"Ever After", by Olivia Vieweg, originally published in German as "Endzeit" and translated into English by the author, is a post-apocalyptic graphic novel. It follows two young girls, Vivi and Eva, as they run away from one of the establishments where they were living with other survivors and join forces on the road while trying to survive the lurking zombies that brought upon the end of the word.

Despite its dreamy looking cover and colorful illustrations, this graphic novel is not at all a children's book and is about as dark and creepy as you would expect a post-apocalyptic zombie book to be. Initially I felt a bit put off by this inconsistency between the tone of the story and the brightness of the illustrations, but as I read on this technique grew on me and by the end I considered it quite clever and relevant to the story. The main theme of the story is that of friendship, being there for others, and not losing your own humanity while trying to stay alive. There are also themes of mental health, dealing with grief and the guilt of being a survivor when others close to you have passed away.

Overall I enjoyed the graphic novel, I became invested in the characters and cared about their fate throughout the story. One thing that I feel would have made the story stronger is a bit more world building. There's mention of the two cities where there are survivors, and their different approaches to researching the infection as well as the different roles that survivors have in the establishments they were living in, but these topics do no get explored into any more detail. Still I think it's a quick read, and people that enjoy post-apocalyptic or zombie themed books would enjoy this one. Oh, and there is also a movie adaptation of the German version that came out in 2018. The trailer looks promising, so I am excited to see how the story transfers to the screen.

Thank you NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good but fairly basic graphic novel. I would have loved to see it be expanded a little more but it was very short so that explains it. I've never read a horror graphic novel before so that was nice. I would definitely do it again. I loved the art style, I just wish I could have related to the characters more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc.

This graphic novel centers two girls, Eva and Vivi, who strand in the countryside when a train breaks down between two safe zones. The countryside is filled with zombies, as a consequence of an apocalypse a few years prior, and Eva and Vivi have to navigate to a safe space as they deal with the undead, but also with grief and guilt.

I picked this up because the artwork looked absolutely stunning, which it was. It is vibrant and colourful and the large, one-page panels were some of the best drawings I've seen in graphic novels.

Unfortunately, the story and characters did not do it for me. Zombies are some of my least liked supernatural creatures, and this did not change my mind. I found it difficult to follow the narrative and I would have liked to see more background of the lives of the two girls. I think this would have been great had the story been more character driven.

I am sure this would work for people who generally enjoy more post-apocalyptic stories, but it was not for me.

I usually don't like zombie stories, but I thought that in graphic novel form I might like it a bit more. And honestly, I did, though I, unfortunately, didn't love this story. It felt quite rushed and I didn't really get to know the characters that much at all. Also, I was quite confused about a couple of things that I would have loved to learn more about. And the ending was a bit of a let down for me, as I am not a fan of open endings at all. Sure it leaves a lot up to your interpretation, but I'd like to have a proper ending in my stories. But I have to say the art was amazing and I loved looking at all the pictures most of all!

This is a cool little character driven story set in a post-zombie apocalypse Germany. It doesn't shy away from some of the sadder elements, like the ptsd the main character gets from seeing people close to her die. However, despite the things the characters go through or have gone through, it ends on a somewhat hopeful note. I liked this vision of a post-apocalyptic future, because it felt more true to life than the endlessly nihilistic zombie apocalypse narratives. The characters have conflicts within, between, and outside of themselves that felt equally as real as any "who's the real monster?" narrative, while focusing on the resiliency of the human spirit. The art definitely helped make some of the more horrifying moments a little softer, without taking away the emotional weight.

Definitely recommended for anyone looking for a post-apocalypse story that is simultaneously dark and hopeful with the focus being on the two character's psyches and relationship.

An apocalyptic adventure!

The art style is vibrant and colorful, but isn't quite my taste and I had a hard time connecting to the story because of that. Unfortunately, I found it choppy and a bit confusing at times. Three stars for that reason, but just because it's not my cup of tea, doesn't mean it's not a great graphic novel.

