A really good read. I loved this a lot. It was so good and fun! I wouldn't say it is my most favorite book ever, but it had its bits that I really enjoyed! The characters were all themselves and I liked that a lot.

CONTENT NOTE: Anti-Blackness and anti-Indigeneity, trauma, residential schools, law enforcement, physical and mental violence, fall from heights

Brooms is an absolute treasure of a comic! The story takes us to a reimagined historical Mississippi where a community of magical women and girls literally race to protect one another, teaching magic to the younger ones and navigating complex and dangerous social situations while staying true to themselves. Full of heart and a deep sense of care for both its characters and its readers, this beautifully illustrated comic is a must-read for all fantasy lovers!

What Worked for Me:
Y'all, this one made me cry so many times, so you know it's gonna be a good one! 🥹
✦ The thing I love most about this book is the care its creators took. Jasmine Walls' dedicated research and the team's work with communities to accurately and respectfully portray so many people of marginalized backgrounds really shines through in particular, and it honestly was so heartwarming to read this amazing book!
✦ There are so many wonderful surprises in the book that I don't want to spoil for you because they take tropes that we're so accustomed to seeing and flip them upside down in the best of ways.
✦ As a queer, trans, and disabled person, it was truly so meaningful to see the kind of representation this book gave us as an audience, and in important ways, too.
✦ I love the way trans identity is handled in this book. I can't say more than that without spoiling anything, but if the creators ever read this, I hope they'll know how much it meant to me to see this kind of representation at every step of the way! Their own life experiences and their respect and love for trans people really shine through, and I'm grateful for what I got to see in this comic.
✦ The presence of so many disabled people, both visibly and not, in particular was so amazing and heartwarming to see! This is another thing that I absolutely adored about this book was seeing disability being included as the norm and even seeing adaptive devices within magical settings was just-- chef's kiss! This is the kind of disabled representation I want more of in fantasy, where the disability is not magicked away with a spell/cure but is instead accepted and adapted for.
✦ I love that the characters were given complex, fully realized lives and identities even while dealing with systematic oppression. Something I feel that a lot of media sometimes falls into is this idea that if a character is facing marginalization, especially if more than one kind of marginalization, then that character has no room left to be human, complex and nuanced. They often become ONLY their struggle, while this book gave them the autonomy, letting them lead their lives as human beings and not just the struggle they face.
For example, the characters were free to be disabled AND to race in a high stakes broom race! (Let's not even forget to mention that there were MULTIPLE types of disabled characters doing this!) And this wasn't just with disability, this was across identities, and it was truly a delight to see!
✦ The art was so lovely! I really enjoyed the character designs and the colors in particular, and I was so happy to see so many body types represented, too-- and older people! It felt like a believable world that I had been dropped into with a rich diversity of characters both in the main cast and in the background characters' designs.
✦ I really enjoyed the inclusion of cultural practices and languages in here that weren't white and English, too. I love the depth this gives the world and the characters, and I always appreciate seeing characters of backgrounds different to my own shown in comics. I don't want stories that just cater to my experiences as a white person, so this made me really happy to see.
✦ I also really enjoyed seeing a story where white people were not portrayed as well-intentioned individuals who just made mistakes or just don't know better. It was refreshing to see a comic showing the systematic and predictable nature of whiteness in action and talking about it as such.
✦ The lettering was really clear and easy to read, even on a smaller scale with the ARC I received that didn't format the pages to fit to the screen size (which I expect is an ARC-specific measure of protection, not a a digital version-specific issue), which I appreciated!
✦ I know I mentioned the colors already, but truly-- THE COLORS. They felt so magical! I loved how many scenes were at twilight and dusk, giving us that anything is possible feeling that comes with the time in between day and night. The cozy palette also gave us a sense of intimacy and comfort that I quite enjoyed.
✦ I was happy to see a Deaf character included, as well as Indian Sign Language (as described in Jasmine Walls' creator notes), and was heartened by Walls' acknowledgement in the creator notes about lip reading not being a realistic method of communication. However, as a hearing person, I encourage people to seek out the reviews of Deaf readers, particularly those who speak Indian Sign Language of the book for a more nuanced review of the depiction here.
✦ I enjoyed the magic aspects of the story, too! It was an interesting exploration of the ways magic is taught and how it would be approached in a setting such as 1930s segregated Mississippi, as well as the various kinds that exist. I would have loved to see it explored even more in the book, to be honest, especially the kind shown later on in the book. It was also interesting to see the characters' adaptation to not being given access to certain kinds of magic and the ways they would create access for themselves in the face of it.

