Paul Sizer

Merideth says: This book is good, and has moments of greatness. Roxie is an appealing character, and talks about music in a way a lot of teen readers will appreciate and identify with. Problem is, I'm not sure that this was the right format for this story. Because graphic novels exist only in words and pictures, we don't get to experience the music that Roxie finds so invigorating. True, Sizer does include a "set list" for the book, with music suggestions on each page, but the lack of an audio component does limit the book's power. Also, the primary struggle in the book -- should Roxie pursue her love of music or work to regain her relationship with girlfriend Hannah -- feels tacked on. We only meet Hannah twice, we see nothing of Roxie's life with her, so the choice really doesn't seem that difficult. The artwork is clean and candy colored, as befits a story about the NYC club scene.

Susan says:
Merideth gave this to me to read and it really struck a chord with me. Roxy is a mediocre DJ who lives for the music. Through the course of this book she chooses music and her passion over her relationship with Hannah, though she still pines for Hannah and their love. This book is all about the club scene and music, and I like that it has a great playlist that readers can download and access. I felt like it was very evocative of the music and club scene, and I think it will resonate with music-loving teens. The art is a clean combination of black space and graphics, making the book easy to read and also reminiscent of the night – where Roxy spends most of her time. The one thing I thought was sort of phony was that even though Roxy is in a lesbian relationship, the only real sex is with a bouncer on the rebound. It seemed false.… (plus d'informations)

Set in the year 2277, a young woman named Simone has to decide between the upper class but soulless life she's expected to live in the elevated New Bolt Harbor and a poorer, grittier but much more rewarding lower class life in "Rust City", the lower old half of Bolt Harbor, with a motley but loyal group of riders-for-right called the Moped Army who have to build their own bikes and acquire the illegal gasoline their bikes need to run. Inspired by the real life organization of moped riders and devotees, it won the ALA's 2007 Great Graphic Novel for Teens award. It was well deserved.

I enjoyed the comfortable art style of the novel and was impressed at the extremely diverse characters of the Moped Army, who come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, ethnicities and lifestyles (from a tattooed, mohawked punk guy who loves Bert from Sesame Street to a dark-rimmed-glasses-wearing technogeek to a beret-clad prep). I was also highly impressed that Paul alluded to a woman deserving to gain pleasure from sex and to having a female character masturbate to orgasm to please herself. It's done extremely tastefully and in an entirely appropriate way for a young adult graphic novel, but it gives an understated but powerful message to those who listen to it. The main character, Simone, is also treated like property by her dolt of a boyfriend, but throughout the novel starts standing up for herself and exposing him and his friends as the immoral men they are. There's also Chu-Toi ("Chew Toy"), who's a tomboy femme gal all the way in her goggles and short dress, and isn't afraid to kick some butt. It's probably one of the few graphic novels I've read that I'd say is feminist, yet it's subtle with it... never overbearing.

The only reason I gave it 4.5 stars vs 5 stars is because of the poor binding of the book. I've only had it 2 weeks and already one of the pages has fallen out and the others threaten to leave the binding altogether.

Full of adventure, personal growth, and geeky, DiY excitement, this never boring, never alienating, fresh and fun graphic novel leaves readers thirsting for the next issue.… (plus d'informations)