Comics Roundup #35: Nimona

I feel so silly saying this, but I really didn’t expect to enjoy this story as much as I did. It has received a lot of hype to the point where I became skeptical of it, but the notice and praise are well deserved.

Nimona by Noelle Stephenson (illus.)

Genre:

YA Fantasy

Pubbed:

May 2015

Goodreads summary:

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona’s powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit. (Goodreads)

My thoughts:

Nimona is about a shape-shifter girl who joins the notorious supervillain Lord Ballister Blackheart as his sidekick in hopes of learning how to be a villain. Blackheart has a vendetta against the much-praised hero Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin, who works for the kingdom’s Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics. However, as the story progresses, we learn that these characters aren’t exactly as they seem.

And that’s the bit I like: that the characters aren’t what we assume them to be at first. Stevenson does a great job with this story. It’s engaging and funny and a bit unexpected. It subverts the hero/villain trope, which, coupled with the story’s humor, makes it even more entertaining. Then we get to the part where the plot begins to dig into Nimona’s backstory, which adds more depth to the story.

I loved it all and know that I will read it again at some point. I love that the story thwarts the reader’s assumptions about the characters. I love the silliness in it that adds humor. I love that the story is set in a medieval world that somehow has advanced technology, the sole purpose of which is to give the villain and the hero tricked-out lairs. And I love the main characters, Nimona and Lord Blackheart. Oh! And the scientist lady, Dr. Meredith Blitzmeyer, was a favorite too. 😊

I love how the story ends; it was so sweet, I may have cried. Actually, I think I did shed a tear or two. It was an emotional time when I read it and I had tears to waste, apparently. When I was done, I was tempted to start it all over again. I wanted more and am hoping for more. Dr. Blitzmeyer was very interesting and I’d love to learn more about her and see what adventures she goes on. I’d love a sequel or even a prequel.

Art work:

It’s not a style I typically like, but I didn’t mind it for this story. It works for it. It is easy to follow along and understand what’s going on. I also liked that Nimona isn’t the usual thin character but seems to be short and stocky.

This was probably the first time that I read a comic book on an electronic device and I loved it. The illustrations are much clearer, the colors pop, and large panels that probably would have been two-page spreads are much easier to see. I think reading the comic book on my Ipad may have been why I ended up liking this illustration style. It pops and looks so much cleaner on the screen.

Overall: ★★★★☆

A fun, sweet story that’s an entertaining read.

Buy | Borrow | Bypass

It’s worth owning it. I’m sure you’ll want to reread it too.

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