This was an enjoyable graphic novel, but it also felt a little typical, following a very Little Mermaid-y plot, with obvious themes and romance. Many things you saw coming a thousand miles away. Mera was at times empowering and at other times highly annoying, while Arthur was overly perfect? The artwork was well done, and I loved the underwater scenes. It's a quick read, and I definitely recommend it to fans of Mera and Arthur!

Mera: Tidebreaker introduces you to Mera and Aquaman. The story is interesting and the art work is entertaining. I think the characters could have been a bit more developed to really make me feel invested in the story. But overall it was an enjoyable quick read.
Thank you to DC Entertainment and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. My opinions are my own.

Girls taking back their birthrights, controlling their own narratives, and saving their people? YEAH!! I loved the concept of Mera: Tidebreaker. Unfortunately, the execution left a couple things to be desired. That being said, a sequel could make the problems go away.

Let's start with the good:
Mera is super cool. She was determined yet compassionate, and kept an open mind.
Side characters! Usually I dislike them, but here I actually wish they'd gotten more page time. I think pages are more valuable real estate in comics and graphic novels since there are illustrations to consider, but that's a loss in this book. I wanted to find out more about Mera's friend Pilan, and her trainer, Hikara, both of whom are seriously COOL.
Even though Mera's mother, Nerrisa, wasn't alive, I liked the panels that showed them together, and their relationship. The scenes with the statue of Nerrisa were some of my favorites because of how beautifully drawn they were.
Speaking of the art... I was drawn to the style of Tidebreaker because of the uses of color. Byrne used shades of blue and green for the whole book, except on Mera's hair and face. She starred in every panel she was in, and I loved that.
This doesn't mean a lack of detail, though! Full-page action scenes were packed with details, and backgrounds had depth and texture.
Because this is a YA novel, I kind of expected this, but I'll still point out that Mera's fighting outfits were totally appropriate for action. No bikini-clad warriors or high-heel wearing fighters in this story. I love that.

Then there's the bad:
Those neat side characters I mentioned earlier? I don't know a lot about them, and that's sad.
The plot was a bit difficult to grasp at first, and then became overly generic. I predicted the whole thing about halfway through.
There's insta-love. At this point, I can appreciate it if it's done well and followed by real character development and growth, but in this book I would have preferred a platonic friendship.
Boys and girls can be friends sans romance, 'kay? We need more of this. Less romance can be a good thing. A good romance is never used as a crutch in place of character development.

I'm awarding Mera: Tidebreaker 4/5 stars on the premise that all of my issues with the story could be solved with a second installment. Pick it up!!

A promising start to a new series, perfect for an age where female superheros are being allowed to rise to their potential. Purchase especially where readers have already blown through Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, and the like.

Review will post closer to release date.

Mera is the origin story of Mera meeting Aquaman. At this time, Xebel and Atlantis are feuding over reign in the kingdom. Mera is the princess of Xebel and has taken it upon herself to go after Arthur (Aquaman). Mera is looking to kill him and he has no idea that he is even part of her world.

I really enjoy graphic novels, but the are more than words and images on paper, there is a way to do them and do them right (in my opinion) and this one was ok but fell short for me.

I really love seeing things adapted into graphic novel form, but what that means is that the author should be telling the story with more image than text, and this one was VERY text heavy. So much so, that it was hard to stay focused. I read these on my phone and so when there is so much text I have to zoom way in and it takes away the experience of seeing a whole page come together.

As far as the plot goes, it was a good book. I liked Mera's determination and stubbornness. I liked the struggles that were portrayed and I really liked the illustration that brought it into graphic novel form.

If you enjoy DC comics and the Aquaman story line though, you may get a lot more from this than I did. I was hoping for a good starting point, and I think that this graphic novel does that but it was more reading than I expected from a graphic novel.

Mera is one of my favorite characters from dc and Danielle is such a good writer. She did so well with this story and the artwork was absolutely gorgeous. I read it so quickly and absolutely enjoyed it.

I have wanted to read this graphic novel since it was introduced at ALA Midwinter last year. Having read it now, I think I hyped myself up for it a bit too much. I appreciated the muted color palette, though the art was rendered such that many characters looked the same--as some other readers expressed, I mixed up some of the female characters who had similar hairstyles. I also thought the romance between Arthur and Mera was a little lackluster and could be developed more.

