thinks... well, you're a huge jerk! No wonder nobody wants to hang out with you!
(A pause to acknowledge, again, that they chose the one black character to be this jerk.)
Her claim about the phrase "you guys" only leads to an INCREDIBLY awkward and out of character insertion of "y'all" into Ash's speech. "You all" makes sense, but she... doesn't talk that way. It really stood out on the page, and it was obvious what she would have said if the author hadn't realized "oh shit I just banned all uses of the word 'you guys'." I'm not even going to get into how this can lead to AAVE-related issues, because, again, I'm white.
(better quality)
In the end, the book feels oversimplified. These are such major issues, and they're barely touched upon. Obviously we don't need a ten-page spread on why "you guys" is not inherently sexist, but... you know, why bring it up? Why not have Chloe be a full-fledged character who may have trauma with sexist men that she needs to work through? Why not focus on that conflict between her and Ash, who become friends and each change each other for the better? That doesn't have to be relegated to the world of adult books.
I have also read Lumberjanes, and so I know this is possible. You can handle these things in a subtle and tasteful manner. The darkest-skinned character doesn't also have to be the meanest. This book is middle-grade, yes, but many middle-grade graphic novels are fundamentally satisfying and handle social issues well. This... and imagine here I'm sighing really, really loudly in frustration and despair at wanting to like this book SO MUCH... is not one of them.
Okay now that I've discussed the story I want to... show you the art.
It's kind of weird.
I've read graphic novels like this before-- graphic novels where you can tell that the artist is okay at art, and oftentimes even talented, but they have no grasp on proportions. This was one of those cases-- it often felt like the artist was drawing them 2D every time. You couldn't imagine a seamless, 3D face for the characters because they were drawn so strangely every time. I've compiled a... collection of heads? for your consideration here, so you can see what I'm talking about.
Facial shapes melting, backs of skulls way too small... there are clearly issues with the art that mark it as missing crucial proportion study. I feel bad saying this because I'm no artist, but this isn't a sketchbook-- it's a published graphic novel that I read and am reviewing. And this is not nearly up to par for a professional graphic novel. It will not hold up against the other offerings of the market.
So I wasn't even able to give a star to the art, which I can normally do in cases like these! AUGH! The one bonus star is a combo of premise and worldbuilding... it was a great idea; I'm just sad to say it wasn't executed well enough for me to either read it again or recommend it to others. Ultimately, I hope this book can at least pave the way for better ones.
August 7, 2021
(I received an ARC from Oni Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review! Thanks to both for trusting me with 'Girl Haven')
Trans Remembrance Day having been just yesterday, I thought that it was the perfect moment to read and review 'Girl Haven'. In this graphic novel we follow Ash, a teenager who feels like he doesn't quite fit in... Until he meets Junebug, Chloe, and Eleanor, who make up the Pride club at their school. Queer and proud, Eleanor becomes an instant crush of Ash's, who can't help wondering whether he may, or may not, belong in the Pride club for more solid reasons than mere allyship... Something that he's going to determine soon. When Ash invites the club over to his house, they end up in a magical world called Koretris, which is place to women exclusively. As a "Girl Haven", Koretris would never let boys in... So what is Ash doing there? As the Pride club rushes to save Koretris from a threat unilke any other, he will have to discover his truth--and face it head-on.
How can I explain what I felt? My feelings about this title are... Mixed. Complicated. All over the place.
On the one hand, I really liked the concept. This is a really original way to explore gender identity, and I liked how the struggle that transness can be was expressed through Ash. The land of Koretris was quite whimsical, too, with talking rabbits and beautiful Queens, and I enjoyed the lore.
But, on the other hand, some things quite bothered me. First of all: Chloe, who is the impersonation of the 'Black angry butch lesbian' stereotype. She's really rude to Ash sometimes, and under the excuse of being a feminist, she pulls some discourses that don't even make sense. "You guys" is the trigger for a discourse on how Ash is sexist for his choice of words, for example. Not only that; she's constantly snapping at everyone, and tries to impose her ideas and beliefs instead of listening to her friends. She was a character that I instantly disliked, and I don't think that's a very positive portrayal of anything.
Then there's the treatment of men throughout the story. Call me crazy, but I don't think that, in order to empower women, you need to degradate men. While Koretris per se is amazing, and I don't have any problem with the premise that it's a land for women only, I didn't like how the boys were portrayed once they appeared. And I particularly didn't like how 'masculinity' was the big enemy that Ash had to defeat. Why are so many gender-affirming storkies so bent on making your typical, average boys and men look like terrible beings? Not only do I not get it--it bothers me. Diversity shouldn't demand that we exclude anyone, and cishet men are pretty much so. Obviously, we should be fighting against sexism, but that shouldn't turn into fighting against men.
As for the art, I loved the drawing style. It was quite tender, and the colours were so warm, they felt like a hug.
If there was another volume of "Girl Haven", I would maybe read it to see if these things have been fixed. However, I don't think it would be among my most anticipated GN sequels.
Trans Remembrance Day having been just yesterday, I thought that it was the perfect moment to read and review 'Girl Haven'. In this graphic novel we follow Ash, a teenager who feels like he doesn't quite fit in... Until he meets Junebug, Chloe, and Eleanor, who make up the Pride club at their school. Queer and proud, Eleanor becomes an instant crush of Ash's, who can't help wondering whether he may, or may not, belong in the Pride club for more solid reasons than mere allyship... Something that he's going to determine soon. When Ash invites the club over to his house, they end up in a magical world called Koretris, which is place to women exclusively. As a "Girl Haven", Koretris would never let boys in... So what is Ash doing there? As the Pride club rushes to save Koretris from a threat unilke any other, he will have to discover his truth--and face it head-on.
How can I explain what I felt? My feelings about this title are... Mixed. Complicated. All over the place.
On the one hand, I really liked the concept. This is a really original way to explore gender identity, and I liked how the struggle that transness can be was expressed through Ash. The land of Koretris was quite whimsical, too, with talking rabbits and beautiful Queens, and I enjoyed the lore.
But, on the other hand, some things quite bothered me. First of all: Chloe, who is the impersonation of the 'Black angry butch lesbian' stereotype. She's really rude to Ash sometimes, and under the excuse of being a feminist, she pulls some discourses that don't even make sense. "You guys" is the trigger for a discourse on how Ash is sexist for his choice of words, for example. Not only that; she's constantly snapping at everyone, and tries to impose her ideas and beliefs instead of listening to her friends. She was a character that I instantly disliked, and I don't think that's a very positive portrayal of anything.
Then there's the treatment of men throughout the story. Call me crazy, but I don't think that, in order to empower women, you need to degradate men. While Koretris per se is amazing, and I don't have any problem with the premise that it's a land for women only, I didn't like how the boys were portrayed once they appeared. And I particularly didn't like how 'masculinity' was the big enemy that Ash had to defeat. Why are so many gender-affirming storkies so bent on making your typical, average boys and men look like terrible beings? Not only do I not get it--it bothers me. Diversity shouldn't demand that we exclude anyone, and cishet men are pretty much so. Obviously, we should be fighting against sexism, but that shouldn't turn into fighting against men.
As for the art, I loved the drawing style. It was quite tender, and the colours were so warm, they felt like a hug.
