Today's read shoots off from an already well-known series and changes it into graphic novel form. I haven't read anything surrounding these characters, setting, or...well, anything before, but my youngest enjoyed the earlier books. So, I'll be hitting this one without knowing much about it outside of the fact that it is enjoyed...or has been enjoyed by readers in the original, text form.
So, let's see what these pages hold, shall we?
A LOST REVENGE
Disney Descendants
by Kalynn Bayron
Illustrated by Asiah Fulmore
Abrams Fanfare
Middle Grade Fantasy / Graphic Novel
176 pages
ages 8 to 12
COMING MAY 19th!!!
New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron makes her graphic novel debut in this original graphic novel set in the massive Descendants universe, starring fan-favorite character Uma, showing how she became the headmaster of Auradon Prep!
Uma, daughter of the infamous villain Ursula, is at a crossroads. After helping King Ben and Queen Mal bring down the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, Uma no longer knows where she fits in. Unmoored, Uma readies herself and the Lost Revenge crew to leave Auradon’s shores and take to the seas once again. But with a newly open barrier comes new a group of Auradon Prep students have vanished at sea without a trace. Worried for the students’ safety, the King and Queen ask Uma and her crew to embark on a search-and-rescue mission.
Despite her fears of becoming too much of a do-gooder, Uma accepts. It’s time to drop the Jolly Roger and set sail! As the Lost Revenge weathers dangerous storms—and even stormier emotions—the pirates quickly find that the missing students are a small part of a much larger conflict. Putting her seafaring knowledge, magic, and VK wits to the test, Uma must battle sea witches, her own first mate, and a vengeance-hungry rival ship. Will Uma be able to rescue the students and put a stop a looming threat before it descends upon Auradon? Or is it all already too late?
New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron makes her graphic novel debut with this exciting adventure brought to life beautifully by illustrator Asiah Fulmore. Filling in events between Descendants 3 and The Rise of Red, this Descendants original graphic novel shows how Uma became the headmaster of Auradon Prep.
Uma, daughter of the infamous villain Ursula, is at a crossroads. After helping King Ben and Queen Mal bring down the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, Uma no longer knows where she fits in. Unmoored, Uma readies herself and the Lost Revenge crew to leave Auradon’s shores and take to the seas once again. But with a newly open barrier comes new a group of Auradon Prep students have vanished at sea without a trace. Worried for the students’ safety, the King and Queen ask Uma and her crew to embark on a search-and-rescue mission.
Despite her fears of becoming too much of a do-gooder, Uma accepts. It’s time to drop the Jolly Roger and set sail! As the Lost Revenge weathers dangerous storms—and even stormier emotions—the pirates quickly find that the missing students are a small part of a much larger conflict. Putting her seafaring knowledge, magic, and VK wits to the test, Uma must battle sea witches, her own first mate, and a vengeance-hungry rival ship. Will Uma be able to rescue the students and put a stop a looming threat before it descends upon Auradon? Or is it all already too late?
New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron makes her graphic novel debut with this exciting adventure brought to life beautifully by illustrator Asiah Fulmore. Filling in events between Descendants 3 and The Rise of Red, this Descendants original graphic novel shows how Uma became the headmaster of Auradon Prep.
MY TIDBITS
High seas adventure mixes with the desire to be true to yourself in a colorful tale.
Ever since Uma tore down the barrier between the villain and hero worlds, she's been a little unsure of her own place in everything. As the daughter of the feared sea witch, Ursula, her path of evil had been clear before, but now, she's marked as a hero by many and has friends in this new world, where villains and heroes are no longer always distinct. She wants nothing more than to figure out her own place in all of it but before she can contemplate too long, she's requested to save some lost students from Auradon Prep. That would be another job for a goodie-two-shoes, but she can't let innocent kids suffer. Add that her mother isn't on board with Uma's new reputation, and things are anything but easy.
This is a quick-paced, graphic novel based on Disney's popular 'The Descendants' series, and it does a lovely job at bring the world to new life. The illustrations are very well done and carry the atmosphere with ease as the color scheme and emotions shift right along with the tale to produce a rounded adventure. Even visually, Uma walks right on the border between good and evil with darker hues and a fitting outfit, but her golden personality shines through making her easy to follow and root for. Her crew offers a bit of humor, while giving a capable impression. But then, the style for each characters fits well to give the tale new life.
The text flows seamlessly as well and works with the illustrations to make each moment clear without growing too wordy. There are moments of action, which grew a little bit hazier in their presentation, but keep the tension high. Uma's contemplation slows everything down but just enough to allow for character depth without pulling the reader out of the story. It makes her relatable and promises much more to come thanks to her tenacious personality. There are hints of romance but only slight whispers, and the message of 'following ones own path' rings loud and clear to add that last Disney touch.
Is a grabbing story, whose pacing makes it hard to put this one down, and it's an easy read, which even more reluctant readers are sure to enjoy.
And here they are...
Kalynn Bayron is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of the YA fantasy novels Cinderella Is Dead and This Poison Heart. Her latest works include the YA horror novel You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight and the middle-grade paranormal adventure The Vanquishers. She is a CILIP Carnegie Medal Nominee, a Bram Stoker Award nominee, a LOCUS Award finalist, and the recipient of the 2022 Randall Kenan Award for Black LGBTQ fiction. She is a classically trained vocalist and musical-theater enthusiast. When she’s not writing, you can find her watching scary movies and spending time with her family.
Asiah Fulmore is a freelance illustrator currently living back and forth between Columbia, SC and Bangkok, Thailand. She loves eating, traveling and comics. She is known for her work on DC Comics Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld and the Windom’s Family Time.
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