3.5 STARS

I received a free copy of this book on Netgalley, so thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Odessa by Jonathan Hill is a young adult science fiction dystopian graphic novel that explores the lives of Ginny (Virginia) and her brothers Wes and Harry as they travel through the United States but not one that we know. About a decade before the narration in this book, there was some form of massive earthquake that destroyed half of America and made strange creatures and mutants appear, so there is definitely a big dystopian vibe coming from this book.

I think this is going to be a series as it ended on “to be continued” and I think I might continue it because although I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I was expecting, I feel like it has a lot of potential and I’m intrigued to see what will happen to the characters next.

If you are not a fan of seeing vivid depictions of violence, death, cannibalism, abuse, murder, destruction, and a very realistic dystopian setting, then I would steer clear from this because it is fairly vivid and although I don’t mind any of these themes, I could see that it was quite violent at times.

I have to say that I found the drawings of the landscape and cities so amazing, I really loved the pink, white and black tones, I thought it was such a beautiful combination and I hadn’t ever seen this in a graphic novel before. I am more of a fan of realistic drawings of people though, so I found these ones a bit… rushed maybe? I don’t know I just thought they didn’t go with the landscape and that bothered me a bit because I just thought it didn’t go together and it was a little jarring to me.
The story was good, I wasn’t that hooked because the drawings of the characters were not my favourites, but I did enjoy the ending a lot more and I think it is a nice set up for more volumes in this series.

Overall, this was a really fast, intriguing and enjoyable graphic novel. I loved the drawings and colour combinations of the landscape, the setting, the cities and I struggled a little bit with the characters, finding them a little bit immature at times, but I am hoping that book 2 will look more into them and I’ll find out more.

The premise is a really interesting one, I liked the setting and I think there is still a lot to learn about this world. I know graphic novels are short and sweet and don’t usually have massive plot twists or a lot of intricate detail, but I feel like this one is going that way, so I am interested in reading more.

If you like graphic novels with dystopian settings and you don’t mind some gore, violence, blood and destruction, then I think you will like this book.

(ARC from NetGalley.)

I really wanted to like this book-- the described 'Vietnamese-American female lead going on a trip across post-apocalyptic America to find her mother' plot sounded fantastic-- but for many, many reasons, I didn't.

Firstly, THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK TO A SERIES! I did not know that-- I likely wouldn't have requested it if so-- and, though I do like many comic series (see a recent review I did on Olive, which I also didn't realize was a series), this just wasn't well done enough for me to want to read another book in the series. But this also means something very important-- the advertising is off. It's not a book about Ginny going to find her mom, because she doesn't find her mom at the end. That's not a description of the book but the series.

And, yes, reading 300 pages only to not get the reunion I read the entire book for was so disappointing that I knocked off the last star. That false advertising is the sole reason we are at 1 star and not 2.

And there wasn't much from the premise in the actual book. Sure, the characters are Vietnamese, but how do we know that? As others pointed out, there was no way to tell except MAYBE through art style but honestly I'm not comfortable even saying that. Similarly, there's an f/f romance but it doesn't have enough chemistry/development to really matter. (More on this shortly.) And, finally, this isn't a road trip style story-- it devolves into a big mafia action flick, which was really frustrating given that I came for the characters and relationships.

Speaking of, the characters were not much developed. I couldn't tell the two younger brothers apart from the fact that one is the youngest. Very few characters had any personality. And it was common to introduce some adult to save the day just to kill them off when we'd begun to warm to them-- making me wonder what the point was. Why have these characters at all, if there's nothing to them and then they die? They're just plot contrivances.

This is why the plot was not interesting, either. We can't care about flat characters, and so much of the story is deus ex machina'd that we're never seriously concerned that something bad might happen.

As I read through the book, I just got more and more tired with it. I recall being so excited on the first ten pages; this has a great setup for the original premise that I expected. It just abandons that entirely by the halfway point, and after that it was nothing but work.

