Nimona by Noelle stevenson

Summary (from Goodreads):

The graphic novel debut from rising star Noelle Stevenson, based on her beloved and critically acclaimed web comic, which Slate awarded its Cartoonist Studio Prize, calling it "a deadpan epic."

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:

This book was amazing. I read so many good things about this one. And I kind of knew from the cover that I would have to love it. I love that the main character isn’t a stick-skinny. And she has dragon wings. How could I not love something with this cover?

I read the book in two sittings, rather quickly. I knew there would be adventure and fantasy, and most likely good characters going into this book. I didn’t know how hilarious it would be. I literally was laughing out loud on page 1. Nimona is just such an amazing, interesting character.

I love the whole idea of the bad guy not actually being the bad guy. It’s one of the major themes in YA I tend to always enjoy. I liked that the bad guy was in fact the super harsh government organization that trained men to be knights. I loved the mixture of modern day technology with old school fantasy themes. There’s knights and dragons, but there is also pizza delivery and tv monitors.

I loved the relationship of the two men on the cover. Their story kind of read like a Harry/Draco fan fic. All of the bickering, history, and tension between the two made this book stand out even more than it already was. And I was definitely shipping them. I also loved the 100% platonic relationship between Nimona and Lord Blackheart. They had some great bickering going as well, usually the result of Nimona going way further than Lord Blackheart ever intended on a mission.

This book has everything: great characters, a shippable/tension building romance, platonic friendship, dragons, fantasy, action, bickering, word play, gorgeous art, and fantastic humor. I give it a 10/10. It’s probably my favorite graphic novel of the year.