If you are looking for a strange lulling graphic novel showing a slice of surreal life, this is for you. I really loved the atmosphere of this gentile friendship story. It doesn't have many things happening, the hero is lost, this is her coming of age journey, and many of the dialogues are very simple and don't actually say all that much. But it works, there is a lovely hypnotic quality to this work.
If you like detailed worlds, with clear rules, this might not be for you. The rules of the world are not the focus of this book, who are the population, and what they do is not part of the story. There is a dream quality to this work, many things are just a little off, and yet, together they form a world of their own. While nothing is explained, and we do not quite know how the heroes fit in this place, it didn't bother me, because that's not the point of the story.
I love the strange and cute at the same time, and this is what we get here, the idea is unusual, and a nice soothing read. I really enjoyed it, it was a very comforting read, and I'm always a fan of friendship stories.
The illustration style is not really what I like, but it's very easy to follow and quite adorable too, going well with the story. It has a naive feel, a little clumsy, far from smooth top productions and very much looks like an indie work. This genuineness was what I loved.
I recommend this graphic novel to people who like some heart in their work, who enjoy dream-like stories and can suspend their beliefs, who enjoy the weird without it getting creepy. It's a very relaxing book and I look forward to seeing what the author does in the future.

Unfortunately, I had some trouble downloading this title. Giving a 5 star review so it doesn't impact the book's success. All the best :)

Zoc is the story of a peculiar girl whose hair attracts water. Not much is said about her ability other than most find it annoying or use her for their own amusement. No idea why she has it or really how to use it. Although she's figured out a way to release water (which doesn't always work for long).. also totally skipped over her hair fusing back together, but oh well!

Zoc struggles with finding her place in the world and understanding who she really is. Losing her entire identity in this "ability" which is more of an annoyance to everyone, herself including.

She posts her information for odd jobs that she might be able to use her ability on and starts a journey to remove water from a flooded village. However the journey sparks a big divide, is she actually helping or hurting others, by dragging water across a large distance and other lands being drowned in its path.

She unexpectedly meets someone with an equally odd power and they form a sort of bond and friendship, like neither have ever had. On this journey of dragging water and then what...?

The art style is very appealing and the coloring is pretty neutral and not drowned out by all of the water featured.

The story is lacking, there's not much going on other than simply "moving forward" from point A to point B. Pretty neutral feelings.

**Thank you to Europe Comics and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

The illustrations in this bande desinée are coloured quite subtly. Unlike what I had assumed, the colour palette is not dominated by blue to indicate Zoc’s magical talent with water. On the contrary, green is the highlight colour on most of the panels. And this creates a nice contrast with Zoc’s water and Kael’s skill. All in all, this is a story that is equal parts strange and scintillating. It feels like a Studio Ghibli movie in a French comic form. A nice and quick read for anyone interested in a different kind of graphic novel.

Thank you to the publisher Europe Comics and NetGalley for providing me with a digital arc of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

Zoc’s hair attracts water. She can move large amounts of water anywhere she wants. But, this unusual ability often gets her into trouble. Unsure of what she wants to do in life, Zoc goes in search of her purpose to help a flooded town.

This was a gorgeous whimsical coming of age story and a lovely read. The illustrations and colour palette used were stunning. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one sitting.

Zoc is not an ordinary girl, she has the power to drag water by attaching it with her hair. but she struggles to find her place to use this special ability of hers. She decides to use her ability by saving flooded villages. On her journey she is met up with a boy who self-combusts and together they find a place for themselves in a world that didn't want them.
Both the story and the art style were strong reminiscent of Studio Ghibli and the main reason I was immediately drawn to it and it did not disappoint. Like all Studio Ghibli stories this too will stay dear to me.

Zoc is a lovely graphic novel focused on a girl with the ability to move large bodies of water by dragging them with her ponytail. In her journey to find her place in the world, she meets a boy who catches fire. Together they are able to find their place in a world that would otherwise make no space for them. The art style was quite stunning and is certainly reminiscent of Studio Ghibli as other reviewers have noted. The themes of the story are moving and heart-warming. As I believe this is a translation, there were moments that felt confusing with the dialogue. These moments likely don't exist in the original, but make the English rendition a little clunky in some spots.

Zoc is a short and cute graphic novel. The story follows a girl whose hair absorbs water and she can basically move water wherever she goes. She tries to find a career path for herself despite everyone telling her she can't make a living with moving water. Along the way, she finds herself a friend named Kael. The reason they could connect so good is because both of them are not really "accepted" because they have this unique gift and both these little kids are trying to find their right place in this place they call world.
I would have wished this to be a longer story.

A delightful and imaginative story about a young girl who has a gift which she doesn’t really know how to use.

Zoc is able to drag huge amounts of water using her hair. It seems as if this is a gift that has no purpose and she really wants a job. Her life changes when a village asks her to remove the flood water from their town to a different town where water levels have fallen. And so Zoc begins to journey dragging the flood waters behind her.

Along the way she meets a young boy who also has a peculiar gift. He is able to set things on fire if he feels the pain of others. Together the two of them set out to find their purpose in life and ways in which they can use their gifts to help others.

This is a beautiful story with artwork which is at times dream like and whimsical. A very pleasant and gentle read.

Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Beautiful artwork and a haunting coming-of-age story full of magical realism and metaphor.

A pleasure to read, though it's more heavy on artwork and atmosphere than it is on text and dialogue.

Thank you Europe Comics and NetGalley fro the ARC.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I appreciate that the writer seemed to want to tell a tale that you might find in old folk stories. In fact it reminds me a lot of some Japanese and Chinese folk stories, but it's a story I could also see comfortably being in a collection that included Paul Bunyun.

And, while I'm found some joy in those types of stories in past, this story just didn't do much for me. The art style was interesting, but not really my cup of tea. It felt a bit like a simplified manga. So while I appreciate what Jade Khoo was trying to do here, none of it spoke to me.

This is the story of a girl with magic hair. It collects water so she uses it to help others. It has a very Ghibli feel to the characters. It is a sweet story of a girl trying to find her place in the world. I love the art style and cannot wait to get my hands on this book.

5 stars!

I received this digital ARC courtesy of NetGalley. This review contains some mild spoilers.

Zoc is a beautiful graphic novel about a young person whose hair collects and drags water. This is both a mixed blessing, as it can cause social problems while also bringing her a lot of joy. This story opens with Zoc doing career counseling and saying that she would like to do something that involves collecting water with her hair, and she’s informed that there’s not a lot that she could do with that sort of thing.

She then receives a request from a flooded village to take the water and remove it. She takes the flood waters and begins to drag them away from the town to parts unknown. She meets a friend who bursts into flames when they get upset, and the pair travel together dragging the flood waters and bonding with the challenges of their abilities.

This is a really beautiful graphic novel about friendship, finding your place in the world, and finding people who truly understand you. I loved the conversations between Zoc and her family and people she met along her journey. The conclusion was also very heartwarming.

Visually, this graphic novel is stunning. The color pallets and layering choices gave the scenery so much depth and complexity. The details in certain panels like a backpack on the grass or the rolling farmlands with the flood waters passing over them were breathtaking. The journey felt adventurous but also very intimate.

A unique and beautiful story concept and gorgeous artwork. I highly recommend it!

A special girl with some kind of magical power in which she's not sure how to control it. Wanting to live a normal life but with circumstances she needs to make a decision. Along the way found somebody who have magical power as well and from there they formed a beautiful friendship.

A touching graphic story to read for any age.

Thank you Europe Comics & Netgalley for the copy.


3.8/5 stars

It was short but really good.

The magical aspects and the characters were on point. Zoc and Kael's journey in finding the place they belong to was not just magical but heartwarming. Seeing them discover it was a sight and I was enthralled! It also gave me ghibli feels. The art was cute, sweet and neat. I couldn't ask for more.

Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

this is a really cute story of finding where you belong and what makes you unique. it definitely feels aimed for middle grade which is perfect. the illustrations were beautiful especially when we were looking at landscapes. it was an entertaining read but i feel like i would forget about this book a year down the road

A really whimsical summer read with colourful and fun illustrations and adorable main characters! The themes of being unsure of your path in life are also very relatable regardless of your age, and bring an instant connection between the reader and Zoc, an odd girl who drags water with her hair. I enjoyed the story it told, which was very reminiscent of a Ghibli film, in particular Ponyo and My Neighbour Totoro, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an easy read.

Zoc is a young girl with the power to collect large amounts of water using her hair. Zoc can't seem to find a job that will let her make use of her special ability until she finds a town that has been hit by a flood. Using her powers to drag the water away from the town, Zoc runs into a boy with his own special abilities. Cast out by society for his own destructive quirk, he tags along on Zoc's mission to clear up the flood waters. A bond is formed and their friendship grows on their journey.

Soft and somewhat strange style of artwork. The story can be a bit confusing and whimsical, but it's a cute slice of life coupled together with a little fantasy splashed in.

This is a coming-of-age story in a weird world where people have seemingly useless powers. The story is really quiet, almost subdued, but I think that lends a nice vibe to the graphic novel. The art is unusual (especially in the way it depicts people) but the panorama art is quite stunning and by the end of it, I truly loved the art style. Someone else called this a Ghibli film of a comic, and I kinda agree. There is something mystical and unusual about it but at its core, it's just a simple story about growing up.

Jade Khoo, in her illustrated story Zoc, has created some beautiful visuals which accompany her heartwarning and moving story. Her art style was reminiscent of the Netflix series Devilman Crybaby, directed by Masaaki Yuasa, as well as the series Great Pretender, directed by Hiro Kaburagi!

The flat colours create an intriguing effect to the reader, with cleverly placed shadows made up from block colours. Khoo's lines are fluid and bring movement into her art, creating the illusion of motion, especially on the background such as, the grass, the trees, and the clouds in the sky.

Khoo's writing is simple yet intriguing, constructing short dialogues between the characters, yet painting a bigger and beautiful story. The friendship that develops between the protagonist and the boy she meet along her journey is moving, as they both begin to understand not only each other but themselves.

This is a great graphic novel to help you understand that being different or seeking something out of the ordinary for yourself is not wrong, and that you shouldn't let other people stop you.

The ending of the graphic novel was very satisfying and it was a great experience overall.