This is a 300 page book. That is a lot for a series opener. And, like I said, it does not make me want to read another 300 pages about undeveloped characters who will probably not reach mom by the end of that book, either. I really liked the idea here, but this entire arc did nearly nothing except... I guess the kids are more jaded now? Again, you don't have to make every moment 100% necessary for the ultimate goal as long as readers are willing to follow the characters, but with all the plotless bickering, I honestly did not feel that way.

I'm sorry, guys. Like I said, I wanted to like this. The art is generally fantastic; the premise is great... I loved the color palette and Ginny's design and the overall intention of the story. The execution just didn't have it for me, and it left me frustrated that I spent my time reading it.

Graphic novels are normally my go-to if I'm in the mood for a nice quick read, but this took an age to finish!

It follows three siblings as they search for their missing mother across an America that has been ruined by earthquakes and societal divides.
I thought that the premise sounded really interesting as I usually love dystopian/post-apocalyptic stories, but I struggled to get into this story. The main characters were all very annoying and I could not stand the constant bickering between siblings. I was happy to see the beginnings of an f/f relationship, and I can only presume that we would see more of how it develops in the next installment. Unfortunately, I found the whole story to be overly long and drawn out. I never thought that an "end of the world" story could be dull, yet this managed it!
Sadly this graphic novel wasn't for me. I don't know whether it was a case of my expectations being too high, but I found the whole thing to be very underwhelming.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Odessa is a good comic. The artwork is vibrant and engrossing. The characters, for the most part, are believable, likeable, and, well written. The opening three or four chapters are marvellous. However, the plot and uneven pacing let down the story resulting in a book which is merely good when it had the potential to be great. I would recommend buying the book because it is an enjoyable read.

Odessa follows the journey of a Vietnamese-American family trying to survive in a post-collapse society. It is a coming of age story and grand adventure tale that pits the wits of Ginny and her siblings against a harsh environment, and vicious gangs prowling the countryside.

The character designs are charming, and Hill does a splendid job of building a believably dangerous world in which the story takes place.

There are far too many coincidental meetings between key characters, and our heroes are saved once too often by friendly adults who just happen to arrive in the nick of time. Also, while the family is Vietnamese-American, I didn't get a strong sense of any Vietnamese culture which would have given the characters greater depth. There also is little character development towards the end of the book. Ginny does most of her growing in the first half. Very few of the villans are as complicated or developed as our protagonists. Most of the baddies don't have motivations that go beyond protecting their turf or being mean for mean's sake.

Hill makes some bold choices with his art. Of particular note is the pink colour palette that creates some impactful juxtapositions. Some of the actions sequences are cinematic and dramatic. The panels are masterfully laid out, and the shot selection can't be faulted. I genuinely liked Ginny, a hurt young woman looking for answers in an uncertain and treacherous world. She is resourceful, kind, and, determined. Being a teen, she also makes a lot of dumb decisions. She is a great heroine.

For YA readers there is much to enjoy. There are memorable characters, scenes of nail-biting tension, and, moments of tenderness and humour. For older readers, the story never quite reaches the heights one would expect considering how good the opening chapters are.

I really enjoyed this one!

I was provided an advanced digital copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes, all opinions are my own.

Odessa by Jonathan Swift is an impressive graphic novel with a story and characters that are strong and captivating. It's an epic journey about three siblings trying to find their mother in a harsh and terrifying landscape, and the people they meet along the way. Hill managed to capture the main character, Ginny's emotions beautifully through both the artwork, and the dialogue. She's a good character, and it's easy for a reader to connect with her and her plight, as well as that of her little brothers. This graphic novel is packed with action and each illustration does justice to the wide range of events - from a near bear attack, to the final showdown with, well, I won't say exactly who or what here, making it an absolute addition to any library collection.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

It's been eight years since an earthquake destroyed buildings and cities up and down the West Coast, changing life forever. Seventeen-year-old Virginia Crane lives with her dad and two younger brothers since their mom left shortly after the earthquake. However, when she receives a package for her birthday from her mom, all Ginny can think about is finding her mom, to find out what happened to her. Ginny sets out from home, determined to find answers.

