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Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Mera is teenage royalty, heir to the throne of Xebel, the other not-so-lost colony under the sea. But Mera is destined to wear a different crown, that of Atlantis. When the inhabitants of Xebel plot to overthrow their homeland of Atlantis, Mera is sent to kill the heir to the throne, Arthur Curry. As the unrest between their colonies grows, Mera and Arthur unexpectedly fall in love...will Arthur Curry be the king at Mera's side in Atlantis, or will he die under her blade?
Mera by Danielle Paige is an astonishing story that explores themes of duty, love, heroism and freedom, all through the eyes of readers' favorite undersea royalty.
Review:
I am not normally a fan of graphic novels. But with a daughter as an artist, I am gaining an appreciation of this genre. Mera: Tidebreaker, is very well done. Beautiful art work by Stephen Bryne and solid writing from Danielle Paige come together to create an enjoyable book. It was the perfect way to dip my toes into graphic novels.
What I Liked:
Illustrations:The star of this book really is the beautiful artwork. The Illustrator use of a muted palette, punctuated by Mera's fiery red hair, creates a dreamy quality. The undersea scenes are haunting with the many details of sea creatures in every panel.
Characters:
I did not see the Aquaman movie, so my only knowledge of Mera is through this graphic novel. That being said, I could easily understand her character. She wants to be a warrior like her mother. She bristles when her suitor, Larken, shows marrying her is a means to his becoming the king. Everyone is making decisions for her. All she wants is a choice.
Larken is Mera's childhood friend and suitor. He is not a two-dimensional character. Although he can't see why Mera won't marry him, he does actually care about her. He really doesn't understand that Mera doesn't want to be taken care of. Also, he has no moral issue with killing Arthur if it will help him become king. While I didn't admire this about him, I also felt he was willing to be a killer so Mera wouldn't have to.
Moral Dilemma:
Choices, though, are not so easy. At first, she sees killing the heir to Atlantis as a simple matter. After all, it's easy to hate your oppressors from afar. But when she goes on land and finally meets Arthur, she realizes he doesn't even know who he really is. Can she kill an innocent person, just to become a ruler? It's the classic choice characters must make: are they villains or heroes?
What I Didn't Like:
I know this is a graphic novel so everything has to be packed in a short story. But I am just not a fan of insta-love. I thought throwing around the L word so quickly between Mera and Arthur was unnecessary. She didn't need the stakes to be so high in order for her to do the right thing.
Rating:
Release Date: April 2nd, 2019
Author: Danielle Paige
Illustrator: Stephen Bryne
Publisher: DC Ink
Genre: Graphic Novel
Pages: 192 Pages
Source: NetGalley
Format: PDF
Recommendation: A beautifully illustrated graphic novel with a strong female character. Very entertaining.
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