Colors were fabulous. It was text heavy though. The story was good, but might have been better as a book instead of a graphic novel. I love sci-if and enjoyed the themes, but was let down by a quick ending.

Not a huge fan of this one. Some interesting ideas in it that I wish had been explored more fully, and less tragic lesbian death.

This was a DNF for me, unfortunately. It was provided by Netgalley. I just couldn't get into the characters or the writing or even the storyline.

I wanted to love this but I didn't. I just couldn't get into it. I ended up DNFing. The concept of this is great and sends a great message but it just didn't work for me.

I honestly didn’t even get far enough into Decelerate Blue to know what age group would like it best. Apparently, whenever this story takes place, everyone ends their conversations with “Go.” Like people do with walkie talkies or radios. As in, “What’s your location? Over.” Or, “I’m headed to the station. See you soon. Over and out.”

But they’re talking to each other in person! Unless I missed something.

Tell me, would you find it annoying if every time you had a conversation with someone, it went like this:

“I’m tired. Go.”

“Why are you tired? Go.”

“Because I had a bad dream last night. Go.”

Well? (Go.)

Hah.

The whole story was dialogue (until I gave up.) I just couldn’t do it. I’m sure it had a major part of the storyline, and I probably missed out on a great book. But it just wasn’t for me.

I usually LOVE first second books. This is the first one that I didn’t like!

ISBN; 9781596431096. First Second Books. February 14th 2017. With thanks to Netgalley for supplying me with an E-copy.

The future waits for no one.

In this new world, speed and efficiency are everything, and the populace zooms along in a perpetually stimulated haze. Angela thinks she’s the only person in her family—maybe the only person on the planet—who sees anything wrong with this picture. But the truth is she’s not alone.

Angela finds herself recruited into a resistance movement where the key to rebellion is taking things slow. In their secret underground hideout, they create a life unplugged from the rapid-fire culture outside. Can they free the rest of the world before the powers that be shut down their utopian experiment?

From revolutionary and award-winning playwright Adam Rapp and veteran cartoonist and animator Mike Cavallaro comes a dark, breath-taking new vision of an all-too-plausible future for America.

This book was an interesting one. The story premise had promise and potential but i found it lacking. I can’t quite pin point what it was though.

I liked the art, it was clear and easy to distinguish. It’s a shame it is a graphic novel because it made it super short. I would like to read this story in proper book format in the future. There’s a lot that could be done with it.

2 out of 5 stars.

This was a slow read for me and I had a hard time picking it up each time. It will definitely have its readers, but this won't be as far-reachingly popular as some other similar titles.

Decelerate Blue is a graphic novel from Adam Rapp and Mike Cavallari. In this new world, speed and efficiency are everything, and the populace zooms along in a perpetually stimulated haze. Angela thinks she's the only person in her family—maybe the only person on the planet—who sees anything wrong with this picture. But the truth is she's not alone. Angela finds herself recruited into a resistance movement where the key to rebellion is taking things slow. In their secret underground hideout, they create a life unplugged from the rapid-fire culture outside. Can they free the rest of the world before the powers that be shut down their utopian experiment?

Decelerate Blue is a well done graphic novel, with a nearly perfect connection of story and artwork. I really enjoyed the art style, and thought the choice of black and white for the majority of the book, with very important choices of where to use partial or full color to bring out important moments or themes. I thought the story itself was a important one, in a world where the importance of always being busy, always doing, seems to be overwhelming all of use. Even young kids seem to be moving faster and faster, scheduled to the minute of every day. The benefits of slowing down and enjoying a moment or more seems to be less and less important to most. I thought the graphic novel was a solid story, and one that was engaging and thought provoking. Combined with the art style I think it was pretty close to perfect.

Decelerate Blue is a graphic novel for teens and adults that can perhaps make a difference with those too caught up in always being on. I know it encouraged me to take a moment and just breathe, enjoying some unseasonably nice weather rather than rushing to do whatever task was next on my to do list. It still got done, but taking a moment to slow down made my day much better. I think many others will enjoy the book and take a moment (or more) of their own.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Scott

“In a hyperkinetic future, the ultimate act of rebellion is slowing down” – Decelerate Blue Cover Blurb

Angela’s story, Decelerate Blue, is definitely that one of a few, handful of graphic novel s you would actually recommend to the non-graphic novel reading audience. It is a glimpse into a palatable future where one must maintain a higher heartrate; a frenetic pace with more productivity; where even speech is curtailed into terse, brevity that terminate with the word “go” in order to indicate the thought is terminated and another speaker can step in. A future that is ruled by mega-corporations, filled with mega-malls, where everything is sped up and everyone has a chip implanted inside their ulna (forearm bone). It is not really even conspiracy theory anymore; the devices (save the implants, which technically are available but not ethical) are available now: to check your pulse, to time your steps, to read more quickly, to wake you up to time your activity – it is not too difficult projecting twenty years in the future where everything will be faster paced. Perhaps not 12 minute movie fast (I mean could you even finish your popcorn by then?) but definitely more quickly than they are now. This is a future where even literature is done in condensed formats (the Reader’s Digest ™ Ultra-ultra-condensed versions).

