Toby is a whale who sings in his sleep. His pod complains that he keeps them up all night, and they worry that his singing will attract human whaling ships. Toby has a vision of a spiritual realm, and sets out on a quest to find his true voice. He is threatened by the evil Dream Eater, a spirit who is sucking the life out of sea creatures. Only Toby's true voice will be powerful enough to save them from the Dream Eater and the human hunters.
I was intrigued by the idea of using music as a way of communicating spiritual and natural truths. There are some really beautiful and emotional scenes as Toby searches for meaning in his singing and discovers his true voice. There's a lovely message about being courageous and genuine, and I loved seeing Toby going on this internal journey.
This book has a strange mixture of good and mediocre story-telling. The writing is quite moving in some places, and oddly detached in others. Some of the scenes don't seem to fit with the mood of the book. Some of the plot points are wonderfully imaginative, and others are uninspired and trite. It's poignant and wistful sometimes, and clumsy and ordinary at other times.
I enjoyed reading this, but I feel like the writing didn't quite live up to its potential. There are all the ingredients for a stunningly beautiful story, but the execution is just slightly off-base. Maybe it just didn't quite speak to me, but it might really strike a chord with other readers.
The only parts I really liked were the musings about music. #books #bookstagram #bookreview #reading #fantasy
Dinah has goals: sing and play guitar with her two best friends and win her school's Battle of the Bands, join the Junior Police Academy and learn to solve crimes, and basically save the world. When things start to mysteriously crack and break whenever Dinah is around, her friends think she must be telekinetic, but Dinah doesn't feel like she has superpowers. As she struggles to understand what is happening, Dinah turns to her parents, a florist and a cop, to make sense of her heritage and decide her future.
I LOVED this graphic novel!!! Everything about this book is amazing! The artwork, the characters, the plot, the dialogue, the action; it all comes together so perfectly to grab the reader's attention and tell an engaging story.
Dinah is a brilliant character, and I loved her depth and development. She has such strong relationships with her friends and her parents, and those relationships are tested to the limit through the story, but she never wavers. I love her loyalty and tenacity, plus she's just a cool person, who is kind and compassionate. She is not afraid to speak up for herself, but she also has a bit of a quick temper. However, she always feels sorry for losing her temper and apologizes later. This aspect of her personality made her feel real to me.
The artwork is absolutely gorgeous! I was floored by all the stunning colors, and I loved how the panels flow smoothly to clearly show the action. The expressions on the faces of the characters really display the emotional tension, and adds a whole other level to the story.
The plot has some of your typical superhero elements, but with added twists and variations that make the story fresh. The dialogue has a lot of energy, and keeps the story pushing forward.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone. #books #read #bookstagram #bookreview @dccomics #dccomics #blackcanary
