Prose (Story): Raven Roth, with barely a few days to get herself together after both learning of the true nature of her father and getting her heart broken, finds herself on a bus to Nashville to meet up with Slade Wilson, whom she's hoping has some badly-needed answers to the many questions Raven has about both her father and her new-found powers. At the same time, Garfield Logan, feeling his own isolation after learning his parents kept the secret of his power to transform into various animals a secret from him, finds himself on a similar mission to Nashville and a meeting with Slade, hopefully to learn how to better control/use his newly-discovered abilities. When the two meet by accident in Nashville, neither one knowing of the others talents or connection to Slade, the scene is set not only for nefarious forces awaiting them in Music City who have their own agenda ... but also for a potential romance, as Gar finds himself smitten immediately by Raven, even as she pushes her own interest in Gar back, determined not to be betrayed again.
Don's (Review): Oh my God, how I loved this graphic novel. While still reading Gar and Raven's individual stories in each of their own books (also available to buy, please check back soon for those separate reviews), I picked up this volume to read a page or two ... and that was it. Kami Garcia has crafted a near-perfect story that has it all - humor, action, suspense, thrills, mystery - but to add to that, the budding romance between Gar and Raven, while they hang out together in the city as each (unbeknownst to the other) awaits his/her meeting with Slade, comes across as possibly the most organic, realistic and real-world build-up to potentially falling in love that I have read in any piece of fiction for a long time. The goofiness of Gar's growing affections, Raven slowly eroding wall of protection that Gar tries valiantly to chip away at, as they tour the city - wow, it just all comes off so sweet and real, and by the time the action begins you are already so emotionally invested in these characters and their possibly getting together, catapulting through pages until the end is a no-brainer (and even then, the story and action are worthy of the rest of the book, easily just as satisfying). Possibly my favorite graphic novel of the year (certainly in my Top 3), and beyond Garcia's awesome story I have to say the Gabriel Picolo's artwork here is nothing short of breathtaking. He can create panels for action scenes and Nashville places of interest, etc. to perfection, as he does throughout the entire book - but for me, the painstaking attention to detail in the quiet moments, such as (no spoilers) when Raven is nursing an ill-feeling Gar and it appears they may share their first kiss in his cheap motel room ... well, the artwork it just that; art. Picolo is a master, and he and Garcia together make for one hell of a book that works equally well as action-adventure, superhero semi-origin story, and true romance. I couldn't love it more. 5/5 stars
NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
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