If there was another volume of "Girl Haven", I would maybe read it to see if these things have been fixed. However, I don't think it would be among my most anticipated GN sequels.
May 1, 2021
Ash's mom went away three years ago and hasn't sent word since. While playing around with the stuff she left behind, Ash and a group of middle school friends get transported into a fantasy world populated with nothing but girls -- of course those girls happen to be talking rabbits, horses, hawks . . . and grass? Well, the world is under threat from an evil Scourge, but Ash is distracted wondering whether mom may be here, and also the situation is bringing to a head gender identity questions Ash has been having.
I like the goals and themes of the tale, but the story itself mostly consists of talking animals rushing up to explain stuff or fight before Ash and friends run off to the next scene. But even as those parts disappointed, the emotional beats of Ash's self discovery rang loud and true, giving the book a boost.
I like the goals and themes of the tale, but the story itself mostly consists of talking animals rushing up to explain stuff or fight before Ash and friends run off to the next scene. But even as those parts disappointed, the emotional beats of Ash's self discovery rang loud and true, giving the book a boost.
August 14, 2021
I hate giving bad reviews to books. I especially hate giving bad reviews to QUEER books, especially by Queer authors. I want to first say that I love Lilah’s other work—I’m a huge fan of her work with The Magicians, but as a trans masc person, I honestly found this graphic novel pretty offensive. I love the concept, a world just for girls, ruled by girls, no men allowed. Lovely. The concept and worldbuilding of Koretris is amazing. Having this be a coming of age story for our main character who is a trans girl is great! Unfortunately, the SECOND the conflict starts, everything starts to fall apart.
The scourge being boys, especially with how the boys and their masculinity are portrayed is pretty gross and seems to boil down to “grr masculinity is bad and dirty and gross”, and that’s not something I think needs to be said and I think it’s a harmful message quite honestly that could possible hurt some trans masculine or any non trans feminine person.
I want to repeat again, the concepts here are quite wonderful. I think Ash is wonderful trans-feminine representation, in my opinion. But the execution of this just falls apart once we get to reveal of boys being the scourge, and becomes borderline offensive. What it boils down to is that the issue is WAY oversimplified, with the concept of non-binary folks being nearly completely unmentioned. It just doesn’t work for me
The scourge being boys, especially with how the boys and their masculinity are portrayed is pretty gross and seems to boil down to “grr masculinity is bad and dirty and gross”, and that’s not something I think needs to be said and I think it’s a harmful message quite honestly that could possible hurt some trans masculine or any non trans feminine person.
I want to repeat again, the concepts here are quite wonderful. I think Ash is wonderful trans-feminine representation, in my opinion. But the execution of this just falls apart once we get to reveal of boys being the scourge, and becomes borderline offensive. What it boils down to is that the issue is WAY oversimplified, with the concept of non-binary folks being nearly completely unmentioned. It just doesn’t work for me
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2021
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
OH MAN… this book just made me feel many emotions. From aww and go go Ash (for Ash and her/his problems and how they were trying to find out their place and identity) to OMG no (Chloe, how the boys were portrayed). I have thought about dropping this book many a time during my read. I have vented on Twitter each time. I am not happy with this book. For most at least.
There are a few things in here that may be spoiler… though given the blurb and that is is pretty clear that Ash is a boy who wants to be a girl I don’t see them as big spoilers. Plus, I want to use the right pronouns for Ash.
What I did like was Ash. I loved Ash. She (as per the ending) struggles, her journey, her everything was just so well done. We find out that Ash is struggling with who she is. Girl? Boy? Girl? Preferably girl it seems. I am glad she found someone to confide in. And I loved that part where she undresses out of an armour into the dress she wears under it. To show what she picked. I loved all the conversations between Ash and various characters about her identity. About what is right. What to pick. How to know if this path is right. I was cheering for her. I was rooting for her so much. She is so sweet and throughout the story shows great bravery. I am also so happy at the ending. I see that dad and Ash had a good conversation and that he is there for her. Go dad!
I did love Eleanor and Junebug. They were just so much fun and I love how Eleanor and Ash got close. How Ash felt safe enough with Eleanor to talk to her about all their troubles. And I loved the ending and what Eleanor whispered into Ash’s ear. Oh yes! I am in for that! And Junebug was just adorable and fun. I loved how bouncy she (I will say she as that was stated in the beginning that she was OK with that) was and how nothing seemed to scare her. I am curious to how her test-drive (as per ending) is going.
Chloe is the type of girl I would avoid in real life. And probably would have made me avoid a pride club if there was one in my high school. Constantly making remarks about everything. I was pretty disgusted by how she reacted when Ash said she (again using the right pronouns though at this time of the story she was using he/him pronouns) wanted to try nailpolish and how Chloe went into a full rant about male and what aggressive colours they should like and all that. And then came the you can’t say “Hey Guys”. Which just had me rolling my eyes. I am a girl, and frankly I don’t give a crap if someone says that to me as I CAN SEE that it isn’t meant in a wrong way. But these days people can’t it seems. rolls eyes Even Junebug agrees with me and calls Chloe grumpity. To which Chloe replied that she is fun. Sure, but your fun is not to everyone’s liking. Dismissing people, acting better than others, not listening. No thank you.
I HATED how the boys were written. Stereotypical (boys are violent, boys can’t show emotions other than rage or happiness, boys are messy) and hurtful. And that the boys/masculinity had to be defeated.. whut? I am a girl myself, but why do we need to hate on boys like this? Our world is split in female and male. We are both needed for this world. There is no need to act like this.
BUT I am confused. Koretris is for girls… but yet there are all these boys? So they aren’t boys? I am so confused about that part. Especially since dad specifically says that Koretris is for girls and that he cannot go there. Umm? So all these boys are trans/non-binary? I am trying to make sense of it, but I just cannot. I think this part could have been better written.
I do love the fantasy world, well for most. I think it is an amazing place and there is so much still left to explore. I wouldn’t mind more journeys to it.
The art was pretty great, I like the style.
But yeah, I just cannot rate it high as I was frustrated at several things. 2.5 stars is all I can give. Chloe, how boys were portrayed, the war, the battle. No thank you.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
January 5, 2021
This was perfection. I seriously loved everything about it! Eleanor, Chloe, and Junebug were so welcoming of Ash into the LGBTQIA+ club, and they definitely didn't turn down the opportunity for an adventure. Each character had so much personality, but Eleanor was my favorite! The art was beautiful, and I hope there is a sequel!! :)
May 5, 2023
It was an interesting premise, but it was just executed poorly, in my opinion.
October 17, 2020
From the author of Lumberjanes comes a story of belonging, gender identity, finding yourself and overcoming fears. It is beautifully told, the art is decent.
The world of Koretris is interesting and I really hope there will be more adventures in the future.
Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The world of Koretris is interesting and I really hope there will be more adventures in the future.
Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 4, 2021
Absolutely loved this one. Everyone go read it. The representation was SO positive!
April 20, 2021
This was such a fun book! I feel like this graphic novel has a lot of potential and I'm really looking forward to see where it goes next. just want to take a second to address some of the concerns other reviewers have mentioned because I didn't read the book in the same way that they did.
