Fun. Modern. Quick Read.

Let me preface everything by saying that I grew up a major Nancy Drew fan (and a minor Hardy Boys fan). The classic yellow novels were the ones that I at ten years old stayed up past my bedtime reading under the covers. And since I’m not, like, sixty, they were already pretty old by that point in time. I’m pretty sure it was my grandmother who got me into them.

Anyway, I was the kid reading old mystery novels and I absolutely loved them. By this point in history, Nancy Drew was already starting to get a little bit of an update for the modern mystery-loving preteen. Think the Nancy Drew File or the Nancy Drew Notebooks--perfect for a kid who enjoyed the likes of Encyclopedia Brown and the A to Z Mysteries. Is my age showing yet?

While in even more recent times, Nancy Drew has been able to stay alive in the forms of computer games (with which I am obsessed), movies, etc., I have to say this is the first completely modern Nancy Drew I’ve seen in awhile. It’s a graphic novel for heaven’s sake.

Let me also preface this with the fact that I have never read a graphic novel (the closest I got were the comics in Ranger Rick magazine). But I was so intrigued by this modern Nancy Drew, that I decided to bite the bullet and try it out.

I was not entirely disappointed.

While classic Nancy Drew will always hold a special place in my heart, I am glad that kids can still be sucked into a mystery set in their own modern world. Even if this one is aimed at an older age group than I was when I started reading Nancy Drew.

This graphic novel is rated Teen+. There’s some mild language, discussion of drugs, and all the other characteristics you would expect from a teen mystery novel. Although, even with the language and drugs, it felt a little younger in many parts.

I keep emphasizing “modern” for a very important reason. The characters, while they have the same names as the characters I loved and several of the same characteristics, they are also completely different in the best ways possible. Take Bess and George specifically. Here, Bess is shown as overweight and George has a girlfriend. While neither of things come as a particular surprise, it was great for them to be shown with complete normalcy. No fuss whatsoever. As it should be.

There’s also a new character, Pete, that introduces racial issues. He’s half black, half Mexican and feels that the murder of his mother was overshadowed by the death of a prominent white woman (Nancy’s mother).

The rest is as it should be for the modern teen, as well. Updated tech and completely updated style (like punk George), mentions of Taylor Swift, etc.

The writing is simple, as expected, but I liked Nancy’s voice. It especially comes across in her aside moments and I think it’s brilliant. While a younger reader may not necessarily notice it, I think it helps bring the story to life.

The illustrations are perfect and I very much enjoyed them. The artist really captured the characters and each moment. The figures are realistic while also being exciting and visually appealing.

The mystery is exciting and intriguing, but I think it happened way too quickly. I realize that that can be partially attributed to it being a graphic novel, but I feel like there wasn’t quite enough build-up or what I would call “classic mystery solving”—collecting clues, compiling suspects, etc.

So overall, for me the story itself fell a little short, but I still enjoyed the experience. From the beginning I hadn’t anticipated continuing with the series, but the cliffhanger at the end may have changed my mind.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I grew up reading Nancy Drew, so I was very curious and anxious to delve into this graphic novel. It did not disappoint! The storyline and plot was very engrossing and enjoyable and the illustrations absolutely gorgeous. I loved that the Hardy Boys were also brought in, which leant another intriguing layer to the story.

When I was a kid, I used to read a lot of the Nancy Drew books, which I really loved. When I got older, I really got into graphic novels, so when I saw this Nancy Drew graphic novel, I needed to read it. It was a very interesting story and I really really loved the artwork. The ending really made me anticipate a second volume! Highly recommend it to people who loved Nancy Drew as kids!

Such a fun twist on one of my favorite childhood characters I enjoyed the updated kick butt version of Nancy. The mystery was more modern and very good flew through this!

I grew up on Nancy drew and was so excited to see a modern version of it, I had no idea it was being redone! I have to say that I thought the author did a wonderful job bringing Nancy, Bess and George into the 21st century! This was a wonderful throwback to my childhood that I really enjoyed. I have to say the graphic novel wasn’t my favorite style of writing but I really enjoyed the story! Thank you netgalley for an ARC.

Hello, nostalgia! So this was a fun, easy, and extremely quick read. I really liked the reimagining of the classic characters as teens in the now. I didn't read too many Nancy Drew books back in the day, but enough to know the general characters. My biggest complaint was how short the book was. I'm ready for book 2 and I hope there are several, because I think there is so much promise here! The art is so great and honestly, I think this is a great modern reimagining of this!

I had such a great time reading this ! The art is so georgous I'm in love with it. I loved all the characters, Bess and Joe have such a cute relationship and Nancy and Pete have an awesome dynamic it was impossible for me to not root for them ! And that ending ??? Wow I need the sequel, like right now.