Overall, however, this was a fairly enjoyable YA read, and I look forward to seeing what Danielle Paige does to build on the series.

I loved this story. It was very well written and the graphics were beautiful. I thought the story was interesting and it makes me want more from this author. I am hoping this becomes a series and that the story continues on. I felt for both the main characters and the side characters were awesome too. I would love more of a backstory on how the feuding started. I think there is a lot of material here for many more stories.

I received a copy of Mera: Tidebreaker from DC Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this one! The art is really good. I'll admit that the muted colors threw me at first but I definitely enjoyed the art.

The story felt a little quick to me? Mera and Arthur were together for 2 days? Was it their heritage that connected them so?

I did like Mera and Arthur together. It just seemed a bit fast.

This is obviously a little different from the usual novels I pick up, but I love art and comics (like Webtoon!) so I requested this from Netgalley and I was really excited to read this!

Let's start with the art itself! It was absolutely GORGEOUS. The style was detailed and clean which and the organization was really nice as well. It was very aesthetic.

However, the plot itself fell flat for me. The concept was interesting and felt like a mix between a classic princess story, an arranged marriage, Ariel from The Little Mermaid, and Merida from Brave. However, it felt much too predictable and I'm hoping that in future parts to this story the plot and characters can become more complex.

This is what my review will look like when it is posted on release date as per the requested publisher embargo on reviews!

*I received a review copy from DC Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way affected the content of my review!*

I really enjoyed this one and found it to be a pleasant surprise!

I first saw this one I believe through a fellow reviewer on Goodreads. The summary seemed interesting, plus the cover was gorgeous!! The reason why I say it was a surprise is that I don’t have much knowledge of DC Comic storylines/characters, so I was worried I wouldn’t connect with this one because I wouldn’t know what was going on. I felt that this comic gave me enough information to not let that problem be there and allow me to remain interested in the comic.

The Story
I really enjoyed the story and despite some scrolling issues with the format, I found it very easy to lose myself in the story. Also when I read this, I was in the middle of a slump but I read this one in just a few days with no problem at all. And as I said, I don’t have much knowledge of DC Comics outside of Wonder Woman, but that never became an issue with this one!

Mera
I really loved Mera as a character, she was really strong and true to herself. She remains the warrior she wants to be while also allowing her vulnerable side to shine through when it needs to. She’s not afraid to stand up to the men in her life who try to control her and make decisions for her or to consider who a person is, and not just what she’s been told. I really loved her as a character and would love to see her again!

The Art
The art was a little iffy for me at times because sometimes I really wanted a full color comic like I am used to, but I also grew to like it and I think it really fits the novel. The color scheme allows for the reader to focus on the story and not be distracted by all the color/background info. The colors also fit really well together and in with the underwater setting of the novel.

The Romance
Pretty much the only issue with the comic was the timeline. In like two days, we got a romance from characters who previously did not know each other and with one character that had come to kill the other. I think if it were more drawn out, it would have been less insta-lovey and more believable. I do understand though that it fits the timeline of Larked coming to kill Arthur so he could get to the throne, but I feel like I would have enjoyed the romance a little bit more if it had been more fleshed out.

When I first started reading this book I didn't realize it was a graphic novel. It ended up being too quick of read as I loved the story. The images were perfect and the story captivating.

Mera: Tidebreaker is the first in DC's new line of young adult graphic novels under the new DC Ink imprint. The line introduces DC’s most iconic Super Heroes to a new generation of fans with stories told by some of the most successful authors from the young adult publishing space. DC Ink titles will be standalone stories, not part of DC’s ongoing continuity, and completely accessible to new readers who have no previous knowledge of DC characters.

MERA: TIDEBREAKER by Danielle Paige and Stephen Byrne is the perfect title to launch DC Ink. Princess Mera is teenage royalty and heir to the throne of Xebel, a penal colony ruled by Atlantis. Her father and the entire kingdom are expecting her to marry and introduce a new king. But Mera has other plans and decides to seize the opportunity to take control of her own destiny by assassinating Arthur Curry—the long-lost prince and heir to the kingdom of Atlantis. But her mission gets sidetracked...

