*Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group*

First off I love the art style this comic has. The way colors are used really worked for the story. I requested this because it follows a nonbinary main character in a want to read more (an promote more) trans books. Our main character does not feel like they belong in their town and they don't want to take over the family business. I liked how their journey of not fitting in had nothing to do with their gender, and they existed in a world that did not mess up pronouns and was supportive. This was really good and perfect for younger readers or those who enjoy middle grade.

They say you should never meet your heroes. I guess that’s also true if your hero’s happen to be villains. Hawthorne Vandercast is unhappy in their life and has, like many teens, big plans for their future. That future means getting out of the shadow of the family potion barista business and becoming a member of the Brigade of Shade. Only, villainy is not exactly as easy or fun or rewarding as Hawthorne hopes when by chance they dispatch the current leader of the Brigade and become boot just a member but the new leader, and thought they indeed look fabulous and reek mischief galore, the emotional cost of pushing away family sets in and they quickly discover they’re not as “ bad” as they believed. This is a great coming of age story about finding yourself and what you believe in, and how to be truely authentic to your inner self while accepting your roots. Lots of fun and art is so awesome and cute and enjoyable! I would love to see this animated into a series on Netflix.

Hawthorne Vandercast has big plans: join the infamous Brigade of Shade, move into a glamorous castle, and leave their mundane life as a potion barista behind. But when they finally get the chance to join the Brigade, Hawthorne finds themself overshadowed by Maple, a bubbly, bright, flowery girl who could not look further from evil. After an accident ends in death and suddenly Hawthorne is leading the Brigade, they begin to realize that maybe villainy isn't actually all it's cracked up to be.


The story was charming, with a fast-paced narrative and well-developed characters, each displaying distinct personalities despite the brevity of the book.

While the plot was somewhat predictable, particularly in depicting the villains, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The pacing was engaging, and the artwork was of a high quality.

I appreciated Maple's storyline and the portrayal of how grief can impact an individual, even someone as kind and caring as Maple.

Where can I even start with this book? With all the villain-ish whimsy, queer rep and thoughtful examinations of evil that made Nimona an all-time favorite, yet an altogether different premise and set of characters, I had a feeling I was going to love this one, and I absolutely did.

The art here is just so much fun. Tarrell nails every beat and image in this story with their wacky, colorful, ever-detailed art, and I couldn’t resist racing through its pages.

I also adore the characters. Hawthorne is absolutely a favorite—their determined, irreverent personality sparks across every page, and the utter enthusiasm they have for all things villainy made me fall in love with them from the start. While I could call out any number of other characters here—and indeed, all of them deserve it, especially Hawthorne’s family! —I have to enthuse a little specifically about Maple. Tarrell narrates her character arc with dazzling precision, every panel and detail of color accentuating how much she doesn’t seem to belong in a world of villainy, and yet how much it ultimately fits her.

But this isn’t just a story about villainy. Hawthorne’s reckoning with what they actually want from their life, what evil really is, and how they want to interact with the world around them propels forward a story as much about hope and being true to yourself as a well-placed maniacal cackle. I truly can’t recommend Evil-Ish enough, particularly to readers who always find themselves taking a second look at the villain!

This is a story about someone who feels like they don’t fit in and dreams of joining a group of villains. But when he finally gets the chance, he’s not as evil as he thinks he is—and ends up being laughed off the stage. Eventually, he lands in a different role within the group, only to discover they aren’t quite what he imagined them to be.

This is a great read for anyone who’s ever felt out of place. It beautifully shows that sometimes the things we chase after aren’t what we hoped for, and that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the E-ARC!

This was a really sweet story with a nice message about finding yourself while forgiving yourself for the mistakes you might make along the way. I thought the art and character design were gorgeous as well.

Hawthorne has worshipped the Brigade of Shade for as long as they can remember, as a self-proclaimed evil doer who has never fit in, they are determined to be the next member at the Brigades audition. Unfortunately, they fail miserably and are laughed out of the audition, and with Maple the bubbly, flower crown wearing, singing to animals, annoying new girl from around town gets in well thats just insult to injury, however, when Maple shows up one night and tells Hawthorne she's got a sure fire way to get her in Hawthorne decides they've got nothing to lose.

