Queen of Kenosha

I'm a bit undecided whether I liked this one or not. It wasn't bad, but it wasnt greatly thrilling either. Maybe I've watched too many Mission Impossible episodes with a similar plot... I am curious about how the rest of the story will unfold, since this is only part one of three, and that's always a good sign.

I got an ARC of this book.

The story moves quickly and it stays quick. I'm not a big fan of action or war stuff, but this one enthralled me. I need to know more. I would very easily read multiple volumes of the series in one sitting if they all were paced like this and had this much in them. It is pretty rare when I am able to have my interest held in a story that is so focused on espionage and secrets. 

I was sucked in so hard. I loved this. I have so many questions, but be warned that there are spoilers in the questions: Was Christina doing Nazi stuff at night or was she really going to law school? How did she get involved with them? I can't wait for a sequel especially if there is more back story to that and the organization that Nina works for now.

The moral questions and points that Nina raises are so valid and necessary. They fit with recent events. The book could even be set in the more modern time instead of 1934 with how things are going (it is pretty sad when the current political and social climate allows a Nazi story to continue or be set much later than it should). So the author can very easily play with time lines without running into AU territory. The points focus around women's rights and abilities. There is also a great deal of race politics as well because well Nazis. 

As the story stands, I think it is pretty amazing. I'm not seeing many glaring plot holes or loose ends that aren't based around the cliffhanger ending. My one concern is with Nina and Christina/Agent Quinn's characters. How common was it that a woman was allowed to and encouraged by people to take martial arts in 1963? The time period wasn't the most open towards women and having a woman do something so unladylike wouldn't have been easy, especially since Nina is said to have taught martial arts as a part time job. From what I am aware of the Nazi party and white supremacist movements, women are not held in a high regard. So Christina/Agent Quinn would not be holding a very high position, so that might need to be addressed. I am hoping that the author is able to bring my disbelief back into check for the next book because I will be reading the next book. This would not be the first Nazi focused story that has women in high ranking positions, but usually they are more spoofs and satire, so it will be interesting to see how a more serious story will be able to get me there. 

The art is not overly realistic, but is isn't cartoony either. Instead it straddles a minimalist line that allows the focus to stay on the intense story line instead of on the pretty art. It is an impressive feat considering the skill of the artist really shows through. The characters are easily told apart, even when they are clearly supposed to look similar. Well done book overall!

Take a little bit of the Greenwich village folk scene of the 1960s, and the Nazis that escaped to America after WWII, and a folk singer who wants to be as big as Bob Dylan, and you get Queen of Kenosha.

This graphic novel, the first of a trilogy, follows Nina, as she is recruited to join undercover agents who are trying to catch all the Nazis that threaten to destroy the United States. In between missions, she is still playing her music and trying to get ahead with the rest of her career.

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This touches on the troubles of the 1960s, as well as today, as Nina feels that you don't become a bad guy to to defeat the bad guys. Good discussion and reactions.

Not sure where this is going, but as usual, the author is spinning an interesting story.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

The plot of the story seem nuanced atleast from my perspective. Maybe i should have some interest in the music industry to have more interest in continuing the tale. Otherwise, it is a good story and worth recommending.

This was far from being a failure, but it was too evidently flawed throughout. The story has a wannabe full-time musician in the cafe culture of 60s New York who gets dragged into a shady Nazi-hunting organisation, just as it itself turns from creating "accidents" to doing more heinous crimes against the USA. The problem from then on is a very wordy and circuitous argument within the organisation about following due process, obeying the laws and how far is too far when hunting the Nazi big wigs? Yes, there is action, and the main arc of the book opens the trilogy very well, but it's that dialogue forcing morals into it that needed a serious trim. I'd certainly be back for the rest, but here my fingers are crossed that next time offers more drama, less debate.

