3.5 // I think I got used to happy endings so with this one... Oh, it's so real it hurts.
Cute illustrations obviously but what stands out the most is the personality of each of the characters. Otis and Red the best 🤧🤧.

This graphic novel shows the messy world of bayou life, in a little town in Louisiana swampland in the 1930s. The whites denigrate (and worse) the blacks, the blacks are racist about the whites, and in the middle of it all are Red and Otis, one of each, trying to be best friends – when allowed. Things get to be a lot more interesting when a young girl comes to live in town, with her singer mother and an over-stifling governess, but then her heart is failing her and she can't have any excitement. It's just that with a dodgy sheriff in town, and no end of nocturnal shenanigans (and lethal snakes), excitement might just be forced upon her.

I think you read this without minding one jot that it's a been-done-before kind of setting, with the humble yokel kid showing everyone else up. I know, however, that when you realise this is in no way a complete story, you wish for more – even if the bulk hasn't been that great this is something where you want the full thing. Well, fifteen months from the original French publication I can see no sign of the sequel, and that's a shame.

As a stand-alone book, three and a half stars. But if ever concluded this could well be in the high fours, however derivative some elements seem. Fingers crossed for its continuation.

Swamp is a graphic novel centered around life in the bayou. I enjoyed the story, but was not drawn to the art style. The story described racial tensions in the town and ended quite abruptly. I rate this book 3.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an copy for my review.

This was a wonderfully illustrated book centred around the Bayou. I thought this was a fun mystery story that kids would enjoy. I think they will love the pictures that go along with the book as well and will help them to picture the setting better.

3.5 stars
This standalone graphic novel takes place in 1930's Louisiana. Best friends Red and Otis cross racial barriers to hang out together, while being careful of attracting too much attention from the white people in their small town. When a girl their age moves into a nice house with her mother and governess, the boys are curious and start striking up a friendship with this girl as well.

The story evolves in a way that feels natural with the tone and real-life pacing of the times - it's like a window into a short time in their lives. There's a lot of tension as well, with disappearances of Black men in the community and shady behavior from the white men in town, and the children seeing more than they should.

The downside to this graphic novel is the abrupt ending. This would work well for a series, but as a standalone it was a bit baffling that the story ended where it did. But I really liked the art style, the atmosphere and characters, as well as the weighty subjects of racial history!

Thank you to Europe Comics and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for review consideration of this book! All opinions are my own.

Rich, poor, black or white, it seems that everyone here is unhappy with their lives, no matter what their circumstances.
It finished quite abruptly, just as it was getting interesting. I don't know if there is supposed to be a sequel.

Thank you to the publishers for gifting me this novel to read and review.

Unfortunately, the art style and the story was not for me so I did not finish this graphic. Due to this I have not added a review online. If you still wish to do so, please let me know. Once again, thank you for the earc

Such a wonderful book! I am not that familiar with this time of US history and it was an interesting, albeit heartbreaking look into the 30s. I absolutely loved the characters, I think they were very realistic and lovable. Some might say the ending is lackluster, but I feel like it is the perfect way to round up this story. There is not always a happy ending, especially for stories like this. I really enjoyed it and I would highly recommend it to everyone.

I absolutely loved Swamp by Johann G Louis!
The artwork was just beyond gorgeous!
While the story could have done with a little more depth, and the dialogue seemed a little simplistic at times, I felt like it was still appropriate for a middle grade audience.

I was not a fan of the art in this book, but it did work for the emotions that ran rampant in the story. We have an unlikely friendship between two boys of the same age but different races in a small southern town in the US. There are racial issues that are causing the local African-American community to be (correctly) scared for their lives.
There is a newer addition to their town. A summering small family of a mother, daughter and a governess (of sorts) ends up living in a big bungalow. The daughter has never had any freedom in life, and we do learn the reason why. She roams carefree with the two boys and plays as children do.
The idyllic life the kids plan to lead is disturbed by the facts that happen behind the scenes. It is a realistic portrayal of both childhood and the time and place where the story is set (At least, it felt that way). If I liked the art a little bit more, I would have better appreciated the book. It is a short volume and has enough content to satisfy those looking for a different kind of historical fiction graphic novel.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I loved the nature scenes, they were really a work of art, but I didn't love the way people were depicted. The story was interesting though, felt very Tom and Huck but with the added racial differences. It was interesting but didn't suck me in.

If you love reading about the American South this is a perfect book for you! The art style is perfect, with the oldschool style and pastel palette.