I read this book in one sitting! The family dynamics drew me in to this graphic novel from the start. I liked the style of drawings. Pink and gray aren't colors I would have thought of to use for a graphic novel, but they worked perfectly in this one. I can't wait to find out what happens in the sequel and what life looks like across the country as they journey east!

Huge thanks to One Press and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I loved the themes that were tackled in this book. Diversity, poverty, best friends and family love. The color pallet on this comic is gorgeous. The art was done in a simple color pallet and nailed less is more. This story is full of adventure with bikers, alien plants, disasters and survival of the fittest. I fell in love with the main characters and I really enjoyed that two of main characters are young in age. This book is heavy on worldbuilding, but I didn't feel like it bogged down the story at all. I enjoyed the imaginative alternative dystopian west coast of America. I will be plans continuing this story as it releases.

I gave this story 3.75 stars because I would read it again and recommend it to a friend.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Odessa is a graphic novel set in a dystopian California after an earthquake literally tears the state apart. Ginny was a child when this happened, and her mother left her along with her two younger brothers back then. But a mysterious package shows up on Ginny's 18th birthday that leads to a whole adventure.

The mysterious package is from Ginny's mother, who has long been out of her life and Ginny doesn't actually know where she is. The years of not knowing have caught up to Ginny and she decides she must find her mother no matter what. So she packs her bag and starts her journey through the wild and dangerous territories that have become California. However, Ginny isn't going alone even if she wanted to. Her brother, Wes and Harry, follow her and they end up in various dangerous situations while trying to find their mother.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book is the world that was created. The dangerous lands, the gangs, the bartering, and just what post-earthquake west coast would be is very interesting and adds a lot of depth to this story.

The art is also very interesting, as the entire comic is black, pink, and white. While pink may seem strange, it all really works. The art style really supports the story and world that was created.

Now there were a couple of things that I didn't love. The story is touted as a coming of age story and it does make sense with Ginny turning 18 and going to find her mom and the truth. And I do think this is a coming-of-age story, but throughout it Ginny didn't really change or grow in my opinion. She had her bratty moments and I got tired of her after a while. Her brother Harry also had his annoying moments, but I forgive that a little because he is the youngest he isn't necessarily meant to have the big maturity growth. However, her brother Wes really had the maturity growth and is the actually coming of age story so far in my opinion.

Overall I did enjoy reading Odessa. The world created is interesting, the art is great, and the story is full of action and intrigue. I did have moments where I got a little tired of reading because Ginny would be a brat. So I would say it is a good graphic novel that I didn't necessarily fall in love with.

Title: Odessa
Writer/Illustrator: Jonathan Hill
Genre: Graphic Novel
Format- Ebook
Year: 2020
Rating: 5/5 stars
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Jonathan Hill's latest creation 'Odessa' reveals the ugly hidden face of the society and brings out people's deepest darkest secrets. Also It is a story that makes us face to face with the burning problems of our society and motivates us to fight continuously to bring chance.

I can undoubtedly say this piece of literary creation is the best I have read this year and I would like to compare it with MAUS as both the works deals with survivors and their struggle for existence. But more than that Odessa resonates with the theme of hope- hope for a new beginning, a new start.

The story revolves around a Vietnamese American girl named Virginia who is one of the survivors of the great earthquake that hit the west coast of America eight years ago. But since than life has changed a lot.Being the elder child of the household, Virginia has learned to cope with the situation. As her mother left her before the earthquake, now after so many years she has learned to take the responsibility of her family which includes her dad and two younger brothers Wes and Harry.

There life was going on quite smoothly when suddenly one day Virginia recieves a percel on her birthday. It was from her mother who sent a necklace and their photograph in it.

And Now Virginia decides go on a search to find her mother.

Will she be able to find her mother?
Is her mother alive or dead?
What would happen to her when she will go outside the protective circle of her family?

To get the answers you have to pre-order the book right now.