This was a hilarious and yup absolutely adorable read about finding yourself but also being honest with yourself. Hawthorne is truly the least evil person on the planet, and once they start putting forth their "evil initiatives," that becomes fairly obvious (even though it pretty much is from the get-go). Well, okay, a laundry is actually evil, so that's maybe their most evil initiative. But that's as far as it goes. Their "attacks" on the town are nothing more than harmless pranks that delight the townspeople more than anything, giving them a little bit of entertainment in an otherwise mundane life. What makes this head towards the serious side is how Hawthorne's mom always knew this about them and can't find the right way to express this to Hawthorne. It's a classic parent/child dilemma.

It takes Maple's incredibly painful backstory for Hawthorne to see what it truly means to have no one actually see *you* and I loved how Tarrell uses this to show that without a guiding hand it is so easy for trauma and pain to become anger and resentment.

The art was wonderful as well. Hawthorne, especially, I find almost embodies the very idea of non-binary, Hawthorne was they/them before you even knew Hawthorne was they/them simply by the way they were drawn.

Highly recommend this one for a quick and fun read about learning to be true to yourself.

As always thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publish Group for the eArc!

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

3.5 stars

evil-ish stars our nonbinary mc hawthorne and their goal to become part of the brigade of shade, a villainous group of evil baddies. but when an accidental death forces hawthorne to become the leader of the brigade of shade, they realize villainy is not all it’s cracked up to be.

my biggest issue with the plot was hawthorne’s reasoning to join the brigade of shade: they had no real reason to join an evil organization (perhaps outside of teenage angst…) so it felt kind of flimsy…

I loved the world we were thrown into, each character had something to bring to the table even down to the smallest character like the MC's little brother. This was a beautiful story of thinking you know what you need vs. figuring out what you truly need. A growing up type of story which I absolutely adored.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Evil-ish is a funny and lighthearted coming of age graphic novel. The story follows Hawthorne Vandercast who seeks to leave their boring ordinary life at their family's potion shop and join instead the marvelous, villainous Shadow Brigade. However, as Hawthorne soon realizes, villainy is not for everyone.

The graphic novel is a lot more fun than I expected. While the story follows predictable beats, the characters are super loveable and become the highlight of the story for me. I also find Hawthorne's relationship with their family, especially their mother, very sweet and heartwarming.

Published on https://noflyingnotights.com on 4/16/2025

Hawthorne Vandecast is entering their villain era… or trying to. If anyone would start taking them seriously. Instead, they’re a potion barista being prepped by their mother to take over the family coffee shop in the aptly named Idlewood -a painfully common village only recently released from the horrifying rule of Lady Wrath and her Brigade of Shade. Released, but not freed because Lady Wrath and her team’s influence still sits over the town like an evil, alluring mist. And they’re looking for new recruits. Hawthorne yearns for the rock star lifestyle promised by the Brigade and the chance it gives them to finally be more than a boring, common potion barista. How hard could it be when their biggest competition seems to be sweet as syrup Maple, who couldn’t have an ounce of Evil in her whole body?
Hard. Very hard. Like, embarrassingly hard. A nightmare audition leads to an oopsie assassination leaving Hawthorne in charge and finally seeing what being a villain is. Will they like it? Will it finally make them feel different and special? Or is being Evil more than wearing cool long coats and living in a castle?
There is a sweetness and irreverence to Evil-ish that is incredibly charming. Debut creator Kennedy Tarrell gives this YA graphic the feel of a 90’s Disney fairytale (which fits with the career outlined in their bio) while twisting tropes and appealing to the cheeky bent that’s so big in that genre right now. Readers want the villain’s story and Tarrell offers a view of the hurt people behind villainous tropes and how their stories might not match what we expect.
The pseudo-Medieval village of Idlewood is both comforting and obviously grating for a growing independent spirit like Hawthorne. Tarrell’s art adds to that comfort and familiarity, leading the reader to expect something predictable and basic and this book is neither. Tarrell’s subtlety in small character moments gives the story and the figures populating it a depth and humanity that defy the fairytale aesthetic of the art. The dialogue is almost perfectly matched to that. You can practically hear the giggle in Maple’s early dialogue and the disdain dripping from Hawthorne’s. It’s immediately immersive and exciting.
Hawthorne is an amazing character, immediately recognizable to teen readers as someone desperate to be more than people see them as while not being sure how to be. They are relatable and earnest while also being just a little clueless. Hawthorne is presented as nonbinary and this is an element that’s just part of the story in such a beautiful way. They feel different from the village not because they’re non-binary, but because -like a lot of teens- they want to be more special than they feel like they are. It’s a character element that is universal tied to a character identity that is underrepresented.
Evil-ish, available for purchase July 22, 2025, is so much of what I love: it’s funny, different, and shockingly heartwarming without taking itself too seriously. It’s an easy next read for fans of Nimona or Maelstrom: A Prince of Evil. Teen readers can easily find characters to relate to in this story while also, hopefully, recognizing that every character and person has a backstory that may be worth learning.

