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Re-Gifters
Jen Dik Seong, aka Dixie, is dirt poor and living on the ragged edge of LA's Koreatown. Her only outlet is the ancient martial art of hapkido, and she's on the verge of winning a championship--until she falls for surfer boy Adam. Older teens.
174 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
10 people are currently reading
1915 people want to read
About the author
Mike Carey
1,267 books2,970 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Mike Carey was born in Liverpool in 1959. He worked as a teacher for fifteen years, before starting to write comics. When he started to receive regular commissions from DC Comics, he gave up the day job.
Since then, he has worked for both DC and Marvel Comics, writing storylines for some of the world's most iconic characters, including X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, LUCIFER and HELLBLAZER. His original screenplay FROST FLOWERS is currently being filmed. Mike has also adapted Neil Gaiman's acclaimed NEVERWHERE into comics.
Somehow, Mike finds time amongst all of this to live with his wife and children in North London. You can read his blog at www.mikecarey.net.
Mike Carey was born in Liverpool in 1959. He worked as a teacher for fifteen years, before starting to write comics. When he started to receive regular commissions from DC Comics, he gave up the day job.
Since then, he has worked for both DC and Marvel Comics, writing storylines for some of the world's most iconic characters, including X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, LUCIFER and HELLBLAZER. His original screenplay FROST FLOWERS is currently being filmed. Mike has also adapted Neil Gaiman's acclaimed NEVERWHERE into comics.
Somehow, Mike finds time amongst all of this to live with his wife and children in North London. You can read his blog at www.mikecarey.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
December 28, 2015
Jen Dik Seong, known as Dixie to her friends, well really friend (singular), is a first generation Korean American girl, who has a black belt in Hapkido - an ancient marital art. She has her first major crush, and this has left her not only distracted, but she has lost her Ki. Will she find it again?
This graphic novel targeted at the teen reader is a lovely exploration of first loves, friendship, and the struggle to figure out who you are. The black, white and grey illustrations are fun, and I especially liked that the story explores themes of immigrant culture, money, positive female friendships, and how we often find what we are looking for in unexpected places. The story line is a little predictable for the adult reader, but I loved that this was a very girl positive book. Isn't it about time we had more of that?
This graphic novel targeted at the teen reader is a lovely exploration of first loves, friendship, and the struggle to figure out who you are. The black, white and grey illustrations are fun, and I especially liked that the story explores themes of immigrant culture, money, positive female friendships, and how we often find what we are looking for in unexpected places. The story line is a little predictable for the adult reader, but I loved that this was a very girl positive book. Isn't it about time we had more of that?
January 2, 2008
Plot: Jen Dik Seong is studying the ancient martial art of hapkido. She's awesome at the sport. In fact, her parents and friends want her to participate in the 25th National Hapkido Championship because they think that she stands an excellent chance of winning. She saves up the money for the ticket to participate in the championship, but then she spends the money on buying a birthday gift for her crush Adam. He not only doesn't like her back (argh!), he re-gifts her present to a girl that he likes. In the end, Adam and Jen have to fight each other in the championship. He even asks her to throw the fight, but Jen stays true to herself and kicks his butt in the championship. She realizes that she doesn't like him and that she likes another boy, Dillinger, instead.
Evaluation: This graphic novel is beautiful in design and the illustrations are wonderful as well. The front cover features Jen and in the background there's a pink present wrapped with a light pink bow. Both Liew and Hempel give the illustrations a sense of humor, especially in the fight scenes. In the pictures, where Jen is fighting Adam, it looks like she's going to fly right of off the page. The shocked look on Adam's face made me smile. Actually the look on most of Jen's opponents, whenever she was about to kick butt, made me laugh.
