Sunburn

A comic for teenagers and YA, but those of an older age will also enjoy this comic. The artwork, especially the chosen colour palate, is perfect to allow the reader to believe they have a front row for a Greek teenage love story. The story seems simple, teenager on holiday in Greece with friends of her family falling in love. But as the story unfolds there is an an unsettling air that everything is not as it seems. Will summer love prevail or a heart be broken. Read and find out.Thank you to Image Comics and NetGalley for the comic ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Things I really liked:
1) main character was likable and strong, while still seeming like a true 16 year old
2) the ART!!! I’ve not yet visited Greece, but it felt very accurate in landscape and color.
3) the weird dynamics between her family and then between her summer family.
4) the puzzle pieces slowly coming together and still many question marks
5) quick read

I’m an optimist and it comes out when I try to review or critique anything. So know that.

I think Rachel’s transformation from beginning to end was noticeable and I’m sure that’s what they wanted you to notice. She goes from a “blah” life of being disappointed about her circumstances to taking charge and making breakfast for the family, realizing she doesn’t have to just let life happen to her, but she has a choice in it.

I think it’s a YA book because their are hints at sexual activity, but they don’t say those words exactly. And you have these question marks surrounding Ben and Diane’s relationship, but no one actually says the words, they only hint.

Lots of imperfect, messy relationships but in a beautiful setting. And are there only just older folks who live in Greece?! Why are there only two people under 20?

Bottom line: I really enjoyed this!

Sunburn depicts teenaged Rachel’s summer experience in Greece. She is invited to stay with friends of her parents—an older couple who have no kids of their own. She jumps on the opportunity for an out of country vacation, but things are not all as they seem as they spends time with them.

This book had fantastic pacing and intrigue. The dialogue and storytelling was great; it seemed to be leading up to the climax of the story and I just couldn’t take my eyes away from the page. Then, unfortunately, the ending fell flat and I’m not entirely sure what the resolution of the story was supposed to mean. This had amazing potential but it didn’t seem to commit to its sinister nature and explain the dark ending.

The artwork was really well done and fitting for the story. It had such a unique style, and expressions were captured beautifully. Even the coloring—all blues and very small pops of reds or yellows—was both symbolic of the character’s experience, and really interesting to look at.

I did enjoy reading this but I wish the story had resolved better.

Reading the synopsis, I thought this would be a murder mystery. But it isn't. It does have secret but you can figure it out pretty quickly.

I do love the color palette. The illustrator made good use of blue.

Thank you NetGalley and Image comics for giving me the opportunity to read this!

Recommend if you like: beach reads, romance, greek islands, slow burn, mystery, hot, graphic novels

Intriguing with summer vibes and lush illustrations; the blue of Greece.

I absolutely loved reading this Greek adventure. I was completely drawn into the topic and could not stop reading it.

Sunburn
By Andi Watson and Simon Game
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy for an honest review
Sunburn is a graphic novel set in sunny Greece and the artwork is amazing I really loved it.
It was a very quick read, the story was ok I liked it and found the main character Rachel a teenage girl who gets invited on a trip to Greece by some old family acquaintances. A good coming of age story.
On a personal level I found the story a little repetitive.
I would recommend this graphic novel for the artwork alone.
Rating 4 stars

I really liked the artwork in this graphic novel. It was bright and sunny, capturing perfectly the feel of a Greek island. I enjoyed the first half of the story but then it took a darker turn that I didn't really like. However, it was a powerful coming-of-age story and I overall had a positive reading experience.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for kindly providing me with an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A swift and heartbreaking story of a summer romance, family, friendship and not fitting in. I really loved this. The illustrations really told the story well. Beautifully told, and I really felt every emotion.

Before I start discussing the story, I wanted to highlight just how much I love the art style. The colour palette is gorgeous and perfectly fits the island vibes. The donkeys, the scooters, the goats--I was in Crete in May and this comic brought me straight back. Plus, the artist pays a lot of attention to small details (I noticed that Gucci bag straight away!).

Now, to the story. When I saw the reviews here, I was quite shocked. I think a lot of readers read this comic with the wrong expectations, and I also firmly believe that the intended audience is wrong. It's meant for a Teen+ audience, but I'd say it's more suited for adults. A lot of the subtle dialogue will probably fly over your head if you don't pay attention. Why would a girl get invited to a luxury holiday with friends of the family? There are only a couple of explanations.

Contrary to the other reviewers here, I really enjoyed reading this comic. I opened it with the idea of reading it over a few days, but couldn't stop reading it once I'd started. There was something special about this story. Maybe it was the undoubted "Britishness" or the Greek charm, or maybe the fact that it's set in the 80s or 90s. But I enjoyed every second of it.

Recommended for more mature audiences and lovers of Greece.

Beautiful art and setting to this book. It had an interesting underlay to the classic coming of age story, with a nice build up to the secret that is discovered. Overall an enjoyable and short read!

Sunburn is an excellent choice for high school readers who are looking for a great summer/beach read. The illustrations are beautiful and the story line is an easy to follow teen romance with a retro vibe. Recommended for all teen collections!

A gorgeous portrayal of a Greek island, bathed in sunlight, all rambling hills and whitewashed buildings. The peek into ex-pat summer culture makes for a fun read, and the coming-of-age story shakes the heroine, but doesn't wreck her.