Lumberjanes, Vol. 18: Horticultural Horizons by Shannon Watters


Lumberjanes, Vol. 18: Horticultural Horizons
Title : Lumberjanes, Vol. 18: Horticultural Horizons
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : -
Language : English
Format Type : Kindle , Hardcover , Paperback , Audiobook & More
Number of Pages : 112
Publication : First published May 25, 2021

When April, Jo, Mal, Molly, and Ripley get in trouble with Rosie, the mysterious director of Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types, they figure the punishment is gonna be a walk in the park… er, woods, but no one’s ready for the surprises that await!

THEY’RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS QUITE YET!


Lumberjanes, Vol. 18: Horticultural Horizons Reviews


  • Marc *Dark Reader of the Woods*

    There are a couple of odd things going on in this volume, and I don’t just mean the plot. The first is the dual illustration credit. Kanesha C. Bryant continues from the prior volume, and I still struggle with her cartoony for these characters. When it works, it is fantastic, but other times it feels too divergent. The odd thing (odd as in something new for this series, not as in strange) is the inclusion of a secondary timeline, this one illustrated by Julia Madrigal, in a style immediately distinguishable from the other, including the colour palette. This other story is set in the past, during the founding of the Lumberjanes. The past timeline informs the present one in a welcome storytelling feat.

    The other odd thing is the tendency to break into educational segments, like it became a non-fiction book framed as a comic, rather than a comic that just happens to include engaging references that potentially prompt the young reader to learn more on their own. These moments seem artificial in a way that I don’t recall seeing before in this series. They’re still fun.

    Otherwise, excellent writing! A worthy volume as the series approaches its finale.

    I’ll have to check the lettering credits for the prior volumes; I don’t remember the print being so tiny before. There were a couple of typos too. Is it still called a typo when it’s made by hand-lettering? Writos. Letteros. The most concerning is where “Lumberjanes” seems to be written as “Lumber janes.” Twice.

  • rachel, x

    #1)
    Lumberjanes, Vol 1: Beware the Holy Kitten ★★★☆☆
    #2)
    Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max ★★☆☆☆
    #3)
    Lumberjanes, Vol. 3: A Terrible Plan ★★★★☆
    #4)
    Lumberjanes, Vol. 4: Out of Time ★★★★☆
    #5)
    Lumberjanes, Vol. 5: Band Together ★★★★☆
    #6)
    Lumberjanes, Vol. 6: Sink or Swim ★★★☆☆
    #7)
    Lumberjanes, Vol. 7: A Bird-Eye's View ★★★★☆
    #8)
    Lumberjanes Vol. 8: Stone Cold ★★★★☆
    #10
    Lumberjanes, Vol. 10: Parents' Day ★★★★☆
    #11)
    Lumberjanes Vol. 11: Time After Crime ★★★★☆
    #12)
    Lumberjanes Vol. 12: Jackalope Springs Festival ★★★★★
    #13)
    Lumberjanes Vol. 13: Indoor Recess ★★★★☆
    #14)
    Lumberjanes Vol. 14: X Marks the Spot ★★★☆☆
    #15)
    Lumberjanes Vol. 15: Birthday Smarty ★★★☆☆
    #16)
    Lumberjanes Vol. 16: Mind Over Mettle ★★★★☆
    #17)
    Lumberjanes Vol. 17: Smitten in the Stars ★★★☆☆
    #19)
    Lumberjanes Vol. 19: A Summer to Remember ★★★☆☆



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  • Laisea (grayscalebooks)

    Cute! I learned a few things in this one which I wish was more of a theme throughout the series.

  • Rachel (Kalanadi)

    3.5 stars

  • Brooke

    Cute

  • Devann

    Another really cute volume of Lumberjanes. I liked that this one gave some background info on how the camp was founded while also having a fun adventure in the present timeline.

  • Amber Scaife

    Another excellent and fun entry in the series. Love the Lumberjanes so, so much.

