A cute graphic novel with fun art and a story about balancing who you are, good and bad, versus who you expected to be. Elements of Nimona.

4.25 stars rounded to 4 for NetGalley. Thank you to Macmillan, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for the ARC copy!

Evil-ish tells the story of a young adult finding their way in the world through trying to fulfill their dream of becoming a villain. We meet our nonbinary main character in their sweet household, a juxtaposition to their angsty self who tries to distance themselves from anyone who gives a "good" vibe. If this were instead set in contemporary settings, I very much see them as a cross between a hipster and emo, wanting to stay away from the mainstream "good" people. Hawthorne has what they think is a foolproof plan of getting in with the "cool kids" of villains which, of course, immediately goes awry. 

I really enjoyed the art style of Evil-ish. The colors, the different characters, the creative ways of showing dynamic scenes. The art was a big standout for the whole story.

I love the themes of what truly defines good versus "evil," and how far are you willing to go to both separate yourself from the mainstream while also staying a part of a community who may or may not align with your true values. Another big theme is that looks can be deceiving, which I always love in a visual media like graphic novels that can exaggerate personas and your assumptions thereof to the extreme. Other themes that are somewhat spoiler-y are the importance of family, hurt people hurt people, building community, and continuing cycles of trauma.

While there are a lot of elements I loved in this story, I do think it could have gone even a little deeper, given even more time to all the different themes at play here. I would've loved a bit more time to see how everything resolved in the end, as well, but I loved the glimpse we did get to see at the end.

Overall I recommend for graphic novel lovers of the theme "Be Gay Do Crime," people who love to question morality and what truly is "evil," and fans of lovable characters finding themselves.

Evil-ish is a vibrant and whimsical young adult graphic novel that explores the complexities of identity, ambition, and the true nature of villainy. We follow Hawthorne, a nonbinary teen yearning to escape their mundane life as a potion barista by joining the infamous Brigade of Shade. However, when an unexpected accident propels Hawthorne into a leadership role within the Brigade, they begin to question what it truly means to be “evil.”

The setting is definitely interesting though sometimes feels out of place. It mixes some medieval elements with other modern quirks - like posters on a bedroom wall. At the beginning of the novel, and for most the time throughout, Hawthorne very much acts with a “moody teenager” demeanor, and I could never feel settled with the way they were acting. They say they want one thing - to be evil - but when given the chance and leading the organization, doesn’t follow through for their team. By the end we had some character growth and introspection driving changes and alignment, but for most of the book, it was hard to understand or empathize with Hawthorne.

I think that commentary is also due to some big themes coming up such as imposter syndrome, trying to figure out who you are, and the feeling of not fitting in, these topics were introduced, but really skimmed the surface. The way these were brought up and mentioned was very high-level without delving deeply into the emotional impacts on the characters. Nevertheless, the normalization of nonbinary identities and the inclusion of diverse characters contribute positively to the representation within the genre.

On the positive side, the artwork in Evil-ish includes boasting bold colors and expressive illustrations that bring the story to life. The character designs are distinctive, and the visual storytelling complements the tone, enhancing the immersion.

I think this book is a good start for someone looking for similar themes. It was quick and easy to read. Keeping in mind this would be best for young adults or teens, I think this book could be relevant and fun for those readers.

Loooooved this one; full of fun characters, a good storyline, and excellent artwork. I’m excited for the world to get to read it!

rep: enby MC, queer LI, side characters of color, queer side characters

spice: none

Tarrell paints the picture of an absolutely adorable horde of "bad" guys who really just need friendship and community. I loved both Hawthorne and Maple, and loved the way that they interacted with each other and came to know themselves. I think one of the best things about young adult and middle grade stories is their push to tell stories about self-discovery, and pushing beyond the surface level of who you think you are. Both Hawthorne and Maple are far more than people expect them to be, and their parallel arcs really do a great job at teaching valuable lessons about identity and love. And it was honestly so wonderful to see a nonbinary lead character like Hawthorne be so interesting and multi-faceted.

A magical, heartwarming story of community and identity. Tarrell's gorgeous art style feels just as fantastical as the story it tells.

4.5/5⭐
I got this book through Netgalley! I loved the art style! There were some pages where I was a little confused on how to read because of how much manga I read and the face that the page could work either way. I do like a good Enby MC. I also was expecting like a romantic sub plot, but I am glad it leaned towards friendship. Like magical worlds can have friendships too. I loved how the world combined the magical and the ordinary. I also love how it combined past lifestyle with current tech.
I do wish it was a little longer, but otherwise, a great read!

Evil-ish is an adorable journey in which our nonbinary MC learns what the ideas of belonging and evil really mean. This was an enjoyable, quick read with some interesting twists and turns. There were a few panels that were a bit confusing and the story felt a tad rushed, but I still had a good time with it.

This was such a fun an charming graphic novel! I loved the way it mashed up modern and fantasy elements. Hawthorn was a great protagonist--we haven't gotten a good, funny anti-hero in middle-grade/YA fantasy comics in a while. The art was really lovely and expressive, full of detail and expression. Will be recommending for our patrons.

Loved the relationship between maple and Hawthorne. I’m glad that Hawthorne realized that being evil wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be and that it’s okay to be good

I liked the art style and thought the story was short but compelling. I didn’t really understand the main character’s desire to be evil beyond being bored or feeling like they needed more out of their life. Some of the characters have some real pain/trauma to work through for such a fast paced and mostly humorous story. I liked the normalization of multiple gender identities and expressions. Good for middle grade readers.

*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.