Glister

I couldn't love this more. Charming and quirky with some of my favorite characters in all of fiction. What I wouldn't give to visit Chilblain Hall!

A big graphic novel full of fanciful tales about Glister, a young girl living in England, who gets drawn into magical and strange adventures on a regular basis. if you're looking for quirky, this is definitely the place to be, but it's not without depth, particularly the story where Glister goes to Faerieland to find her long-missing mother. I love Watson's 1-color cartooning, especially how much emotion he gets out of such simple lines for faces. If the kiddo in your life is into the kind of fantasy that involves haunted teapots, houses that rearrange their own rooms when you're not looking, and trolls in wishing wells, give this one a whirl.

My child loved this book.

I didn’t hate it... but I won’t be reading anything from this author Again. This book took way too long to get through, and it’s a graphic novel.

Glister is an energetic, intelligent young woman who lives in a fairytale-like world. Her home, Chilblain Hall, is so-named because it’s drafty (“draughty” in the very English text of the books), but it also holds numerous rooms and strange inhabitants.In “The Haunted Teapot”, the title object is simply delivered in a package one day. (We don’t need to know why. That’s not important to the story, and this is the kind of imaginative fiction where things like that just happen.) It holds the ghost of an old-fashioned wordy novelist who wants Glister to type his last great book.The ghost has no concern for Glister’s time or any other activities, so she must find a way to free herself from his demands. First, she tries selling the thing to a wonderfully ridiculous character, a shady antique dealer who used to be a professional wrestler. Finally, some research reveals the answer. The story rambles a bit, but in a lovely, “what might you want to hear next?” storytelling way. With plenty of humor, it’s just the thing for a cozy afternoon read.“The House Hunt” goes further into the mysterious, magical rooms of Glister’s home, which are subject to change at whim. The village is competing to be recognized as a particularly nice place, and the inspector insults Chilblain Hall as ramshackle, so the house decides to leave, and Glister and her dad must find new accommodations. There’s a nice comparison between the efficiencies of a newer residence and the charm of and fondness for an old one. The imagination of world travel is also a fun inspiration.“The Faerie Host” shows us Glister getting a little tired of her father’s elaborate, months-long preparations for Christmas. She wanders into faerieland seeking more information about her long-gone mother. The tone of this story is rather different from the others, from its classic allusions to folklore for dealing with fairies to the underlying sadness of Glister growing up with only one parent and how much she misses her mother.“The Family Tree” grows various relations for Glister, and when they all visit at once, it’s quite a crowd. Glister hopes for warm memories of togetherness, but they all have their own interests, particularly the gambler who turns the home into a hotel. It’s a wonderful gang of weirdos who, as expected, all manage to come together when they must.Watson’s illustrations are full of homey and yet slightly odd detail, particularly in Glister’s rambling old house and with her distracted father. Each chapter is tinted with a different color ink line. The first, reddish, then blue, purple, and a greyish green.Glister deserves to be on any child’s shelf, between Alice in Wonderland and The Phantom Tollbooth. (Review originally posted at ComicsWorthReading.com.)

I had an interesting experience with this graphic novel. Heading to my local library, I had picked up enough books to last me a hot minute, when on a whim, I added this to my stack. Upon checking out, they told me that it wasn't in the system, but just to take it anyway. Feeling like a rebel, I brought it home and it quickly got forgotten at the bottom of my to-read pile. Last week, I decided I should probably get on it. It's a very small book, and I figured if anything it allows me to mark it off of my 'to read' list.WritingThe first thing I noticed, is that the writing is very similar to a fairy tale, or other short story based in a fantasy land. Her father is eccentric, and they live at Chilblain Hall. Her father is a great character, and leaves me chuckling. Glister struck me as a fun child, both interesting and capable of her adventures. She eventually learns she's acquired a teapot with a ghost inside. The end was not only a pleasant surprise, but a great twist on what is generally a static story template.ArtworkOh do I wish this was in color! That being said, the artwork is so charming, that I don't even mind. I'm just happy I could see all of these fantastic scenes play out. Her expressions and the fantasy elements were just enough to be different, without being over the top. I want to see a lot more of Andi Watson in both a literary setting as well as an illustrator.Overall Feeling/OpinionUpon finishing, I was upset that I had waited to do so! This book is not only great for kids and teens, but it kept me interested and wanting more. What else is Glister up to? Does she find any other eccentric people in her town? Does the ghost interact with her any further? I've already placed a hold on the next comic, and this time I will NOT wait to read it!