  • Alex Nonymous

    So this was either a lot better than the last few volumes or the fact that I haven't read these for a while clouded my judgement with nostalgia.

    I always love when Abigail makes appearances though, so that was nice.

  • AquaMoon

    One of the best perks of being a Librarian is getting to preview books before they actually hit the shelves!

    Not super crazy about the artwork this time around. This artist's style just isn't my thing, I guess. But the story was fairly good...despite the fact there . We did get a few great Ripley moments, though...

    AND we learned the origins of the Lumberjane way of life.

    I would have liked the entire thing to be an Origins Story, though. It seemed like the writers were trying to do too much with too little space. That is, they could have made two separate books: One the Origins and the other about Rosie, Abigail, (and their drama) and the Hunt for the Creeping Vine. Two separate books would have allowed both stories to be fleshed out much more and would have made everything better overall.

    But I suppose I'll let my imagination fill in the details.

  • Chris Lemmerman

    Heading into the forest on a punishment from Rosie, the 'Janes run across a familiar face while learning the secret history of the camp.

    This one's pretty fun, like all Lumberjanes stories. The dual timelines is a nice change of pace from what we're used to, although the artwork on the flashback is much better than the present day stuff. The present day art is a little too cartoony (even for Lumberjanes) and it contrasts quite poorly with the more detailed flashback stuff. I definitely appreciate the history though - I enjoy Lumberjanes most when it's doing continuity stuff, and bringing Abby and Rosie together again one last time before End Of Summer was nice.

  • Mary Havens

    Enjoyed the Lumberjanes origin story, was confused by the rhizome. It seemed a bit random.
    There were two illustrators on this issue and it looked like one did the origin story and the other did the "modern" Janes. I preferred the origin story art. I note this because there have been so many artists that it's hard to keep track.
    I will always read every Lumberjane I can get my hands on! :) Love my hardcore lady types!!

  • Addison

    Oooh history!

  • Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind)

    A punishment turns into an adventure for the girls.

  • Meaghan

    4.75

  • ash (alexis)

    i liked seeing more into the history of the lumberjanes!

  • Molly Walker

    This was so fun! It felt like a return to the Lumberjanes' early days. Loved the occasional flashbacks and seeing Rosie as a main character central to the story, not just popping in at the end with some cryptic words. This series is so fun and I'm going to miss it so much.

  • Bill Coffin

    This is a collective review for the entire Lumberjanes series.

    I’ve been wanting to do a complete Lumberjanes read-through ever since I bought the first TPB at the New York ComiCon, back when the series first started. My son and I had just finished reading Namona together, and I was a big Noelle Stevenson fan on the back of that, so Lumberjanes was an obvious choice for what to read next. I read the first few volumes, and then let it sit for a few years as the series ran its course. Now, I have the chance to go back and take it all in as a single, extended reading. So what’s the verdict?

    Lumberjanes is a magnificent comic property. Even if it doesn’t speak to you directly (and it doesn’t always speak that strongly to me), the truth is that a book with this much heart, accessibility, respect for each others’ differences, love for a good yarn, and investment in its own characters is a book worth everyone’s notice.

    The story involves a very long and unusual summer for a gang of young women at a summer camp where mythical beasts roams and time works at its own pace. It is full of both epic danger and mundane camp stuff, where we might see our heroines fighting a creature from Greek myth one volume, and play a board game of their own making in another. For them, this time-warping summer camp experience is an extended exercise in facing the many challenges of burgeoning adulthood, where growing together matters more than growing up.

    Throughout the Lumberjanes is a strong commitment to representation, and this book really delivers there. Just about every reader can easily see themselves in Lumberjanes, which is a feature, not a bug. Even though the stories themselves can hit a kind of rut without any real stakes or advancement of characters or meta-plot (this was especially the case once Stevenson moved off the book), the fact remains that this is a story that provides a much-needed presence in the world of graphic storytelling. You’re not going to find many books this overwhelmingly positive, especially to any dimension of diversity within the audience, and in a comics scene that so often meets diversity kicking and screaming, Lumberjanes' steadfast embrace of our differences really matters. There are more than a few books that feel cut from the Lumberjanes cloth nowadays, but one imagines they wouldn’t be around if not for Lumberjanes themselves. And you know what? We’re all better for it. Whether you like this book or not, you must respect it, and that is no small thing.

