by Angélique Roché
Illustrated by Alvin Epps, Bex Glendining, and Millicent Monroe
3 stars
I was really excited to see a graphic novel about Opal Lee geared toward adults, but the execution of this just did not work for me.
The story jumps around to different time periods without much context given. I had a hard time following who was who as the characters aged. Different people are added without really being introduced which I found confusing. The flow was very choppy and at times scenes didn’t feel complete.
There were also a few typos throughout that made the whole thing come off as rushed.
The artwork was nice overall with some really good layouts.
The book does provide extensive backmatter including an Extended Timeline (ranging from colonists landing in what is now North Carolina to the book’s publication), a list of sources, further resources, and a one-page summary of Ms. Lee’s life and work.
Can’t help but feel disappointed in this one. The story is so important and the real-life events are actually really interesting but the execution of this made it so hard to follow.
This may work for someone who is already familiar with Opal Lee and her life, but I wouldn’t recommended it as an introduction.
Sad to say this one did not work for me but it did make me want to read more about Opal Lee and her work.