On a Sunbeam

What a perfect pick-me-up after finishing The Witcher series.

This book is a sci-fi graphic novel, following a group of people that restore old buildings. One day, a young woman is brought on their ship because she has no where else to go. Throughout the novel, we get flash backs to the life she lived before.

This book was so heartfelt, as well as heart-breaking. The story was beautiful and full of my favorite tropes, one of which is found family. I loved all of the characters. They were all so unique and fun. The messages put forth in this book were powerful and beautiful. And the illustrations?!?!? Perfection. I could frame at least half of the pages of this novel. There is also a lot of LGBTQ+ rep in this book that was well executed. Overall, everyone should read this book. It's cute, sad, and beautiful.

TW: misgendering, poisoning, bullying

Beautiful art, I especially love the usage of colors. Though, I can't help but find that the first half was much more engaging and felt unorthodox even with how kind of unique and atmospheric the setting felt while it blends in romance and various interpersonal relationships, hinting at trauma or more. The second half was a bit messy, it turned more into an adventure kind of story which also has you a bit in disbelief when the cast invades the most secure and shut off place in the galaxy without any weapons and a local guide? It also handled various ideas and plot lines without giving them time to breathe but I wasn't really engaged to any of them. Still, I enjoyed it overall because the first half did well making me attached to the characters.

I knew once the story started picking up that Mia and Grace weren't just gonna pick up where they left off but gosh darn it I wanted an unrealistic, easy, guaranteed happy ending for both of them. I'll take Mia's content smile at the end and assume it all works out for the two of them.

Good read, lots of emotions. The parallel storytelling was fun, and I like all the interconnected relationships and dynamics.

I love that the spaceships are big fish. A lot more exciting than the standard affair. Would love to see more in this universe.

2.5 Stars. I thought this book was really interesting at first, and then I realized I was at page 300 and nothing has really happened so far. I don't understand the point of “love missions” in media, where one member of the crew has Feelings, and everyone else decides to help them on a stupid and no-reason quest to a dangerous place just so that member of the crew can feel better. There was no reason for the crew to go to the Staircase at all, especially since they owed Mia nothing. She has been a liability since she got there, especially since she got Char suspended on her first day there. The fact that they all went to the Staircase for no other purpose than Mia wanted to talk to Grace really annoyed me. When they got there, the plan was clearly “stay together”. And then what did Elliot do? Immediately left Mia alone to complete their own side quest that could easily get them killed, all with no precautions whatsoever. I appreciated the art in this graphic novel but I wish the story was better.

I wanted to love this so bad but it was incredibly boring. The story took very long to develop and become interesting. The art was beautiful and I do like some of Tillie Walden's graphic novels, just not this one. I feel bad for giving it only 2 stars but if I feel like I have to force my way through the story then the book just isn't for me.. I hope a lot of other people get to enjoy it though! :)