  • Megan

    I’m officially caught up to the newest editions of the “Lumberjanes” series! Huzzah! Even though I still have the prequels and some others to read, I’m quite pleased with this development as I’ve been working hard towards this goal for the past two weeks.

    Overall, I did like this book in the “Lumberjanes” series although I felt like it was a little tough to get into. What I really enjoyed, above all else, was that this really wasn’t a book about the Roanoke cabin, but about how the Lumberjanes came to be (I love Janiper/Jane and her whole storyline with her mother’s camp and how she felt like she never fit in anywhere) and I loved also seeing flashbacks of Rosie’s friendship with Abby and them trying to forgive each other, trying to move on from the past. I would really like if, from here, Abby got more involved with the camp and was a regular, like, teacher or something there? I also liked that the “monster” in this one wasn’t really a monster at all, but just a very invasive plant. It sort of shows how the land of the camp, in general, is also very interesting and magical.

    I can’t wait for the newest one to come out in August (I’m looking very forward to reading it now that I’m mostly caught up)! I also hope they continue to use the same artist that they did in this one (and the last couple). I think the art right now is A+ and very much the style I prefer (where it’s like cutesy, but also takes, like, really explorative style choices in certain boxes at certain points).

  • Emily Jackson

    I absolutely adore these comics. If you've made it to Volume 18, you probably do as well. However, on the off chance that you were wondering "is volume 18 worth the read?" I am here to say "yes, absolutely".

    Going as spoiler light as possible, some highlights and one minor criticism:

    The Highlights:

    -We finally learn about the woman who put the Jane in Lumberjanes, as well as the Camp's original proprietor Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet. I can honestly say this plot point was surprising and satisfying.

    -More Rosie and Abigail content.

    -A little more character growth on April's part, which is always appreciated.

    -Forestry (which as a former ecology/biology student is always my jam)

    The criticism:
    -While the Roanoke gals are the only current campers in this volume, the focus isn't really on them. I didn't mind this at all! I was really interested in the camp lore, but if you're looking for a lot of focus on the girls/ major character development moments on their part, this isn't the volume. Also not a lot of Jen, so if the long suffering cabin leader is your favorite character you might feel disappointed by her lack of involvement here.

  • Clare

    4 out of 5 stars.

    This volume is getting a 4 purely because of the art style of the flashback sequences.

    To be fair, this volume did have a pretty decent story. I liked the idea of two separate timelines, and it was nice to see more of Rosie and have development for the adult characters in the story. I really liked that it incorporated some genuine educational elements this time around - you don't get to really learn about the environments of a story at a scientific level that often, so to have some genuine learning happening was a nice touch.

    The only thing that let this book down was the continuation of that other art style. The differences between the two timelines was so stark, going back to the main characters started to feel tedious because it felt as though one art style was doing more work to tell a decent story than the other style.

  • Cale

    A virulent plant is the antagonist in this volume, but the conflict serves as a way to dig into the past and even the origins of the Lumberjanes, and build out a bit more the relationship between Rosie and Abigail. The insights into the history of the Lumberjanes and what led to its formation is interesting, but there really isn't much going on here with our cabin of mainstays - while they are present, they serve more as a framing device and don't get to do much.
    Still, the story still has the charm of Lumberjanes and there's some great moments (especially with axes); it just feels a little too distracted with its history to give much development time to our main cast. But the art works well throughout, and getting to see a bit more of Rosie (and Abigail) is a nice perk too.

