"Plain Jane" stands out among 2024 graphic novels for its narrative fluidity, its character development, and its sheer uniqueness. It reminds me of 2023's "The Ojja-Wojja," also for an older audience; and, peculiarly, of "Things in the Basement" - which was for younger readers but featured a similarly atmospheric otherworld that might only be found deep below the surface of the realms with which we are familiar.

The main character is a delightful heroine who thinks on her feet but shares the same struggles as so many female readers (adolescent and adult alike); the villains are alarmingly well-developed; the self-righteous Gastonian would-be love interest is, somehow, deeply likable in his own right; and the twist at the end is ... I mean, the twist at the end!

I'm excited about this book and am glad others will soon have the opportunity to read it for themselves!

Jane is a member of the family that owns most of her town. She is also, as everyone repeatedly makes clear, plain. Peter is a fisherman's son who dreams of more than fishing. When Jane's parents die, she must marry or lose everything. She proposes to Peter, who turns her down but is then snatched by a mermaid. Jane embarks on a quest to get him back. Along the way, she encounters various mythical creatures and is forced to reconsider deeply held beliefs.

This is such a fun book for all ages. The rich, vibrant illustrations match Jane's spirit. All the characters are well developed, even antagonists.

This graphic novel was such a wholesome, heartwarming read. Jane is on a mission to rescue her beloved from a mermaid who has kidnapped him and taken him below the seas. She then departs on a journey to rescue him with the help of her new friend, 'Mr. Whiskers,' that she meets along the way. Something I really enjoyed in the book was the banter between 'Mr. Whiskers' and Jane. It was also nice to see how he brought her out of her shell so naturally (which goes to show that the right person can sometimes help coax things out of you that are hard for us as people to do on our own). Jane still had to discover some things about herself on her own along the way and that ultimately gave her the strength she needed to move forward with her life.

I loved Jane as a character and really appreciated the journey she went on both physically and emotionally below the sea to help the boy she loved. As someone who has struggled with the idea of one's self-worth being equated with their outward appearance, this read really hit home ♥️ Really appreciated the way Vera chose to tell this story and found it to be very uplifting and empowering overall.

In conclusion, I loved the story and characters a ton. Plus, the art style was phenomenal and what originally drew me to this read in the first place. The character designs are really unique and I appreciated the inclusion of some of the color mood boarding and initial sketches that were included. Would highly recommend this graphic novel!

Plain Jane and the Mermaid was a funny, fast-paced and heartwarming adventure of a girl named Jane who goes on a quest to rescue her friend/intended Peter who has been taken by mermaids to be their groom.

The graphic novel deal with themes of beauty and appearance, but it is couched in an interesting, action-packed plot—unlike some other texts that tackle this issue, it does not let the messaging of ‘the importance of inner beauty’ totally overrun the narrative action. Each of the characters is well-developed and likeable. My particular favorite is ‘Mr. Whiskers,’ who is a gruff, no-nonsense “seal” that accompanies Jane on her journey. His interactions with Jane are hilarious to read.

The artwork is whimsical, colorful and has interesting linework—it is strongly reminiscent of the Cartoon Saloon 2D style (think Wolfwakers or Song of the Sea). The characters are incredibly expressive, which makes for strong comedy, and the posing from panel-to-panel is very fluid.

Overall, if you are an upper elementary/middle schooler looking for an underwater adventure with great friendship dynamics, this is the book for you!

Full of heart, comic, and, at times eerie, Vera Brogsol writes and illustrates another tale with a captivating heroine who is learning where she wants to situate herself in the world.

vera brosgol always does tremendous work, but i think this is my favorite yet. a truly sweet folktale with solid pacing, whimsical illustration, and a wholesome moral. the narrative delved into the origins of mermaids and gave such a well-rounded tale. a family-friendly fable with heart!

3-3.5

This was a magical, whimsical graphic novel that provided a good moral to the story, beautiful illustrations, and a fun plot. I enjoyed the stunning artwork and all the different characters. I really enjoyed the seal, which gave some comic relief to a heavy story. I love anything with an ocean and underwater scenes. However, it could’ve used more bubbles or something to make it feel like we were underwater occasionally. But it did use colors in a great way to show the depth of the ocean and how far down the characters went. I also really enjoyed the myths and folklore that were explored in this story. There were quite a few sea creatures, each with their own personalities and quirks that were entertaining.

However, it felt a little disjointed for me because this is set during a historical time period, perhaps the Victorian era, but it was trying to tackle today’s societal issues and standards around aging and beauty. I also didn’t care for the blatant feminist perspective, always making the men look like the bad guys or weak guys. I think female leads can be made to look like a heroine without the story taking a feminist angle.

But Jane is an enjoyable main character who ends up saving herself as she tries to save the man she thinks she loves. She endured quite a bit of bullying and verbal abuse about her looks and weight, which got tedious at times, but she finally stood up for herself and realized her own beauty within. So I did like the overall messaging, but it could’ve been executed a bit better. It felt a bit preachy and the messages could’ve been conveyed more subtly.