My single critique of this book is that I wish it was longer and that both the beginning and the end had just a little bit more. The middle was pretty well developed and the fantasy world was super cool in my opinion. But I wish that the girls had a better chance to become friends before getting thrown into the mix and that we had more development with Ash and her dad at the end of the book.
One of the things other people point out is that masculinity is villainized and I disagree. from my standpoint, it read to me that toxic masculinity was the villain. here are these boys who are being controlled by this monster who is using all of their worst traits to attack the other creatures in this world. This giant monster is praying upon violence and negative attitudes towards women and traditional toxic masculinity traits, but from the interactions that the girls had with the boys it was clear that the boys didn't want to be hurting these people. Like the boys weren't trying to harm anyone or anything but they were being used as vessels to carry out someone else's idea of justice. There's definitely a comparison there with society in the military but I don't have time to go for that. Conversation for another day. Anyway, this is a little spoilery but I guess I've already mentioned that this has spoilers in it, the whole scene at the end where Ash saves the day she does so through strength and love and emotion and from the way that I read this it was showing these boys that that's okay versus punishing them.
I also think it's interesting how many people are jumping on the bandwagon of the angry Black lesbian stereotype. Chloe for me read as a strong powerful badass who unapologetically shared her feelings and called people out on their nonsense. She wasn't afraid to tell people if something harmed her and she protected her friends at all costs. Is she a little bit blunt? maybe. but I think it's one of those instances where it's how you read the character.
My single critique of this book is that I wish it was longer and that both the beginning and the end had just a little bit more. The middle was pretty well developed and the fantasy world was super cool in my opinion. But I wish that the girls had a better chance to become friends before getting thrown into the mix and that we had more development with Ash and her dad at the end of the book.
One of the things other people point out is that masculinity is villainized and I disagree. from my standpoint, it read to me that toxic masculinity was the villain. here are these boys who are being controlled by this monster who is using all of their worst traits to attack the other creatures in this world. This giant monster is praying upon violence and negative attitudes towards women and traditional toxic masculinity traits, but from the interactions that the girls had with the boys it was clear that the boys didn't want to be hurting these people. Like the boys weren't trying to harm anyone or anything but they were being used as vessels to carry out someone else's idea of justice. There's definitely a comparison there with society in the military but I don't have time to go for that. Conversation for another day. Anyway, this is a little spoilery but I guess I've already mentioned that this has spoilers in it, the whole scene at the end where Ash saves the day she does so through strength and love and emotion and from the way that I read this it was showing these boys that that's okay versus punishing them.
I also think it's interesting how many people are jumping on the bandwagon of the angry Black lesbian stereotype. Chloe for me read as a strong powerful badass who unapologetically shared her feelings and called people out on their nonsense. She wasn't afraid to tell people if something harmed her and she protected her friends at all costs. Is she a little bit blunt? maybe. but I think it's one of those instances where it's how you read the character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2021
I was looking forward to this. I wanted to love it. I can't and I am disappointed. I won't reiterate what others have said better, but I'll offer my standpoint as a nonbinary person.
If I, as a masc-leaning nonbinary kid read this book, I would feel shamed for being masc-leaning as there are no positive masculine characters (all of them are smelly, greasy guys under the sway of toxic masculinity and that appears to be the only choice you have to be if you are a guy/masc-leaning).
I would feel undercut as a nonbinary kid as one of the kids comes out as nonbinary and was still let into the "girls only" kingdom and nothing is made of it, giving the impression that being nonbinary is "woman lite" (maybe this will be addressed in the next book, but if so, it should have been saved until then rather than tacking it on at the end resulting in the unfortunate impression).
If your kid is questioning their gender identity (and even if they aren't and you just want them to understand the experiences of others) I wouldn't give them this book. I really, really wish I could say otherwise, but I can't. We can do better than this.
If I, as a masc-leaning nonbinary kid read this book, I would feel shamed for being masc-leaning as there are no positive masculine characters (all of them are smelly, greasy guys under the sway of toxic masculinity and that appears to be the only choice you have to be if you are a guy/masc-leaning).
I would feel undercut as a nonbinary kid as one of the kids comes out as nonbinary and was still let into the "girls only" kingdom and nothing is made of it, giving the impression that being nonbinary is "woman lite" (maybe this will be addressed in the next book, but if so, it should have been saved until then rather than tacking it on at the end resulting in the unfortunate impression).
If your kid is questioning their gender identity (and even if they aren't and you just want them to understand the experiences of others) I wouldn't give them this book. I really, really wish I could say otherwise, but I can't. We can do better than this.
July 9, 2022
ehhhrrrrr... nao gostei. nao gostei de nenhuma das personagens e achei algumas meio esteriotipadas. tambem achei a amizade das personagens principais forçadas. tem uma cena que uma delas manda um "isso aqui é problema do ash ne?? deixa ele aqui resolvendo e deixa a gente ir pra casa!!" e sla 5 paginas dps ela ta toda "vou com vc ate o fim ash, vamos juntas" tipo oi??? mal desenvolvido.
o desenvolvimento da questao de genero da personagem principal achei que foi desenvolvido de um jeito estranho tambem. meio apressado. ai enfim... nao tirei nada de bom dessa leitura.
o desenvolvimento da questao de genero da personagem principal achei que foi desenvolvido de um jeito estranho tambem. meio apressado. ai enfim... nao tirei nada de bom dessa leitura.
November 18, 2020
This was wonderful queer comic about a trans girl whisked away to a fantasy world her late mother created with her friends from the LGBT+ group at school. There she discovers her identity and what really happened to her mother. I really enjoyed the plot and the world but I would have liked for the characters to be fleshed out a little more. I just wanted to know more about all of them, especially the angry black lesbian because what was shown of her character felt like a bad stereotype.
April 11, 2021
Fun, exciting, joyous romp through friendship, adventure, and self-discovery. Very good!
January 2, 2023
I rated this book two stars not because it wasn't good, but because it wasn't for me. As someone who is transgender, I was very excited to read a graphic novel that intertwines LGBTQ+ representation and fantasy. The premise is fantastic: a boy is drawn into an all-girls world. What does that mean for 'him'? And what does it mean about our society? In general, I love stories with gender-based magic being subverted in some way. Gender-based magic is a GREAT way to mess with a binarist, fundamentalist idea of our gendered society. However, this book fulfilled many stereotypes about gender and race that just rubbed me wrong.
I felt this book portrayed the male gender negatively. While male toxicity is something that it is essential to educate ourselves about, it must be known that all males aren't sexist, white-washing people. This book portrayed anyone besides the female gender as the "monster". The male character's masculinity was depicted as gross and seems to boil down to “grr masculinity is bad and dirty”, which is just something that I don't think needs to be said and I think it’s a harmful message quite honestly that could possibly hurt some trans masculine or any non-trans feminine person. Feminists believe all genders should be equal, not one superior.
The concepts here are quite wonderful. I think Ash is a wonderful trans-feminine representation, in my opinion. But the execution of this just falls apart once we get to reveal boys being the scourge, and becomes borderline offensive. What it boils down to is that the issue is WAY oversimplified, with the concept of non-binary folks being nearly completely unmentioned. It just doesn’t work for me.
Secondly, this book has a case of the angry black woman. There are three kids in the GSA at Ash's school. And this is how we meet not just the two friendly members, but one... slightly more intimidating character.
