Special thanks to SparkPoint Studio and HarperAlley for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

TL;DR: Northranger was an unexpected surprise in the best way. This was spooky and gothic and delivered a very emotional coming-of-age story featuring compelling main characters, entertaining side characters and an important story about learning to be yourself in a place where you won’t be accepted for who you are.

First of all, I absolutely loved the art style and the choice to tell the story in sepia tones. I think it contributed to creating more of that spooky gothic atmosphere but also made the story feel like it could be happening at any time period. Save for a few mentions of modern-day technology, pop culture references and LGBTQIA+ laws, the issues addressed in the story are still as relevant today as it was historically. I also enjoyed how the illustrator really captured all the nuances in the characters’ expressions (face, body, gestures, etc.) in each scene.

Cade was in many ways your typical teenager. He’s moody, he’s a little bratty, and he’s going through all the cycles of emotion on a daily basis. He’s also a queer Latino teen who hasn’t yet come out to his family and has to deal with racist comments from bigots. He is also obsessed with scary movies and has a vivid and wild imagination that kind of runs away from him this summer! I wouldn’t say he was the most endearing character but it was easy to empathise with his situation and I mean, I probably would’ve been a sulky teen too if I was shipped off to do manual labour all summer. I was on the fence about his family at first, especially his mum and stepdad but I’m glad that they turned out to be decent people in the end, and I absolutely love his supportive step-sister, Alice. She was adorable 😂 I liked his relationship with Henry, who was a sweet, caring, and hardworking kid but it was very clear that he was going through a lot. There was a lot of grief and secret-keeping in this, which certainly drove the “mystery” aspect of Northranger’s history and just what happened with Henry’s family. I loathed their father, who was a douche-waffle of the highest order, but I adored Henry’s twin sister, Henri. She was so supportive and understanding and I loved her friendship with Cade and Alice but also how she unfailingly stood up for herself and Henry against their father.

I was on edge waiting for the other shoe to drop the whole time I was reading this, especially as the family’s secrets sounded more sinister with each turn! It was at turns heartbreaking and heartwarming to see Cade and Henry navigate their feelings and to see the (at times) surprising support they both received from the people in their lives. I think the only thing that I wish had been handled a bit differently was the ending because it felt very abrupt. It wasn’t a perfect ending and I actually appreciated that most about the way things were “wrapped up”; however, I expected more time with the characters once they’d processed everything that had happened. It wasn’t a huge deal though!

Overall, I would highly recommend Northranger, especially if you enjoy graphic novels that handle big themes well. It was emotional, it was funny, but it was also a bit sad and real!

Have you read Northranger or is it on your TBR?

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