Illustrated by Anna Volcan
2 stars
Some dynamics of school stay the same no matter where you are. Feeling like an outsider, getting used to new teachers, and the quandary of where to sit in the cafeteria. These are true even if your school is attended by ghosts, werewolves, and vampires.
This is a pretty standard middle/high school story complete with mean cheerleaders, bad cafeteria food, and becoming best friends with the quirky kid who showed you around on your first day. Fairly predictable with a paranormal twist.
I was actually really surprised to realize the main character is supposed to be eight-years-old and in elementary school. The use of lockers, changing classes, and calculating velocity in class really gave off middle school vibes to me.
The illustrations are adorable. Loved the spooky, cutesy vibe. There were a few inconsistencies between panels that distracted me from the story (I really got stuck on the changing food and disappearing trays in the cafeteria scene).
Plotwise, this works as an introduction to Liv, her new home, and her supernatural school. It focuses on her settling in to her new life. Loved the idea of a paranormal spin, but nothing big really happened and it feels like it’s just setting up the rest of the series. There are some gaps in the story that made it hard to fully engage with.
Okay read. Interested to see if the story gets more fleshed out in the next volume.