Book Review – Nimona

Book: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Release Date: May 12th 2015
Genre: Fantasy/Graphic Novel
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads

Synopsis

Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones.

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.

Review

Nimona is a standalone graphic novel that was released in 2015, based on Noelle Stevensons web comic. In May 2016 the Dutch publisher Blossom Books published it in Dutch, and I decided that this was the perfect time to acquire this book.

One of the things that you will notice first is of course the art. It isn’t quite as nicely styled or detailed as you see often these days. It isn’t an art style that I am normally drawn to. However it clearly has its own style, and as you read the novel the art is something you get used to and I think it even works well for a character like Nimona. Having her be drawn to cutesy with big eyes or too detailed I don’t think would have given us the same effect as this art style.

Nimona is quite the interesting character. When she joins the villain as a sidekick it becomes clear quite quickly that Nimona has a bigger villainous streak about her than her boss does. She’s impulsive and a shapeshifter. Perhaps not the best combination. However our villain Blackheart grows attached to her. And so do we as reader. There is something endearing about her that goes beyond her cute looks and random antics. There is another layer there, something that made her into who she was that made me fall in love with this graphic novel.

Because not only Nimona has more layers. So does our villain, as does our hero, as does this world that isn’t quite as black and white as it would like you to think it is. This and the funny interactions between the characters is what made this graphic novel for me. Nimona has some sass, Blackheart has some heart and Goldenloin isn’t quite as clueless or innocent as one would think.