The author and illustrators do a good job at showing what a dweeb Adam is...I mean, to re-gift a present from someone that has a crush on you and then give it to a girl that you're after is just bad karma. It definitely comes back to bite him in the butt and the sad part is that he's still a jerk even at the end of the novel. He tries to get Jen to throw the fight because he wants to win and he's willing to use her affections for him in order to get what he wants. Yuk. I was happy when Jen realized that Adam was not worth it, especially when she finds out that he re-gifted her present. Dillinger was obviously a much better choice as a boyfriend because he admires Jen's talent, but also likes her instead of pretending to.
My favorite character in the novel is Megan Schofield because of the way she disses Adam. Once she finds out that the present that he has given her was Jen's gift to him, she decides to dump Adam. The best part is that she does it to him at the championship and tells him that she doesn't under the sport or the violence of it. She literally ripes his self esteem apart and he deserved it.
Evaluation: This graphic novel is beautiful in design and the illustrations are wonderful as well. The front cover features Jen and in the background there's a pink present wrapped with a light pink bow. Both Liew and Hempel give the illustrations a sense of humor, especially in the fight scenes. In the pictures, where Jen is fighting Adam, it looks like she's going to fly right of off the page. The shocked look on Adam's face made me smile. Actually the look on most of Jen's opponents, whenever she was about to kick butt, made me laugh.
The author and illustrators do a good job at showing what a dweeb Adam is...I mean, to re-gift a present from someone that has a crush on you and then give it to a girl that you're after is just bad karma. It definitely comes back to bite him in the butt and the sad part is that he's still a jerk even at the end of the novel. He tries to get Jen to throw the fight because he wants to win and he's willing to use her affections for him in order to get what he wants. Yuk. I was happy when Jen realized that Adam was not worth it, especially when she finds out that he re-gifted her present. Dillinger was obviously a much better choice as a boyfriend because he admires Jen's talent, but also likes her instead of pretending to.
My favorite character in the novel is Megan Schofield because of the way she disses Adam. Once she finds out that the present that he has given her was Jen's gift to him, she decides to dump Adam. The best part is that she does it to him at the championship and tells him that she doesn't under the sport or the violence of it. She literally ripes his self esteem apart and he deserved it.
October 14, 2011
I've read nearly all the MINX comics, and I've gotta say that the Re-Gifters and The P.L.A.I.N. Janes are my favorites from this imprint of DC comics (it had a lot of potential...wish it was still around).
Basically, the Re-Gifters is the story of a young Korean girl, "Dixie", her hapkido tournament, and the love triangle she gets caught up with, involving the boy she likes, the girl he likes, and the guy she never considered before. I really liked Dixie's character, because I felt like she was the right mix of sensitive teenage girl and tough hapkido student. I was actually surprised to learn the story was written by a guy, because he did a really good job at creating a realistic teenage girl. The romance wasn't overly gushy and, overall, the book had a classic teenage story feel, something like "The Karate Kid" meets "Pretty In Pink."
Basically, the Re-Gifters is the story of a young Korean girl, "Dixie", her hapkido tournament, and the love triangle she gets caught up with, involving the boy she likes, the girl he likes, and the guy she never considered before. I really liked Dixie's character, because I felt like she was the right mix of sensitive teenage girl and tough hapkido student. I was actually surprised to learn the story was written by a guy, because he did a really good job at creating a realistic teenage girl. The romance wasn't overly gushy and, overall, the book had a classic teenage story feel, something like "The Karate Kid" meets "Pretty In Pink."
July 11, 2017
2.5 stars
I thought that Re-gifters was just okay, but I guess that it depends what you were expecting, and since most people expect comic books/graphic novels to be light reads, this will likely please most teens who pick it up. Re-gifters is the equivalent of cheesy teen novel, except with a Korean-American protagonist instead of the typical bland dishwater blond girl who for some reason (other than hapkido) isn't quite girly enough to fit norms, and read as such, it's good entertainment.
