Taproot is, as its subtitle suggests, the sweet and occasionally unsettling story of a ghost and a gardener. The narrative pacing felt a little odd when reading it straight through, but made perfect sense when I found out it was from a webcomic. Overall I loved the art and characters but could have used a little more narrative tension to go with the life-or-death stakes.

What I mostly want to yell about here is a huge spoiler so I can't do that. It doesn't even have to be a main selling point for the story tbh but for me, as a gay reader, it's definitely the most important part. Just believe me when I tell you, you will be overjoy with the rep in this one.

Taproot tells a story of Hamal, a beautiful kind-hearted gardener who sings to his plants at night so they grow better. He can also see ghosts. We first meet him as he's chatting with Blue at a flower shop where he works. Blue is one of the ghosts. And it would be just a cute little story of two boys flirting all the time if not for the Reaper that appears suddenly with a deal. Because it is a story about ghosts, what you're probably expecting at this point must happen - the balance must be restored in the world.

The art is amazing. It's all warm colors and round lines, with no sharp edges & it somehow makes you feel safe. It also makes it seem like you've already known the characters for ages, like they're your childhood friends. Everything seems familiar, like a small cottage in the woods you visit every summer or your grandma's kitchen filled with all your favourite foods. It's a really magical experience and it works so well with such a soft, delicate story.

Oh, and another cool thing?? I'm pretty sure there was like... maybe one white person in the background somewhere... It's so refreshing to read something that's so unapologetically not catered to the white straight audience.

My mind keeps coming back to that plot twist which is a Spoiler but god!!! I don't remember the last time a story made me this happy!!! I know I will be coming back to this a lot to make myself feel better. It's soft and tender in the most beautiful ways and I'm so very grateful it exists.

This graphic novel impressed me with its colourful queer representation in this exploration of both the natural and the supernatural, alongside heartwarming dynamics among its diverse characters.

Blue is a ghost, and the only human able to see him is Hamal, a gardener kind and friendly gardener, willing to have at his home Blue and other ghosts without home.

However, Blue faces an issue: he is in love with Hamal, and he discovers that Hamal ability to see ghosts has ripercussions also in the local afterlife, so that Hamal himself is in danger.

The book is all about a cute romantic love story, even if not a particularly complex one; the graphical component is well aligned with the narration style, but I expected something more concerning the plot.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me the copy necessary to write this review.

I really enjoyed this book. The artwork is cute, the plants and trees are especially beautiful and the colours are really gorgeous. I really liked the contrast between the living world and the ghosts and other supernatural elements. The story was great, a queer romance between two friends, one living and one dead, then their adventures together after they become a couple. I didn't entirely follow a couple of points about the plot on my first read through, but I would still highly recommend this book. I'd love to know what happens next!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

A story about two boys. A love that cannot happen as one is dead, the other is alive. Or is there a way for them to be together after all? (I can tell you I was shipping these two like crazy, and I just wished they would be honest about it for once. Come on dudes, everyone can see you are crazy about each other! Just figure something out, I am sure you can do it, love conquers everything! Go go!)

I loved seeing all the other ghosts, and boy, there are quite a lot. I liked that the illustrator drew them all in the same colour. You could easily see who was human, and who was a ghost. I am quite interested in each of their backstories, but I guess that would make the book too long and then it would lose the focus on Blue x Hamal. Eh, I can still imagine some form in which it would work. :P

The reaper, the forest, the dying plants? It was all very exciting, and I was curious what the Reaper's plans were for the necromancer, and why she just wouldn't do it herself (lazy reaper?).
Of course I knew who the necromancer was from Blue's reaction. But what I couldn't figure out is how x was one. One generally just doesn't become one like that, or is one without knowing. At least the books I read with necromancers either had them trained, or had them known about their powers from childhood.

I loved Hamal's reaction when Blue told him about the Reaper and about the Necromancer.
"Oh no.. oh no, Blue I hate zombies." "Are zombies real? I mean, I assume if ghosts are real then zombies might be, too?" and "Do you think we could hide in the garden? The walls are thick, but can zombies climb?" And then Blue's reaction to that, and that Hamal could start a vegetable patch, immediately distracting Hamal from the zombies. Those two are just too adorbs.

I was a bit pissed at the reaper when she explained all that stuff. How do you expect him to know all that? How do you expect him to stop doing it, if he doesn't even know it from the start? I found her quite mean. Yes, I can imagine that you heard the story before, but really the guy didn't have a clue what you were talking about. No one ever told him, or taught him.

