I am pretty disappointed by this one. I liked the art style of this comic, the main character, Elysia, her determination and bravery to find her brother, and that's it. The story itself was too confusing and didn't really make sense, I'm still trying to understand what exactly was this.

I think I'm done with comics that look like this. Every time I open comics with art looking this way, I end up disappointed. The story is most of the time the same. Female protagonist? Check. Lesbian/bi? Check. Depressing stuff? Check. Bad/idiotic parent? Check. Not an interesting story? Check. "Let's show this character as really powerful and self-sufficient"? Check. Seriously, this story was so depressing and those characters were so whiny. I didn't feel bad for them at all, didn't believe them their pain, nope.
The only thing I liked there was that it was way darker than I was expecting. I mean especially parts underground.

Submerged features a strong protagonist struggling with her past, attempting to come to terms with all she has lost. It’s an epic journey that feels like a dream, featuring strong writing and a compelling art style.

It was exciting to see a lesbian Latina woman in the lead role. She’s an extremely complex character and the influences on her life, from her sexuality to her culture to her family ties, are front and center throughout. This is a deep portrait of her life, of the struggles she (and many women like her) are forced to face. Using myth to highlight her fears and her perception of the world makes it easy to see how she feels and to understand it on a deeper level.

The art style follows a modern approach, tying comic book-style panels with a focus on water and its unpredictability. There’s a lot of action in the series as Elysia is constantly chased by some apparition or another. Everything is done masterfully, especially the juxtaposition of past and present through color changes. The dark blues highlight the seriousness of the material, possibly representing a cloud of depression that has hung over her life. As she accepts her past and looks to the future, the colors begin to change to a sunset palette until finally the pages are bright and fully lit. It’s a brilliant usage of lighting, color, and tone.

At its heart, Submerged is a deep look at forgiveness and the baggage we carry around from our pasts. Elysia is trapped by the abuses she and her family suffered at the hands of a dangerous father. She hides from the world and through a series of ordeals, she is forced to come to terms with the life she deserves to live. She’s powerful beyond measure and in the end, she sees the future for what it is: full of hope and possibilities.

Okay, <i>Submerged</i> by Vita Ayala and Lisa Sterle was a <i>lot</i> darker than I was expecting. And while I'm not usually the sort of person who enjoys dark, almost horror themed novels let alone graphic novels, I <i>really</i> liked this one. It was darker in an exceptional way. I don't personally think I would ever buy this for myself, merely because I don't want to read it again as a result of how emotionally taxing the experience of this book was for me. But despite the emotions that made this reading a little rough, I can say without question that <i>Submerged</i> is a brilliantly executed novel about the gay daughter, Elysia Puente, of an abusive crime lord and her own very personal and emotional experience as an adult in response to her family and the situation at hand. Where I was expecting this to follow somewhat of a zombie monster-type path based on the cover and synopsis, the journey that this graphic novel took me on was one of a more materialized internal monsters and how one might visualize them in order to cope with their situation.

I was pretty amazed at the course that this novel took, never fully understanding the meaning of everything until the very end. I had several moments where I suspected correctly, though the ultimate twist shocked me. I left this book feeling as though I had just finished reading about a dream someone had as they coped through the tumultuous experience of their family life. And I don't want to say too much and give anything away, but the connection that it all had to the main character, Elysia's little brother, Angel, was so shocking and amazing and gut-wrenching all at once. Had I not been in public when I finished this book, determined not to let anyone see how utterly destroyed and emotional I was over this book, I likely would have cried.

If you feel up to an emotional journey through some tough decisions and the ways in which one's life can be thrown upside down as a result of being connected with some rather dangerous people, I would one hundred percent suggest that you give this graphic novel a shot. It's a rough ride, but it's one that's definitely worth it. <i>Submerged</i> is nothing short of a brilliant and amazingly executed story that I will likely be forever impressed with. The emotional upheaval was a thousand times worth having had the experience of reading it.

<i>I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. </i>

Interesting read. 2.5 stars for sure.

What I liked: The main character was hispanic, female, and a lesbian. Thats about it. Also, the artwork was good.

What I didn't like: The confusing plot, I am not sure why Elysia had to go on this journey. Also her family was so depressing and weak willed. Her father was abusive, her mother was an idiot, and her brother was selfish. I didn't feel bad for any of them.