After finishing Re-gifters, I felt similarly to how I did after reading The Not-so-star-spangled Life of Sunita Sen. While I was glad that there are now entries in "light" young adult fiction featuring teen girls of color, since everyone needs their book candy, the one-dimensional way in which identity, culture, socioecomic status, etc. were treated was a turnoff. I suppose that perhaps the presentation was supposed to be funny, and the one-dimensional stock characters matched the one-dimensional treatment of these things, but sometimes it just seemed like a collection of tropes that were okay because they were supposed to be funny? I'm not saying that I want these types of books to be heavy, depressing things, but I feel like it's possible to be more nuanced, even in what's supposed to be a "fun" book.
This seemed to use traditional, distinct paneling of most "western" comics with which people are familiar, and three-shade (black-white-gray) coloring that makes things look "blobby" (kind of like many webcomics) but with a little more texture. It may have just been me, but I felt somewhat distracted while reading the comic from the art, like there wasn't enough white space to let the eye naturally move through the panels.
I thought that Re-gifters was just okay, but I guess that it depends what you were expecting, and since most people expect comic books/graphic novels to be light reads, this will likely please most teens who pick it up. Re-gifters is the equivalent of cheesy teen novel, except with a Korean-American protagonist instead of the typical bland dishwater blond girl who for some reason (other than hapkido) isn't quite girly enough to fit norms, and read as such, it's good entertainment.
After finishing Re-gifters, I felt similarly to how I did after reading The Not-so-star-spangled Life of Sunita Sen. While I was glad that there are now entries in "light" young adult fiction featuring teen girls of color, since everyone needs their book candy, the one-dimensional way in which identity, culture, socioecomic status, etc. were treated was a turnoff. I suppose that perhaps the presentation was supposed to be funny, and the one-dimensional stock characters matched the one-dimensional treatment of these things, but sometimes it just seemed like a collection of tropes that were okay because they were supposed to be funny? I'm not saying that I want these types of books to be heavy, depressing things, but I feel like it's possible to be more nuanced, even in what's supposed to be a "fun" book.
This seemed to use traditional, distinct paneling of most "western" comics with which people are familiar, and three-shade (black-white-gray) coloring that makes things look "blobby" (kind of like many webcomics) but with a little more texture. It may have just been me, but I felt somewhat distracted while reading the comic from the art, like there wasn't enough white space to let the eye naturally move through the panels.
December 10, 2009
Dixie is a Korean American girl who has a black belt is hapkido, a martial art. She and her best, well, ONLY friend, Avril are looking forward to entering the hapkido tournament together.
Unfortunately, Dixie's crush on Adam, a clueless surfer dude in her hapkido class, causes her to lose focus. She comes up with a daring idea to impress him with an expensive gift, and then finds out that not only has she spent the money for her tournament entrance fee, but also that Adam likes someone else.
Dixie feels like she is a disappointment to everyone in her life, including herself. It will take some friends and some shady re-gifting to show Dixie what (and who) is really important.
Unfortunately, Dixie's crush on Adam, a clueless surfer dude in her hapkido class, causes her to lose focus. She comes up with a daring idea to impress him with an expensive gift, and then finds out that not only has she spent the money for her tournament entrance fee, but also that Adam likes someone else.
Dixie feels like she is a disappointment to everyone in her life, including herself. It will take some friends and some shady re-gifting to show Dixie what (and who) is really important.
August 26, 2008
This book rocked. I really enjoyed Dixie, the main character, who is a feisty Korean girl that excels in hapkido. Without spoiling the book, Dixie gets thrown off of her game by a boy, and we get to root for her while she gets her mojo back. I was highly satisfied by the emotionally manipulative ending, I must confess.
April 16, 2012
Fun story, fluid artwork, good message and (maybe unfortunately) didn't wear out its welcome. Also, I loved Dillinger from the fist second he stepped onto the page.
November 3, 2020
The graphic novel Re-Gifters by Mark Carey was a very quick and easy read. The book took close to an hour to read. Within the hour of reading, I was very intrigued with the plot. Re-Gifters is packed full of drama. The drama consisted mainly between the main character named Dixie and her best friend Avril, Dixie and her family, or Dixie and her crush named Adam. Overall, Dixie’s story was interesting yet very predictable.