Aww, dang it, I cried tears at THAT scene (I am sure those of you who read it know what scene I am talking about). Gosh, that was just beautiful, but also heartbreaking. *sniffles some more* On the one hand I was cheering, finally it happened, but on the other hand... I knew what would come afterwards and my tears came back in full, just now in sadness. :(

And then I cried again some pages after that. Good grief, this book. I need more tissues. :(

Though I do think it would have been better to end it after x happened. Now we have another case for our Necromancer, and I just felt it didn't fit that much. The last 2 pages of that story were good though.

Blue states that: "I guess I'm pretty much all blue now, so it still counts." when asked about his name by Hamal. I am guessing blue hints to the fact he is dead/not happy? Or his text bubbles? Because it can't be the colour of how he looks. When asked that question his colour is grey/lilac. But then again, he seems to adjust to any colour? Most of the time he is green (during the now parts), but there are also parts were he indeed is blue. Sorry, I am probably just overthinking it, but it just stood out. :P

The art is pretty and gorgeous, I love how the characters are drawn. The use of colours is beautiful (soft, but also bright and colourful).

All in all, this is one book I would highly recommend. You will cheer, you will ship, you will need a ton of tissues.

I kept seeing this title as one to be on the lookout for and was ecstatic to see it available here on Netgalley! I love getting titles outside the norm of superheroes, but I have such a limited budget, I hate to waste it on things I don't think will check out or that just plain aren't good. Thankfully, Taproot is neither of those things! I read the ARC and immediately put Taproot into a cart to purchase for my library. The art is amazing and the story was just delightful!

This was charming! The art is gorgeous and the story itself was lovely. Hamal can see and speak to ghosts, including Blue. It's a LGBT ghost love story! I adored this. I will admit that I didn't fully understand the whole business with the tree in the middle, but loved the outcome.

This is from an advance review copy for which I thank the publisher.

This is a nicely-colored, well-illustrated and richly-created story about a guy who is into gardening, Hamal, and a ghost, Blue, who haunts him, but in a benign way! Blue and Hamal are friends, and I have to say it took me a while to realize that Blue was a guy and not a girl. I have never read a Keezy Young comic before and did not know she was into queer story-telling! But isn't that what we're after in a truly equal world - where gender doesn't matter, only the story?!

That faux pas aside, the story was great, and the gender was immaterial in the end because it still would have told the same charming story! The only fly in the ointment is that Hamal's boss thinks he's talking to himself and that he's scaring customers, so he has to watch his behavior, and Blue doesn't help, constantly making comments which Hamal has to ignore or respond to only in private.

When customer Chloe show sup and show interest and Hamal doesn't respond as any red-blooded (so the phrase goes) cis guy might, you know the story can get only more interesting from here on in. And Blue isn't the only ghost hanging out in Hamal's corner of the word. Fortunately the ghosts aren't mischievous - much - and things are going pretty well until death appears on the scene, concerned that there's a necromancer talking to ghosts, and Blue himself ends up switching scenery unexpectedly, and increasingly entering an eerie, dead world. Whats going on here - and worse, what; sacrifice is going to be required to fix it?

Well, you;re going to have to read this to find out, and I promise you will not be disappointed. This is yet another example of a writer stepping of the beaten track and making her own story instead of shamelessly cloning someone else's work, and that alone would be a reason to recommend it, but add to that authentic dialog, and the sweet and realistic (within the environment and ethos of a graphic novel!) illustrations, and you have a winner which I recommend.

La historia de un chico que ama la naturaleza y un fantasma que se da cuenta que puede verlo.
Blue es un chico que murió y no encuentra su lugar entre los vivos, pero un día se encuentra con Hamal, un joven que tiene afecto por las plantas y flores, y que descubre que es el único ser vivo que puede verlo, la historia de ambos cambia, incluso sus sentimientos.

Es una historia corta y dulce, tiene cierto encanto en cuanto al uso del arte que intenta ser simple y agradable, casi como si quisiera ser descuidado pero con organización. Los diálogos están bien escritos y generalmente es una lectura placentera para lo corta que es. Desafortunadamente no hay mucho trasfondo de los personajes, se presentan sin más introducción mas que lo necesario y hay algunas partes que tienden a sentirse como "saltando" escenas o guión, como si faltaran detalles o explicaciones. Incluso creo que se llegó a una conclusión de una forma apresurada y que bien podía pulirse un poco más. Posiblemente hubiera servido que la historia tuviera más dirección ya que parecía que iba para más pero su final te deja como esperando por más.

Fuera de ello, es interesante y ese toque sobrenatural ayuda bastante. Una buena novela gráfica para pasar el rato y dejarte con una sonrisa.

This was such a cute read! I absolutely enjoyed reading it! I would love to see more of Hamal's adventures as a necromancer!