This is Chloe. She later tells Ash off for using "you guys," saying it's sexist and introducing herself as a "feminist killjoy"-- a label she also wears on her jean jacket. You may notice that not only is she black, but she's the most butch of the three characters. She is also always moody and blunt, and sometimes plain rude.
The black butch girl is: mean, overly fervent in her social justice endeavors, aggressive, and 'tough'. I'm extremely hesitant to call this an openly racist move, given that the character is black, and I am white. (The author and illustrator are also white.) Just as it was important to depict a white trans girl respectfully, it was also important to depict black butch girls respectfully. Unfortunately, this book failed to do so, and we live in a world where the white LGBT community has failed to treat LGBT people of color respectfully. The school "Marsha P. Johnson Middle" just feels like some kind of in-joke in light of this.
In the end, the book feels oversimplified. It just felt like didn't give Chole any other traits but moodiness. They brought up how she was alert to inherently sexist comments, but never touched up on it more. Why not have Chloe be a full-fledged character who may have trauma with sexist men that she needs to work through? Why not focus on that conflict between her and Ash, and make them friends for the better? That doesn't have to be refined to the world of adult books.
I felt this book portrayed the male gender negatively. While male toxicity is something that it is essential to educate ourselves about, it must be known that all males aren't sexist, white-washing people. This book portrayed anyone besides the female gender as the "monster". The male character's masculinity was depicted as gross and seems to boil down to “grr masculinity is bad and dirty”, which is just something that I don't think needs to be said and I think it’s a harmful message quite honestly that could possibly hurt some trans masculine or any non-trans feminine person. Feminists believe all genders should be equal, not one superior.
The concepts here are quite wonderful. I think Ash is a wonderful trans-feminine representation, in my opinion. But the execution of this just falls apart once we get to reveal boys being the scourge, and becomes borderline offensive. What it boils down to is that the issue is WAY oversimplified, with the concept of non-binary folks being nearly completely unmentioned. It just doesn’t work for me.
Secondly, this book has a case of the angry black woman. There are three kids in the GSA at Ash's school. And this is how we meet not just the two friendly members, but one... slightly more intimidating character.
This is Chloe. She later tells Ash off for using "you guys," saying it's sexist and introducing herself as a "feminist killjoy"-- a label she also wears on her jean jacket. You may notice that not only is she black, but she's the most butch of the three characters. She is also always moody and blunt, and sometimes plain rude.
The black butch girl is: mean, overly fervent in her social justice endeavors, aggressive, and 'tough'. I'm extremely hesitant to call this an openly racist move, given that the character is black, and I am white. (The author and illustrator are also white.) Just as it was important to depict a white trans girl respectfully, it was also important to depict black butch girls respectfully. Unfortunately, this book failed to do so, and we live in a world where the white LGBT community has failed to treat LGBT people of color respectfully. The school "Marsha P. Johnson Middle" just feels like some kind of in-joke in light of this.
In the end, the book feels oversimplified. It just felt like didn't give Chole any other traits but moodiness. They brought up how she was alert to inherently sexist comments, but never touched up on it more. Why not have Chloe be a full-fledged character who may have trauma with sexist men that she needs to work through? Why not focus on that conflict between her and Ash, and make them friends for the better? That doesn't have to be refined to the world of adult books.
January 15, 2021
On the one hand, I've been looking for books that younger kids can get into that explore trans experience, so that's appealing, and I think it's handled pretty well.
Also, the fantasy world definitely reads as the kind of elaborate dream world a child might build over the course of their growing up -- from rabbit warriors, to fairie-type grass creatures, to elaborately named pretty ponies and weird candy villages guarded by creepy marionettes. It's original and authentic.
Unfortunately, the plot really lets it down. It's very one dimensional; the girl vs boy dynamic as the big theme for the quest is just not that interesting; and doesn't hang together particularly well. It's also confusing when you add in the death of Ash's mother in the dream world -- she was literally killed by her fears? Her fears came to life and because she didn't figure out that she had to love and embrace them, she died?!? What, now? What the heck kind of message is that? I found the blurring of fantasy/metaphor/reality very confusing, and the "solution" to saving the cartoon world felt like something out of an 80s cartoon. It's a legitimate choice, it just didn't work for me.
As far as characters go... that's the other thing that lets the book down. Aside from the harmful depiction of the one black character as combative and rude (a huge issue that several other people have commented on far more eloquently than I can) -- the characters in general are fairly flat. Even Ash's struggle to work out his/her identity is lacking a certain level of intensity -- though I do like how accepting Ash's father is.
The budding romance with Eleanor also bothered me -- that little aside when she tells Ash that she's in the Pride club because she likes girls -- it's meant to be encouraging and flirtatious -- I'll like you as a girl. But to me it came across as valuing Ash's gender more than Ash as an individual which is clearly not the message the book wants to give.
There's a lot of potential here, but I wonder if it would benefit from significant expansion. Delve more into the depths, give us more to love and get invested in. Give us back story on characters so they become more than the sketch on the page.
Advanced Readers Copy provided by Oni Press.
Also, the fantasy world definitely reads as the kind of elaborate dream world a child might build over the course of their growing up -- from rabbit warriors, to fairie-type grass creatures, to elaborately named pretty ponies and weird candy villages guarded by creepy marionettes. It's original and authentic.
Unfortunately, the plot really lets it down. It's very one dimensional; the girl vs boy dynamic as the big theme for the quest is just not that interesting; and doesn't hang together particularly well. It's also confusing when you add in the death of Ash's mother in the dream world -- she was literally killed by her fears? Her fears came to life and because she didn't figure out that she had to love and embrace them, she died?!? What, now? What the heck kind of message is that? I found the blurring of fantasy/metaphor/reality very confusing, and the "solution" to saving the cartoon world felt like something out of an 80s cartoon. It's a legitimate choice, it just didn't work for me.
As far as characters go... that's the other thing that lets the book down. Aside from the harmful depiction of the one black character as combative and rude (a huge issue that several other people have commented on far more eloquently than I can) -- the characters in general are fairly flat. Even Ash's struggle to work out his/her identity is lacking a certain level of intensity -- though I do like how accepting Ash's father is.
The budding romance with Eleanor also bothered me -- that little aside when she tells Ash that she's in the Pride club because she likes girls -- it's meant to be encouraging and flirtatious -- I'll like you as a girl. But to me it came across as valuing Ash's gender more than Ash as an individual which is clearly not the message the book wants to give.
There's a lot of potential here, but I wonder if it would benefit from significant expansion. Delve more into the depths, give us more to love and get invested in. Give us back story on characters so they become more than the sketch on the page.
Advanced Readers Copy provided by Oni Press.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2020
I just finished reading the ARC of Girl Haven by the writers who started Lumberjane> I had no idea, going in, what to expect.
This was both so much fun, and so deep, it had be going both ways. The story is of a child born into a boy’s body, who always felt they were a girl, but since they didn’t know of anyone else with that issue, they stayed as a boy. They meet some other queer folks, and decides to hang out in their mother’s old workshop. The mother has been missing for three years. She was a writer and artist and had created a world of only women, and the other kids, start reading what she left behind, and find a spell that sends them into to this world.