The main part I found interesting was the fact this book is about a different culture. Dixie competes in a sport called hapkido. Hapkido is a Korean form of martial arts. Similarly, hapkido is very closely related to karate. I found it very interesting to learn about the mechanics of hapkido. In this graphic novel, Dixie competes in the national championship for hapkido. Dixie hit a few bumps along the road which almost kept her from competing in the tournament. Luckily, she has a great friend who gave Dixie her spot in the competition.
I would recommend this graphic novel to anyone who enjoys drama. Dixie’s story is very interesting and is a great quick read. I rated this book a four out of five stars because I found the plot very predictable. Halfway through the book, I knew exactly how the novel would end. I wish the ending would have thrown me for a bit of a loop. Otherwise, the four stars were very well deserved. The drama really hooked me in as a reader, and I found it very interesting to learn about another culture.
The main part I found interesting was the fact this book is about a different culture. Dixie competes in a sport called hapkido. Hapkido is a Korean form of martial arts. Similarly, hapkido is very closely related to karate. I found it very interesting to learn about the mechanics of hapkido. In this graphic novel, Dixie competes in the national championship for hapkido. Dixie hit a few bumps along the road which almost kept her from competing in the tournament. Luckily, she has a great friend who gave Dixie her spot in the competition.
I would recommend this graphic novel to anyone who enjoys drama. Dixie’s story is very interesting and is a great quick read. I rated this book a four out of five stars because I found the plot very predictable. Halfway through the book, I knew exactly how the novel would end. I wish the ending would have thrown me for a bit of a loop. Otherwise, the four stars were very well deserved. The drama really hooked me in as a reader, and I found it very interesting to learn about another culture.
December 17, 2019
Fun and light. I like that there is a graphic novel out there with a Korean-American girl as the protagonist that brushes on things like culture and ethnicity, but doe not make them the focus of the book. Not a huge fan of the art, but a good, quick read.
June 6, 2019
Aimed at much younger readers than me. And females at that.
But it was a fun little read!
But it was a fun little read!
July 15, 2007
I utterly adored My Faith in Frankie from the same team, so I was looking forward to this. Sadly, it's not as good.
The protagonist, Jen Dik Seong, or just Dixie, is a talented martial artist in hapkido - only she's somewhat distracted at the moment by a giant crush on Adam, who also studies hapkido. He throws her off her game completely. Trouble comes when Dixie spends the money her father can barely put together for an upcoming tournament on a very expensive present for Adam. Who doesn't appreciate it - thus the re-gifting in the title.
Whilst it was quite enjoyable, the structure of it all was too obvious. My least favourite moment is when Dixie's best friend breaks her leg - meaning she can give her place in the tournament to Dixie. Because of course it had to happen to further the plot, but did it have to be so unsubtle? And I didn't feel that Dixie really had to deal with the consequences of her actions - there's a happy ending, Adam gets his cumuppance and it all ties together maybe too nicely.
On the other hand, the art is gorgeous. Flicking through it the pages seem very busy, but reading it it doesn't matter. It's all black and white and grey tone, which probably helps there. Makes it cleaner. And the drawings are so expressive, very appealing.
It's split into chapters, despite having been released as a single volume. They are humorously titled but I had to remember to actually read them (as in one case they were actually referenced) - I have a tendancy to skip over titles.
Overall, 'Re-Gifters' is an enjoyable story, and I'm glad more girl's comics are being published - I just wish the narrative had been better crafted.
The protagonist, Jen Dik Seong, or just Dixie, is a talented martial artist in hapkido - only she's somewhat distracted at the moment by a giant crush on Adam, who also studies hapkido. He throws her off her game completely. Trouble comes when Dixie spends the money her father can barely put together for an upcoming tournament on a very expensive present for Adam. Who doesn't appreciate it - thus the re-gifting in the title.
