Hmmm I wonder if something got lost in translation. The artwork was lovely and kept me captivated, but the story was piecemeal and confusing and hard to follow. Frequently (I think?) the narrator would change without any notation which made it hard to understand, then there are cut-scenes intermixed that were never explained (although I think maybe it had to do with Lisa's ability? was she having these as visions?), and lastly there was just a lot going on and some side plots got thrown in at the end to add to the confusion. And then it just...ended? Like right at the climax? I know there's another volume at least to carry on the story but I still felt like it should have wrapped up a bit more since it indicates that 20 years will go by before that second volume takes place? Plus, judging by the cover and description, I had assumed it was a children's/middle grade graphic novel but boy oh boy there's a lot of nudity and sex for something with a ten-year-old protagonist!

I'm sorry for having nothing good to say about it other than the illustrations are good.


Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for a review.

This book boasts beautiful artwork and a lovely journey through the eyes of a child with the delightful backdrop of the adventure of moving and the rush of experiencing different cultures and locales.

Beautiful art and coloring, but very clearly the beginning of a series. Lots of introduction and confusing moments that won't make sense for a while, and an out of place explicit sex scenes.

I'm rather surprised at the many negative reviews for this one - it's clearly only part one of a series and yes, there are things that are not completely explained but that is because I feel like those things will be revealed as the story progresses. I think I figured out why the story has weird time-jumps but I of course can't confirm it until the next volume, which I definitely want to read.

Don't be fooled by the cute cover! This is a very grown-up story about a little village in Italy, about xenophobia, first love and murder. Nudity and a sex scene are also shown rather explicitly.
The story felt a bit unsatisfying to me and the short intermissions that told completely different stories were confusing, but also make you want to read part two to find out, what they mean.
Though I didn't like the plot much, I still have to give this comic 3 stars, since the art was really beautifully done and the art and story combined evoked a very authentic feeling for the time and place it revolved around.

I thank Netgalley and Europe Comics for an ARC to read and review.

The art was really moving and beautiful at times, however the story didn't make much sense, and the plot got lost in between the events.

I thought the graphics were very well drawn.
I’m finding it difficult to rate this because it is only the start of a story. I can see potential in it but having only read this part I found the ‘asides’ confusing & don’t really know how they fit into the storyline.
The characters were believable, I can see how a small fishing community would have reacted the way they to to newcomers with modern technology.

A story that goes all over the place, concentrating as it does on an English family and the disapproval they meet when they take their high-falutin' schemes to the remote Italian coast. But it also introduces a gang of four children who share the same birthday, and who meet occasionally to see things with the help of drugs. Oh, and we also see things, things that seem to have naff all to do with it – a slave yacking on about loving the boss's wife, someone in a harem, and a lot more. Those first-person bits will have to be explained somewhen, but I doubt many on this evidence alone would rush to find out what the solution is. Certainly I'd recommend against trying this if you didn't have the whole series to hand – and so far the other half of this bonkers contraption is not translated. Well, they rushed to get this on the shelves fifteen years after it was written, so who knows what the wait will be… Proof of my theory that good books will get translated quickly, and the weaker ones neglected. One and a half stars.

This graphic novel had a lot of interesting concepts, but I found it just boring. I never got into this story. I had difficulties figuring out the perspective. The book starts out in 1902 in Italy. Then it jumps forward four years. There's a young boy in a new city. A mysterious girl his ageA group of kids all born on the same day. They get high one night together...I think. There's some nudity and sex scenes. There was just a lot of different things happening, but still I was bored.

I was very unsure who the audience for this book is supposed to be. It seems to be from the perspective of a child, but there's some adult material.

The artwork was off-putting for me. There are some unusual facial expressions drawn that I was not able to interpret.

Overall, some interesting ideas. But, I was bored. I give this book a 2/5.

I enjoyed the story very much!
I would like to thank the publisher for giving me a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

WOW confused! The main story was not what I expected and was rather risque. I enjoyed the artwork except the faces were a bit ugly. What were there strange blips of dark story that didn't seem to fit anywhere???

Totally unexpected storyline given that the cover looks so fresh, wholesome and innocent! Haha! The art is beautiful, yes. But the story could not hold my attention. I would also have preferred no nudity and explicit sex scenes.

This graphic was spellbinding! I really adored the artwork and the atmosphere. A definite must read!

I liked the art and palette of colours. The plot was a little confusing, it's understanding the problem of the new boat and thoughts of the newcomers, yet the tie between the several kids didn't see very well. Maybe in the second book explains this better.

Whilst the illustrations and the palette of colours are beautiful, I found quite difficult and challenging to follow the plot of this graphic novels as too many elements and subplots were included.
This is probably due to the fact that this is the first part of the story,however finishing the book left me a bit clueless and confused.

I enjoyed the art and the setting of this novel, but there were aspects of the story that I found confusing. The main portion of the plot seemed mostly understandable, but there were bits of another subplot that made the overall story confusing for me. They didn't seem to tie in with what was going on and I wouldn't piece together why they were included. Maybe the second book will explain them further, but as a stand alone it doesn't make sense.

This is a complex tale about fisherman, newcomers, strangers and young love, among other things. Directed at adults it spins a tale narrated by a young boy who describes life as he lives it with his family. It has a more realistic spin on it and continues with another episode.

A fascinating start to this graphic novel series. Young William moves to the small village of Barellito with his family. His father, ever the optimist, his father has big dreams of starting up a fishing business there, but the local villagers are unfriendly and hostile.

Despite this life goes on and William soon finds a group of friends of his own. With these new friends comes mystical experiences and puzzling dreams. William doesn't know what these expeirnces mean but and he knows they point to something in their future. Meanwhile the hostility of the villagers boils over into tragedy and the lives of the children changes.

This is a great first book with as a low lying suspense that runs through the story. This suspence pulls the reader in and it was so easy to become lost in the lives of the villagers, the mysticism and the joy of new life and new adventures. I enjoyed reading this and I defintely wanted more. Alas I will have to wait for that, but this first episode has certainly awakened my appetite for more.

Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley.

2/5

I'm sorry but I didn't like this gn so much. I like the color palette and art style, the synopsis is intriguing but the when I read the story I wasn’t 100% taken by it.
An english family move from London to Italy to their inherited house. Here we see a village where the "unknown" is seen as a dangerous thing.
I appreciate how the "war" between industrial and local fishing is set in the book, and the relationship between the main character - Will - and his new friends... but there is like a side story that confuse me.
They're like flash-back that Will can see in his dreams or when he's "high" (because they're using drugs). I think that it'will be better explained in the second part.
Here there are some very explicit sex scenes.