(4 / 5) – It’s Worth It!
Christmas may be my favorite time of year not because of the family gatherings, or the displays of generosity but because so many new books come into my house in just three days’ time. This year my boys’ aunt gifted them the “Enola Holmes” graphic novels by Serena Blasco based on the novels by Nancy Springer. They were distracted by their Minecraft and comic books, so I decided to give Book 1 a try and it was a delightful little read.
It is important to note that as a 40+ year old woman I am not the target audience of this book but I enjoyed the tale, the twists and turns Enola goes through and I must say that the art is absolutely fantastic. As an avid reader and supporter of graphic novels, I have come to realize how much the art impacts my reading and enjoyment of these books. Blasco’s art is impeccable. She has an attention to detail which matches that of the characters’ but without going overboard in a way that tries to make the art too realistic.
Blasco finds the pertinent information for the plot and characters of Springer’s novels and distills them into delightful visual adventures. My only critique is that I do not find the characters particularly enduring. The mysteries have me intrigued and the art has me hooked, but I was left without a strong connection to Enola. Yet, I will probably still read Book 2.
Happy Reading!
Hannah