Review:
The first thing that I loved the most about this work is the concept. Jonathan has presented the hardships of the earthquake survivors in the most realistic and vivid way possible. The work is not merely a story of an earthquake survivor, but I think it actually transcends the boundaries of place and time and the characters of the novel represents everyone of those who are constantly fighting the battle to survive. It is where the work attains universality. It makes the reader feel connected with the narrative almost instantly which I think is the best part of this work.

Secondly, I loved the way the author has narrated the story. Jonathan Hill is a master storyteller and it is evident from the way he has presented the story with absolute perfection. Whether it is the use of words or the dialogues between the characters, everything is done in with utmost care and attention.

Thirdly, the character construction is absolutely fantastic. Whether it is the main characters or the side characters, author jonathan has done a commendable job in weaving their roles in the story.

Lastly I would like to draw your attention towards the illustration part. The way he has painted each and every incident with proper background, it makes the reading experience far better. For instance, the are two destruction, one is in the outside world and another is inside the heart of the people. But they are still trying hard to establish themselves again. The work also highlights tension among people from different region, the dishonesty among the people etc in a realistic manner.

Overall, it was truly an amazing read. I highly recommend this work and give it full 5 stars.

Happy Reading

I enjoyed reading this, but not as much as I wanted to unfortunately. I really liked the pink and black tones of the artwork and thought that this fit the post-apocalyptic setting of the graphic novel well, but I was not a huge fan of the art style otherwise. The facial features of the characterized were overly emphasized, which is not a style that I am really a fan of.
I wanted more from the story and the characters, and I found it hard to connect to the characters. I wanted more character development and personal moments. I did like the inclusion of the friend/love interest Maya. Sapphic representation is something that is important to me, and I loved that while it was not the focus it was still part of the story.
Side characters felt very underdeveloped, and I felt like some events were very coincidental just for the narrative to move forward.
I also felt like the story could have been condensed in some places because it dragged a bit, and then more character moments could have been fleshed out.
3 stars.

Thanks to Oni Press and Net Galley for access an eARC of this! I was intrigued by the cover because just look at it! It definitely does its job grabbing your attention. When I saw that this was a graphic novel, I knew that I had to read it. It looks like everything that I love in a book. Post-apocalyptic, epic adventures, family searching for the truth. What's not to like?

I'll admit, the art is definitely the best thing about this book. Honestly, I love it when graphic novels stay in the same color tones throughout, which is what this one does. It just works really well bringing together the story. In this case, it fits the dystopic scene, too. Throughout, we get to see sprawling landscapes, really showing what happened when this earthquake hit. Hill's art transports you there.

While the story was slow moving at parts, Hill really gives us time to get to know the characters throughout. I loved Ginny's relationship with her two brothers; they band together when it's desperately needed. I can't wait to see more from them in future volumes.

Despite the slow moving nature of the story, the art and the characters draw you into this story. Really, you should read this just for the art because it's gorgeous!

First, I'll say that I am not an #OwnVoices reviewer for this book. So my thoughts are based on a lens of a standard reader.

Odessa is a book that challenges your perspective of the world. Simply delivered with amazing illustrations with monochromatic layering, this graphic novel is a recommended read.

Just was for me, kept putting it down and never returning to it. I think this could be a good story for some people. I like the sibling dynamics in the story, but a lot of the rest just didn’t see believable and the pacing of the story was off for me.

I have mixed feelings about this story. This is clearly a volume one and is To Be Continued... but I also feel like I didn't get enough clues/hints/payoffs on the mother, who instigated this whole adventure. I like the world building with the post-apocalypse California and hints at other things, which we didn't learn much about in this book. The characters were also interesting even if the main trio felt flat and very black and white. I think it might have helped to see a bit more of them in daily life before they left home. To see the changes better. A lot happened and the pacing was good, but this volume is a little over 300 pages and it felt like we didn't get very far plotwise.

As for the art. I think the art style worked well with the story and setting; however, the pink color really through me off. It is the only color used, and I think it would be more effective if a bit more orange in hue. To simulate the sky and sun after the apocalypse. But maybe the pink is in reference to something else entirely. I'm not sure.