Mera's journey is one of self-discovery. It's summed up perfectly in one panel where she questions her path to her mentor and friend, royal guard member Hikara. “Isn’t that my choice? Don’t I choose who I am?” In this story, we see Mera's rebelliousness and her selfishness. But ultimately, those are the hallmarks of a young woman trying to choose her own destiny.in the face of a path already laid in front of her.

And yet, somewhere during her journey, the power of her own choice gets rushed and lost in the development of her relationship with Arthur. And while Mera is one of my absolute favorite characters and the relationship she shares with Arthur Curry is one for the ages based on mutual respect and love, the story seems to flounder as it tries to balance Mera's choices with the iconic relationship. I wanted more from this book. It's a great read and is a perfect way to introduce these characters to new fans, but those who already love the characters may be a little disappointed.

The art is beautiful and almost entirely focuses on Mera's beautiful hair. The decision of the muted palette, with the exception of Mera's hair, is striking in the right ways. And the difference between her hair on land and underwater helps underscore the differences in the two realms.

Mera: Tidebreaker is a great first entry, but not quite as strong as I would have wished. That said, young readers and new fans will find a way to fall in love with Mera and Arthur through this first DC Ink title.

Mera: Tidebreaker is a YA graphic novel that offers up the origin stories of DC characters Mera and Aquaman.

Xebel princess Mera is tired of living under Atlantean rule and under the watchful eye of her father.  The King wants nothing more than to protect his daughter and see her marry her childhood friend Larken who can rule Xebel and protect Mera.

The King gives Larken orders to find the lost Atlantean prince Arthur and bring back his head.  When Mera overhears this, she decides she's going to find the prince herself and earn her right to the throne.

When Mera reaches land she makes immediate contact with Arthur. She's too weak from surfacing on land to kill him but he's kind enough to bring her back to his home to recover, no questions asked.

Once she regains her strength, Mera puts off killing Arthur because he's so... well, nice. It's obvious he has no idea that he is heir to the throne of an underwater kingdom.  The war between Xebel and Atlantis has nothing to do with Arthur.
Mera struggles with her determination to rule Xebel and overthrow Atlantis and laments the fate of the innocent Arthur.

If Arthur learns who he truly is, can the two change the fate of their kingdoms?

This read more like a middle grade graphic novel than YA for me.  
If this is meant to be an introduction for young readers to the characters Mera and Aquaman, I think it should've given some back story on why the kingdoms of Xebel and Atlantis are at war.

Also, it is not explained beforehand that the prince of Atlantis is in hiding and doesn't even know who he truly is.  It seemed like Mera left the ocean and chose the first Arthur she happened to meet. 

Annnnnd... the instalove.  I know this is YA and because it's a graphic novel the plot is more brief but I'm so tired of characters falling in love after two days and the love becoming the main focus.

Although there are plot holes or what feel like plots holes because of vague or missing explanations, the story still started strong:  Mera wants to rule her kingdom and be a strong warrior like her mother was and she isn't going to stand by and let other people decide her future.
When she takes her future into her own hands, she immediately falls in love and all those fierce beliefs take a back seat to Arthur, causing the story to suffer and the ending to be anticlimactic.

Overall, this was a decent graphic novel that targets middle grade/YA readers to introduce the characters Mera and Arthur (who will later become Aquaman).  I would've appreciated more of the story and a much stronger conclusion but this will appeal to young readers interested in the DC Universe.

3.5 stars. This was a fun graphic novel. I don’t read or watch much DC or Marvel, so I’m not super familiar with the characters.
But I liked the plot line and characters. I also liked the art style. However, I thought everything went too fast. This may just be how graphic novels are, I haven’t read many. But Mera and Arthur knew each other for like 2 days and were all of the sudden in love and Mera was ready to change everything about everything she was ever taught.
But overall, it was enjoyable and easy and quick to read.

I was a little confused at the beginning of this graphic novel as I have only seen the aquaman movie and know nothing else about this world. That being said I read it all the way through and it made a lot of sense by the end of it. Things are different in this graphic novel compared to the movie but I am okay with that. I really enjoyed it anyways. I love Mera as a character in this graphic novel. I enjoyed the relationships in this as well. All in all I think this was awesome. I hope there are more in the future!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read an eARC of this graphic novel!