Overall, it was an entertaining and pleasant story to read. I wished it focused more on the myth/folklore aspect of the story and less commentating on social issues. I like my fantasy stories to be lighthearted and fun, not so heavy and serious.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

Plain Jane and the Mermaid was exactly the kind of tale I expect from Vera Brosgol. Jane is a young woman who has just lost her family, and consequently her home due to not being able to inherit the estate. Her plan to marry a local fisherman goes awry when he is taken by mermaids to their watery lair. I loved that Jane's journey into the sea was also a journey into accepting herself and realizing she shouldn't marry for anything less than true love. This book is ideal for middle school and high school libraries, and anyone who loves a twist on fairy tales.

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for this DRC.
Plain Jane lives in the time of entailments and coverture, but also mermaids and selkies. Denigrated by her now dead family, Jane must find a way to obtain her dowry as she must leave her family home. She has long crushed on a handsome fisherman, but he’s a bit of a narcissist and easily lured by a mermaid. Jane sets out to save him but ends up saving herself.

Jane is marvelously strong willed and wondrously accepting of what befalls her – save a guy from mermaids, fight a sea demon, free some lobsters. She just keeps going and becomes stronger as she begins to really find herself and what she really wants. The Cronery was my favorite building. Wonderful story and great art.

#PlainJaneandtheMermaid #NetGalley

Jane’s parents have passed without a male heir, which leaves Jane on the verge of homelessness if she doesn’t get married. But, is there really someone who would be willing to marry someone who looks like her?

Taking a risk, she decides to ask the prettiest boy in town to marry her, but when he gets snatched by a mermaid, Jane is the only one who can save him.

This was a wonderful journey that had some excellent social commentary. There is so much to love about this story, that I walked away smiling and so content–eager to talk about this with anyone who asked and people who didn’t.

The cast of characters is not disappointing. There is a variety of personalities that really come through and shine, making the story brighter.

Jane is a headstrong girl who really comes into her throughout the story. She struggles with how she views herself and while that affects her, she is still brave in going after what she wants. She is easy to fall in love with and cheer for.

Mermaids, selkies, underwater life and gods make this journey entertaining. The twist and turns the mythical creatures brought were engaging. I was eager to see how they were going to affect the story and was never disappointed in their development.

The art was beautiful. The use of colors in the different scenes really helped give it a sense of depth. Not just in the panels, but it helps give a sense of how far underwater they were. It was beautiful and really helped make sense of the journey.

Brosgol explored a number of themes throughout this story. It’s a one that will resonate with a number of people and important to be reiterated for everyone. The way she tackles society’s expectations of beauty was wonderful.

Plain Jane and the Mermaid is an excellent graphic novel that challenges society’s view of beauty through an underwater setting and variety of mythological creatures. If you have an ounce of love of mythological creatures or like to see society challenged, I highly recommend this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second for a copy of this ARC. All opinions here are my own.

Graphic novel with wonderful illustrations. Plain Jane 's quest helps her to see herself differently and also save the day! I really love this author and REALLY enjoyed this book. Thank you #NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

Welcome Back!

It’s nearly the end of another week and we are almost in the midst of the holiday season, where everything becomes incredibly busy. However, I am determined to continue my reading despite how busy the holiday season might become. So this week, I decided to pick up a graphic novel E-ARC on my lunch break. (Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions). I was able to finish this graphic novel in one lunch period, so it was the perfect pick! Without further ado, let’s jump in!

SPOILERS AHEAD

Jane used to live in a big manor home with her parents. But her parents have recently passed and now her uncle is kicking her out of the only home she has ever known. Her parents did not have a male heir so the house and all the funds must go to her uncle unless she marries someone in the week before he takes possession of the home. Jane is very upset by this news but decides to do something about it. She is going to try to get one of the guys in town to marry her. She approaches the guy with her idea however, he is pulled underwater by a girl. Soon Jane finds herself on an underwater adventure that may just help her recover something or someone from her past.

I enjoyed my time with this graphic novel. The art in this graphic novel had great colors and strong linework. The story was very interesting and took some unexpected turns (especially with Jane and her family). I thought the underwater world in this book was vast and incredible (I would have loved to spend even more time in it). I think my favorite character from the underwater was the seal! I can not wait for everyone else to be able to read this graphic novel, it comes out on May 7th, 2024!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

***Thank you so much again to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Oh I absolutely loved this graphic novel! Jane is my favorite, her willingness to throw hands immediately had me cracking up. She is such a strong and inspiring MC despite how horribly everyone has treated her her entire life. The art for this graphic novel is so pleasing and pretty and I absolutely loved the color play with the underwater and darker scenes. The touches of magic mixing with realism of the period this takes place in were woven perfectly and overall it was incredibly enjoyable!