What Didn't Work for Me:
✦ The story could be a little bit slow at times for me, to be honest, particularly in the middle. I thought there was a bit of repetition with some parts of the story that could have been perhaps condensed down a bit to help the pacing. But it's still interesting and engaging enough to keep me reading!
✦ I felt that there were some moments with the art that felt a bit "talking heads" without much visual action to give the reader to observe. I think this also contributed a bit to the slowing down of the pace at points because when the characters were engaged with something visually, I felt the pace pick up a lot more!

Overall
I give Brooms 4.5 out of 5 speech bubbles, rounding up to 5: This book is such a magical read for so many reasons, and its focus on community care and queer identities is one that will leave a lingering impression on the hearts of those who read it.

How to Read It:
Interested in checking it out for yourself? Brooms comes out October 3rd, and you can pre-order a copy from Bookshop, your local comic book store, or Barnes & Noble.

Hardcovers provide higher royalties for writers and illustrators, but a royalty is a royalty, so go forth knowing your purchase will support them either way!

Read This Next:
If you liked this, check out Wash Day Diaries, Darlin' and Her Other Names - Part 1: Marta, and Atana and the Firebird

If you enjoyed this review, I have a monthly comic review series called More Comics Please! on my website with interior page excerpts and additional information not shared here on Goodreads, as well as digital comics that don't qualify for Goodreads' library. You can sign up to receive them in your inbox by subscribing to my newsletter Into the Bramble.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. The art, the diversity, and the fun of racing! I will definitely be recommending this to everyone.

An interesting read of fantasy and historical and contemporary kind of in one. It was good to see a lot of representation in this book. The handling of race and queer topics through the fantasy of witches was really well done. I am not sure if it was intended but the story gave parallels to the Indigenous Residential School system in Canada so this was a very timely and good read for handling these topics.

Brooms is the story of two girls learning how to do magic in secret from government officials, a family trying to keep their kids away from the magic (residential) schools, a woman who's captain of her illegal broom racing team, found family, and supportive bio families.
This is one of those great stories that discusses serious issues in an accessible way, and also gives a hopeful ending. We all know the history already, but we don't know Billie Mae, Luella, Emma, or Mattie's stories yet--and they're some happy-ending ones.
I loved the little photo montage at the end where we got to see all of the characters grown up and having successful careers, but I wish it was a little closer to the end, rather than hidden after the authors note, acknowledgements, and all that other stuff, because I almost missed out on it.
This story was one that contains lots of representation, and I think there's really a space for everyone to see themselves in this story. There's a trans (mtf) character, black characters, indigenous characters, mixed-race characters, deaf characters, and queer characters that make up the main cast of people. I think it was really awesome to see all these characters who typically aren't pictured in stories set when this graphic novel was set.

I loved this book. I was an amazing story and the illustrations were just beautiful. Can't wait to get a physical copy for my bookshelves.

A story set in the 1930's South. Everything is the same as normal history except there is magic. Given that everything else is the same, minorities are not allowed to practice magic just like the rest of the racist practices of the time period. So they have underground broom races like the underground race circuits of the time period. I do think the authors struggled a little too hard for all kinds of inclusion. There's a deaf girl, queer girls, someone who is trans in addition to all of the heroes being minorities. I'm all for inclusion but it's all too accepted for the time period and there's no struggles. If you are going to write a period book, those prejudices should be dealt with instead of ignored.

**Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5** (rounded up to 5)
I am constantly impressed by how sophisticated graphic novels like *Brooms* can so clearly articulate important conversations like those about race and queerness in ways that many other formats struggle to grasp.