Small-town musician in Noo Yawk tries to return a wallet and get pistol-whipped for her troubles. It leaves her open to an offer she can’t refuse.
I’ve read this author’s previous works, which took place in the hockey world, and it’s the same format here. The artwork is especially similar, but the story is completely different and much more ambitious, in fact maybe too much. There’s been plenty of Nazi conspiracy stories over the decades, but I can’t remember seeing one where they’re basically dropped into what’s always been a “commie” plot.
Though it’s an overused talking point, the difference between a black-and-white follow-orders-at-all-costs viewpoint and a don’t-have-to-kill-everyone approach is done well here.
Each issue has recommended songs, with one on each playlist by the fictional protagonist, so of course you can’t hear it. Another is “Both Sides Now”; I sure am getting tired of that song, it’s everywhere. And you’d think that since this takes place in the early 60s, songs from that era would be a better choice. I haven’t noticed any connection between the songs and the action, but I was amused by the inclusion of a Pretenders song. But it’s the insertion of a good Dire Straits song that made everything okay.
When on the big mission, they dress all in black but don’t paint their faces, neck, and hands. Worse, her blonde hair is loose. Author fail on the spycraft.
More than anything, there’s a huge plot twist at the end. . . which I’d guessed about halfway. I was hoping I was wrong, thinking it too contrived, too much of a coincidence, but it happened anyway. Actually not that big a deal in this book, but in the sequel it’ll be huge, and it won’t sit right then.
At the end are the lyrics to the made-up songs by the protagonist. Since this is a collection of all the issues, I don’t know if the lyrics were included with the song, but in this volume I would have liked to read them when the title was first unveiled.
There’s a lot of good stuff here, but also much that could have been done better.

First of all thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So I just signed up on Netgalley and while I was looking for some books to request I found this book and without even reading the description I requested it because of the awesome cover!

This book is set in the 60s (which I didn’t know until I finished it and read the back cover :D) and it deals with a young singer that discovers an organization that has to take down the Nazis that escaped to America after WWII.

I love the plot even if don’t like the ending, at all (I nearly cried) and the storyline was so entertaining that I finished it in less than a day without putting it down and got me out of my reading slump! But I have to say it wasn’t really intriguing for me, probably because it’s an historical graphic novel.

To be honest I requested this book because of the amazing cover and its art style… but when i looked inside the book I was disappointed because there is a completely different style. The style inside the pages is similar to the “american comic style” which I’m not a fan of and the colors aren’t as vibrant as the cover. Overall the art is good but pretty minimalistic, as if the authors wanted the readers to concentrate on the plot and not on the art.

The characters where very defined and different from each other. The main character, Nina, is a songwriter which is helped in the music industry by her manager and cousin Christina and Jimmy a mysterious guy she meets at a bar. There is also a great character development.

The writing is simple, which I like when I’m reading comics, even if I didn't like the constant debates between Nina and the organization.

Last but not least the music theme: I really like this costant theme throughout the story and I love the “recommended listening” pages with lists of 3-4 songs to listen (which always had a song by the main character), Nina Overstreet (there is also one green day song :D). At the end of the book there are also the lyrics of Nina’s songs that I really liked, but I’m sad that the songs don’t actually exist.


Specific Ratings

Plot: 4 out ot 5
Cover: 5 out of 5
Writing: 4 out of 5
Interest: 4 out of 5
Diversity: 2 out of 5
Characters: 4.5 out of 5
The Feels and emotions: 2 out of 5


Final thoughts

Overall I enjoyed reading this book and I give it 3.75 out of 5 stars (4 on goodreads). I really liked this book and I’ll definetely read the sequels.
This book is a fast-paced novel with amazing themes such as spies and music. The captivating cover and the great recommended songs definitely make this graphic-novel stand-out.

I kind of fell in love with this after "Is 27 your age or your IQ?" question. When I read comic books, I have most of the time mood for looong dialogues. In this mood, I don't like when the half of the book is consisted of nothing but artwork without text. And this book gave me exactly what I needed. It took me huge amount of time to come to the end, reading every word almost smiling. Story? Shortly, talented musician is asked by ex-FBI team to help them fight Nazis. You won't find in this book any super-awesome shooting scenes full of blood and violence, neither sweet sugar-making romance as you would maybe expect (as I did) from the beginning. Though, I am not saying it as reprehension! I actually loved it was wrote this way. It was very relaxing reading, full of dialogues, here-and-there funny, most of the time very serious but in my opinion, very well written. Artwork was simple but fit that story. Also, I find very interesting that „recommended listening“ + text to songs at the end.