Whilst it was quite enjoyable, the structure of it all was too obvious. My least favourite moment is when Dixie's best friend breaks her leg - meaning she can give her place in the tournament to Dixie. Because of course it had to happen to further the plot, but did it have to be so unsubtle? And I didn't feel that Dixie really had to deal with the consequences of her actions - there's a happy ending, Adam gets his cumuppance and it all ties together maybe too nicely.
On the other hand, the art is gorgeous. Flicking through it the pages seem very busy, but reading it it doesn't matter. It's all black and white and grey tone, which probably helps there. Makes it cleaner. And the drawings are so expressive, very appealing.
It's split into chapters, despite having been released as a single volume. They are humorously titled but I had to remember to actually read them (as in one case they were actually referenced) - I have a tendancy to skip over titles.
Overall, 'Re-Gifters' is an enjoyable story, and I'm glad more girl's comics are being published - I just wish the narrative had been better crafted.
August 23, 2010
SUMMARY: Jen Dik "Dixie" Seong is a black belt in hapkido, a sport that her father encourages her to participate in because it harkens back to the families' Korean heritage, even though they do not have much money. Yet Dixie finds it difficult to fully focus on hapkido when she's distracted by Adam, her dojo's most talented male student and the object of her affection. Her one friend, Avril, supports Dixie's Adam-obsession, up to a point. Things start to twist and turn when a gift keeps getting re-gifted (passing on a gift to someone else, often under the guise that you got it specifically for them). Meanwhile, Dixie concentrates on training for the upcoming hapkido tournament that she hopes to win.
EVALUATION: I'm not ashamed to admit that I shed a few tears at the end of the book--and they weren't tears of sadness. Our culture is filled with formulaic books and movies, where things always turn out in some predictable fashion at the end, whether or not it makes any rational sense. The Re-Gifters is refreshingly different in this regard. While there is some amount of racism present, it is not a major theme of the book. Instead, it concentrates on the strong personality of Dixie, and this small moment in her life. I found it very well done, all-around.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: This book has many aspects which will appeal to tweenage girls: a strong female main character, a handsome potential love interest, and issues with fitting in and rejection. At the same time, boys should enjoy this book for its vivid martial arts sequences, its cool male characters, and its urban setting, which is familiar to so many.
EVALUATION: I'm not ashamed to admit that I shed a few tears at the end of the book--and they weren't tears of sadness. Our culture is filled with formulaic books and movies, where things always turn out in some predictable fashion at the end, whether or not it makes any rational sense. The Re-Gifters is refreshingly different in this regard. While there is some amount of racism present, it is not a major theme of the book. Instead, it concentrates on the strong personality of Dixie, and this small moment in her life. I found it very well done, all-around.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: This book has many aspects which will appeal to tweenage girls: a strong female main character, a handsome potential love interest, and issues with fitting in and rejection. At the same time, boys should enjoy this book for its vivid martial arts sequences, its cool male characters, and its urban setting, which is familiar to so many.
Read
April 15, 2008Re-gifters by Mike Carey
My name is Dik Seong Jen. Even though Jen is my first name, everyone calls me Dixie. You see…Koreans put their first names at the end and…well anyway… Other things you have to know to understand me are that I “feel things deeply”, I have a temper, and I kind of act out and can’t help it. Oh, but and the emotions I can’t express, I channel into hapkido, Korean martial arts. I’m pretty good too!
I have two things on my mind these days…Adam and the tournament. Adam’s great at hapkido. He’s going to be in the tournament with me, well, I mean, I would have been going to the tournament if I had spent the money my dad gave me on the entrance fee, like I was supposed to, and not on Adam’s birthday gift. See, I gave him this awesome Hwarang warrior statue…but instead of noticing me, he asks me to help him get closer to this other girl. Gah!
I alienated my best friend, lied to my parents and now I don’t have the boy or the tournament. How will I get myself out of this?