Part fantasy, part historical fiction, Brooms is a beautifully written and illustrated graphic novel that centers on a cast of engaging cast of magical characters in 1930s Mississippi as they train to compete in the competitive, but unsanctioned, broom races. Their reasons for racing and challenges vary: Billie Mae and Loretta are hoping to win so they have enough money to escape the persecution of non-white witches in Mississippi; Cheng-Kwan feels she can express herself in racing in a way she can’t at home as her parent’s “perfect son”; young Mattie and Emma hope to connect to their witchy heritage while evading detection that could have them sent away to “boarding schools” for non-white witches; and Luella hopes to protect her young cousins even with her powers bound by the government. Together, they work to overcome challenging circumstances and face seemingly insurmountable odds to try and win a race that could change their lives forever.

I was in love with the illustrations in Brooms, and was so invested in the cast of characters—I was rooting for them all! This book has so many great lessons about friendship, love, solidarity, and care that I think many readers will connect with. All of our characters had such compelling stories, my only wish was that this book was even longer to give some of the character arcs more space to develop (Cheng-Kwan’s story, in particular).

I would recommend this book to all of my middle and high school students, and many adults will also appreciate this work. I’m so excited by the storytelling happening in this medium, and I look forward to adding it to my school library’s collection!

**Acknowledgments & Disclaimers**
✨ Thank you, NetGalley and Levine Querido, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book.
✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

This was such a touching graphic novel with the most gorgeous artwork. I love a witchy read and this one did not disappoint, I found it equally enjoyable and emotional. There was also a lot of great representation throughout. This is a must add to your TBR, not only for spooky season but for all year round. I cannot recommend this beautiful graphic novel enough.

An absolute delight to read, Brooms is light on the magic and heavy on the found family.

The story is told with such care and the illustrations are consistently gorgeous, this is just an all round joy to read.

Since this was an e-book, sometimes the panels were hard to follow but I truly believe if I had read this in physical edition, this wouldn't be an issue.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

I’m so glad I found this graphic novel the legit *day* it was being archived because this was beautiful. The representation found in this graphic novel is amazing! BIPOC, LGBTQ, and disability. I’m sure if I tried to list everything out, I’d miss something! Before this graphic novel, I don’t think I’ve read one that had a deaf character and sign language was seen on page!

This is honestly such a perfect graphic novel for Halloween because hello magic and broom races? Go read it!!

First of all I want to thank netgalley for providing me with this graphic novel.

brooms tells us the story that takes place in 1930s Mississippi. Magic is permitted only in certain circumstances, and by certain people. Unsanctioned broom racing is banned. But for those who need the money, or the thrills...it's there to be found.

We meet Billie Mae and Loretta, two friends who are looking to go to another city where they can use their powers since in Mississippi it is prohibited for people of color to use their powers.

Cheng Kwan who is a trans girl, who must appear to be the perfect son.

Mattie and Emma, ​​the youngest of the group, who just want to live free, finally we have Luella, who is in love with Billie, and whose powers were sealed by the government. All of them seek to live in a place where they can be free, where there is nothing or no one to repress them, for them they are competitors in broom races, where each victory brings them closer to their dreams.

The story addressed here is magical, but without leaving aside the issue of racial segregation and transphobia, living a life that is not really yours, having to pretend, but with the twist that it is a world where magic exists.

The drawing is striking and the story even more so, I would have liked the story to be a little longer, since I felt that everything was very fast, that's why I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Themes / Representation:
LGBT+
Sapphic
Witchcraft
Diverse characters
Trans character
Broom racing
Racism
Magic
Deaf MC
POC characters
Chronic pain

Brooms was a delight. Tackling topics like racism, culture erasure, marginalised groups, with the whimsy of magic.
With a diverse cast of characters, we follow a group of magic users fighting for their rights to use magic from their culture. Set in a magical 1930’s Mississippi, we navigate the world at this time and follow a group of broom racers called the Night Storms.
Each character faces their own struggles - but at its heart, hiding their magic from authorities, and hoping for a free world for all, especially those in marginalised communities. The representation was wonderful to see, so many groups of people will be able to see themselves in this story. This is a huge win.
The artwork and colouring were beautiful, and the story was incredible. An important read for sure.