I grew up reading and watching Nancy Drew. I am a big fan! I was so excited to read a modern twist on the character. I enjoyed the mystery and the author did a great job with Nancy!

Kelly Thompson absolutely knocked it out of the ballpark with this updated, edgier Nancy Drew and company. The storyline was fun and relevant and reminiscent of everything I loved about Nancy Drew as a kid.
The pacing was great with a strong build-up of suspense. The crisp illustrations added to the atmosphere and really drew me into the world Kelly Thompson built.
If I could be sure all graphic novels would be as appealing as Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom, I would read a lot more of them.

*4.25 Stars*

I have never read the Nancy Drew novels, however this was my second ND graphic novel though to be honest, I don't really remember the other one.
In this book, Nancy is 17 and doesn't live in the same city she used to, where she lived with her mother before her death.
But she goes back when she receives an anonymous letter and reconnects with all her friends.
Then a lot of things happen, including cadavres, explosions, drugs and kisses.

This was really good. I really got into the story, loved the characters and their relationships.
I just loved the way it was told, the plot really kept me on edge and I felt a connection to the characters I rarely get when reading comic books.
I'm gonna be on the lookout for more books from this author and from this illustrator too because I really loved the art.

Absolutely loved this! The illustrations and the content was great. This could almost be classified as a graphic novel. I would definitely recommend this especially to the preteen/teen group. Feels like the Nancy Drew books come to life and all grown up. Looking forward to reading more of these.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC of Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom

"Let no one say the life of Nancy Drew is boring”

Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom is a fun and quick read that I managed to finish in one sitting. That’s how hooked I was in the novel right from the first page. We get to follow teenage Nancy Drew as she and her fellow crime-solving teenage friends solve the mystery that somehow brings them all back to their hometown.

First of all, I really enjoyed the art style and the illustrations. They were colourful, detailed and really brought the entire novel together. I especially enjoyed the illustrations on the chapter pages and cover art pages. They are absolutely stunning!. Plus did I mention there’s extra bonus material with the most gorgeous illustrations by a bunch of talented artists?!

I really liked seeing a grown up and older version of the cast and was happy to see George grow up to identify as queer. Besides that, there was some diversity of minor characters like Danica, George’s new girlfriend, which was also nice to see. I also love the genuine friendship between the original crime-solving crew and there were moments that literally made me smile like a lunatic whilst reading.

The plot was really easy to follow and because of the mystery element it was fast-paced and you find yourself flying through the entire book and wanting to read more. It was one mystery after another, and it seemed like something always goes wrong after you think the mystery has been solved.

Unfortunately, I did not grow up reading the Nancy Drew series as a child and have only read a couple Nancy Drew books so I will give this novel 3 stars. The reason being I did not really connect with Nancy Drew as a character and as a person, but I definitely enjoyed this novel and will pick up more of the classic Nancy Drew books plus any other upcoming novels of this series in the future. I definitely would recommend this to not only people who grew up reading the Nancy Drew series but to others who would like to read a quick and fast-paced graphic novel mystery about the beloved detective, Nancy Drew.

Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom is quick, thrilling and fun to read. We get to follow teenage detective Nancy Drew as she and her friends solves mysteries in her old hometown.

I have never read any Nancy Drew books and at first I didn't understand that this was one either. I'm from Sweden and here Nancy Drew is called Kitty so I guess it was quite understandable that I didn't get it at first. But once I figured it out the story itself became more captivating and interesting.

My mother was a huge Nancy Drew fan in her teenage years, so reading something that she loved so dearly — and probably still enjoys — I found the graphic novel even more fun to read.

The story itself has plots that is quite hard to figure out and the ending was nothing like I'd imagined it would be. Therefor the book felt like a classic (in a good way) mystery novel.

I really enjoyed the illustrations. They were beautifully made, colorful and full of life. I feel like this Nancy Drew was a lot more "cool" when it comes to looks than the "old" Nancy, but to me it seemed really fitting considering all the bad ass things she does.

Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite Entertainment for the e-ARC of Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom , I really look forward to the next novel in the series!

Also a big thanks to Kelly Thompson for the fun, mystery read. ❤️

I really loved this book. I'd been looking forward to reading Kelly Thompson's take on Nancy Drew since she's one of my favorite authors and I devoured the Nancy Drew novels as a child, and this did not disappoint. Thompson imagines the classic Nancy Drew friend group in a modern context and engages themes of loss, long-distance friendship, and systemic injustice. Instead of just having the issue of police not believing Nancy and her friends because they're high school kids, Thompson also looks at what it means for victims to be women in vulnerable socio-economic situations and how those cases are investigated. Even while Thompson deals with serious themes, it's still a really fun book. The individual issues in this collection go together well, and the artwork is really well-done. I'd highly recommend this to fans of comics/graphic novels and the classic Nancy Drew books and computer games.