That is the story. But through it all, Ash is beginning to understand that it is ok to be a girl, or whatever they want. It isn’t the main point of the story, but it is important to the story. Both good as a fantasy, and as a coming out story. And having representation.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This was both so much fun, and so deep, it had be going both ways. The story is of a child born into a boy’s body, who always felt they were a girl, but since they didn’t know of anyone else with that issue, they stayed as a boy. They meet some other queer folks, and decides to hang out in their mother’s old workshop. The mother has been missing for three years. She was a writer and artist and had created a world of only women, and the other kids, start reading what she left behind, and find a spell that sends them into to this world.
That is the story. But through it all, Ash is beginning to understand that it is ok to be a girl, or whatever they want. It isn’t the main point of the story, but it is important to the story. Both good as a fantasy, and as a coming out story. And having representation.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
July 17, 2021
This graphic novel has a really nice and cute concept of finding yourself and coming to terms with your identity. It is overall fairly cute and wholesome, however, I had a couple of problems with it.
1. It was way too short. Everything happened in quick succession without a real chance of getting to know the characters and given the story is set up to be somewhat complex I think the graphic novel would have benefitted from some more depth and detail into the plot, characters, and world.
2. The art style. Very subjective, I know, but the art style just wasn't for me.
On a slightly more objective note, I had some trouble with the art being very similar in a single page. The colour scheme of each page spread seemed to be deliberately very limited which made it hard for me to pick up on the important features of the panels. Multiple panels would also usually be very similar, which sometimes made the layout a little confusing.
1. It was way too short. Everything happened in quick succession without a real chance of getting to know the characters and given the story is set up to be somewhat complex I think the graphic novel would have benefitted from some more depth and detail into the plot, characters, and world.
2. The art style. Very subjective, I know, but the art style just wasn't for me.
On a slightly more objective note, I had some trouble with the art being very similar in a single page. The colour scheme of each page spread seemed to be deliberately very limited which made it hard for me to pick up on the important features of the panels. Multiple panels would also usually be very similar, which sometimes made the layout a little confusing.
November 1, 2020
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Girl Haven is Ash's story. Ash's mother is gone and Ash never found out what happened to her. It's now just Ash and their father. After making new friends at school, Ash shows them the shed their mom used to work in and they all end up in a parallel world where people are in grave danger.
It's a story of adventure but also a story of self discovery.
I really liked this story, the characters were all on point, it's queer as f*** and the adventure was all around captivating. I also really liked the art but most of all, it really was all about the characters. They were layered and all so different, which isn't easy to do in a 150 page comic.
Basically, I had a great time reading this and I will be looking for more books by this author.
Girl Haven is Ash's story. Ash's mother is gone and Ash never found out what happened to her. It's now just Ash and their father. After making new friends at school, Ash shows them the shed their mom used to work in and they all end up in a parallel world where people are in grave danger.
It's a story of adventure but also a story of self discovery.
I really liked this story, the characters were all on point, it's queer as f*** and the adventure was all around captivating. I also really liked the art but most of all, it really was all about the characters. They were layered and all so different, which isn't easy to do in a 150 page comic.
Basically, I had a great time reading this and I will be looking for more books by this author.
Read
October 13, 2020Trans portal fantasy in which a boy called Ash finds himself in the fantasy world his missing mother created. The catch being, the whole idea of that world is that it was everyone there, the talking animals included, was female – so maybe Ash is too? At first I was a little taken aback by how externally imposed that seems – is it qualitatively different to have a spell and a talking rabbit tell you your gender, rather than society or biology? But soon enough it's revealed that this isn't the first inkling Ash has had, and as the story continued it all made much more sense. On top of which, Sturges' intro is at pains to point out that this is just one story about gender, and there are lots of other ones to be told. Plus, y'know, I'm not exactly the target market anyway. Still, there was plenty I enjoyed, from the storybook landscapes, to Ash's friend who is given to talking to animals anyway and only a little surprised to find them suddenly replying (this is 100% what would happen to me in that situation).
(Netgalley ARC)
(Netgalley ARC)
May 1, 2024
Parts of this I really liked, other parts I had mixed feelings about. It had a neat adventure in a portal fantasy and I like how it approached the MC's gender and gender journey. I also liked some of the side characters.
However, I wasn't too sure about parts of the story including the resolution. I am also curious to see how Black readers responded to this. I found it weird that the only Black character in the book was characterized as angry/grumpy, while the others in the friend group had very friendly dispositions.
I really wanted to like it more. Parts of it were really endearing, but it had its issues and was a bit rushed.
However, I wasn't too sure about parts of the story including the resolution. I am also curious to see how Black readers responded to this. I found it weird that the only Black character in the book was characterized as angry/grumpy, while the others in the friend group had very friendly dispositions.
I really wanted to like it more. Parts of it were really endearing, but it had its issues and was a bit rushed.
October 9, 2020
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Powerful, moving and thought provoking.
This fantastic LGBTQIA graphic novel is perfect for anyone aged 10 up in my opinion.
Beautifully illustrated and perfectly detailed on one person's journey through self identity. Coupled with a fantasy world setting, strong friendship and love - this was a graphic novel I struggled to put down.
If you're looking for a great introductory book/graphic novel to give someone on gender identity, as well as sexual orientation and pronouns, I feel that Girl Haven does a wonderful job.
Powerful, moving and thought provoking.
This fantastic LGBTQIA graphic novel is perfect for anyone aged 10 up in my opinion.
Beautifully illustrated and perfectly detailed on one person's journey through self identity. Coupled with a fantasy world setting, strong friendship and love - this was a graphic novel I struggled to put down.
If you're looking for a great introductory book/graphic novel to give someone on gender identity, as well as sexual orientation and pronouns, I feel that Girl Haven does a wonderful job.
October 6, 2020
Huge thank you for Oni Press and NetGalley for granting me this ARC.
Y’all, I loved every minute of this book. Just by looking at the indie art style I knew I would like this. One of the authors worked on Lumberjanes, which I have not read yet, but heard great things about. I also just love the title. Based on these two I expected something good and feminist and possibly LGBTQIA+ and I was not disappointed.
The inner design sports a three colored flag-like set up, but I am unsure what these colors mean. It is closest to the trans flag, but this one has dark blue next to the pink and white-ish color. If this is symbolism I guess that is kinda cool but it definetely went over my head.
I love the character designs and the comic was very enjoyable. I felt that sometimes the backgrounds were a bit rushed, but I was happy with the art overall.
Content warnings
death mentioned but not shown, gender dysphoria, sexism (it is very frowned upon)
The plot
Ash is a lonely kid, who’s mom disappeared a few years ago. One day Ash sits next to the school’s tiny Pride Club at the cafeteria and ends up making friends with the members. Promptly joining them for the next club meeting. This was an adorable set up, the kids having fun and painting each other’s nails. Ash wanting to join in simply because it looks like fun. Later on, Ash invites the gang over to their house and shows them the shed where Ash’s mom left behind a treasure trove: books, art, costumes all made for an imaginary world, *looks at smudged handwriting*: T*tris. No, wait let me try again, Kore.. a, no, wait, it’s called Koretris actually.
The club is delighted by the idea of a magical land that only welcomes girls, regardless of your species. They get into a bit of roleplaying when suddenly, the magic spell written by Ash’s mom turns out to be real - and transports them all to Koretris. This is where their magical quest starts and among other things Ash has to fight the expectations everyone has of them.