  • Liberty

    I can’t believe how close I’m getting to the end of the Lumberjanes comics. It hit me when I was reading this volume today because they mentioned summer almost being over. For those who don’t know, the Lumberjanes comics follow the girls of the Roanoke cabin at Miss Qiunzilla Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hard-Core Lady-Types. In this volume we watch the Janes as they fight back a plant trying to invade the forest. As well, we get a dive into how the camp started and how it continued on when it looked like it might not last. But what I loved the most was getting more of Abigail and Rosie’s story. We only got a little here and there, but it was still a lot of fun. I’m going to be so sad when this series is over for me.

  • Brad McKenna

    Notes pour moi:

    We're back to an Roanoke Cabin only adventure. The girls are out chopping wood, and then an invasive strangler vine, with Rosie as punishment. Abigail shows up and helps out.

    We also get the story of how the LumberJanes were founded: the OG Jane was Miss Quinzella's daughter who ran away to become a lumberjack because the original purpose of the camp was to make sure girls could be girly even in the most ungirliest of places. When Jane returns, she finds her mom has to sell the camp. Jane buys it and turns the camp into what it is today.

    After the battle with the "Tricky Sticky" as Rip calls it, Abigail accepts an invitation back to camp.

  • Sesana

    Apparently the penultimate volume. There's basically three things going on here: random supernatural hijinks with a creepy tree, the relationship between Rosie and Abigail, and the origin story of the Lumberjanes as an organization and of the camp. The tree thing is pretty much in the background, and that's fine, but wedging in both the Rosie/Abigail and origin story doesn't quite work in only four issues. They both feel sort of shortened, especially the origin story. Still a very fun book to read, and I'll be sorry to see it go.

  • Jaime Leigh

    This one was fun. Loved seeing Abigail come back to hang with Rosie and the gang. Also really enjoyed getting the backstory for how the Lumberjanes were actually formed and seeing flashbacks to previous Janes. Did get a little board with all the tree talk but that's about it. Interested in this new mysterious bird and what the story may be with that. It seemed like the insinuation was that Jane may be the bird, maybe? Hopefully we'll actually find out and it won't be a plot line that never gets picked up again (which has happened in the past).

  • Abigail Pankau

    The Lumberjanes have to help Rosie with a project, and discover an invasive vine that is destroying trees in the forest. Rosie’s old friend Abigail shows up to help, and as they work through some past issues, the Janes read an old diary that Molly found written by Jane, the very first Lumberjane. It’s a nice story about holding onto friendships and taking care of nature to keep the balance. Still a fun series and looking forward to seeing how it’s eventually going to wrap up.

  • Danielle

    This volume of the Lumberjanes was so much fun because we finally got to see into the foundation of the Lumberjanes camp. I hadn't really questioned much of how the camp started, but now that I've seen some of that history, I want to know more. How many generations of Lumberjanes have passed through the camp until we got to our famous five?

    I loved that the Roanoke campers had different hairstyles when cutting up the tree. Seeing Ripley in those darling little pigtails made me want to read these chapters over and over again.

    I'm excited to see what will happen in the last volume of the Lumberjanes as they wrap up their time at camp. Will our questions be answered? Will I have more questions than answers?

  • Kitty

    annan lausa lisapunkti selle liini eest, kus n2idati vanaaegseid laagritydrukuid ja r22giti 2ra see lugu, kuidas neist yldse Lumberjane'id said. yldse ysna puuraiumiskeskne osa oli seekord. kena kompaktne, v2he tegelasi (isegi Jen ei saanud pildile, aiunult Rosie ja Roanoke'id ja Abigail). selgelt hakatakse sarja otsi kokku t6mbama ja pigem selline minevikku vaatav ja tausta selgitav osa oli, uusi kolle ja seiklusi (peaaegu) ei lisandunud. ja pildid olid okeid ja tegelased 2ratuntavad :)

  • Katie Kaste

    The Lumberjanes are off completing their punishment for sneaking off when an evil plant starts to attack. They go out to help the director and Abby fight the plant. There is a secondary storyline of how the camp started as well. This was another fun volume in the Lumberajesn series. The art quality has improved in the last two episodes with only a few moments of not-fun art. I can't wait to finish up this comic series.