Read Re-Gifters by Mike Carey to find out if Dixie gets what she wants in the end and to see if the saying “what goes around comes around” is true.
Grades 9 and up, AHJ-2577, graphic novel
My name is Dik Seong Jen. Even though Jen is my first name, everyone calls me Dixie. You see…Koreans put their first names at the end and…well anyway… Other things you have to know to understand me are that I “feel things deeply”, I have a temper, and I kind of act out and can’t help it. Oh, but and the emotions I can’t express, I channel into hapkido, Korean martial arts. I’m pretty good too!
I have two things on my mind these days…Adam and the tournament. Adam’s great at hapkido. He’s going to be in the tournament with me, well, I mean, I would have been going to the tournament if I had spent the money my dad gave me on the entrance fee, like I was supposed to, and not on Adam’s birthday gift. See, I gave him this awesome Hwarang warrior statue…but instead of noticing me, he asks me to help him get closer to this other girl. Gah!
I alienated my best friend, lied to my parents and now I don’t have the boy or the tournament. How will I get myself out of this?
Read Re-Gifters by Mike Carey to find out if Dixie gets what she wants in the end and to see if the saying “what goes around comes around” is true.
Grades 9 and up, AHJ-2577, graphic novel
July 8, 2012
I have to admit that while I really liked this after I'd first finished it, the more I thought about this story the more I just sort of feel that this was more average and bland than I'd really like.
Like so many of the Minx line, this has some incredible artwork. This is one area that I've yet to be disappointed, and this book kept up with the art expectations of its fellow releases. The art is fun, quirky, and fits the story and characters. I can see people getting into this for the artwork alone.
Story-wise, it's good. It's just not great. The book tries to put itself out there as a book about girl power and not needing a guy, yet at the same time it seems to sort of go against that in places. I liked the pairing at the end, although I kind of felt that it was a teensy bit forced. I'd have liked to see them as friends more than a couple, although they would be nice together. This just seems a little too "paint by the numbers" at times.
Overall though, this was still a good read and is actually one of my favorites of the Minx brand and one that I'd probably recommend first. It's just more of a library read than anything else.
Like so many of the Minx line, this has some incredible artwork. This is one area that I've yet to be disappointed, and this book kept up with the art expectations of its fellow releases. The art is fun, quirky, and fits the story and characters. I can see people getting into this for the artwork alone.
Story-wise, it's good. It's just not great. The book tries to put itself out there as a book about girl power and not needing a guy, yet at the same time it seems to sort of go against that in places. I liked the pairing at the end, although I kind of felt that it was a teensy bit forced. I'd have liked to see them as friends more than a couple, although they would be nice together. This just seems a little too "paint by the numbers" at times.
Overall though, this was still a good read and is actually one of my favorites of the Minx brand and one that I'd probably recommend first. It's just more of a library read than anything else.
August 19, 2008
Busier graphic novel than what I typically pick up, and busier = stylistically more detailed, art rougher, and reminiscent of manga at times.
Story of Korean American gal and her crush on a boy who is in her hapkido class and how she deals with it. Strong female again, though not along the lines of Kibuish, but more tough physically with moments of emotional/mental weaknesses.
Great laugh out loud portions (the whole re-gifting thing, "Well Goddamn" and the woman with the tattoo). Underlying stories link to Korean culture (adaptation, Ki, warrior history, honor).
Wraps up a little too tidily (the guy was suspended for hitting a teacher and he smokes, yo), but would otherwise disappoint readers if different.
A heartwarming read, left me smiling at end of page (and Minx has a slew of good titles geared to a specific audience, I think I'm hooked).
Story of Korean American gal and her crush on a boy who is in her hapkido class and how she deals with it. Strong female again, though not along the lines of Kibuish, but more tough physically with moments of emotional/mental weaknesses.
Great laugh out loud portions (the whole re-gifting thing, "Well Goddamn" and the woman with the tattoo). Underlying stories link to Korean culture (adaptation, Ki, warrior history, honor).
