A cute story with beautiful art. This graphic novel is a ghost/human love story. I would love to see more stories about Hamal/Blue, their relationship seemed a little rushed. I also wanted to see more about the other ghosts, particularly in the second half.

The combination of supernatural and cute in a graphic novel reminded me of Mooncakes, but the story is very unique. Looking forward to reading more from Keezy Young.

Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This story behind this graphic novel is quite simple and straightforward. But the characters are so wholesome and lovable, their relationship adorable.
The art was also wonderful.

4/5

This was really cute and sweet. I liked the whole idea and I found it very original and unique. It was very beautiful and perfect for a quick read if you want to read something to warm your heart.

This book was heartwarming and delight to read! It's a quick graphic novel - only about 140 pages, and digestible in about an hour tops. The art is lovely, and I loved the way the author uses it to tell the story - it goes past the traditional comic book format of one panel after the other at parts, which really enhanced the experience for me. It's full of diverse and queer characters as well, and it does a great job of representing these identities in a casual and every day setting.

I don't know if this even counts as a criticism, but the one thing that threw me off a bit was the tone shift from the very emotional ending to the bonus comic one year later..! Since this is a rerelease with this bonus material, I don't think there's necessarily anything to be done about that, and I did quite like the bonus story as well :) Well done!

I thought this book was well written and engaging. I loved the illustrations.

I really enjoyed it.

Taproot
Summary
The story begins with our main character Hamel. Hamel works at a flower shop and can see ghosts! He has a couple of ghost friends who hang out with him regularly and his favorite among them is Blue.
Little does anyone know but things are about to change for Hamel and Blue when there is discovered to be illegal necromancy being performed by someone who can see ghosts.

My Thoughts:
First and foremost, the art in this graphic novel leaves nothing to be desired. The scratchy artwork (that is a good thing) and the atmosphere come to life in every single panel that is shown in this book. The characters all have such unique and distinct personalities (as well as some awesome outfits!).
The things that Taproot did well:
- Character development: You care so much about each and every one of these characters from the moment you see them in the first panels. You care about how they feel, what they are doing, and where the story is going for each of them.
- Atmosphere: The scenery and the atmosphere of this graphic novel are to DIE for….did you see what I did there? I wanted to be in this flower shop with Blue and Hamel so many times throughout this book that I am debating opening my own flower shop just so I can feel like this.
- Humor: The humor was so well done and felt so believable for the age group and fit in with the story really well. You felt as if these were real young adults you could probably overhear talking.

The things that Taproot could work on:
- All in all, better transitions from one “thing” to the next. There were several times throughout the graphic novel that I found myself thinking “is this really the next panel or did I miss something?”. The transitions from Blue in the real world to Blue in the next were a bit rushed and felt a bit out of place in the context of what was occurring around those times.
- Rushing: Similar but different to transitions. Taproot didn’t explain the ending of the book or why they did the things they did to us readers which made the story feel a little cohesive. The ending and the romance were rushed a bit too much for my liking.
- Timing: While I think the graphic novel excelled in its humor it lacked a bit in terms of timing and storytelling. I wanted the story to flow a bit better from one thing to the next and take a bit more time with the story.

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for giving me access to a digital copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

This is quite possibly one of the most beautiful graphic novel I’ve ever read. Keezy Young’s illustrations were stunning.

Taproot is a heartwarming queer romance about life, death and magic. Hamal can see ghosts, he works as a gardener in a florists shop. Blue is a ghost who hangs out at the shop and is having a hard time moving on - he’s also in love with his best friend.

This graphic novel is perfect if you are looking for a soft supernatural romance with low stakes and cinnamon roll characters.

I loved the gorgeous illustrations and world building. I wish it had been longer, as the story felt a little rushed at times. I am keen to read more of Keezy Young’s work. I’d love to see a sequel to Taproot and read more stories about Tamal and Blue.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys books and graphic novels such as Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden or Legends And Lattes by Travis Baldree.

Please check trigger warnings for this book, there are mentions of topics such as child death and death.

Taproot was an absolutely delightful graphic novel. The sorry follows the romance between a gardener, Hamal and Blue, the local ghost haunting his flower shop.