My full review of Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige will be posted once the embargo lifts on April 2!

Start Date: March 14, 2019
Finish Date: March 14, 2019

I have read Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige previously before picking this book up and really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was intriguing, but I knew that there could be some improvement, and I think Danielle has really honed her craft a lot since her debut. I do not know much about the story of Aquaman, or Mera, or Atlantis in general, but I have always been interested in the concept of an underwater city. I know about the real world ideas of Atlantis, but not the DC or fantasy versions including Xebel, which is the main setting of this graphic novel.

I thought it was interesting that Mera leaves the sea to find the lost prince of Atlantis, Arthur Curry (Aquaman.) I didn't know that this book would partially take place on land, but I was pleasantly surprised. At first, I was confused, because I went into this book, under the impression that she would be looking under the sea for Arthur, and then try to lure him in to kill him. So, when Mera left the sea to go find Arthur, I was surprised but intrigued to see where the author would go with the story.

I liked the art style, and I thought it was more interesting and more creative when it was under water. I understand that there was more creativity involved, and more imagination to be incorporated, but I think it could've been better when the story was taken on land.

I liked the characters overall. Mera was interesting, and I think her personality was something that is seen a lot in YA. The feisty princess who wants to be a warrior. But, I cannot really pin that on this book because it is an origin story of an already established story.

I also think that the storyline was a tad generic. The girl who falls in love with the "evil" prince, but he isn't really evil. Once I realized it was the direction the story was headed, I was a bit wary but was pleasantly surprised with how it was executed. I think Arthur truly did not seem evil. Sometimes when the heroine states that the prince isn't really as evil as people say he is, usually it made me wonder how anybody could find this person nice. But, I think Arthur truly did have a good personality, that made him a likable figure.

Overall, I really enjoyed this graphic novel. It was a bit on the short side, and it didn't take long for me to read at all, because it was very addicting to read.

Title: Mera: Tidebreaker
Author: Danielle Paige
Pages: 136
Genre: Graphic novel, Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is an Advanced Readers Copy. That means that this is not the final version of the book therefore some facts and quotes are subject to change in the published book. I snagged a PDF copy of this book from Netgalley. I wish it was in a more mobile or physical friendly manner but this was fine.

This wonderful graphic novel is about Mera, the princess of the Xebel kingdom. Their kingdom is run by the Atlantians who are the enemy. When Mera finds out that her right to the throne is in danger, she must take a chance and be the first to kill the crowned prince. The only thing is this prince isn't half bad. This is very much like a disney film and even though there were plot holes, I really enjoyed it.

Oh No's
As I said, there were quite a few plot holes to me. One of the biggest ones that bothered me was that it was never explicitly said that the prince was in hiding. Because of this it just seemed like they just chose the first dude they found named Arthur.

Another thing that bothered me was that the Atlantians don't even show up until the very end. Because of this, it just seemed like a made up enemy. I wish they had more comic time rather than everything being focused on a small town in the middle of nowhere.

Yay's
The development of the characters. Well, mostly just Mera. We see her view toward the prince and how her view of the empire as a whole changes. She goes from rebelling with pettiness to putting her full force behind it.

I'm not sure if this will be an ARC only thing but Mera's red hair is the only thing colored throughout the book. Aside from her father's red hair as well. I absolutely loved this because it showed her as being the main focal point throughout. It also made it easier to spot her.

Finally,
I really enjoyed this book. The story could use some work but for such a short comic I was impressed by being able to read a completed story as this. I might be a little biased because I love the art so much but I give this a 5 out of 5 stars. I hope I can get my hands on a physical copy of this. P.S. This is official a DC graphic novel so yay! I hope we see more of Mera!

This is literally a mix of The Little Mermaid and The Lion King.

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-PM

This is a decent graphic novel. The story wasn’t too bad and the art is pretty good I didn’t love it at all though. I was actually a little bored during the whole story....

I wasn’t a huge fan of the insta-love that happened within 1 page. I also like a lot of color in my graphic novels and this has a base color of light blue and that’s about it. It wasn’t bad art but it wasn’t the best either. The story was also just okay, I thought it would be a little bit more action and a little less just talking and again insta-love.

I think this is a good installment to DC women especially for a younger age.