‘Evil-ish’ surpassed all my expectations in seconds. The artwork? Gorgeous. The story? So fun! The characters? Perfection.

This is what graphic novels should be like, an exceptional cast of flawed characters that grow step by step on every page. Villain monologues and forced friendships and people you underestimate.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful - I loved this!

And a non-binary mc??? Oh, you spoil us. (More please.)

This YA graphic novel follows Hawthorne, a young non-binary main character who idolizes a notorious “evil” group. Determined to join them, Hawthorne puts on their best villain look and auditions—only to be outshined by Maple, a bubbly and cheerful girl who ends up being accepted into the group instead.
Hawthorne is a moody teen trying to find where they belong, grappling with what it truly means to be good or evil—and learning that the line between the two isn’t always clear. They also have to face the consequences of their choices, which adds a thoughtful layer to their growth.
One of my favorite parts of the story was Hawthorne’s relationship with their mother. She’s kind, supportive, and wholeheartedly accepts Hawthorne for who they are, which was heartwarming to see.

I love when a character strives to be evil or a villain (or away from home), but they are a marshmallow and kind through and through. The page with Hawthorne bedazzling their most villainous outfits and getting ready was comedic gold for me. A testament to the idea of "be careful what you wish for", with a heartwarming and satisfying ending.

The art style and character designs were great. I did laugh some times, but for the most part, I was let down. The random tech felt so out of place in a medieval setting. The story was rushed, making the characters 2-Dimensional. I called the "twist" the second the character popped up.

I recieved a digital ARC of this from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange doe review.

Evil-ish features Hawthorne, a tired and annoyed portions barista. All they want to do is join the Brigade of Shade and become an evildoer. Maple, someone fairly new in town, looks sweet and bubbly and somehow outshines Hawthorne in the tryouts. When an accidental death focused Hawthorne manages to become the leader of the Brigade, but it isn’t what they expected. Evil-ish is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel about realizing the difference between what we want, what we get, and what we actually need. It’s a beautiful story and I loved it.

Hawthorne works at their mom’s Potion Coffee shop but aspires to do something more with their life, such as joining the Brigade of Shade. The Brigade of Shade are a notable group of villains in this world. Hawthorne must go through an American Idol-like type of tryout to strut their stuff and win a place in the Brigade of Shade. Things in life do not always go as planned. This one is worth the read to find out that what you want is not always what you need.

#ThxNetGalley #KennedyTarrell #Evil-ish

This was even more enjoyable and fun than I could have imagined. The world was whimsical yet still allowed for depth in the story. The messaging and lessons were portrayed in an easily identifiable way and inserted without interrupting the story. I was incredibly impressed with how much this graphic novel sucked me in.

The artwork really helped convey the themes and feelings throughout the book. I really appreciated the way that the non-binary MC was treated. Their family was supportive of their choice and tried to include them more within the family, even when being part of the family was not what they wanted. Overall, this story is a great choice for teens and readers who appreciate graphic novels!

This one was quirky and fun. Hawthorne, an aspiring villain, plans to join the infamous Brigade of Shade, do evil things, and most of all, leave their position barista job behind. Presented with the chance to join the Brigade, Hawthorne soon finds a bubbly, too-happy, flowery girl at his side. After an accident, Hawthorne finds himself as the leader of the Brigade. They soon realize that being a villain isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.

The art style was great, the characters were unique, and this tender story was a fun read.