I am using they/them pronouns for Ash in this review in an attempt to not sound too spoilery. As the blurbs promised this book is very much about gender and discovering who and what can decide your gender at the end of the day.
Junebug: Hey, look! I’m a flag!
Ash: I’m so jealous!
I loved the flow of the book. We start with a short introduction written by the author that offers a bit of an explanation about gender. There is a short glossary at the end of the book too. This is a great way to introduce gender discussions for people who are not very informed about the topic. I appreciated that instead of the generic LGBT acronym throughout the book the more inclusive LGBTQIA+ was used.
The main characters
Ash, like the tree
I absolutely loved our main character, Ash, and it was awesome to be a part of their journey. Honestly they were way too chill, given the stuff they had to deal with. I loved learning more about their thoughts and feelings. I was glad they could find someone to trust who helped them come to terms with their feelings.
Eleanor, like the president
She was just the nicest person in the book. She cares a lot about her friends. No wonder Ash immediately liked her. She was warm and welcoming, always trying to help Ash but never overstepping. I wish we learned a bit more about her.
Junebug, the awesome
What a super chill character. Though we don’t learn a lot about Junebug during the story, I enjoyed their spontaineity.
Chloe, the feminist killjoy
If the book had any downfall for me, it would be Chloe. From the first moment she has been hostile to Ash, for absolutely no reason. I get that informing others of sexist language they are using is important, but there is no reason to be rude about it if there is obviously no malicious intent. The joke about her being a “feminist killjoy” right after she bulldozes through the newest member of their pride club just felt super cringey.. I wish her behaviour towards Ash was reprimanded a bit.
Overall rating
I loved this book a lot. Gender was discussed in a natural way, focusing more on the feelings of the characters and not on the shiny glossary terms. There was a quest, magic and bonding time for the characters and it was just an overall uplifting read. I was surprised by the end reveal about Ash’s mom, not quite what I expected.
I felt like the whole of Koretris was a great commentary on how society views gender and how literally everyone has an opinion of what gender people should be and how they should act to fit this assigned role. As a cisgender woman (don’t worry there is a glossary that explains) I learned a lot about gender and how difficult it can be to learn your own preferences when literally everyone is shouting their own expectations at you.
Y’all, I loved every minute of this book. Just by looking at the indie art style I knew I would like this. One of the authors worked on Lumberjanes, which I have not read yet, but heard great things about. I also just love the title. Based on these two I expected something good and feminist and possibly LGBTQIA+ and I was not disappointed.
The inner design sports a three colored flag-like set up, but I am unsure what these colors mean. It is closest to the trans flag, but this one has dark blue next to the pink and white-ish color. If this is symbolism I guess that is kinda cool but it definetely went over my head.
I love the character designs and the comic was very enjoyable. I felt that sometimes the backgrounds were a bit rushed, but I was happy with the art overall.
Content warnings
death mentioned but not shown, gender dysphoria, sexism (it is very frowned upon)
The plot
Ash is a lonely kid, who’s mom disappeared a few years ago. One day Ash sits next to the school’s tiny Pride Club at the cafeteria and ends up making friends with the members. Promptly joining them for the next club meeting. This was an adorable set up, the kids having fun and painting each other’s nails. Ash wanting to join in simply because it looks like fun. Later on, Ash invites the gang over to their house and shows them the shed where Ash’s mom left behind a treasure trove: books, art, costumes all made for an imaginary world, *looks at smudged handwriting*: T*tris. No, wait let me try again, Kore.. a, no, wait, it’s called Koretris actually.
The club is delighted by the idea of a magical land that only welcomes girls, regardless of your species. They get into a bit of roleplaying when suddenly, the magic spell written by Ash’s mom turns out to be real - and transports them all to Koretris. This is where their magical quest starts and among other things Ash has to fight the expectations everyone has of them.
I am using they/them pronouns for Ash in this review in an attempt to not sound too spoilery. As the blurbs promised this book is very much about gender and discovering who and what can decide your gender at the end of the day.
Junebug: Hey, look! I’m a flag!
Ash: I’m so jealous!
I loved the flow of the book. We start with a short introduction written by the author that offers a bit of an explanation about gender. There is a short glossary at the end of the book too. This is a great way to introduce gender discussions for people who are not very informed about the topic. I appreciated that instead of the generic LGBT acronym throughout the book the more inclusive LGBTQIA+ was used.
The main characters
Ash, like the tree
I absolutely loved our main character, Ash, and it was awesome to be a part of their journey. Honestly they were way too chill, given the stuff they had to deal with. I loved learning more about their thoughts and feelings. I was glad they could find someone to trust who helped them come to terms with their feelings.
Eleanor, like the president
She was just the nicest person in the book. She cares a lot about her friends. No wonder Ash immediately liked her. She was warm and welcoming, always trying to help Ash but never overstepping. I wish we learned a bit more about her.
Junebug, the awesome
What a super chill character. Though we don’t learn a lot about Junebug during the story, I enjoyed their spontaineity.
Chloe, the feminist killjoy
If the book had any downfall for me, it would be Chloe. From the first moment she has been hostile to Ash, for absolutely no reason. I get that informing others of sexist language they are using is important, but there is no reason to be rude about it if there is obviously no malicious intent. The joke about her being a “feminist killjoy” right after she bulldozes through the newest member of their pride club just felt super cringey.. I wish her behaviour towards Ash was reprimanded a bit.
Overall rating
I loved this book a lot. Gender was discussed in a natural way, focusing more on the feelings of the characters and not on the shiny glossary terms. There was a quest, magic and bonding time for the characters and it was just an overall uplifting read. I was surprised by the end reveal about Ash’s mom, not quite what I expected.
I felt like the whole of Koretris was a great commentary on how society views gender and how literally everyone has an opinion of what gender people should be and how they should act to fit this assigned role. As a cisgender woman (don’t worry there is a glossary that explains) I learned a lot about gender and how difficult it can be to learn your own preferences when literally everyone is shouting their own expectations at you.
June 15, 2021
To be honest, I think I was expecting more from this book. A little more depth, maybe? At the very least, I was expecting the panels to NOT disappear into the gutters on the inside edges (I read a paperback copy). It's not bad - I think kids will like it - and as an fantasy novel that also introduces kids to trans issues/gives trans kids a potential mirror I think it does its job, but considering one of the authors is heavily involved in Lumberjanes, I was expecting more well-roundedness all around.
I like the denouement. I like the explanation about how the boys were being used (against their will) by a stronger power, and that the boys themselves weren't actually bad guys (one of the strongest points of the book, imo). I like the idea that the Scourge was created because of fear of men to begin with. I do wish that the explanation of how Ash defeated this enemy was a little more spelled out (particularly for younger readers), but I think the overall gist is understandable.
I also REALLY appreciate how Junebug keeps "innocently" pushing back against the idea that it's a world just for girls when she/they is nonbinary. I don't think she's meant to mean anything by it, but that just makes it more effective, in a way.
