Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain. He has been one ever since he was kicked out of the The Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics after being betrayed by his childhood friend, Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin. They are now sworn enemies. When snarky, shape-shifting Nimona shows up to become his evil sidekick, Blackheart is unenthusiastic. He does not now, nor has he ever, needed a sidekick. But Nimona proves to be rather useful, turning into ferocious beasts when they are faced with danger or masquerading as an innocent child when they are working undercover. He may have to keep her around after all. To Blackheart's great surprise, the open book he thinks he has found in Nimona has a surprising, mysterious past, the kind of legend, that may be her downfall. Will they be able to overcome these new obstacles together?
Why It's Worth Reading:
Graphic novels can cover so much ground and come in so many different packages. It is instantly clear that one amazing reason to read Nimona is the artwork. Beautiful, full-color illustrations accompany the story from start to finish. But the story itself should not be overlooked. What starts off reading as an obvious hero vs. villain comic book, complete with fights scenes and crazy weapons, becomes a more complex tale with every page. Nimona's attitude sets her apart as a character to remember immediately, and the conclusion is surprisingly heart-warming despite both Blackheart & Nimona's attempts to stay disconnected and distant from nearly every other character. Not to be too practical here, but if fantastic images and an exciting, yet touching story aren't enough, there's also the time factor involved in reading a graphic novel. Though you can spend as much time as you'd like pouring over the art as well as the text, reading a story propelled by pictures is never going to take as long as one driven strictly by text. You might be able to make it through a graphic novel in less than half the time it would take you to read a prose novel. Plus, some interesting studies show that your brain will access this kind of story in a completely different way as a result of the visual component. If you've been thinking about trying out a graphic novel, grab a copy of this one. It's a fast, exciting, even slightly moving way to dip your toe into the graphic novel pool.
Book Details:
ISBN: 9780062278234
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: May 12, 2015
Awards: Oh yeah! Long list for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, Slate Cartoonist Studio Prize for Best Web Comic, Harvey Award for Best Online Comics Work, Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Nominee for Best Digital/Web Comic, Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Graphic Novels & Comics.
Source: LIBRES
Do We Own a Copy?: Yes! And my LIBRES copy will make two!