I grew up reading Nancy Drew, like so many others. It's been a while since I've spent any time with this famous young sleuth, but reading this adventure felt like stepping right back into sync with the girl I grew up reading about. For as much as the time period has changed around her, somehow the characters involved haven't really changed at their cores, which is the most important thing. The Palace of Wisdom includes an interesting story, beautiful and engaging artwork, and a warm feeling of nostalgia. I was predisposed to have no issue accepting Nancy in a 21st century setting, largely due to my continuing love for the Nancy Drew video game series, which has kept Nancy contemporary with little issue over the years. The Palace of Wisdom does a great job both appealing to fans of the books and video games, while also making Nancy, her friends, and her modus operandi accessible to those who may not already be in the know. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and found myself not wanting to put it down once I'd started. My only real issue with this particular iteration of Nancy Drew was a smattering of inappropriate content (some profanity from George Fayne, for example), that stuck out more than I think it was intended to. Nancy Drew has always been an extremely wholesome property, commendable for having engaging stories while also being clean. All and all, the few elements that were less than wholesome in this version of Nancy Drew were brief enough to avoid spoiling my enjoyment of the whole. It was an exciting read, and it made me fall back in love with Nancy and her friends, which feels like the whole point.

OH MY GODDDD!!! nancy drew, revisioned? with GEORGE AS A LESBIAN? this feels like it was basically made for me

i was a huge nancy drew kid growing up. i had the biggest crush on her, and if this graphic novel had been around during my childhood, it would only have encouraged that. the designs in this are flatout amazing. nancy is wonderful. bess is gorgeous. pete is absurdly handsome. george, in particularly, is amazing.

the mystery plot feels ripped straight out of an old fashioned nancy drew or hardy boys novel, at least as far as my fuzzy nostalgic memories go. it's loads of fun, but at the same time, this one doesn't shy away from important social critiques or emotionally charged moments. it had both me and my girlfriend saying "aww" or "oh my GOD" multiple times.

i received this one for free via netgalley in exchange for an honest review, and i'm super thankful for that. odds are though, i'll be buying it too when i have the chance, and then eagerly following the series as more installments (hopefully) follow! it's such a wonderful modern version of nancy drew, and the added diversity only makes it better.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this graphic novel.

I'm not hugely familiar with the Nancy Drew series and had my doubt about whether I would enjoy this or not because of that. I have to say I was really pleasantly surprised. This is a modern day retelling featuring a teen Nancy Drew. Firstly, the artwork. Beautifully detailed, engaging and it does some solid storytelling of its own. The characters are diverse, fairly well rounded, and easy to relate to. I especially liked Bess who I found quite loveable. The graphic novel itself is relatively short and the action moves at a steady pace. I'll definitely be looking out for the follow up after that ending!


Review posted on Goodreads: Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43837351-nancy-drew

To be honest, I‘ve never read any Nancy Drew novel before, so I can’t really judge on how this graphic novel compares to the original books.
The artwork was great, but I actually wasn’t much of a fan of Nancy. Something about her character seemed to bother me, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was...
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this novel, but there are better crime stories out there.

- I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.-

This is a fun reimagined graphic novel of one of the most beloved fictional character of American mystery series! Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom revamps the young detective for the new generation.

This novel follows a 17-year-old Nancy who receives a mysterious letter which prompts her to travel back to her hometown. With her detective skills on hand, she will have to find out which are still her friends, her enemies, and who is trying to kill her.

It felt like a throwback happened when I was reading this graphic novel. Seeing the story unfolded through the stunning artwork, I read the whole thing in a flash. The plot presented suspense and intrigue, but it felt a little too short for me. Also, the transition was quite not smooth. Lastly, it ended on a cliffhanger which I am not yet sure how to feel.

The artwork is just wow! There are even extra ones in between chapters, plus the bonus materials. The art is beautifully drawn and full of colors. The diversity of this book is so on point. We have a nerd one, POC, and a queer punk. Although they might be quite different from the originals, they are still the characters we loved.

The reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is that it felt like it lacked depth, and just like what I've said, it seemed rush and too short.

Overall, this graphic novel is a fun read. Although the hard-core fans might not like this reimagined novel, millennial readers can easily connect to Nancy and her new friends.

3.5 stars!

Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgally for review purposes.

Nancy Drew for a new generation! I grew up with Nancy Drew and am mildly obsessed with everything Drew related so I was obviously stoked to get my hands on this.

The art is absolutely perfect. All of it, even the bonus material at the end. The re-imagining of the characters SLAYEDDD. George as a badass lesbian, Bess as a confident sexpot, not to mention all the diversity included. It was so well done I wanna stand up and applaud.

The mystery was a little eh for me but still absolutely LOVED this. Can't wait for (hopefully) tons more.