I wouldn't give this book to children to read. Teenagers would be fine and maybe even junior high age, but it gets dark as post-apocalypse fiction does and is a bit graphic in places with violence on page. Overall, not a bad read, but I don't think I'm the right audience for this one.

Odessa is a graphic novel set in a dystopian world and follows three siblings as they go on a search in order to find their mother who they haven’t seen In 8 years and who’s location is unknown.

I really enjoyed this book however there was a lot of convinces in the book for the characters.
I found the sibling dynamic throughout the book enjoyable. It showed their irritation at each other which added some humour to the book while it mixed with more humbling family moments.
The pacing for me worked well throughout the graphic novel and kept me hooked. The book got darker and more graphic as we journeyed further into the post apocalyptic world setting added to the atmosphere. .
I enjoyed the art style and I can’t wait for the next volume.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for the opportunity to read this in advance in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this! I don’t really read a lot of graphic novels, so this was kind of a surprise for me. I thought that the plot was fast paced and fun, i enjoyed and didn’t expect a lot of the plot twists, and it packed an unexpected emotional punch. My only real complaint was that the action scenes could sometimes be hard to follow. The illustrations were sometimes a little confusing, so at times it was a little difficult to tell what was happening.
I really don’t read a lot of comics, so I don’t know how trustworthy my review is. I really enjoyed this, but I also don’t have much to compare it to. If you’re deciding if you want to read this book, I wouldn’t just go off of my review alone. Check out some of the other reviews, because my review is very subjective.

Somehow I'm drawn to post-apocalyptic stories (wonder why, or maybe I don't even wanna know), I thought this would be perfect choice. Not sure after reading it.

Colour choice of this graphic novel is black-white-salmon pink (interesting selection). Sketching is quite rough which may not be for everyone but I don't mind. It gives nice atmosphere.
For story and characters, I can't say I like main ones. Sometimes they were so annoying I felt like slap someone (Ginny was annoying in the beginning the same as at the ending). I wasn't very interested in any of them and quite didn't care what happened (on the other side, sometimes I was negatively happy to whatever happened to them, which is bad. you shouldn't cheer up for nasty things to happen).
Also the East side (where the story begin) is supposedly divided by great wall from West side of US, and I'm kind of want to know what's on the other side.

Overall, if I get across the second book, I will read it, but I'm not gonna track it.

2/5 stars!

"The world ended, right? But it didn't. We're still here. Things never end. They just change.

This book contains: earthquakes, explosions, boat trips, talking bottles, trades, bears, jynx roots and gangs.

Odessa takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where three siblings try to find their mother, who abandoned them and their father after the earthquakes started. This journey starts when Ginny, the older sister, receives a birthday present from her mother. She wonders where she is and why she left her family behind eight years ago, so she decides to go look for her and try to get some answers back. Without her knowing, her brothers followed her and now they team up to try and find her.
To be honest I was not the biggest fan of the story. The art and color scheme were cool and very appropriate for the post-apocalyptic world, but the story is very slow-paced and nothing interesting happens. The characters were okay, but I feel like I would appreciate the book more if there was more character development.
To be completely fair, I didn’t think the book itself wasn’t bad, it was just not that interesting for me. I probably won’t be continuing this series.

***A big thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review***

Odessa is a dystopian story set after a catastrophic earthquake where a young woman makes her way across the country to find her mother.

I loved the art style for its dynamic and loose feel and the way it conveyed the broken and lonely feeling of the world the characters inhabit, but it made it hard to follow the action at times and keep characters apart. Subsequently, I found myself having to go back and try to figure out if there was any information I had missed which ultimately kept me from being fully immersed in the story.

Ultimately, I didn't love the sibling relationship as much as I'd hoped, given that it's the central relationship in the story. I found most of Ginny, Wes and Harry's interactions quite annoying and not as heartwarming as I assume I was meant to feel about them.

Overall, this had a solid premise but didn't quite deliver for me.