Where wrier/artist Keevy Young excels is in their character design and colouring. The comic exudes such warmth. Its abundance of cozy vibes comes from the gorgeous earth tones throughout. Overall Young captures nature beautifully. Young's character design was also perfectly suited for the story. Hamal and Blue's contrasting design and colouring made them feel well suited for each other while unique enough to be memorable and distinct. Young emphasis on body diversity in their protagonists and supporting cast was also appreciated.

The way Young dealt with death and loss thematically in the story was also well done. The emphasis on death as a natural part of life and how that tied into the imagery of plant life and nature throughout was neat. Young managed to balance heavier themes with a consistently light tone in a way that didn't feel dissonant but fitting.

I will say Taproot was awkwardly paced. Young didn't quite balance the episodic feel of the first third of the story with the more plot-centric second half. The necromancy thread and Blue and Hamal's romance felt rushed in part because of that. Plus, the graphic novel's ending felt tacked on .and unconnected to the main arc. Because of that the story wasn't as sharply written as I would have hoped

But, despite its rough edges, Taproot was ultimately a great read. If you're looking for a cute queer romance about life death and finding your place with someone I'd highly recommend it.

Review for the 2022 New Edition. Thank you Netgalley and Oni Press for the ARC!

The plant and tree details and the green color palette are stunning! And of course, Hamal and Blue are precious together despite how little time we get to see them develop before they get together. The Reaper is a surprisingly fun character too!

The writing in the grim reaper plot line gets confusing and has some plot holes in the middle of the book. It would have benefited from more explanation. In general I think the book would have been more interesting and would get readers more invested if it were longer. For example, the ending felt as if it left off on a random moment, as if it was not properly conclusive. However, the afterword is precious and the history, insight, and art behind the webcomic turned graphic novel is cute.

A soft queer romance between a mischievous dead boy and a talented gardener. Soft not just in content--there are only brief high stakes here, solved VERY quickly--but the artwork itself is also calm, flowing, and very bright. Oh, also Hamal looks very soft and squishable. <3

This is definitely a book for when you can't stand drama. As I said, the low stakes are solved quickly. There's barely any time to get worried before everything is alright again. I would have liked a few more pages of angst and the unknown before the inevitable HEA, but this book is more a setup for a monster-of-the-week type series, where you get little problems doled out frequently.

I'd definitely read a sequel to this. I'd like to see more of the afterlife, and of Hamal's gifts. A lot is left open, so Keezy Young certainly has a lot to work with! Let's hope!

A very lovely and sweet story about a necromancer gardener and his ghostly boyfriend and their gaggle of plants and ghostly friends. No need to worry about an unhappy ending though! A different take on necromancy and reapers from what I usually come across and I love it.

A mix of Seance Tea Party and the Tea Dragon Society, Taproot is a story about queer love and healing, with the perfect amount of oddness!

Beautiful visuals are the strong suit of this story, with lush forests and dark, strange creatures and ghosts standing in stark contrasts. I could honestly just stare at the comics and have walked away feeling fulfilled. The story quite literally transcends life and death, turning the "right person, wrong time" trope on its head. Though I wish there had been most explanation in some parts of the story (it almost felt like there were missing panels, because the reader has to infer alot), I was able to follow the main points fairly well.

A perfect, easy read to pair with a blanket and tea on a rainy day!

Thank you to Netgalley and Oni Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I have to say that the artwork in Taproot is breathtakingly gorgeous. There were so many pages where I just had to sit back and absorb the details and the colour and the atmosphere. Absolutely stunning.

The story was really sweet, but it felt a little rushed. We knew there was history and feelings between Blue and Hamal, but we weren’t really given time to explore that and sit with it for a moment to let it build. I know it’s a graphic novel and not some 400 page romance, but a little bit of a build up would have been nice.

Still, the concept was fun and this was overall an enjoyable read.

I loved this graphic novel, it was wholesome and spoopy, but I feel it would benefit from the story and character being better developed. It just felt a bit rushed to me and the last bit was slightly confusing.

This graphic novel was SOOO sweet! I loved the initial story, simple and sweet. Sometimes stories feel rushed in graphic novel format but I think this one did a good job of getting to the point without leaving out any details which may make the story confusing.
1) love that every time I thought something was going to happen, it didn’t so I was surprised (in the best way!)
2) the art is beautiful???????
3) I wasn’t left wondering what happened next.
I could have a lifetime of comic strips with these two characters and I definitely want a story all about the reaper, I loved her.