Nina is in the musical scene, living only for commissions for playing in bars and is run by her cousin, who arranges these works, one night her way intersects with that of Nick Ladd (who did stupid that night in question), and the posture of the young makes a job offered to the young woman in a clandestine agency, but with good intentions.

The graphic novel has colors that resemble the representations of the 60s and a cleaner scene that reminds us of the Cold War, they are more interesting when they are in the bars, and this happens little. There is something about the features of Nina Overstreet that bothers me, it seems that what bothers me the most is the disproportionate chin to the face, and the face of the other female character that appears in the book is much more proportional.

Each chapter has indications of songs to listen to while accompanying the story, including every time has an indication of the repertoire of Nina Ovestreet and I found this very cool, the indications are not only the 60's and this took some of the charm of the idea . Speaking of music, I wanted much more of the music scene in this book than scenes of the boss not fully relying on the work of a woman in the middle of this clandestine organization.

Only in the plot twist in the end of the graphic novel that I discovered that it was a story that would go to more volumes, I just stay in the crowd for more musical moments and a good argument for the character to do that.

Nina is a musician who wants to have a career, not just playing guitar in her free time. When she moves to New York, she finds the music scene hard to break into, but an unexpected opportunity arises. She's recruited into an organization that is fighting against post-war Nazi organization in the U.S. Can she manage to be a crime fighter and a musician at the same time?

This graphic novel has some high points to it: the artwork is great and I loved that each chapter started with a short playlist to set the mood of what was coming next. However, when the story veered to far away from Nina as a musician, I became bored reading it. I didn't like all of the infighting with the organization, but since this is just part one of a three-part story, I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt that it gets more exciting as you read on.

While Queen of Kenosha promises intrigue and an edgy plotline with its description and cover, the story itself falls flat. Most of the comic involves the characters talking about the central ethical conflict, whether it is alright to adopt the tactics of the enemy to defeat the enemy. Or in this case, are civil and human rights violations AOK if you're fighting literal Nazis.

Some attention to that issue should be fine, but with the lack of development of the characters, including the lead (who is the only one with any backstory), the plot and the characters come off very thin. It's less of a thriller and more of a morality play with a very light hint at a potential romance.

That's not to say that the story couldn't be interesting. This is clearly the first in several volumes... I just wasn't particularly hooked. Like others, I think I would've hoped for a little more integration of the musical scene, rather than a playlist at the beginning of every section. (This could be interesting, but obviously, I can't play the playlist, and the songs from Nina haven't been recorded, so the attempt doesn't have the polytextual effect the writer is hoping for.) Not even the big twist really grabbed me. Of course, I was surprised, as most people are when something happens that wasn't even hinted at.

If you enjoy spy stories, you might give it a try. If you're looking for some complexity and depth of character... maybe look elsewhere.

I received a copy of this book for review purposes from Netgalley.

Queen of Kenosha is a riveting unique read from graphic novelist Howard Shapiro. I’m a relative newbie to the format and found myself drawn to the edgy design and compelling story of the young female protagonist in 1960s Greenwich Village, recruited to help an underground group fight Nazism in America. Got a kick, too, out of the suggested musical lists for each chapter. Highly creative, highly recommended!

Thanks to the author, Animal Media Group and NetGalley for the review copy, in exchange for my true opinions.

#QueenOfKenosha #NetGalley

Queen of Kenosha follows Nina Overstreet, a musician who winds up in the wrong place at the wrong time, or does she? After meeting a guy at a bar he ends up leaving his wallet, and when she goes to return it, she's drawn into a secret world of spies and Nazis.

It's definitely an ambitious story, but it's just a little bit coincidental that Nina is somehow a desirable candidate for being a secret spy, and that she has a connection to the cliffhanger that is set up at the end of this story.

