Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for gifting me an early copy of The Lost Sunday!
We are following the story of Nina who is on a journey to get Sunday back. Everyone works all the time and they do not have a day off because of a witch who stole Sunday and keep it locked in a well.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Lost Sunday. It was sweet, light-hearted and made me smile. The drawings are stunning and I loved Nina, the main character.
The concept behind the graphic novel was genius and I fould myself wishing there was more pages because of how good it was. It makes a statement on time and how we tend to overwork ourselves when we actually need to take breaks.

It was also interesting to read about the fairy tale that inspired The Lost Sunday, I had never heard of it!

The Lost Sunday by Ileana Surducan published by the Oni Press draws inspiration from the popular Grimms Fairy tale titled Frau Holle and another one chosen from the Romanian Fairy Tales collection titled The Old Man's Wise Daughter.

Opening with a dedication to all those brave enough to take a break and cherish their free time, The Lost Sunday is set in a dusty, crowded town where there is no Sunday. Here, a young girl named Nina works hard every single day from Monday to Saturday (you see there is no Sunday here, so the weekly cycle is from Mon-Sat). The chores are never ending; there is always something falling apart despite the toil. And there is no Sunday or free time, but why?

A witch living in a bottomless pit has stolen it and locked it away in a treasure chest. Nina has had enough of work, work and more work. She decides to visit the land of this witch to retrieve Sunday.

Lots of challenges come along the way, Nina even meets her Double who looks just like her and is more of a problem to her than help. Does Nina get back Sunday to her town, does she succeed in her mission? Read this story to know. For the slaves of time buzzing around like busy bees day after day, this story comes as a wake up call, telling us to pause, that it's okay (and even important) to do nothing at times. It also points out the danger of having too much free time.

With gorgeous illustrations, end notes on how these were created plus information on stories that inspired this book, The Lost Sunday is a fun journey bundling important messages - a treat for readers of all ages, young and old.

Note - If you are a fan of The Tea Dragon Society series by Oni Press , you shouldn't miss out on this comic and a few other books too shared /suggested at the book's end.

What a charming little story with the most beautiful art! I don't usually pick up short graphic novels / picture books, but I've already read one or two absolute treasures from Oni Press ("The Tea Dragon Society" is hands down one of the best things on this planet), so I was curious. "The Lost Sunday" turned out to be a mix of two fairy tales – the German "Frau Holle", with which I'm very familiar, and the Romanian "The Old Man's Wise Daughter", which was all new to me. It's a story of hard work and good rest and the importance of balancing these two aspects in life. It's clearly intended for younger readers for there is very little text and it's fairly short altogether, but I thought it quite enchanting as well. The illustrations are creative and lovely to look at, and I think it's a message that everyone might need to hear once in a while.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Sunday is short and sweet, but packs a punch. It's a story about learning to take breaks, but it's also about learning to enjoy your time. It reads like the fairy tales on which it was based, but a version filled with humor and lightness. This graphic novel doesn't exist to lecture you about it's moral, but rather to give you a gentle nudge while you're enjoying the beautiful art. The art is so fun and quirky and colorful. I loved the slow transition from a dark palette to a lighter one as the story progressed. This was such a fun read that I'm sure I'll read again and again.

Thank you to Oni Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

The Lost Sunday is such a beautiful reminder to make time for yourself to relax throughout the week, even when you feel overworked and overwhelmed. I absolutely loved the way the colors of the illustrations transitioned with the story and found them to be full of wonder.

I received an ARC from Oni Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Such a fun and emotional story, with gorgeous and quirky art. This retelling of “Frau Holle” does a fantastic joy of conveying the burnout of everyday chores and the joys of relaxation after much hard work has been achieved.

I absolutely loved the art, which is filled with whimsy. And the message, about taking a moment for yourself and relaxing, is one that most people need to be reminded of.

Fun and playful, yet still powerful and affirming.

I did not expect to be so moved by this story! It's quite a testimony to rest and community. The mixture of folk and fairytale with illustrations that jump off the page makes a beautiful book.

I love when I get surprise retellings of my favourite fairy tales.

I honestly requested the ARC of this based on vibes and artwork and as soon as our delightfully determined main character ventured into the well I immediately knew this was a Frau Holle retelling and I SHRIEKED with absolute childhood joy.

And what a retelling it is, I adored every aspect of this graphic novel, including the glimpse into the beginning drafts, character artwork, and the authors own relation to the tale being resold.

I HIGHLY suggest this tale for everyone, especially this rendition of it, because it is so relatable to our current work/life culture.

The Lost Sunday by Ileana Surducan is a fascinating and beautifully illustrated children's book that touches on the themes of rest, joy and work. At first, the reader may be confused about the relationship between the wolves and the days of the week, but as Surducan leads the reader and the main character along the way, we begin to understand the relationships and the deeper meaning behind the characters. I can see this book being used in a multitude of ways in a lower elementary classroom, and it is a book I will definitely be picking up. Thank you so much to NetGalley for this copy of The Lost Sunday to enjoy!

What a wonderful book! Beautifully illustrated, this is a masterclass in storytelling, reshaping a fairytale for the modern world with perfectly delivered extended metaphor. This touched my soul, reminding me of the mountains I so often create for myself. I will be gifting to many friends who need to hear its message. If you are trudging through exhaustion, burnout or pressures, then let this soothe your soul and help you to find your own treasure. Thank you, Ileana Surducan, for sharing yourself and your talents in this way.

What a sweet and unique art style! I thought it felt a lot like fairytales I read growing up and it turns out it did take inspiration from variations of the story around the world. Making time to rest and care for yourself and spend meaningful time with others feel like such important values to instill these days. The emphasis on community is a lovely thing to see. Character designs are are quirky and fun; I loved Nina's expressive hair and her shadow version's colorful attire. I think this would make a great addition to a middle grade graphic novel library collection.

I absolutely adored this story and the advice it gives in making a little time each day for something you love to do and creating that free time.

The illustrations are beautifully done and had a comforting feel to them. The colours of the book reflect the moods of the story and each page is a treasure trove of details.

The author talks through the original/ traditional fairytales that The Lost Sunday is built upon at the end and this really intrigued me.

It's a beautiful addition to the bookshelf and would enchant any bookish heart at whatever age.

A huge thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and fall in love with: The Lost Sunday