As for Chloe, I've read some negative reviews about the book that object to her character. I don't know enough about those issues to have an informed opinion. My uninformed, white woman opinion is that she takes a certain amount of pleasure in being a "feminist killjoy", and that there's nothing wrong with being strong-willed, Black, and butch (is she butch just because she's wearing pants and has short hair, though? Where's that line, exactly?). She's one of the more sensible characters (she thinks about how worried their families must be back at home, she's the first to point out that being in the City with the boys probably isn't safe, etc.), and, honestly, I think she has the most developed character after Ash, the MC. Is her character playing into stereotypes? I know that one of the creators of the books is Black (the letterer), and, as I said, I don't know enough about the stereotypes to say. So, please take my opinion with as much salt as you'd like.
I do wish the author's note at the end had mentioned that some people are also asexual. I appreciate that there are a lot of sexualities in the world, and that they couldn't list every single one, but I wish they'd included mine. This is a personal preference, but I do think that kids should know there's nothing wrong with them if they don't feel attraction to anyone - it's important, and I think it's something that should be said more often.
Overall, I'm glad my library bought the book. I think (hope) it will circulate fairly well, and I hope it will give certain marginalized kids more representation.
I like the denouement. I like the explanation about how the boys were being used (against their will) by a stronger power, and that the boys themselves weren't actually bad guys (one of the strongest points of the book, imo). I like the idea that the Scourge was created because of fear of men to begin with. I do wish that the explanation of how Ash defeated this enemy was a little more spelled out (particularly for younger readers), but I think the overall gist is understandable.
I also REALLY appreciate how Junebug keeps "innocently" pushing back against the idea that it's a world just for girls when she/they is nonbinary. I don't think she's meant to mean anything by it, but that just makes it more effective, in a way.
As for Chloe, I've read some negative reviews about the book that object to her character. I don't know enough about those issues to have an informed opinion. My uninformed, white woman opinion is that she takes a certain amount of pleasure in being a "feminist killjoy", and that there's nothing wrong with being strong-willed, Black, and butch (is she butch just because she's wearing pants and has short hair, though? Where's that line, exactly?). She's one of the more sensible characters (she thinks about how worried their families must be back at home, she's the first to point out that being in the City with the boys probably isn't safe, etc.), and, honestly, I think she has the most developed character after Ash, the MC. Is her character playing into stereotypes? I know that one of the creators of the books is Black (the letterer), and, as I said, I don't know enough about the stereotypes to say. So, please take my opinion with as much salt as you'd like.
I do wish the author's note at the end had mentioned that some people are also asexual. I appreciate that there are a lot of sexualities in the world, and that they couldn't list every single one, but I wish they'd included mine. This is a personal preference, but I do think that kids should know there's nothing wrong with them if they don't feel attraction to anyone - it's important, and I think it's something that should be said more often.
Overall, I'm glad my library bought the book. I think (hope) it will circulate fairly well, and I hope it will give certain marginalized kids more representation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2020
*Received via NetGalley for review*
I am familiar with Lilah Sturges from the Lumberjanes series, and I see a lot of commonalities in Girl Haven (the interactions between characters, the annoyingly cheerful and naïve small character [which, while some may like it, is very annoying to me. I would never be friends with someone like that in real life, and even fictional characters like Junebug manage to annoy me.).
I really appreciated the note at the beginning that this is only one story of gender identity and struggle, and not everyone's will be the same.
Unfortunately, this graphic novel is slight on plot. Ash and her friends are transported into her mother's magical world, and spend a lot of time asking questions and traveling and talking, and then the ending is very quick and pretty trite. It's much more an exploration of gender identity than a fantasy adventure.
And, like many have mentioned, the art is pretty inconsistent and not really something I'd expect from 1) an established creator and 2) a professionally published graphic novel.
I am familiar with Lilah Sturges from the Lumberjanes series, and I see a lot of commonalities in Girl Haven (the interactions between characters, the annoyingly cheerful and naïve small character [which, while some may like it, is very annoying to me. I would never be friends with someone like that in real life, and even fictional characters like Junebug manage to annoy me.).
I really appreciated the note at the beginning that this is only one story of gender identity and struggle, and not everyone's will be the same.
Unfortunately, this graphic novel is slight on plot. Ash and her friends are transported into her mother's magical world, and spend a lot of time asking questions and traveling and talking, and then the ending is very quick and pretty trite. It's much more an exploration of gender identity than a fantasy adventure.
And, like many have mentioned, the art is pretty inconsistent and not really something I'd expect from 1) an established creator and 2) a professionally published graphic novel.
November 24, 2020
This book has major Lumberjanes x Adventure Time vibes, and I love it! I loved the way this book talks about gender identity. Ash, our main character, is a trans girl learning her identity while navigating a world her mother made. Koretris was a fantasy world created by a child, and I love how it showed the dreams and fears of kids minds. Ash's development was done so well, and I loved how she opened up and became a hero after realizing she is a girl and being who she truly was.
I did have one issue with this book and that was the treatment of boys in this very binary fantasy world. The big enemy in this book is masculinity, and while I hate toxic masculinity, I don't like how boys as a whole were the enemy in this book. I think this book had a great opportunity to talk about toxic masculinity and show boys that are gay, trans, and gender nonconforming. I'm a lil disappointed in how that was handled
As for the art, I loved the style! The lines and colors fit the story perfectly! And I love how the world and setting was depicted art wise
I did have one issue with this book and that was the treatment of boys in this very binary fantasy world. The big enemy in this book is masculinity, and while I hate toxic masculinity, I don't like how boys as a whole were the enemy in this book. I think this book had a great opportunity to talk about toxic masculinity and show boys that are gay, trans, and gender nonconforming. I'm a lil disappointed in how that was handled
As for the art, I loved the style! The lines and colors fit the story perfectly! And I love how the world and setting was depicted art wise
April 23, 2021
I love that there are more and more children’s graphic novels being published with LGBTQ+ characters and themes. It’s important for our kids to be able to see themselves in books, no matter what their identity. These graphic novels don’t just appeal to kids who are trans or queer though. One of my favourite graphic novels is The Prince and the Dressmaker and it is one of the most popular graphic novels with the older children at my school. The themes of discovering your identity and being the person you truly feel you are, resounds with all readers. Girl Haven is a fantastic new graphic novel from Oni Press, which deals with gender identity and sexuality in a way that older children can relate to.
Three years ago, Ash’s mom, Kristin, left home and never came back. Now, Ash lives in the house where Kristin grew up. All of her things are there. Her old room, her old clothes, and the shed where she spent her childhood creating a fantasy world called Koretris. Ash knows all about Koretris: how it’s a haven for girls, with no men or boys allowed, and filled with fanciful landscapes and creatures. When Ash’s friends decide to try going to Koretris using one of Kristin’s spell books, Ash doesn’t think anything will happen. But the spell works, and Ash discovers that the world Kristin created is actually a real place with real inhabitants and very real danger. But if Koretris is real, why is Ash there? Everyone has always called Ash a boy. Ash uses he/him pronouns. Shouldn’t the spell have kept Ash out? And what does it mean if it let Ash in?
Girl Haven is such a cool story! It is an inspiring story about being the person you want to be, wrapped up in a fantasy adventure. The story is full of fun and adventure, but Lilah and Meaghan also make you think about gender identity and how society makes you fit in to one box or another. The characters are diverse, representing cisgender, transgender and nonbinary people, and different sexual orientations. I think this is an important book that will help children who are confused about their identity. It will help them to see that they are not alone, and that it is important to have people around you who understand and support you.