I like that Nina is inarguably a feminist: she wants to succeed in a male dominated world and she won't let anyone talk down to her or deter her from what she wants. That's definitely admirable for the setting of the story, but I sometimes felt like herself and those around her lacked depth Maybe that's because there was more of a focus on the plot than the characters, but some development might have sold the ending a little better.

Overall, an enjoyable and quick read with great colouring work.

I enjoyed the story - but would recommend that the cover be changes slightly. Having the woman on the front more closely resemble Nina with her blond hair would be a first step.

There were two potential typos that I noticed.

Pg. 92, 3rd panel, Nina : Current "so we that could" // Should read "so that we could"
Pg 129, 5th panel, Nina: Current "There is and will never be a plan B"// Should read " There isn't and will never be.."

As stated, I enjoyed the story and wonder where Nina and Granger will go and how Nina will deal with the slow discovery that her cousin is a traitor. But it would help if we had back story on Nina and her cousin, how they know each other from childhood to now, and how their lives apart changed them. Nina was a bit quick to just join in, but the second volume could really look into the past to show why these events may have transpired as such in the first volume.

I really love graphic novels that have contents like this. It is, in a way, a historical fiction because of the Nazi and such. I love the playlist that was incorporated in each chapter. The color scheme of the artwork fits perfectly well not only to the story but to the era in which the story unfolds. It is enjoyable and kickass all at once. Highly recommending this to anyone who loves graphic novel and good art!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review which has not altered my opinion of this book.

This was quite a bit of fun and I was able to fly through it. The story had some fun parts to it and I really enjoyed it. our main character, Nina, is an aspiring singer-songwriter who stumbles upon an FBI agent in the middle of a case where they are attempting to take down a group of Nazi underground supporters. 

The only downside was that I think I know what's going to happen in the next two volumes. This being said, I'm still excited to read them and I think that it will be a lot of fun. I do recommend this, 4 out of 5.

I'm always looking for books that are engaging or educating or hopefully both for YA students. Call this one "engaging."

The cover of this book alone is what made me immediately want to read it! And then, reading the premise of a 60s era kickass female songwriter-spy? I'm in. The pacing of the plot felt very slow to start. I found myself skimming large chunks where the two main characters waxed eloquent about their differing (and very one-note) philosophies. I would like to see some more development of the lead, particularly in her music career and songwriting. I have yet to feel much for any of the characters, but I am curious enough that I would look into the second volume of this when it comes out. The twist at the end is fun, which gives me hope. And I was delighted by fun format of recommended listening, and the liner notes at the end of the book.

“A coming of age tale, this is the first installment of the Thin Thinline Trilogy, the fiercely independent Nina Overstreet has an axe to grind. A talented singer-songwriter slogging her way through the burgeoning Greenwich Village folk music scene of 1963, the Queen of Kenosha, Wisconsin, realizes that standing on the cusp of stardom gets her little respect and barely a cup of coffee in New York City…”

Queen of Kenosha is about Nina Overstreet and Nick Ladd, and Nazis. This graphic novel is set in 1963 in Post-War America. The cover is beautiful, and the artwork is stunning. I’ve enjoyed other works by Howard Shapiro, but this one is by far my favourite and I’m really looking forward to the next ones in the trilogy.
The story progressed at a good pace. Decent length for a graphic novel, and I’d even read a full novel about Nina and Nick. I loved their dynamic and their slow-burn relationship, from friendship to budding romance.
I know what time this is set in, but the sexism and racism were a bit hard to swallow; a bit infuriating to be honest. I loved how Nina stood up for herself though and how she didn’t take any shit from anyone.
“…ex-FBI operatives in a clandestine agency to stop the establishment of the Fourth Reich by undercover Nazis…” How cool does that sound? The coolest. And Howard Shapiro delivers with butt-kicking agents and witty dialogue.
THAT CLIFFHANGER THOUGHHHH. Oh mah god. I’d had suspicions but that blew me out of the water. It definitely left me psyched for the next volume.
Queen of Kenosha releases October 9th, and I’d recommend pre-ordering it because it’s sure to be a big hit.