Definitely a feel good, boys life, love story that sprinkles in a bit of magic.

Also not devastating like most love stories betweeen human and ghost.

10/10 will definitely be buying for my library!

THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE, it made my heart melt like a popsicle on a hot summer day.

If you're looking for a cute queer comic book that will fill the void that finishing the Heartstopper series created, look no further you'll love this one !

The illustrations were oh so beautiful and you all know how much i love the color green (how surprising, a queer person in love with the color green omg !! 🙄) so it was a blessing to my eyes.

The plot was really sweet and fun but it felt a little too disjointed at times and a bit rushed when it came to the main "plot twist" (if you can call it that) and i feel like it could have been a bit longer !

I really enjoyed it nonetheless <3

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC !

ARC was given by NetGalley & Oni Press in exchange for an honest review.

This review is being published before the release date (July 5th, 2022)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Talk and themes of death


“I’m just a gardener.”


What a cute and wholesome read! I’m always a sucker for a graphic novel that feels light, but also can make me feel a certain kind of emotional and this graphic novel does exactly that for me. And honestly, I’m kind of keeping my fingers crossed that maybe this will turn into a series because I’d love to continue following these characters. It was a very lovely and whimsical experience.

Hamal is just a gardener, who works at a little florist shop. The only thing is he can see and talk to ghosts, and he has no idea how he’s able to. Blue is a ghost, but he’s not just any ghost, he’s Hamal’s best friend and in love with him. With Hamal being able see ghosts, more keep flocking to him and his talents as a gardener continue to grow. Until strange things begin to start happening and a Reaper has suddenly turned up, looking for a necromancer.

I really adored these characters and I’m really glad we got to see a little backstory of how Blue and Hamal came to meet. Both of these characters are such soft, cinnamon roll characters that you can’t help rooting for, that you want to see come together in the best way. And speaking of characters, I absolutely fell head over heels for the Reaper. I adored their snarky, sarcastic tone, but also they way we find out they have a mushy heart and are a secret mushy hearted being. It was fantastic! The Reaper also gave me Suriel vibes and if you know then you know what I mean.


“Think of it as a favor you owe me. I’m a sucker for cheesey romance novels, and you two are terrible.”


The artwork was really stunning and captivating. The shades take on a soft tone, but when you move into those scenes of importance and seriousness, the coloring really emphasizes that to the reader. It feels very easy to get lost in the little details of the artwork, as well. I kept searching for any hidden secrets or little details that may hint to where the story was heading next. It was really enjoyable to get lost in the pages.

I think if I had to say anything negative about this book, it would be two things. The first thing is the romance in this story. It’s very insta-love and if you’re not a big fan of insta-love then this might be a bit of a miss for you. I find that for me, insta-love is very hit or miss and never anything in-between. The other thing, I feel like I say this with every graphic novel, is it felt very short and that some parts felt rushed. I think the author could have gotten away with adding more pages, a little more detail, and I think that really would have added more to the story as a whole.

Overall, this was a really fun read. I had a very delightful time reading this graphic novel and I really want to see it turn into a series. There’s so many characters in this one book that deserve the spotlight (like the Reaper, cough cough). If you’re looking for a fast read with wholesome cinnamon roll characters then I definitely recommend giving this graphic novel a chance!


The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

This is such a cute and heartfelt story. The illustrations complement it completely and the story just grabs at you from the beginning. I rushed through reading it just because I had to see what happens

Thank you to OniPress Publications and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this manga to review!

I was very excited to get a copy of this LGBTQIA+ graphic novel to read prior to its re-release and I will look out to get a physical copy when it is released.

Taproot follows a gardener who looks to live a quite life but can see and communicate with ghosts. This involves a beautiful and heartbreaking romance that made me cry buckets. I loved the juxtaposition between the vibrant colours, the heavy themes of life and death, and the quiet slice-of-life slow burn love story.

I would recommend this to readers looking to read more LGBT+ graphic novels, especially after the success of Heartstopper.

This was an incredibly beautiful story with just as wonderful illustrations, I almost wanted to hang all the pages up on my wall, they were just great. the story was really wholesome and cute but also had a few intriguing moment