Sarah Ellerton

I followed this webcomic from its early days and loved it--the beautiful art (of course), the characters and their designs, the worldbuilding, and (also of course) the way small incidents early on tied into bigger reveals later. I also adored the final "punchline"--the fact that the whole story seemed to have been worked backwards from one idea: who is the grim reaper, and what made them what they are? (Obviously I can't really know whether this was the author's starting point, but I liked the feeling of arriving at a single destination at the end of a long journey.)

I reread it in 2020 and was struck by how the villagers in Esk had to cover their mouths outdoors--2020 being, of course, the year of the coronavirus pandemic.

The last time I checked, the author/illustrator had not published the entire run in print, but if she ever gets around to it, I would love to buy the entire series to have on my shelf.… (mehr)

I saw this in the library and was immediately drawn to the absolutely stunning artwork. This ended up being both a wonderfully creative story and an incredibly beautiful visual experience, that is a great read for all ages.

Jenna has her hands full trying to take care of her genius, but troubled, younger brother Denny. When Denny gets a chance to work for an elite company Jenna is excited but nervous about what they want from Denny. As a test Denny is supposed to solve a very difficult theorem. Denny can solve anything, however against his nature he stops because he is worried about what might happen if he does solve this theorem (a theorem that has driven many people insane). When Denny is forced to solve it him and Jenna end up in the fantastic world of Gossamyr. In Gossamyr you only have to solve a theorem in the air to make magical things happen. This is easy for Denny...too easy...and him and Jenna draw the attention of enemies better left unseen.

This was a wonderful book in so many ways. First I will comment on what drew my attention to the book, the illustration...which is more artwork than meer illustration. The colors are lush and beautiful, the drawings soft and detailed. I was absolutely in love with the the illustration in this book.

Then you have kids traveling to an amazingly magical land where magic is controlled by mathematical theorems...I love math! I love magic! This was such a fun and creative idea, I really enjoyed it. The concept can be a bit abstract (ha ha get the math joke there?), but it’s not so complicated that middle grade kids and older won’t be able to grasp the concepts.

On top of all that you have a young boy who obviously is autistic and is a genius but is challenging to deal with. He ends up kind of being the hero of the story. I love it when books have an atypical hero, not to mention it’s a great way to show how kids who are different can make a big difference.

Denny’s sister Jenna is a wonderful character too. She’s in a tough spot, trying to get her own degree and also taking care of her young brother. She obviously loves Denny and wants to do right by him, but she is also human and gets frustrated with him. I loved how you can see both her love and her frustration throughout this book.

All the characters we meet in Gossamyr are wonderful. After the graphic novel there is a mini-book that goes into the history of Gossamyr in more detail. I really enjoyed the world-building and the level of thought that went into creating this world.

Overall this is an absolutely amazing graphic novel that is great for all ages. The illustration is stunning and the story is amazing. I enjoyed the detailed world-building, the magic system, and the wonderful characters. I really hope we see more graphic novels in this world. Highly recommended for all ages, especially for fans of fantasy graphic novels.… (mehr)

Jenna is faced with a difficult decision. She's about to surrender the guardianship of her little brother, Denny, to a facility that houses brilliant but troubled geniuses. In order to get in, Denny must first solve a math theorem that has never been solved before. But he knows that once he does, a door will open to a fantastic dimension full of magical worlds and terrible danger where math is logic and only he holds the key to unlocking its ultimate power. David Rodriguez's mystical world, Gossamyr, is rife with magical creatures and epic powers. Readers stumble upon a finely-composed world made up of an intricate history and intrigue. Thank goodness for the lengthy glossary in the back that helps to explain all of the new people, places, and things encountered along the way. This graphic novel is packed with popular elements like fantasy, engineering and espionage. It's never explicitly stated, but heavily implied that the hero and main character of the novel lands somewhere on the autism spectrum, thereby reaching out to those readers who may deal with autism personally or at home. It also appeals to math-lovers with its heavy emphasis on logic and theorem-solving. Sarah Ellerton's digital paint illustrations are daring and lustrous; her use of light and shadow lend a realistic aspect to a world of magic and imagination. The panels are simply laid out and easy to follow as is the caption font. The plot is busy and packed with info that might be difficult for younger readers to keep up with; but with so many fantasy story lines, the plot unfurls slowly throughout the volumes and a little confusion and ambiguity in the beginning is expected. The book also includes a "Lorelark Codex" section that provides extra context to the dense history of the plot. Recommended.… (mehr)