4.7/5
Quality of writing: 5
Plot development: 5
Pace: 4
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 5
Ease of reading: 5

Jane can't catch a break. Her parents are dead and her awful cousin is kicking her out. To make everything even worse, the boy she wants to marry goes missing. Can Jane save Peter and gain confidence?
This was a really nice and enjoyable read with a good message! The art, the characters, the story... it all worked really well together. I haven't read other Vera Brosgol's books but after reading Plain Jane and the Mermaid, I might pick up other of her books.

Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a fan of Vera Brosgol since I read Anya's Ghost. I could not keep that one on my shelf because kids loved how creepy it was. She is such a huge hit I had to read Plain Jane and the Mermaid. Which I loved! The art is cute, the story is super engaging. I read it at work during my planning period and was very sad to have to put it down when kids came in. It is a fun adventure story that my students will love.

5 stars.

This fantasy graphic novel interrogates the cult of beauty that is so endemic to so many of our fairy tales. Here beauty does not connotate goodness, and, no matter your looks, you can be a heroine.

This graphic novel does not flinch from examining restrictive eating and diets, abusive parents, and patriarchy so I would recommend it to 6th grade and up, but I think this graphic novel will be healing and cathartic, not just for kids, but for adult readers like me. I cheered Jane on the whole way through. Brosgol never disappoints.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

When Jane’s parents pass away in a horrible accident, she quickly learns that she’s completely alone. Plus, her cousin is kicking her out of her own house! That’s when Jane decides that she might be able to get her lifelong crush to marry her if he’s dazzled by her hefty dowry. Things seem to be according to plan when a mermaid abducts her almost-fiancé! Now Jane is throwing caution to the wind by following Peter deep into the sea.

I was extremely excited when I saw that Vera Brogol had a new book coming out! I have loved every single thing I’ve read from them. This time around, we follow a freshly orphaned Jane. She is extremely relatable because she’s never felt good enough for anything. It doesn’t help that even her own parents agreed she was fat and ugly! We also follow her life-long crush, Peter. Now Peter has never fit in with his family because he’s far more interested in finery than continuing the family fishing business. The two have very different experiences in life, but we also see that Peter is genuinely nice even if he is superficial.

It was so much fun following Jane and Peter’s stories as they find themselves somewhere deep underwater. I like that we get to see what Jane and Peter have in common despite having very different experiences and views on life. I love that Jane is considered fat an ugly and learns to love herself and not just accept what society thinks she should be allowed. I wish that this was a story around when I was growing up constantly being told how fat and ugly I was. It’s harder to believe in yourself when you never see yourself reflected positively in your books and tv shows. I love that we’re seeing more and more characters somewhere in the same breath as Jane being depicted in books and media. Jane is such a positive character and I love how we see her slowly learn to love and believe in herself as the story continues.

There are a few other excellent characters in the book. We get to know the mermaids, a selkie that Jane befriends, and meet other characters whether or not they’re positive or negative ones. It was so interesting to see how some of the characters come together in unexpected ways. It was also neat to see that we learn so much about a character we briefly meet through the other characters in the book. I truly loved everything about this story down to the beautiful artwork.

I LOVED this. 2024 is going to be such a good year for middle grade graphic novels! Vera Brosgol is one of my favorite GN/picture book artists working today, and this was everything I could've wanted it to be--a little spooky, gorgeously colored, and surprisingly detailed and rich for the format/length. I can't wait to see a physical copy when it comes out!

Thanks NetGalley and First Second Books for this arc!

3.5/5 stars

I did enjoy this, and it had a good premise and moral to this story. The art was really vibrant and each characters face was very expressive. But oh my god, if I had to hear one more person rag on this girl for being 'ugly' or 'overweight' one more time I would've dnf'd this. Like, we get it, it's the Victorianish age where women had nothing and could only rely on getting a husband to not be destitute and unhoused, but does this poor girl need that rubbed in her face every five seconds?? The authors note at the end explained a lot about how she felt the same at a young age and that was reflected in this graphic novel, and that's just horrible :( especially the last conversation with Loreley was particularly hard to read, even though it was her turning point in how she became stronger. I just really would've enjoyed this if Jane hadn't been so like verbally abused by everyone around her :/

I'm a longtime fan of Vera Brosgol, but PLAIN JANE AND THE MERMAID is her best yet. A totally riveting, seafaring novel full of all of the best that mythical sea creatures have to offer--mermaids, yes, but also selkies!--Brosgol's latest is heartwarming, thoughtful, and laugh-out-loud funny. The theme to this underwater adventure is beauty--inner vs. outer--and Brosgol takes great care to affirm her readers of all sizes. She doesn't fat- or skinny-shame, but she acknowledges that people deemed conventionally attractive are typically given more in life...and that this isn't great for them either. The culmination of her inner vs. outer beauty argument is simple: we all deserve to feel proud of ourselves and find people who love us for who we are. Adding to the tremendously fun storyline is the art, which is vivid, vibrant, and easy to follow, making this a perfect entrypoint for young readers. I hope we see more of Plain Jane in Brosgol's future work!