Alanna: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Vita AyalaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a black and white, early preview so I can't say too much about the art, but I really enjoyed this adaptation!
Tamora Pierce was a big part of my childhood, but I somehow never got around to reading Alanna's quartet. That made it particularly delightful to read this graphic novel adaptation now.
This is a familiar story - Alanna (under the guise of a boy, Alan) enlists to become a knight so she's sent to the castle to undergo training. Sword fighting, archery, horsemanship ... all those good things we love to see in a training montage. She gets along well with the other boys for the most part, and it's really nice to see friendship blossom instead of the usual trope of bullying and isolation. There's a taste of that but it's swiftly dealt with in favour of Alanna just getting on with things.
The story brilliantly handles challenges with kindness and compassion, and the warmth of the story is evident even in this more condensed format. The characters are easy to like and the friendship between Alanna and Jon is particularly endearing.
There's also a nice amount of action that picks up towards the end to keep you invested.
Really enjoyed this story. Good for all ages, but particularly for young girls who need a reminder that they can do anything they want, no matter what others say.
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment