Absolutely gorgeous art style and use of colour, I really loved the story line and it was a very fun read !!

Beautiful illustrations help bring a complex and intricate world to life. Mariko Between Worlds surrounds the reader with a completely new kind of society while still being immersive and intuitive.

Gorgeous art and sweet story! So creative and original! I adored the colors used. Perfect for lovers of science fiction and romance.

I felt very little emotional connection to the characters and so was not engaged in the story. Consistent flowery weirdness throughout with no tether and no point aside from being weird.

I loved the colors and art style of this. As well as the oddities of the worlds Mariko and Rem traveled through. But beyond that, I didn’t much enjoy the story. It was too disconnected and wobbly. Not much made sense and the character interactions were hard to follow. I appreciated the ending, but the lead up wasn’t engaging enough. It all felt too scrambled, like the author came up with the story based on the art alone.

Mariko Between Worlds is set in an intergalactic world that follows Mariko. The beginning of the story was interesting and captivating.

Half way through, It lost me and I wasn't following the plot. The story didn't intrigue me anymore.

Although the art style and panels are incredible and I enjoyed reading and exploring the galactic worlds visually.

Sadly I had to quit this. The art was really lovely, but the story somehow did not work for me. At about ~20%, I felt like I had no connection to either one of the characters and the plot felt a bit weird. I'll give this book another chance at another point sometime.

A very fun and cool concept that follows Mariko who is honestly a little unlikeable on quite the adventure!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

A weird yet trippy and fun adventure. Kind of a coming of age story mixed with romance. I enjoyed it and would check out more from this author.

Mariko Between Worlds is at it's core a story about when every sign points to your relationship not working out, and that even you at your core knowing this relationship isn't what you want or need but continuing to push on despite that, at the detriment to both you and your partner.

The art style for this book is gorgeous, it keeps you captivated and depicts emotions amazingly.

I think if you like "The Night is Short, Walk On Girl" Directed by Masaaki Yuasa. You will enjoy this graphic novel. It has the same quick paced energy, and types of eccentric characters you see in the film. While the mood is different I found myself thinking back on this film often.

In this graphic novel, we follow Mariko and Rem as they spend one last night together before breaking up for good. They spend their time in the Mall of Portals, where everything is available for a price.

This was such a fun graphic novel! If you're a sci-fi fan, I think that you would enjoy this one. There was a lot of fun artwork throughout and the story was pretty good too.

The artwork in this graphic novel is stunning, and that was what really carried me through this story, It was so pleasing to read. The story was fun too, though a little lacking in some areas. But I still really enjoyed it!

"Mariko Between Worlds" by Matthew Erman is a captivating and visually stunning graphic novel that seamlessly blends elements of romance and sci-fi fantasy. Erman's storytelling and artistic prowess shine as he crafts a tale of love, adventure, and the exploration of alternate realities. The book's intricate artwork and engaging plot create an immersive reading experience that resonates with fans of comics and fantasy. Erman skillfully weaves together themes of love, destiny, and the power of choice, adding depth to both the story and the visual storytelling. "Mariko Between Worlds" is a visual and emotional journey that reminds us that love can transcend time and space, leaving readers with a sense of wonder and a renewed appreciation for the unique storytelling capabilities of graphic novels.

Personally, this one wasn't for me. The art was beautiful and colorful though. I personally found the story a bit hard to follow and didn't really enjoy it, but there are other comic readers who I know would love this.

A special thanks to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for the ARC!

This was a beautifully drawn graphic novel of personal growth and moving on.

Mariko is a woman with a breaking heart: Rem, her axolotl boyfriend of four years, is moving away for a new job, and she was just denied the visa to follow him. To her, their relationship is over; there is no point in trying long distance when he's going to another realm that she doesn't even have access to. Together, they decide to spend one more night with each and make the most of a sad situation: a fantastic end having fun and partying the night away. This plan starts out fine until Mariko is given an offer she can't refuse: discreetly deliver a package in exchange for the visa she wants so badly. The only catch is being forced to confront herself in what she actually wants and needs: piece of cake, right?

The use of color in the graphic novel utterly captures the out of this world, alien landscape of the story's setting; it's like a loving throwback to a mix of 50s scifi and 80s pastel and neon aesthetics. The character designs are charming, and the personality and depth to their thoughts and actions come across well in both words and image.

I enjoyed reading Mariko's personal journey, and I hope to read more from the team behind it!

This graphic novel was such a good read. I devoured it in one sitting. I didn’t know much about this book going into it, so I got sucked right in and needed to know how it ended.

I am sorry to say that I struggled with this book. The story begins when the main character, Mariko, decides to break up with her perpetually optimistic alien boyfriend, Rem. They decide to have one last night together in the Mall of Portals and what follows is unfortunately hard to unravel. The story bounces from place to place with no clear thread and while we are told that Mariko and Rem's relationship is toxic, it's not shown that much. I loved the premise of a sci-fi story with a mall of portals and exploring the tail end of a relationship in a single night, but unfortunately this story didn't quite stick the landing.

Weird and trippy, but interesting. I wasn't sure how much I liked it, but the ending was satisfying. It had a meaningful lesson about relationships and how some aren't healthy, even it both partners want it to work out. Sometimes a break up is for the best.

This is good? Like I wasn't expecting it to be. It starts with a lot A LOT of colorful pages and dialogues that can lost you but in the middle it turns to be quite nice and at the end you have this feeling that everything is going to be okay, and you ACTUALLY see the characters grow. It was impressive, pretty nice, pretty good. Please give it a chance!

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Netgalley.)

With her boyfriend Rem about to start a new job at the Moon of Plenty, and the government denying her a visa so that she can relocate with him, Mariko sees no other option but to break up. But why not enjoy one last wild night together, dimension hopping at the Mall of Portals?

A carefree evening turns into a fight to hold onto their years-long relationship when a sketchy stranger offers Mariko a shiny new visa - if she'll deliver a mysterious package for him. Mariko's journey involves no small amount of self-reflection and, by the end of the night, she's questioning the very love she set out to save.

The artwork is easily the best thing about MARIKO BETWEEN WORLDS - arresting and vibrant, Erman and Kangas have created a 'verse populated by aliens that are by turns glamorous and gorgeous, treacherous yet beguiling. Yet the plot line leaves a lot to be desired. For all its ambition, it feels surprisingly empty. There are tons of gaps; for example, something is obviously afoot at the Moon of Plenty (is Rem going to hell?), but we never learn what. Rem just appears in the epilogue, some two years later, surprisingly well adjusted.

At its core, MARIKO BETWEEN WORLDS is a story about losing yourself in a relationship, and then unexpectedly finding yourself again. The rest just feels like window dressing. Really pretty and kind of bizarre, but ultimately unnecessary.*

* Though I have to admit, I really dug the "Jesus take the wheel" bit.