Tag Archives: Estranged

Review: Estranged by Ethan Aldridge

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Estranged by Ethan Aldridge

Estranged (Estranged #1)
Ethan Aldridge
HarperCollins
Published August 7, 2018

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About Estranged

Edmund and the Childe were swapped at birth. Now Edmund lives in secret as a changeling in the World Above, with fae powers that make him different from everyone else—even his unwitting parents and older sister, Alexis. The Childe lives among the fae in the World Below, where being human makes him an oddity at the royal palace, and where his only friend is a wax golem named Whick.

But when the cruel sorceress Hawthorne takes the throne, the Childe and Edmund realize that the fate of both worlds may be in their hands—even if they’re not sure which world they belong to.

My Review

This is one of those instances where I read the sequel before the original, and then had to go back and read the original because I loved the other book so much.

I loved revisiting all the characters from the second book. I think the pacing of this one was slightly slower than THE CHANGELING KING, probably because it’s introducing a lot of characters and story world elements for the first time. Even with that slight slow-down, I found myself turning page after page, loving the illustrations and eager to see what would happen next.

One of my favorite things about both these books is how expressive and immersive the panels are. I really feel the story world and can imagine myself in the story. The color palette is amazing– rich and very fitting to the kind of setting in the story. The characters’ faces have these super evocative expressions that really clue me into what they’re feeling even without added dialogue.

All in all, this graphic novel was a huge pleasure to read. I loved it, and I really want to see more from this author. I hope he has new work coming soon!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
One major character is gay, but that doesn’t come up in this book.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
A World Below exists under the human world, populated with magical creatures and monsters.

Violent Content
Battle scenes and situations of peril. No gory details.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of ESTRANGED in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.

Review: The Changeling King by Ethan Aldridge

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

The Changeling King (Estranged #2)
Ethan Aldridge
HarperCollins
Published October 1, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

About The Changeling King

Enter a world of faerie magic and epic adventure in this spellbinding sequel to Estranged—a rich fantasy graphic novel perfect for fans of Amulet.

After years of pretending to be human, the changeling Edmund Carter has assumed his rightful role as Cinder, king of the World Below. But not everyone at the royal palace is happy about his return.

Meanwhile, Ed is adjusting to human life in the World Above. His birth family treats him with a kindness he never knew growing up in the Fay court, but Ed misses the sense of purpose he had as a knight.

When a mysterious new threat emerges in the World Below, Cinder must call on Ed and their older sister, Alexis, for help. But nothing can prepare them for the family secret that awaits at the end of their perilous quest.

With over two hundred pages of gorgeous watercolor paintings, The Changeling King invites readers on an epic journey through a magical world—one they will not soon forget.

My Review

THE CHANGELING KING is the first graphic novel that I think I’ve ever read. I’m not 100% sure, but I think so. I’d been meaning to try out graphic novels but always talked myself out of them because I hadn’t seen one that looked irresistably good.

Until now, apparently. Ha! Actually, what happened was that I got a finished copy in the mail from Wunderkind PR, and I figured the time had come for me to actually give graphic novels a try.

And I’m so glad I did. I had so much fun reading THE CHANGELING KING. Like, giggling and gasping out loud and turning pages like eating candy. I love how much personality each character has simply through the artwork and dialogue.

The story moved quickly, but paused at all the right moments. I enjoyed the balance between the dangerous adventure and the positive elements of family and friends. Also the blushing. Ha! So much cute blushing. Definitely a win for me. I’m not giggling– you’re giggling.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Cinder and another boy are gay. Some races of Fay discriminate against other races.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some hugging and blushing and interest between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Magic can only be restored with a price.

Violent Content
Some battle situations – no graphic gore or anything.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of THE CHANGELING KING in exchange for my honest review.