Graphic Novel Review: Cemetery Girl #1: The Pretenders by Charlaine Harris & Christopher Golden
Title: Cemetery Girl – The Pretenders
Authors: Charlaine Harris & Christopher Golden
Series: Cemetery Girl Trilogy
Rating: 4/5 Stars
128 pages
Expected publication January 7th by InkLit
Review copy received from the publisher
Summary: A woman wakes up in a cemetery with no memory of her identity or her past. She only remembers someone trying to kill her. She soon finds out she has powers that will force her to do something else than hiding.
What I liked:
– Cemetery Girl is so pretty! There is a lot of detailing in the background, and as most of the story is set in the cemetery, it’s very atmospheric
– I’m still a total graphic novel noob, so quite often I tend to be a bit at loss at what’s going on; I didn’t have any of these problems with Cemetery Girl, all the actions were depicted in such a way that it was super easy to follow
– The panelling is creative (as far as I can tell). I loved how they displayed the memories coming back to the protagonist
– I like the protagonist’s character; she tends to bolt from people that want to talk to her, which I think is pretty hilarious
What I didn’t like:
– Charlaine Harris isn’t known for her subtlety, and the dialogue could use a tad more subtlety at times
– I wish more time was spent on the plot; there is a lot of characterisation going on which slows down the pace
– I want the next book now! I guess that’s not a bad thing though, ha
Verdict: Cemetery Girl #1 is a fun intro that promises a lot for the rest of this graphic novel trilogy! The main character is typical Harris in my opinion, although if you go into this book looking for someone similar to Sookie, you might be disappointed.
She calls herself Calexa Rose Dunhill—names taken from the grim surroundings where she awoke, bruised and bloody, with no memory of who she is, how she got there, or who left her for dead.
She has made the cemetery her home, living in a crypt and avoiding human contact. But Calexa can’t hide from the dead—and because she can see spirits, they can’t hide from her.
Then one night, Calexa spies a group of teenagers vandalizing a grave—and watches in horror as they commit murder. As the victim’s spirit rises from her body, it flows into Calexa, overwhelming her mind with visions and memories not her own.
Now Calexa must make a decision: continue to hide to protect herself—or come forward to bring justice to the sad spirit who has reached out to her for help…
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