The story mainly focuses on Ash’s journey to acceptance. Ash didn’t realise that the place his mum talked about and wrote about was actually a real place. He knows that Koretris is a haven for girls, so it is confusing when he is able to get in, along with his friends who are all girls. Ash has always felt like he was supposed to be a girl and has wished that something would happen to turn him into a girl. Coming to Koretris gives Ash the chance to become the person he’s always wanted to be. Junebug, Eleanor and Chloe are all great friends to Ash, and I love that they all identify differently. Anybody reading this graphic novel will be able to find someone to relate to. Something that really resonated with me was the idea of every person being a story and that ‘a boy is one kind of story, a girl another kind. And they are but two of many stories.’
Meaghan Carter’s illustrations bring the world of Koretris to life, from the Rabbits of the Reeds to the candy people of Sugar Valley, and the dreaded Scourge. Meaghan has drawn Ash in such a way that he looks androgynous, but as his friends say, he ‘looks really cute in that dress.’ Meaghan’s illustration style is similar to Molly Ostertag and Gale Galligan, so anyone who likes their style would like Girl Haven.
Girl Haven is one of my favourite children’s graphic novels this year and I will be recommending it to kids and adults alike. It is a must-have graphic novel for intermediate and high school libraries, and I know it will be incredibly popular. If you have loved The Prince and the Dressmaker, Witch Boy, Dungeon Critters or Snapdragon, you’ll love Girl Haven.
Three years ago, Ash’s mom, Kristin, left home and never came back. Now, Ash lives in the house where Kristin grew up. All of her things are there. Her old room, her old clothes, and the shed where she spent her childhood creating a fantasy world called Koretris. Ash knows all about Koretris: how it’s a haven for girls, with no men or boys allowed, and filled with fanciful landscapes and creatures. When Ash’s friends decide to try going to Koretris using one of Kristin’s spell books, Ash doesn’t think anything will happen. But the spell works, and Ash discovers that the world Kristin created is actually a real place with real inhabitants and very real danger. But if Koretris is real, why is Ash there? Everyone has always called Ash a boy. Ash uses he/him pronouns. Shouldn’t the spell have kept Ash out? And what does it mean if it let Ash in?
Girl Haven is such a cool story! It is an inspiring story about being the person you want to be, wrapped up in a fantasy adventure. The story is full of fun and adventure, but Lilah and Meaghan also make you think about gender identity and how society makes you fit in to one box or another. The characters are diverse, representing cisgender, transgender and nonbinary people, and different sexual orientations. I think this is an important book that will help children who are confused about their identity. It will help them to see that they are not alone, and that it is important to have people around you who understand and support you.
The story mainly focuses on Ash’s journey to acceptance. Ash didn’t realise that the place his mum talked about and wrote about was actually a real place. He knows that Koretris is a haven for girls, so it is confusing when he is able to get in, along with his friends who are all girls. Ash has always felt like he was supposed to be a girl and has wished that something would happen to turn him into a girl. Coming to Koretris gives Ash the chance to become the person he’s always wanted to be. Junebug, Eleanor and Chloe are all great friends to Ash, and I love that they all identify differently. Anybody reading this graphic novel will be able to find someone to relate to. Something that really resonated with me was the idea of every person being a story and that ‘a boy is one kind of story, a girl another kind. And they are but two of many stories.’
Meaghan Carter’s illustrations bring the world of Koretris to life, from the Rabbits of the Reeds to the candy people of Sugar Valley, and the dreaded Scourge. Meaghan has drawn Ash in such a way that he looks androgynous, but as his friends say, he ‘looks really cute in that dress.’ Meaghan’s illustration style is similar to Molly Ostertag and Gale Galligan, so anyone who likes their style would like Girl Haven.
Girl Haven is one of my favourite children’s graphic novels this year and I will be recommending it to kids and adults alike. It is a must-have graphic novel for intermediate and high school libraries, and I know it will be incredibly popular. If you have loved The Prince and the Dressmaker, Witch Boy, Dungeon Critters or Snapdragon, you’ll love Girl Haven.
October 14, 2020
Thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Asher is a lonely boy who befriends 3 girls who are also the gay chapter of their school, he invites them to his home were he is now living with his dad after his mother left. While showing the girl's his mother's creations they are transported to the fantasy land his mother has envisioned, Koretris. As soon as they arrive they are capture by rabbits and taken to the Reed Warren. To go back home they must first discover why magic brought them there and to complete their quest, defeat the scourge of the land and free Queen Cassandra.
To talk about the way the book tackles gender issues I will have to reveal a few spoilers. The story uses the portal fantasy setting to discuss male/female demarcations and relations. Koretris is a land that forbids entry to male visitors, and Asher comes to rethink gender and how come the magic let him travel there in the first place. At first it seemed like there is a division the gender along the lines of boys are bad or girls have cooties. It turns out that the scourge is actually a group of boys who come from Guysville and who consider girls an enemy. But they are actually driven by The Beast which takes control of them and uses them. This beast seems to be inside them and has the ability to take control of their minds. The presence of the boys confuses Ash, but in order to work magic, Ash must figure out what's in his/her heart and how they will identify themselves in the future.
I can't speak for the LGBTQIA+ representation from personal experience, but it did seem like a good introduction to the subject with a warm loving message about embracing and accepting your innermost feelings. Overall a very cute story that seems to be aimed to the middle grades.
#GirlHaven #NetGalley
Asher is a lonely boy who befriends 3 girls who are also the gay chapter of their school, he invites them to his home were he is now living with his dad after his mother left. While showing the girl's his mother's creations they are transported to the fantasy land his mother has envisioned, Koretris. As soon as they arrive they are capture by rabbits and taken to the Reed Warren. To go back home they must first discover why magic brought them there and to complete their quest, defeat the scourge of the land and free Queen Cassandra.
To talk about the way the book tackles gender issues I will have to reveal a few spoilers. The story uses the portal fantasy setting to discuss male/female demarcations and relations. Koretris is a land that forbids entry to male visitors, and Asher comes to rethink gender and how come the magic let him travel there in the first place. At first it seemed like there is a division the gender along the lines of boys are bad or girls have cooties. It turns out that the scourge is actually a group of boys who come from Guysville and who consider girls an enemy. But they are actually driven by The Beast which takes control of them and uses them. This beast seems to be inside them and has the ability to take control of their minds. The presence of the boys confuses Ash, but in order to work magic, Ash must figure out what's in his/her heart and how they will identify themselves in the future.
I can't speak for the LGBTQIA+ representation from personal experience, but it did seem like a good introduction to the subject with a warm loving message about embracing and accepting your innermost feelings. Overall a very cute story that seems to be aimed to the middle grades.
#GirlHaven #NetGalley
June 25, 2021
Disclaimer: An eARC was provided by The Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.
A beautiful graphic novel of understanding and accepting who you actually are and being comfortable in your own skin and identity.
Girl Haven is all about self acceptance nuanced with a fantasy setting! Every young child needs to have such wonderful stories to help them overcome their self - doubt to understand their worth.
Beautifully representing the trans and non - binary experience - and every child needs to know the actual understanding of acceptance and unconditional support.
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