A review by bookishfoxes
Soma by Fernando Llor

adventurous challenging mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was pleasantly surprised! Graphic novels are usually a hit or miss with me, even though I adore reading them. It's just that they're often so quick that I don't form attachments to the characters. This time, however, I did. 

Soma is about Maya, an artist, who is going through a burn out. One day she gets an unexpected visitor: an alien warning her about danger. Together they try to save the world. Meanwhile Maya's friend Juu tries to survive with people he found on the street. 

First of all I want to point out the AMAZING art that pulled me in from the first second I opened the book on my Netgalley shelf app. I am absolutely amazed by the talent. And everything looked beautiful put together. The style, the colors... everything. It is safe to say I found the art a masterpiece. 

I really enjoyed the story as well. It immediately interested me while it normally takes me a couple of pages to get into a story. It was a perfect combination of humor and seriousness. It was fast-paced, but not too fast, you could still keep up with what was happening. I also adored the characters and started rooting for them. 

You know what, I think it is safe to say this is the best graphic novel I have ever read. (And yes, that means higher than my previous favorites: Heartstopper). Obviously it's a different genre with this being sci-fi, but still. 

I am VERY excited for this being released on February 25th and I am definitely going to try to get my hands on a physical copy. I can't wait to see other people reading it and share my love for it.

Thank you to Netgalley and everyone else who made it possible for me to read this ARC. I am incredibly grateful to have been able to read this absolutely masterpiece.