Wraps up a little too tidily (the guy was suspended for hitting a teacher and he smokes, yo), but would otherwise disappoint readers if different.
A heartwarming read, left me smiling at end of page (and Minx has a slew of good titles geared to a specific audience, I think I'm hooked).
May 18, 2010
This was an excellent graphic novel! I have read it at least 4 times now and it never gets old. It deals with the trials and tribulations that Dixie, a Korean-American girl, faces as she struggles to survive high school, win a martial arts tournament, survive her family and deal with unrequited love and anger management issues. By the end, Dixie manages to sort out her priorities and even makes a play for guy, all while battling for a martial arts championship.
This story, and pretty much everything by this comic publishing company, is completely satisfying and damn near perfect. The art is well-suited to the story, with first class writing, all of which leads to a first class story. I recommend this graphic novel to one and all, but fellow girls might connect with Dixie the most.
This story, and pretty much everything by this comic publishing company, is completely satisfying and damn near perfect. The art is well-suited to the story, with first class writing, all of which leads to a first class story. I recommend this graphic novel to one and all, but fellow girls might connect with Dixie the most.
September 22, 2007
I'd call this YA, and it was lots of fun. I got invested enough in the main character that I was snarling at the stupid boy she had a crush on, and thank goodness, the romance had an ending that was actually good for all characters concerned. Whew.
Some twists I found difficult to believe -- mostly the stupid boy's change of heart when he saw the main character fighting, but I can read that as the stupid boy trying to take advantage of the main character's crush on him to win the competition. Anyway, a refreshing take on teen romance. I liked that the main character (I'm calling her this because I can't remember her name -- oh yes, Dixie!), right, I liked that Dixie was convincingly American but wasn't ashamed of or conflicted about being Korean. And I liked her little brothers.
Some twists I found difficult to believe -- mostly the stupid boy's change of heart when he saw the main character fighting, but I can read that as the stupid boy trying to take advantage of the main character's crush on him to win the competition. Anyway, a refreshing take on teen romance. I liked that the main character (I'm calling her this because I can't remember her name -- oh yes, Dixie!), right, I liked that Dixie was convincingly American but wasn't ashamed of or conflicted about being Korean. And I liked her little brothers.
August 7, 2019
We read this with our kiddo when he was four, and that was a mistake. There's a little too much interpersonal drama mixed with the martial arts. We're glad we showed him a portrayal of an Asian-American girl who's a strong fighter, early in his life, but we'll come back to this one later on. Dixie, the girl in question, is a Korean-American girl who's a competitive athlete in Hapkido. She makes a mistake in falling for the wrong guy... possibly jeopardizing her chance to compete in the championships. Luckily, she has friends around to help out. It's so, so, so good! The people are real, the decisions are often teenager decisions, but it's handled with such compassion and respect for the characters, I really enjoyed this.
July 12, 2016
I picked up this as part of what is clearly becoming a "graphic novel binge as I attempt to claw my way out of my book slump" phase. I had heard things about it and I wanted to know more. I rather enjoyed this book. Dixie was a smart sassy protagonist and I enjoyed her story. I honestly thought seeing Adam and his date's happenings were kind of unnecessary and those bits slowed me down a little, but overall, loved the story and especially MC's bestie Avril, seriously she has some of the best lines in the whole novel and possibly ever. Think of this as a grittier version of Telgemeier's Drama (adolescence, unusual but not too out there hobby/interests and figuring out who people really are).
December 13, 2008
The story of a relatably cranky teenage Korean-American girl who’s trying to win a martial arts tournament—and the boy of her dreams. This is not your typical Mike Carey (perhaps best-known for Lucifer and his run on Hellblazer) graphic novel. It is, however, much better than the supernatural/horror novels he’s been cranking out lately. It features loads of humor, a cute interracial romance, and girls kicking ass—literally. I only wish Carey could have brought this much energy and life to his Felix Castor books.