Ever After has just enough Zombies and gore (not recommended for the feint of heart) if you're looking for a good zombie-filled story.


Thank you NetGalley for providing me an e-copy to read and honestly review.

The idea of this book intrigued me, especially the notion of a zombie book for teens, however the lack of world building and jumpiness of panels made this one a harder one to read. I felt like i was missing parts of the story and the dialogue felt stilted at times.

Ever After by Olivia Vieweg - 2/5 stars

Trigger Warnings: Zombies, Violence, Gore, Death

I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ever After is a German translated graphic novel about the zombie apocolypse and two young girls trying to survive in the middle of it.

I had a bit of a hard time with this novel. Unfortunately, I ultimately did not love it. The art style was not my cup of tea, nor did I think the storytelling was very well done. I found myself getting confused on more than one occasion and I don't believe that it was purposefully done. The novel seemed to jump from scene to scene very quickly which was a bit jarring and at a few points it felt like a couple of pages had just been ripped from the book entirely, leaving me wondering what had happened from one scene to the next.

I also had a hard time sympathizing or connecting to our main character Vivi. She often made weird decisions and trusted people that she shouldn't very easily. I know that she was young but she didn't make sense most of the time.

I also was very confused by the ending. It felt like it was supposed to be open ended, which could've worked if I had not been confused for the majority of the novel, but it fell flat for me. I feel like all I was left with after reading this was questions, no answers.

I would love to check something out by this author again to give a second chance, but unfortunately this did not work for me.

Netgalley Review:

This was a very interesting read to say the least. Not horrible, the illustrations were my style, except blurry. However, I think that was due to it being an ARC.

I can see where the translation from German to English didn’t fully translate well at time.

I personally really enjoyed Vivi and Eva, I feel like this could have been much more impactful at a series. Vivi’s mental health in the story was the main reason I kept reading. That last illustration got be in feels a bit.

An introspective and poetic take on the zombie genre. I enjoyed this short graphic novel. The art is colorful and yet still dark. You want to follow Vivi and Eva to see what’s going to happen.

This graphic novel felt introspective and poetic due to Vivi. She’s unsure of herself and her place in this scary new world. She’s tormented by the ghosts of her past and by new fears. You see the world through her eyes, so we get to see just how scary these zombies are.

I do wish we got more information though. I had questions about the city, the half-zombies and more, but my questions are never answered. Maybe it’s because Vivi herself doesn’t know but I wanted to know more.

I enjoyed this but overall just wanted more.

*Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

Ever After follows two young women as they are living and surviving the zombie apocalypse in Germany. I was really looking forward to this read (I mean, that cover is stunning!). However, the artwork is the only stunning thing about this graphic novel.

It was quite unclear where Vivi was staying before she left Weimar, Germany alongside Eva. A hospital? She was the warden's "lapdog?" I needed more world-building to help ground me, and Vieweg did not deliver for me. I was also really intrigued by the woman at the end with the garden but readers aren't given her story.

I struggled to feel connected to Vivi or Eva. The issue, it seems, is I was more interested and connected to the people and the world around the main characters, and that just isn't who the story was about.

CW: graphic violence, attempted suicide

Thank you to Netgalley and Graphic Universe for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel takes place two years after an Apocalypse. A Zombie Apocalypse. The artwork pairs beauty and grotesque well.

This book is almost 300 pages long and, to be honest, it felt even longer. I never quite connected to the story. I was honestly a bit confused. This story just didn't connect to me.

I give this book a 2.5/5. The artwork does a great job of connecting the cute style art with gruesome zombies.

A book that combines the horrors of living zombies and an post-apocalyptic world with oddly cheerful pink accents and the universal themes of survival, guilt, and sl0w-growing friendship.

Welcome Back!