The writing in Decelerate Blue, told from Angela’s point of view, is a variation in pacing. Two speeds are maintained: fast and slow; diametric opposites that tug and relax the reader’s attention. On the upside of human activity, it look at the spastic race of business people and apply this ‘ideology’ to everyday life. Banter, even between family members is not permitted and the writing relects this in short, terse sentences succeeded by the word “go.” It is a only slightly sped up world for some of us. Contractions are common (and required in the artificial society). In the underground, however, they’re trying to remove the chips, go off the grid, stop eating hasty-meals and have home cooked meals – where speech and dialogue is stretched out reflecting the slowed down pace. Contractions are avoided and writing take on a more philosophical tone. The dialogue is spot on. Angela’s voice is the conflicting voice of not being sure that she belongs in a sped up society and the comfort provided in slowing down, when she is accidentally gets dragged into the underground – even the music is slowed down, chanting slower, slower to the reader – absorb this, absorb this. The writing is excellent throughout and the plot is completely feasible (if you considered the chip your ID/biometrics machine). Rapp has the script nailed here and the reader is completely unprepared for the final pages.

Artistically, Cavallaro has interpreted the script masterfully. In the busy scenes the art becomes busy, if it is frenetic, the art reflects that. If it is slowed down in the underground, the art relaxes and you have time to absorb the small things, instead of the clutter of a hyper-modern lifestyle. Clean lines and panel flow grace this book, and it is easy on the eye and certainly not devoid of detail. Wherever the story takes you, the art takes you in hand, pushing and pulling with the aforementioned tugging and relaxing. It’s a rare synergy between art and word. Primarily black and white (to further slow your reading –black and white images are harder to ‘read’ than color ones) color only enters in the final few pages, where Angela makes a decisive choice that will change her life forever.

As I said before I would recommend this graphic novel to anyone, It is that fine of a work that it would appeal to almost everyone in today’s rat race, and gives healthy advice. Slow down, you are living but you are not enjoying life. Relax; smell the roses; take in a good book; watch that two-and-a-half hour movie; enjoy life. If this had been strictly a prose book, it would not have the impact. It is the complementary nature of the art and word that will truly push home the material discussed and impact the reader’s life.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

In an undisclosed future time, everything revolves around speed and efficiency. Angela doesn’t feel the need for speed and soon finds out that she isn’t the only one. During a visit to a park to look for an item buried by her grandfather, she finds herself literally underground and in the middle of a resistance movement. In this new place, the world has slowed down and people are encouraged to read and relax. Is Angela ready to go against the Guarantee?

Decelerate Blue is a stand-alone graphic novel that has a promising premise, but no actual substance. Just when the reader adjusts to the brief language of the new world, Angela is underground and must attempt to speak in a normal manner. The graphics are a saving grace and the story that is portrayed within the drawings is deep and emotional. Decelerate Blue will be enjoyed by die-hard graphic novel fans, but should not be someone’s first attempt at this genre.

Think of this books as Feed meets V for Vendetta. Dystopias are a great subject for graphic novels since the author doesn't need to spend pages explaining speculative technologies, he can simply show them in use. We gather their details from context. While the inner workings of government and society can be harder to convey, Rapp and Cavallaro handle it fairly well, starting us out with a simple family conversation that, in it's very structure, reveals a lot about society. Some parts of the plot are difficult to follow but a little persistence pays off in a big way, especially since the ending defies expectations.

We should definitely slow down if we don't want this to be our future. I would recommend it to anyone, despite age or view on life. Let's hope things don't get this bad...

We've come across this kind of story before - the world moves too fast, we try to cram more things into the day than we need to and by taking part in this rat race we jeopardize our very selves. But what I enjoyed most about Decelerate Blue was the details in the world-building (like saying, "Go" to indicate you're done speaking and the other person can now talk, or the rituals for inclusion in the underground) in both the dystopia and the underground resistance. The main-character lesbian relationship was a fantastic addition if a little rushed (ha!) in build-up, but it's always great to see LGBTQ in books, and even moreso when it's just accepted by other characters as normal.

Also, the switch to color illustrations in the last couple of pages created a lovely emphasis that reminded me of Rob Cham's <i>Light</i>. Decelerate Blue is not a super original story by any means, but it is a good reminder that it's beneficial to take the time and slow ourselves down. I do wish it hadn't been a one-shot because I wanted more of the story, but it's a quick, enjoyable read.

A little underdeveloped, but still incredibly moving. It's a different take on dystopian fiction that feels both frighteningly possible and still very sci-fi-ish. Definitely an addition I'll be making to my HS collection.

I wish this did not end as quickly as it did, it could have been an interesting series with the same Romeo and Juliette ending. I would have liked to have seen Waldo Farm where Angela's grandfather went as well as some of the other areas such as Winter Peninsula in Nokia Point Four, Former Michigan, or the Great Lakes Aqua Complex. The relationship between Angela and Gladys would have had more time to evolve, making us care about them. Overall, it was a fantastic warning of the future without being 'dragging'.

Read this in one sitting. A futuristic America is brought forward in this YA dystopia and told through the eyes of a female protagonist named Angela. Our main protagonist, Angela, a 15 year old girl, has begun to question the world in which she lives. People are expected to move as fast as possible, to use only contractions, and to not bother with reading books as they were originally written. Most annoyingly, it is a world in which every sentence ends with the word "Go."Angela stumbles upon the "underground" rebels and soon falls in love with Gladys, one of the group's members. Angela is soon sent on a mission which inevitably brings the full wrath of the government on the underground and means major consequences for Angela, her family, and her newfound friends.

I liked the illustrations, especially the ones in which there was no text. Nothing better than when images are allowed to tell the story!