This book is very hard to talk about without giving too much away. There is few and far between books that are able to affect me and make me think when I finish the book but this book did. I found myself telling my friends and book club members about it and recommend it to all of them

I really liked this graphic novel. Story is really good. Cover is gorgeous. It is pure 60's. Song recommendition parts are amazing too.

"A coming of age tale, this is the first installment of the Thin Thinline Trilogy, the fiercely independent Nina Overstreet has an axe to grind. A talented singer-songwriter slogging her way through the burgeoning Greenwich Village folk music scene of 1963, the Queen of Kenosha, Wisconsin, realizes that standing on the cusp of stardom gets her little respect and barely a cup of coffee in New York City. It finally comes, but in a way she could have never imagined. A chance encounter with the mysterious Nick Ladd at a late-night gig spins her life in a different direction―one that becomes a daily balance between life and death, right and wrong. Nick recruits Nina to join him and a team of ex-FBI operatives in a clandestine agency to stop the establishment of the Fourth Reich by undercover Nazis in post-War America. It’s a cause Nina believes in … until she’s forced to compromise the very principles of fairness and patriotism she holds dear. As she and Nick grow closer as partners, she forces him to question his own intentions. But as the body count mounts in pursuit of the Nazi ringleader, the evasive Alex, the stakes grow even higher for Nick and Nina."

I think more small towns in Wisconsin need to be represented in books! Congrats Kenosha!

"Queen of Kenosha" is the first volume in the trilogy series, "The Thin Thinline." The setting is 1963 in the Tri-State (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut) and Pennsylvania. Musician Nina Overstreet is trying to make ends meet when she accidentally becomes involved with a U.S. Government Agency whose purpose is to prevent the uprising of the American Nazi Party. A woman working with a government agency in 1963 is essential to the story. In addition, Nina's relationship with her new co-workers and her cousin/manager is what drives her throughout the narrative.

Part music industry story and part mystery/thriller, "Queen of Kenosha" delivers a realistic and gritty story of the present and the hidden social issues during Post World War II and the realities of fulfillment through desire. The characters are what you expect from this genre of fiction, but the pace and the events make it worth your while. The cliffhanger at the end makes you craving for the next volume immediately, but that's what makes a great story!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a nifty, surprisingly action-packed graphic novel that is a timely read in our current national debate about patriotism and liberty.

The Queen of Kenosha is Nina Overstreet, Wisconsin native, reluctant New Yorker, struggling musician and neophyte government agent. Her adventures are a cross between Mission Impossible and the television series The Americans. Nina dreams of becoming a guitar playing folk singing star on the NYC music scene and faces poverty, grinding labor, and exploitation daily. But she also manages the equally sexist, physically challenging, emotionally draining, morally questionable and downright dangerous (but relatively well paid) work of a spy. Nina is up to the challenge and the two fascinating worlds she inhabits shine with complexity, challenges and unexpected beauty.

Nina is tasked along with her partner Nick Ladd of taking down a budding group of Neo-Nazis in NYC. She must handle the ruthless methods they must employ to fight the Fourth Reich and her scruples about the any-means-necessary approach of a shadowy government agency of ex-FBI operatives where individual liberties are thrown aside in pursuit of the Big Bad. Fortunately, Nina is both a martial arts expert, an army brat, an authority-questioning feminist, and a sensitive artist. But she takes a hit, bleeds and gets up again like a real person would, as opposed to a Marvel superhero.

Chan's illustrations are spare yet convey the action-packed nature of the story that well suits the fast pace of the narrative. The playlists provided at the start of each chapter serve as an excellent tool and reflects not just Nina's passion and journey, but the mood of the times. The stretches of debate over civil liberties slow the action but these are important questions to be debated. Being published in a graphic novel format makes the issues more accessible. The Queen of Kenosha would actually serve as an excellent educational tool for teaching students American history, government and civics. Chasing after Nazis ultimately win out over the folk scene in terms of story, but hopefully, there will be more of the latter in the trilogy's next book.