All month so far my reading has been going at full speed. I have been tackling tons of books on my TBR and loving it. But this week as I expected I have hit a minor reading slump, my attention has turned to the thousand other things that have started up again but I still trying to get myself to read at night, on breaks, and listen to my audio book whenever I can. This was my usual routine last year and it worked out great so I just need to get back into the swing of things. I am still on track to have a pretty great reading month and complete my Goodreads reading goal for the year (so that alone is amazing)! One of the books I picked up recently was a graphic novel called Ever After, I was given an E-ARC of this book on Netgalley so thank you so much to the publisher. I really love reading graphic novels and manga (I find I can read a whole one before bed or during a work break and its a great mood/mind cleanser for me)!


SPOILERS AHEAD


Vivi and Eva live in an apocalyptic Germany, where the two girls find themselves together on a train that they are not exactly supposed to be on. The girls have been living in a safe area (well mostly safe) but when they hop on the train they are exposed to the apocalypse. The train should be traveling to another city, where they will be safe, and Eva will even be able to get some medicine she needs to survive. However, the train suddenly stops in the middle of nowhere, the girls check and are sure nothing is blocking its path, so they decide to try and wait for the rescue team. After it's clear they are either not coming or something bad happened to them, the girls know they must venture out and try to get to the city and a safe place on their own. On their journey to the city the girls will share a lot with each other about themselves and their past while working together to try and survive.


This graphic novel was beautiful! The colors, the illustrations, it was all so beautiful. I could not get enough of it. I kept looking at the panels and flipping back and when I was done reading I even went back and just looked at some pages to see certain panels again. On top of the beautiful illustrations and colors, the story was amazing. I love both of these main characters and I was routing for them to both make it to the city (this is not me saying they do not make it, I am just saying I was 100% routing for them both because I love them so much). I went ahead and ordered myself a copy of this graphic novel and I can not wait to see all the panels again physically!


Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars


P.S. I think this might be a movie as well but I am totally unsure so if anyone knows about it let me know below!


**Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

CW: graphic violence, attempted suicide

This book is super dark, both visually and in content. Ghosts, post-apocalypse, zombies, this book has it all. The illustrations, while a bit dark and depressing, are incredibly beautiful. I enjoyed seeing the friendships and personal growth throughout the book.

Huff.
Huff.
Huff.
I thought that this book had great promise--I loved the cover and I thought the synopsis sounded engrossing. However, I didn't find the art inside quite as consistent as the art on the outside, and the story just wasn't fulfilling in my opinion, and I felt confused for half of the book. We don't get a backstory on the zombies or the world as we see it, I couldn't always tell who's speech bubbles belonged to whom. And I felt like certain characters would die or disappear and then reappear again and I didn't understand why. So maybe it was a translation thing because the book was originally German, I'm not sure, but this was not the graphic novel for me.

[ Trigger Warning : Violence ]

"You know what?
I believe Earth's a wise old woman
........ A landlord in fact.
And humans didn't pay their
rent for too long.
What's going on now..... is an eviction. "

In the midst of a global pandemic, when you come across lines like this in fiction, it eerily hits too close to home.

"Ever After" is a graphic novel portraying a post apocalyptic world where zombies have taken over the planet. Humans who have survived have barricaded themselves in some cities, which are still standing.

Under certain circumstances, our two protagonists; two young girls, Vivi and Eva; find themselves stranded in a no-man's land of sweltering unnatural intense heat, claimed by the "undead" (zombies) ; situated between two safe cities.

Vivi is suffering from insomnia and Post Traumatic stress disorder. Eva is battling a mysterious infection that is about to ravage her physical self. The harrowing cherry on top of these are the inner demons that are slowly corroding their mental space. And then there are the zombies.

No amount of praise is sufficient for the illustrations that bring this terrifying world to life. Bloody red, brooding black, shocking pink & purple, silent blue permeates the colour palette of the panels.