Brooms is a beautiful and heart-warming graphic novel. It has an incredibly diverse cast of characters, and even though the story is quite short, I felt very connected and engaged with the story and the characters. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and I had the absolute best time reading this.

I can’t recommend this graphic novel enough — it’s beautifully illustrated, beautifully written, and has many things to say in a well-thought out way that isn’t preachy but still makes the reader think.

We follow characters who are being discriminated against because of their magic and watch them grow closer and take part in magical, high stakes and fast paced broom races together. The diversity was excellent - there are many queer characters and characters of colour, as well as a deaf main character and a main character who suffers from chronic pain.

This book is a short enough read and more lighthearted than heavy, but packs a huge punch all the same: the characters’ magic and how its regulated is an allegory for many injustices faced by marginalised groups in our world and the author did a fantastic job of showcasing the injustices they face and how these impact them and how they fight back, all through the allegory. I recommend this to everyone who enjoys graphic novels — there’s friendship, romance, high-stakes races, lovely art, a cast of characters that you can’t help but root for, and a smart allegory that shows the depth and impact of the discrimination of our world. One of my favourite reads this year - I can already tell I’ll come back to it again and again!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

In the pages of <i>Brooms</i>, we are transported to an alternative Mississippi in the 1930s, where how you learn and use magic are subject to governmental oversight. In their pursuit of relocating to a more accepting state that allows black people to harness their ancestral magic, a group of young witches finds themselves engaging in illegal magical broom races to earn some money.

This graphic novel is full with representation. We have Native and Black rep, and also a lesbian couple and a trans girl, and even a character with hearing impariments. I love it when graphic novels tell us stories with diverse characters and allow people in minorities to feel represented. It also has the found family trope that i adore.

The illustrations were really beautiful and i felt that they show really nicely the emotions and scenes. It is a quick and sweet story, with emotional and fun scenes that are perfect for a cozy afternoon read.

In a world where white people are seeking to control POC with magic, a group of rebels take to broom racing as a way to fight back.

Beautifully illustrated and filled with diverse, lovable characters. A simple story of magic and broom racing packs a powerful message of acceptance, and fighting for social justice.

I received an ARC of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. The story features a diverse cast of marginalized protagonists and explores important themes of oppression and resistance. The artwork is very beautiful and well-fit for the season.

In my opinion, lots of the books that try to include a diverse cast of protagonists fall into the stereotypical characters. I want to see characters that are unique, well crafted, and with much more to offer than their typical traits that stem from being marginalised, I want the characters to be so much more than that.

On a positive note, the concept of ancestry magic was a unique and captivating aspect of the story. Overall, it's a well-crafted graphic novel with a strong message, but some balance in character representation could enhance the storytelling.

This was everything I wanted to to be and more!

This was such a culturally rich tale, exploring themes of injustice, resistance and rebellion, as well as cultural magic such as root magic and Choctaw magic. This blended together real-life history with an alternative, magical timeline in such a beautiful and exciting way. The characters have complex personalities and rich relationships, and the sheer amount of representation for different cultural and racial groups as well as the LGBTQIA+ and disables communities was so delightful and expansive. The art style was also stunning, and captured the complexities of the magic so beautifully.

I do wish the ending with the ancestors had been a bit clearer, as it is not obvious what happened to the crowd that had come to pursecute Billie Mae and Loretta, but the joy of where everyone ends up after the end makes up for this my opinion. Pick this up if you want a culturally rich, extremely magical tale that takes an alternative look at history as well as a beautifully blended found family, definitely pick this up!

Thank you to Levine Querido and NetGallet for the eArc of this title!

this was fantastic!

it’s was a magical historical fiction with so much diversity in realistic ways - it was beautifully done!


i do wish the magic itself would have been a bit better explained but at the same time that wasn’t the focus of the story but rather that everyone white tried to control aspects of culture that didn’t fit into their specific measurements and knowledge.
it was clearly a commentary on real historic events and what diverse people have to go through simple to have even just a small amount of rights that white peoples take for granted.

but it also was very much a story about love and becoming yourself and coming i to yourself.

again - beautifully done!

a great book for all ages middle grade upwards!