The ending is a punch to the gut for both Nina and then for the reader. Nina is going to have to keep crossing between worlds, clutching her Thin Line Fender all the way.

Nina Overstreet is a struggling musician trying to make it in Greenwich Village in 1963. She, by chance, helps out a man who turns out to be a secret agent hunting down Nazis. She's then recruited into the organization as an agent. Shapiro brings up a lot of issues still plaguing us today, misogyny, racism, and letting the ends justify the means in terms of torture and a citizen's rights. Nina is an extremely strong character not willing to bend her principles who becomes the conscience of her organization. The book does end on a cliffhanger as it's the first book in a planned trilagy. I enjoyed Erica Chan's clean, focused art. It reminded me of Charlie Adlard or Steve Leiber.

Queen of Kenosha: A Solid Music and Soul-driven Secret Agent Comic

First of all, let's just admire that awesome cover.

There's nothing I love more in a comic than an introduction with no dialogue and absolutely gorgeously drawn art. I really got a noir feel for the start of this comic.

It's the late 1950s/early 1960s. We then get introduced to a down-on-her-luck singer/guitarist. I enjoy the show and not tell in this comic. She wants to get an audition with John Cameron - a maker of legends like Bob Dylan. We have a really cool main character sitting with talent but double the doubt.

How does this dialogue not suck you in?

"Thing were a lot easier when we were back home and the biggest decision was choosing to play at a school dance or Frank's diner."

"We certainly ruled in Kenosha. You in your snap-on tool hat and me with my pink cigarette pants."

Like many of us, our protagonist feels like she's still waiting for her life to start - that she is having a watershed moment. I can relate to this immensely - being about the exact age of the protagonist makes me empathise on a deep level.

And her name, is Nina Overstreet. Nina meets a guy in the establishment she just sang at - a guy named Jimmy.

And I absolutely love the "recommended listening" interim pages, so I jammed those songs while reading the comic since they are right up my alley. Definitely switch the flip on these if you decide to read the comic - they set the mood perfectly.

Listening to Joni Mitchell after finding out about her past really tugged at my heart strings
(while she played her guitar strings)

Not only is Nina a musician - she's much more. She has some skills that could be very useful in a sticky situation. I also LOVE her looks. She's got an awesomely bridged, uncharacteristic nose and features that make her feel like she's out of this world- it really adds to the feeling that she's different, she's special, but it's not an in-your-face-I'm-a-YA-heroine archetype.

And so, Jimmy jimmies his way into Nina's life and attempts to get her a job at a very elusive organisation that seems to have had dealings with Nazis and a lot of wars. But he's not really Jimmy - he's Nick, and he gets to her in the nick of time, too.

She's a starving artist barely making ends meet. She lives with her cousin, who foots most of the bills. If we pay her decently, which we can, that will be a huge incentive. In fact we can give her a small starting bonus to show her we can pay.

And so Nina is recruited to help stop a group of Nazis. Sure, Nazis are overdone and just a little corny, but hey - why not?

I also enjoy the side characters, like Nina's cousin and any old folks that Nina speaks to at the bar. I love the relationship between Nina and her cousin, Christina. The emotion just swells from this comic. Ladd and Granger are also pretty fascinating characters.

"Keep doing your best. I think you can make a difference through your voice and actions."

There are so many interesting philosophies and commentating going on in this comic - it's absolutely fantastic. There's so much about love, scraping by in life, deciding on whether to develop a pragmatic skill or your creativity - it's stunning stuff.

Tell me, who are you really?
Hmm. Good question. I'm just a person looking for a way to make a difference. To make my life mean something in this great wide world.
How does that sound?
It sounds like lyrics from a song.

There's a real Dream Works smirk style going on and I love it so much!!!

I'm not going to spoil more of the comic, but I'd just like to say that this is a fantastic read for lovers of classic rock, undercover cops and lots of mystery, character development and intricacies, intrigue and tension. It's definitely not the usual fanfare of comics - it's much more.

