𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍'𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒃 ☕︎

Hand-drawn Stories

♡

Hey there lovelies, it's Shaana (@MaeShaanaP)! I had an idea of a series of posts to do; I want to share with  you some great comic books, awesome graphic novels and amazing mangas I've read and highly thought you would enjoy too! I hope you'll find something you like!

♡

1. The Legendaries

Originally "Les Légendaires" in French, this fantasy-adventure comic series follows a group of heroes (Danael, Ironclaw, Jadina, Razzia and Shimmy) and their quest to undo the spell that has befallen in the world of Alysia called the 'Jovénia Incident'; its cause being the shattering of the Stone of Jovénia by the evil sorcerer Darkhell, causing everyone to turn into kids again. In hopes of regaining their adulthood, the five heroes must band together to save Alysia.

I especially love this series because it centers children not in an 'innocent' or 'bratty' way, but with a lot of complexities. I also really like how diverse the characters are, from Shimmy the Elf to Ironclaw the man-beast, and representation of people with all sorts of different skin tones. It's funny yet serious and 100% entertaining!

2. Zodiac Starforce

This magical girl-esque graphic novel stars a group of teen girls with powers given by the goddess Astra to fight evil in the world all the while navigating the daily battleground that is high school!

I remember the first edition of this series in a nearby bookstore and it immediately made me think of Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power series. Indeed, with a diverse cast (both racially and sexually) as well as a strong theme of friendship/sisterhood and action-packed adventures, Zodiac Starforce goes way beyond your average Gemini tropes.

3. A Silent Voice

Divided in seven volumes, this manga series tells the story of a bully (Shoya Ishida) and his target (Shoko Nishimiya) as they go from childhood to teenagerhood with Shoya regretting his past actions and trying to better himself while fearfully confronting Shoko. (I must also mention that Shoko is a deaf girl).

The first exposure I had to this manga was through its movie counterpart; I then decided to read the manga that it was based on and it blew me away. It tackles so many relatable issues like mental health, disabilities and suicide (it does get very dark and emotional at times, so please read with caution if some of these topics trigger you). Beautifully written and very heartfelt!

♡

And that's all for this post! All that I have to say for now is happy reading :)

~ Shaana