The Biblical references to the Garden of Eden when the girls stumble upon a vast stretch of beautiful flowers, [where Vivi exclaims, "Huh? Where'd all of you come from? Maybe you (flowers) waited till all the people were gone. " ] touches a raw nerve in the mind of the readers.

Inspite of the sheer icy terror that grips your heart, it will be impossible to stop reading this graphic novel until you turn the last page.

" I'll tell you a secret.
The dinosaurs aren't extinct. Not any
more than we are.
They're still with us. [ the focus is on the image of a lizard in the panel ]
Maybe we [humans] won't be rulers of anything soon..... just a part of this beautiful garden. "

Spoilers Ahead

Ever After by Olivia Vieweg was like biting into an oatmeal raisin cookie when you expected it to be chocolate chip. I saw the cover, loved the description, and thought cool a zombie graphic novel. I had to read it but I got an oatmeal raisin cookie instead of the warm gooey chocolate chip I was expecting. I felt like there was too many plot holes that left me with questions. Such as why was ViVi the Warden’s pet? Why was ViVi being treated for her trauma when I’m assuming in a post zombie world a lot of others had experienced trauma? In a sealed stable community why wasn’t there daily or even weekly body checks to make sure no one had been contaminated? To me, this was the most obvious plot hole almost like trading salt for sugar in cookies. The one good thing about this graphic novel was the artwork. I enjoyed Vieweg’s artistic style but overall I wish she had taken some time to expand on a few minor things that would have made this graphic novel a whole lot better.

2.0 out of 5.0

This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ever After takes place in a zombie apocalypse. The main characters, Vivi and Eva, leave their home settlement after events dictate they can no longer stay there, and travel across the country to find a new safe settlement in which to live.

Ever After is a look at the idea of a zombie apocalypse through a lens which it isn't often shown; serene beauty. The sky is often golden, the trees are green, and the fields are lush. There are pages which just stop to show off the landscapes surrounding the characters, and such scenes are one of Ever After's key strengths. The vibrant, natural world is contrasted against the human characters, and the location in which the book starts. Unlike the lively countryside close by, the settlement has a cold, deathly, pallor to it, and the humans themselves have a sickly appearance to them. There may be death all around, but in the outside world, life carries on, while the human dwellings appear to be stagnating.

This dichotomy speaks to the core lesson which Vivi comes to learn, that the apocalypse isn't the end of the world. At the start of Ever After she has suffered a great tragedy. This loss, and her part in it continue to haunt her throughout the book. Learning to move past that tragedy is as much a part in her learning to survive as getting over her initial inexperience of life outside the walls which previously offered her shelter does. Unlike in other zombie apocalypse fiction, Viva and Eva do not overcome the world around them by recreating some semblance of their old life, they learn that accepting and adjusting to the new reality is what is needed in order to thrive. This is what distinguishes Ever After from other, similar stories.

In Ever After, Olivia Vieweg has created a story which ties man's survival in a zombie filled world in with the process of dealing with grief. It is only when the characters accept what they cannot change, and appreciate their new surroundings for themselves for what they are, they are are able to move on and create a good life for themselves. Ever After is therefore is an optimistic story, one in which hope never went away, it just looks different now. This is a comic for anyone looking for a zombie apocalypse which is just a bit different than the ones we have become used to over the years.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

This graphic novel was more brutal than I would have expected it to be. I mean yes, it has trigger warnings for violence at the beginning, but this one felt like a blood bath from the beginning till the end.
Don't be fooled by the seemingly innocent appearance of the cover of this novel. Two young women on a cute pink background in a forest. That cover might be the only innocent thing about the novel. Because this is a story of survival in a post-apocalyptic zombie-filled world. And it didn't come to play nice.
What I didn't like about it (hence the 4-star rating instead of a 5-star one) was that, at some parts, the action seemed to be a little all over the place and it got me confused. But it was really entertaining, I give it that. I read the whole book in one sitting, not being able to stop.