Swamp follows the summer of three kids in a small town in a bayou area in the 1930's. I really liked the contrast of the (probably) last summer of children's innocence and the dark and sad themes of the adult world of that era. These issues are usually just hinted at and still the kids are not unaware of them but still try to be kids and have fun and play. What I also really liked that characters and their backgrounds first look basic and simple then we find out there's more than meets the eye.
Also, this contrast can be felt in the plot as well, which is mostly driven by the children playing but also the background plot gets no resolution which is an honest and realistic choice. With all that I think this book is rather for an adult audience.

I saw a lot of mentions of Southern Gothic in reviews but for me who is not among those big fans of the South, I'd preferred some more gothic to it to fit in the genre bit still it was a very interesting read just different from what I expected and from what appealed to me in the first place.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC.

First of all I want to thank netgalley for providing me with this graphic novel.

A big city singer going through a rough patch in her life washes up at a crumbling manor with her fragile young daughter and staid governance in tow. Soon they're the talk of the small bayou town, but not the only talk—the local African American community is concerned for one of their own, the latest victim in a long line of disappearances. In satisfying their curiosity about these mysteries—the newcomers, and maybe even a murder—best friends Otis and Red embark on a summer of revelations that will forever change their lives.

The story is about two friends, two little boys who don't look at each other's skin color and economic condition, who one day meet a girl who will become part of their little group. As the story progresses they are contaminated by the prejudices of adults, they must learn that not everything that adults say is correct. and that despite everything they can be friends.

It's a short story, and it's beautiful, the way it portrays the reality of the time, and I think even the reality that we still unfortunately see in some places. I find it wonderful how he portrays everything from the perspective of children.

I recommend reading it calmly because it is still somewhat strong since it portrays death, discrimination and other topics, although it is not so graphic it can generate a bit of discomfort.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

The absolute best story I have read in a long time. Will be sharing this one with everyone I know! 100000 stars.

‘Hope is a Verb: Six Steps to Radical Optimism When the World Seems Broken’ by Emily Ehlers is an ebook of ways to act to change things.

Things can feel helpless in our world, but this book shows steps of action that can be taken. Step One: Stop Freaking Out shows how to battle back against your lizard brain and the reactions it makes. Step Five: Just Start gives the reader a kickstart to just move in a direction.

Along with inspiring text, there are fun illustrations to reinforce the message. I found it a fun and inspiring read.

This is an interesting story with lovely art and a great world around it. There are several deeper and darker elements at play, though they are not the primary focus. This graphic novel instead focuses on an almost tense slice-of-life story instead, which I enjoyed. However, there are some more things I would like to know about and I feel like the ending is at a very peculiar point. I did enjoy this graphic novel, and would read more from Johann G. Louis.

A very interesting insight into a life in the south seeing through the eyes of a child. Not my favorite story yet very intriguing and a fun read with historic references.

This is the story of Otis and Red, two great friends who oppose the social norm. Otis is black, Red is white, and their friendship is something both sides of a divided community deem to be “wrong”. And this graphic novel shows a strong bond between two boys defying a flawed system and enjoying life by the Bayou.

The art style was a little rougher than I’m used to, but I think it was perfect for the story being told. It showed the struggles faced by those prejudiced by society and how life really was rough for the people who endured these situations.

Overall, it was an interesting story to read and I found I enjoyed it quite a lot, however there were some things I wasn’t comfortable reading of course, but they were key to understanding the story being portrayed.

Swamp: A Summer in the Bayou by Johann G. Louis is a wonderful gothic tale of two boys in the bayou in the 1920s, one black and one white. The illustrations were amazingly beautiful, and the characters were well developed.
I loved this story and the plot which is about racism and the loss of innocence.

This is a good story about racism and the loss of innocence. Otis and Red are two eleven year olds who live in the south of the USA during the thirties. While they play around and pull pranks, sinister things are happening in their town, like young black men disappearing. Otis is black, Red is white and that's enough to put both of them at risk. Their summer is brightened, however, by the arrival of Shelley and her mom, who is a good-hearted and empathetic woman. Shelley becomes friends with the boys and they have a good time, but it becomes increasingly harder to ignore the racial inequality going on around them.

Overall it's a good story. The artwork is charming and reminiscent of children's books. The only downside for me was the switching between the serious storyline and the adventures the kids go on, which wasn't seamless enough for me. It felt like the story never fully chose the tone it wanted to set. It's still a good graphic novel, and it makes you reflect on the consequences of racism and how it affects people from a very young age.