Jacquelin de Leon is one of my favorite artists so I immediately needed to check out this title, and her art works so well with this kind of story. I was genuinely surprised by the direction of the plot and the mystery kept me gripped. I read this all in one sitting, because I just needed to see where it was going and the structure of the book made that easy to do. It's delightfully strange and I love the characters. I'm excited to see the next installment.

This was an okay graphic novel but it just didn't stand out for me. I loved the art work but the actual plot just wasn't all that memorable.

The art style and setting of this book was truly excellent! The story left a bit to be desired, the pacing felt a little off and I also was not really “pulled in” until the end of the comic. Overall though, this was enjoyable and I would buy it for my library!

I love the character of Zatanna and all of the YA DC graphics that have come out lately. I’m thankful to NetGalley for offering me an advanced reading copy of this title. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the file to load correctly in any of the suggested apps. I look forward to reading it once it is released. I also really like the cover.

This was an absolute delight! It's so fun to see a DC story set in New York, and this really feels like a love letter to Coney Island.

Zatanna is going through it! This book really packs a bunch it, but it feels relatable and the characters are super lovable. This one does end on a bit of a cliff hanger, so I will absolutely be picking up any follow up titles.

The art is stunning and I particularly love the use of the warm jewel-tone colors. There's also some really cool panels that really play with the format of the book.

Overall, a super fun origin story.

I wanted so much more out of this book. Zatanna is one of my favorite characters and she isn't utilized nearly enough. The concept of this book is a lot of fun - Zatanna is the daughter of two master illusionists in Coney Island, but she hates their magic show. Summer vacation has just begun and she and her friends are looking forward to several months of beachy fun. When she starts seeing mystical backwards writing in the sky, weird magical things start happening around her. In a world where magic isn't real, this is super strange. Her boyfriend is also the son of a mobster, who her father doesn't get along with, one of her best friends is a fortune teller, and maybe Zatanna's birth parents aren't the people she thinks they are.

The story is a lot of fun until towards the end, where things get a bit messy and unclear about what is happening. The very end especially is rushed and confusing on what is happening and why. My main issue was with the art, which felt kind of sloppy and unpolished. It appeared to me very much like an early artist's work, who is still trying to hone a style and signature. Maybe the final product won't look like that, but it meant that when I set it down, days went by before I thought to pick it back up again.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! I especially loved the beautiful, vibrant art! I hope there will be a sequel.

A new graphic novel about a teenaged girl in Brooklyn who discovers she has magical powers. Zatanna discovers one day that she has magical powers; however, she gets caught up in intrigue between warring magical families.

I loved the color schemes and illustrations in this graphic novel! The story was ok - I was pulled in by the end, but I did find the first couple "issues" a little slow. I am curious about how it will continue now though! It left on a good cliffhanger.

This was a really well done graphic novel. I had never heard of Zatanna before in the DC comic line, so this was my introduction to her story. I really enjoyed the artwork. The story started off very slow, but once the secrets started to come out, this was a great hero origin story. It was full of secrets, betrayal, and magic. I think this was a great first book and I really hope there's more to this story that they're going to write and publish.

Zatanna Starr is a bit unusual, even for a New Yorker. She walks her rabbit on a leash in a black studded collar, she lives in a giant golden elephant, and her parents are master illusionists. Her father wants nothing more than for Zatanna to join the family business, but she isn't so sure. She would rather hang out with her friends and Russian boyfriend, but when they attend a magic show on the beach Zatanna starts seeing words that turn out to be more than words. They unlock the magic that she never knew she had and cause her to question everything. Who is Zatanna Starr?

A magical adventure and young adult/grounded take. I appreciated the art in this, as well as the centering of a character familiar to fandom but maybe a little less familiar to some readers.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley & DC Entertainment!

Zatanna’s upbringing has been anything but usual. As the daughter of a famed magician, she’s spent her life surrounded by all things mystical. She soon discovers her family’s mystery and everything she thought she knew about her parents and herself changes.

This graphic novel brings a fresh new take on Zatanna’s origin story. The storyline is clear and the dialogue is appropriate for the age of the characters. I love the style of the illustrations! It’s very different from any way I’ve seen Zatanna portrayed before.

Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend is a great starting point for readers of any age interested in this character.

As a long time fan of Jacquelin de Leon's work, I was super excited when it was announced that she was illustrating a story for Zatanna! I think her style, leanings, and color choices were an excellent pairing for this story! And while there were a few places where it felt rushed, largely around the climax, I think this is absolutely one of the strongest stories to come out of DC's series of graphic novels for the YA readership. So kudos to Alys Arden; I will certainly be taking a peek into her work after this.

One of my favorite things about this story was the use of setting. I firmly believe the setting is a character in a story; if it feels like the story could be picked up and dropped down anywhere else and wouldn't change, then the setting has not been utilized correctly. Choosing Coney Island as the focal point of the story really enhanced the magic and mayhem. This story belonged on Coney Island and would not have been the same anywhere else.

I do wish we'd been given an extra page/few extra panels during the climax of the story. The rush certainly added to the chaos of what was happening, but I would have liked a few points about Zatara clarified before the ending. And while I love de Leon's work, I'm hoping that the early copy I read was not the final art. So much of it was wonderful and as high quality as I expected! But there were some pages and panels that felt a bit rough and I'd like to hope they are still in progress. This is something I say, however, as a long time fan of the artist and knowing the quality she is consistently capable of.

Overall, I have to say this is probably my favorite DC YA Graphic Novel to come out so far and I'm hopeful we'll get a sequel like the ending leaves open for us!

Thank you DC Entertainment and NetGalley for this advanced copy for review.

Magic, family secrets, and forbidden love. Zatanna is the daughter of magicians, she lives on Coney Island in a beautiful Golden Elephant, has an adorable pet rabbit, and a boyfriend from a family her parents dislike. Zatanna has been raised by the stage, by magic tricks, and magic shows, but has never really found herself leaning towards it. When family secrets start coming to light and magic shows become real magic, Zatanna finds herself on a path to discovering her powers as well as her family past. This was such a fun read and take on one of DC’s favorite magical ladies. I loved this take on her origin story and the artwork was just STUNNING, I can’t wait to see where the next book goes and would definitely recommend this for fans of Zatanna or stories about magical girls!!

*Thanks Netgalley and DC Entertainment, DC Comics for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*