Although Granger is an ass and a bit of a misogynist, Nick explains that he saved his life and will always have his respect. I like the philosophy differences between Nick and Nina and the tension - not sexual but romantic and very serious. It's a pretty nail-biting romance and a real will-they-won't-they deal.

I also love the references to artists from the 60s:

The jams I listened to while reading: (from the comic and my own)
Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell
State of Love and Trust - Pearl Jam
Into my Arms - Nick Cave
Diamonds and Rust - Joan Baez
Blowin' in the Wind - Joan Baez
Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Work me, Lord - Janis Joplin
Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed
Passenger - Iggy Pop
Eight Days a Week - the Beatles
Country Roads - John Denver
Bird of a Wire - Leonard Cohen (You've got good taste in music, my man!)
Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
American Pie - Don McLean

P.S. to the author - thank you for killing one of my favourite characters. It turns out I'm still not immune to that shit.

Wrap up: al in all this is a fantastic comic, but I feel that for where it lacks in colour it makes up for in story telling, tension, action and character dynamics to the tenth degree - I'd recommend this to comic lovers and anyone who loves mystery and music.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First, let us talk about how cool a cover this book has. Before even reading one word, the reader is already feeling a noir vibe. Getting into the story, which is very well written, we meet Nina Overstreet. She is a talented and very strong female character. Who also has a sympathetic vibe. It is so cool that she takes martial arts in the 1950's and is a musician. We already know that she is a character who bucks tradition. The writing for the story is concise and fast moving. Which I appreciate. The art is not cartoonish and it gets the point across without being overly minimalistic. I won't go into the plot, so as not to spoil but think Nazis. music, spies, and secret societies. Read it. It is a very fun journey.

I had the amazing opportunity to be a beta reader for the script of this book! It was a great experience. I loved that I was finally able to read it with the graphics.

This is an exciting story. Nina is a musician, but her world changes when she meets Nick. He gets her to join a group who is fighting to eliminate Nazis in America. Nina is the only woman in the group and that stirs up a lot of tension. However, she proves that she is as much of an asset as any man.

The final chapters in this book are very fast paced. There are some action scenes that happen quickly. There is also a final twist at the end of the story. Even though I knew it was coming, I was excited to read it again.

I can’t wait to read the rest of this series!

I thought I gave this review a while back...this story, though a departure from Shapiro's usual hockey story...it is no less compelling. I found the whole story fascinating, and told in his usual easy way. The artwork added the right notes to the story without being overbearing. Loved it.

This book is deceptively a spy thriller, almost evocative of a hard boiled detective story. The main character has great depth and you can understand her motivations and odd path through the story. I would say it’s for YA or above due to some content, but definitely one of my recent favorites.

Book Review
Title: Queen of Kenosha
Author: Howard Shapiro & Erica Chan
Genre: Graphic Novel
Rating: ***
Review: So, Queen of Kenosha is a coming of age tale, that is also the first installment of the Thin Thinline Trilogy, that follows the fiercely independent Nina Overstreet who has an axe to grind. A talented singer-songwriter slogging her way through the burgeoning Greenwich Village folk music scene of 1963, the Queen of Kenosha, Wisconsin, realizes that standing on the cusp of stardom gets her little respect and barely a cup of coffee in New York City.
One night while playing a gig Nina meets a man named Jimmy and when she tries to return his wallet which she left at the bar Nina is attacked and knocked unconscious by a mysterious woman. We soon learn that “Jimmy” is actually Nick Ladd, a government operative, who works gathering intel and arrested a rogue band of Nazis who can to the USA before the end of World War II. Seeing that Nina has some skill Nick asks to recruit her into their organization as she would be unknown to the people they are tracking and her career as a singer is the perfect cover for having to travel a lot.
2 and a half months after joining the government agency Nina and now on a similar level as all the other agents, but she is still seen by some as a second-class citizen because she is a woman. I did have a little bit of problem with the sexist comments made by some of the characters, but context is key given this is set in the early ’60s when this type of attitude was still very common. Another month goes by before Nina goes on her first assignment and it a massive flop. They catch two Nazis, but Nick has been ordered to kill them which Nina refuses to do and it turns out that she was right. Their inside man informs them they were more valuable alive because they held a wealth of information, but the fault is pinned on Nina rather than the man who ordered their deaths.
Over the course of the story, Nina is faced with a lot of moral decisions and has to make a lot of moral compromises on her part while dealing with bigoted, sexist and racist comments from the men around her but Nick does provide some comfort to her. As she is drawn further and further into a world where everyone walks the line between right and wrong and Nina is struggling between sticking with the decision she made or calling it quits altogether.
In the end, I found the story to be compelling, the artwork is beautiful but there are two things I had issues with, the first is Nina and Nick’s relationship, it is set up as romantic but never gets that far and I felt certain plot points would have had a greater impact if the pair had a romantic relationship. The second is the sexist comments, now I know it is meant to highlight the society at the time the story is set and give some conflict between the characters but there is so many of them it kind of put me off the story a little and apart from the ending I don’t really see where the story can go from here but I will be picking up volume 2 to find out what happened to Nina.