August 20, 2014
I have read other books by this author that I liked, and I loved that this one featured a physically strong and talented female character. However, I really disliked the guy she ended up with in the end and the fact that he may be a drug dealer or something similar is never really resolved. It's a major flaw in an otherwise well written book. The art is also good, though the copy I had was on the smaller size for a graphic novel, which sometimes made it hard to read and appreciate the drawings.
June 26, 2024
I love Sonny Liew’s artwork, and this is a fine example.
One of the other reviewers says the plot is too predictable if the reader is familiar with juvenile romance novels. Well, I’m not the intended “juvie” audience but outside of a couple minor stretches I found the story fine and the characterizations compelling, if somewhat superficial. Hey, how deep do you expect to get in a 148 page comic book?
I’m not sure I believe Dixie spending all her money on a present for her “beloved”, or destroying that item later. I’m also skeptical of the boy she eventually chooses, though he’s by far the best man available.
All in all, a pleasurable read!
One of the other reviewers says the plot is too predictable if the reader is familiar with juvenile romance novels. Well, I’m not the intended “juvie” audience but outside of a couple minor stretches I found the story fine and the characterizations compelling, if somewhat superficial. Hey, how deep do you expect to get in a 148 page comic book?
I’m not sure I believe Dixie spending all her money on a present for her “beloved”, or destroying that item later. I’m also skeptical of the boy she eventually chooses, though he’s by far the best man available.
All in all, a pleasurable read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2017
this was a sweet book about a korean kid in LA kicking butt at hapkido. she has to deal with a crush on a boy clouding her decision-making as she tries to live up to her parents' hopes and expectations for her. and the backdrop of the story is very diverse and reflective of the community she lives in and the legacy of being Korean through the Rodney King riots. very sweet. in the back of the book, the little previews for other graphic novels by the publisher makes me think they have quite a following among Asian preteen girls. cool.
January 7, 2023
This is the second Graphic Novel in the now defunct MINX line that I have read, the first being The PLAIN Janes by Castellucci and Rugg. Both are about strong female characters - young women who can be role models or examples for the young women in our lives. This one is about a young Korean girl growing up in LA. She has spent years studying hapikido. But she is also a young girl in love. And love sometimes makes us do crazy things. This is a story about tradition, it is a story about honour and it is a story about life. Dixie, Jen Dik Seong, is told by her instructor: "If you do not find that harmonious balance you cannot fight well or live well". Read to find out if she can learn to discover that balance. Wonderfully drawn and written, this is a great story. It is a pity DC Comics cancelled this line. These are books I plan on hanging onto for my daughter for when she is older.
October 19, 2017
I really enjoy this graphic novel. It takes the “girl is obsessed with boy until she realizes she’s better off without him” story in a very interesting way. If I could beat the first dude I was in love with in a national martial arts competition, that would have been amazing. Sadly, that didn’t happen, so now I shall live vicariously through this story.
August 2, 2018
RE-GIFTERS: this is a graphic novel about a girl Dixie who is a martial artist black belt, has an all-consuming crush on a boy, and ki to find.
I loved this story! It’s all about figuring out what/who is important in life, being true to who you are, and kicking butt.
Even if you don’t think you’re a fan of “comics” give this a try!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved this story! It’s all about figuring out what/who is important in life, being true to who you are, and kicking butt.
Even if you don’t think you’re a fan of “comics” give this a try!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 2, 2024
A for sure young adult selection and a good one at that. No woke gibberish. The main character is a bit skewed. Possibly has to do with adult males writing as a female juvenile? Illustrations were also a bit on the seemingly hurried shoddy side. Otherwise an easy read with an easy to understand moral lesson.
December 26, 2018
I'm normally not super invested in stories with sports as a central element, but this book drew me in right from the start. I love the frequent set-ups and pay-offs that give the plot its structure, particularly those that relate to the titular gift.
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