Camp Spirit

Maybe you have noticed a lot of my reviews lately are E-ARCs! That is because I have been on a huge Netgalley kick. I have had a Netgalley account for a long time and requested books on there, my list has piled up quite a bit and its honestly because I had been on a different kind of reading kick (usually reading stuff from my bookcases) but recently I have just been wanting to read all the Netgalley books and in the past two weeks alone I think I have finished five plus, with like three more in progress currently. One of the Netgalley ARCs I received recently was Camp Spirit, a graphic novel that I loved so so much (I have already pre-ordered) and have my fingers crossed there will be more (like maybe we could make this a series??).


SPOILERS AHEAD


In the summer of 1994, Elodie is about to head off to college but before she does she is being forced by her mother to work a summer job, as a camp counselor. This sounds like the worst thing ever to Elodie who literally wants nothing to do with this summer camp. Once she is dropped off she is thrust into the world of being a camp counselor, she has a day or two before the kids show up to try and adjust and once her bunch shows up, she clearly has her hands full. While everyone else is being a camp counselor to a sweet fun group, Elodie has a group of wild redhead girls who allow her zero privacy and ask tons of questions (even if they are not always appropriate). However, Elodie quickly begins to adjust, she starts to get used to her group of campers and even learns how to control them and have fun with them, she starts making friends with other counselors and best friends with one counselor in particular. But the summer will not be all smooth sailing because there is a known mystery about the camp and Elodie will soon be wrapped up in the mystery!


I absolutely loved this graphic novel! It was adorable, the art was amazing, and the story was incredible! I am crossing my fingers that somehow, someway there will be more in this world with these characters. The mystery of the camp and Elodie's involvement was totally unexpected and I loved every second of it. I also really enjoyed watching Elodie and her campers. I am giving this book five stars on Goodreads and I highly recommend checking it out when it comes out in April!





**I received this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot - the characters were very quirky, had an authentic voice, and the milieu of the 1990s in Canada was evocatively captured. Yes, it does read very much like a Mary Sue for the author; all the same, there is a lot of heart and genuine warmth here, even at its most irreverent moments. As soon as the story ended, I wanted to reread it again immediately.

Story: Elodie's in her last year of high school when she finds out she has to go to Summer Camp to be a counselor. Annoyed at leaving her urban life in Quebec for the country, she's not pleased at the prospect. Once at camp, she has serious trouble adjusting - public restrooms, open showers, and the creepiness of the camp are not making her life easier. Not to mention that she also was put in charge of 'the redheads' - the rowdiest and most unmanageable of the campers. Fortunately, she's made friends with fellow counselor Catherine; slowly but surely the two will navigate the Summer. Until Elodie starts seeing images of a forest demon, having terrible supernatural nightmares, and begins to suspect the camp chief has ill intentions for his campers!

Author Lenoir captures 1990s teen rebellion perfectly - from the soundtrack of NiN and Nirvana, the lumberjack shirts with chunky boots, and a skate-punk personna that would later be immortalized by Avril Levigne (to whom (likely not coincidentally) our protagonist bears a strong resemblance). Along with main character Elodie are a cast of personalities that are distinct, if a bit narrow in nuance, enough to make for an interesting read. Even the kids are quite fun and Elodie's handling of each of them makes perfect sense in a fun way.

The art is excellent - conveying the story when needed without requiring dialogue. The snappy comebacks are, of course, very welcome. But he story lives and fails on the art and here it is emotive and yet rich. The backgrounds keep a 'comic' feel but the art also feels a bit 1990s - channeling Nickelodeon quite a bit. But I have to say that this also feels it owes a lot to Scott Pilgrim in terms of influence.

The story has several themes: Elodie learning to survive outside the city, a blossoming friendship with fellow counselor Catherine, winning over the hearts and trust of the camp kids, and the mystery of the camp owner and his connection to a myth of the area. It would seem like the parts wouldn't work and yet, like Scott Pilgrim, they do in a way that makes the story very unique and readable. At any other hands, the supernatural could have felt tacked on or out of place yet it all works here beautifully.

I truly enjoyed and loved this title. I was rooting for Elodie and Catherine to get together the whole time, was invested in the mystery, and loved the camp kids and counselors. There are some very funny moments within and it is a story I would have loved to see animated or made into a movie. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.