Taproot by Keezy Young is a sweet and creepy story of friendship and love. Blue is an in-betweener, a ghost, who finds Hamal, the gardener, and falls in love with him. Hamal has been able to see ghosts since he was a kid. They become fast friends, joined by a few other ghosts in the area. One day, the ghosts start disappearing for brief amounts of time, all at once, into a dark, dead forest. That's when things get interesting; Hamal has to decide if he is capable of a big sacrifice.

The story is engaging and funny, with a bit of poignant romance. The art work is beautiful, the colors popping out of the page to bring everything to life. The dark forest is drawn to contrast the colorful world. The characters are realistically rendered, and the paneling is dynamic, allowing the reader to enjoy action-packed scenes as well as ponder quiet ones.

Recommended for those who like gardening, orchids, cemeteries, trees, and ice cream.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this graphic novel for my honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I really did like this one. I finished it in like half an hour.

It was sweeet with a little bit of creepiness and lots of awe moments. It was a refreshing story and I am up for anything ghost related and romance no matter what kind of. I loved the diversity and the message it sends. I totally can see this having a sequel I'd love see more of Blue and Hamal and the Reaper!

There were some funny moments as well and it gets a well deserved 4 stars!

I absolutely loved the queer representation and slightly creepy but mostly sweet narrative.

Taproot is a beautiful short story (in graphic novel form) about love and loss. It’s also a really cute and quick read, and as a bonus it is supported by beautiful artwork. The color palette is stunning and complements the theme and subject of the graphic novel perfectly.
Don’t let the short length of Taproot deceive you – it’s actually got a lot of character and heart packed into its pages. It focuses on two men, Blue and Hamal. They’re best friends, but there’s a problem. Blue is actually dead – he was drawn to Hamal for a number of reasons, one of which being he can see ghosts (an important factor when it comes to making friends with them).
Hamal loves plants and prefers to spend most of his spare time in the garden center he works at. Blue tags along mostly for the sake of just being with Hamel. Their relationship is pretty clearly just that of friendship, but it has potential to be so much more. Watching them figure that out and progress was actually pretty wonderful.
I loved the main plot of this story – I don’t want to give it all away, but I will say that a turn of events force Blue and Hamal to learn to accept loss as part of life before they can move on. It was very poignant and well stated.

The story doesn’t really end at the conclusion of the main plot, and instead bops around a little bit with another quick story. Perhaps setting up to turn it into a series? Either way it was another well written, but again short turn of events.
I’m not sure whether Young is planning on continuing the story or not, but either way I’d be interested in seeing what he does next. He undoubtedly has a lot of talent and potential.

Taproot is a gentle, inviting, and nicely told urban fantasy of a young man in love with gardening and the ghost in love with him. It draws you in immediately and it is a story you want to follow as each of the characters has a unique voice. But a shift in tone near the end and abrupt change in the story flavor are interesting, if jarring, and feel tacked on in order to create a future storyline.

Hamal is a quiet young man working in a nursery. He loves plants but has an oddball reputation for talking to himself - understandable, really, since he can communicate with ghosts. Blue is one of the ghosts who follows Hamal's otherwise mundane life. When the ghosts suddenly start being pulled into a dead world, a quippy and quixotically lazy Reaper appears to deal with the disturbance. Hamal might actually be more than a ghost whisperer - and the target of the Reaper if he is the one causing the dead world.

Hamal is the definition of a gentle giant - somewhat potato-drawn, quiet, unassuming, and resigned to his unusual fate. Blue, on the other hand, is impulsive, quick to emotion, and wrestling with being completely in love with Hamal. Most of the story is the two trying to figure out what they want (and can have) in the world, until the Reaper appears with her sass. And although I liked Hamal and Blue, the Reaper really stole the show. Her dialogue always put a smile on my face.

There are other characters, mostly ghosts, but they don't figure much in the story. And Hamal and Blue are very broadly drawn - this isn't a character study and the focus is on the romance. As noted above, the tone shifts abruptly to be an adventure with a touch of mystery and feels like an add on that perhaps should have waited for a second book. But otherwise, I found this surprisingly adorable, sweet, and heartwarming. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

This was a quick and cute read in my opinion. In the few pages we had them for, the characters felt developed enough for the story, and you actually started feeling for their situation. The plot was also quite interesting, if a bit too short. Overall, I did quite enjoy reading this, and I loved the art as well!

My main issue with it was definitely the shortness of it, and the plot. It felt so quick, with not always enough time to build up the importance of something before that something was already solved/over. Additionally, it seemed like the last 30 pages was like an extended epilogue almost, and while I did enjoy seeing where the character's lives went after, it also felt like this already short book was being divided into two stories.

Hamal's talents as a necromancer is causing problems in the world of the undead. His love for Blue, a spirit, is wreaking havoc in his heart. How will he bring balance to both worlds? I loved the story and there is a page whose illustrations are so lovely, I will carry it in my heart for a while.