Although the plot wasn't really intriguing for me at first, Shapiro's historical graphic novel is definitely enjoyable, with defined characters and beautiful artwork; I will be looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Queen of Kenosha is set in early 60s New York, where Nina Overstreet has come from her small town of Kenosha to pursue her dream of being a professional musician. At a gig, Nina encounters the mysterious Nick, who eventually recruits her to be part of a covert anti-Nazi operation. Initially attracted by Nick's ideals, and by the very welcome money, she soon starts to question the group's methods and comes to be seen as a liability by her colleagues.

Shapiro's plot is a good one. I thought I had it figured out pretty early, but some surprises in the ending proved me wrong. There's certainly enough intrigue going on to keep me coming back for more, but I did think there were a few aspects of the book that were less successful. Nina's conveniently advanced ability in karate is a very unlikely skill for a US small town girl in the 60s, especially one who says that music has dominated her life. When would she have had the time to learn this? I also thought the art work was a bit lacking. Some of the expressions on Nina's face at times looked, frankly, a bit dopey and out of character. The cover art shows Nina as having black hair when she has brown hair in the book, an obvious glitch that should have been easily spotted and corrected. Still, these nit-picks won't stop me from reading the second volume when it comes along.

Coming off the high of Daisy Jones & the Six, the cover of Queen of Kenosha immediately caught my eye. I was in the mood for more musical reads.

Set in 1963, this graphic novel focuses on Nina Overstreet, a folk musician from Kenosha, WI who moves to NYC to pursue her music career. She's working in a bar in Greenwich village when she meets a man who pulls her into a secret organization that hunts for Nazis in America.

The Good: As previously stated, I really like the cover. I also liked the first page in each chapter where their were several songs listed. Some of the songs were from that era but others were more recent (Pearl Jam, U2). I love have music to go with what I am reading.

Otherwise: I never really connected with any of the characters. The storyline also never truly drew me in and was a bit too dry for me. This is the first book in a 3 part series and I am not sure if I would pick up the follow-up reads.

I really thought I was going to like this a lot more than I do. While I really enjoyed the art, and thought it very fitting for the story, the story itself was a little too predictable for me. It just didn't quite grab my interest.

The artwork is what drew me into this graphic novel. In 1963, a down-on-her-luck singer is recruited by a secret government agency to fight Nazis in this first book of a projected trilogy. While there were some weird song choices for the chapter headings (not right for the time period) and some other threads that were dropped without going anywhere, I found the storyline intriguing enough to look forward to the next book in the series.

A graphic novel series that quickly lands in the "keep following " pile. Nina Overstreet is an aspiring singer/songwriter from Wisconsin that's hoping to get her big break. One night she meets a mysterious man at the bar and soon finds herself involved in hunting down a secretive Nazi cell organization. Intriguing plot and richly written characters kept me very invested. Of course, I hope to find out what happens next.


Goodreads review published 19/09/19
Publication Date 19/10/18( I am auto approved for Animal Media Group on NetGalley)