Sunburn by Andi Watson

Sunburn Reviews

• 
  Kadi P

  *Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*
  
  What set this comic apart from your average coming of age story was the hint of an unsettling tone in the background. However, the creepy atmosphere and any potential it had built up was completely squandered by an underwhelming ending that fell entirely flat.
  
  The art was beautiful and the blue colour palette and elaborate drawings really captured the beauty of Greece and the holiday adventure vibes. However, the plot was quite repetitive. Even though the holiday was supposed to be exciting because it took place in another country, it seemed rather boring as it involved 1. Eating, 2. Partying and drinking, and 3. Swimming. Those three activities were rotated for a good 180 pages and it felt overdone. There was no particular chemistry between the protagonist and the love interest, it was sort of a romance of convenience given that he was the only boy—nay—the only other teen on an island full of oldies.
  
  The reveal of the truth at the end was such a pivotal moment and the plot had been building up to it the whole time. But the pacing went awry almost immediately following it and the story rushed to wrap itself up by rendering the protagonist a mute idiot who accepted anything her creepy benevolent benefactors did or said. It was a shame to see and made the whole read a waste of time. If the ending had dealt with the fallout of the reveal with more persistence this would’ve garnered 4 stars from me.
• 
  André Habet

  I really enjoyed all the art of the coastal Grecian town. It was a joy to watch and the story moves by at a nice clip. However, there was obviously something sinister in this book's DNA that never gets expressed in a clear way. It seemed unable to commit to the story it wanted to tell, and I left feeling uncomfortable by the story I read.
• 
  Danielle

  This definitely nails the romantic Greek summer aesthetic, but the actual story is so formulaic. Vibes only.
• 
  Anya Smith

  1.5*
  
  I loved the art in this book; the illustrator did a great job of reflecting the beauty of Greece. I particularly liked the consistent colour palette. There was an unsettling and eerie tone throughout the story, but the poor storytelling and unclear plot made it fall flat. I genuinely didn't feel any connection to the characters or particularly care about them, nor was the plot clear enough to actually understand what was going on. The ending was anticlimactic and disappointing. The only redeeming aspect of this graphic novel was the art.
• 
  Bandit

  Is it YA? Isn’t it YA? Difficult to tell. The main protagonist is a sixteen-year-old girl, so yes?
  This is I really liked Watson’s Book Tour and I’ve been reading his other books trying to find more of that literary absurdity, and this wasn’t it. Again. But it’s another one of Watson’s collaborations with a very talented artist whose work I enjoy very much. There’s such great attention to details in his art, so much to see on each page.
  As for the story…it’s thin. A girl travels to Greece, alone, to spend the summer with her father’s friends, who may or may not have ulterior motives for their generosity. The mood hits the right notes. And the destination is rendered perfectly in blues and whites and sun-burnt yellows, just like the real thing.
  All in all, a decent if not memorable quick read.
• 
  Joanne

  From the start I have to say that the palette and coloring of this graphic novel is just idyllic and beautifully done. With its array of blue and tans and pops of primaries, it looks eye-dropped from an actual photo of the Greek coastline.
  
  The plot, however, is another story. It’s creepy, quite frankly. And even if it’s not as disturbing as you think it is, the fact that it could be because these questions aren’t answered, is enough to raise that creep factor anyhoo. I can’t think about it anymore. I’m out.
  
  I’ll give it zero stars for the story and five stars for the art for average of 2.5.
• 
  Alex Sarll

  Not a million miles from Andi Watson and Simon Gane's previous collaboration, the recently reissued Paris, the story here is the most obvious thing in the world: a young woman from a dull background having a romantic awakening in a classically romantic location, this time Greece. And as with Paris, it's OK for the story to be simple because it's mainly there to hang the gorgeous visuals on. Apart from a few scenes of ports and parties, there's much more space here than in Paris' Where's Wally visions of Gallic street life, but it's not empty space; Gane has drawn the rocks and leaves, those little square homes seen from afar, in a style which is at once spare and yet makes you wonder how anyone could have had the time. And then the palette, which likewise is in one sense minimal - white buildings, khaki-ish rocks and plants, blue sea and sky – yet also not, because within the blue in particular there are such tiny, perfect, vast and evocative modulations. This has seriously amped up my excitement about having a trip to Crete booked, just from those blues (and equally, left me puzzled that Sunburn is coming out at the end of October when it's such a summer holiday book).
  
  Also like Paris, it's set in the past, which there made sense (the City of Lights has had a tough few decades since the heyday the comic captured), but here leads to a certain...awkwardness? Dissonance? Basically: it is some point within unglamorous living memory, where the heroine's staid suburban family have not long since had a telephone installed, and all she has to look forward to over summer is a job at the butcher's and a week in Clacton, until some family friends she barely remembers invite her to stay in their villa. Family friends who don't have any kids of their own, and dress her up, and encourage her to drink, and take her to parties, and smile at her romance with a boy she meets there. And so for much of the time I was reading I was thinking, OK, this is absolutely the set-up from a charming coming of age story from 40-70 years ago...but also, read in the now when everything is tainted, am I being lulled into a false sense of security and the sophisticated older couple are a prototype Epstein and Maxwell? Well, normally I wouldn't want to give the game away, but here I would for once have liked to know in advance myself, because it was harshing my idyll, so: things aren't entirely above board, but she's never in any danger beyond hangover and heartbreak.
  
  (Edelweiss ARC)
• 
  Belle

  Beautiful art and setting to this book. It had an interesting underlay to the classic coming of age story, with a nice build up to the secret that is discovered. Overall an enjoyable and short read!
• 
  Sarah

  Creepy at best.
• 
  Federico

  As a coming-of-age graphic novel it had some potential, but at the end of the day it turned out to be quite pointless and repetitive, without any particular plot twists or characters of any particular depth.
  
  STYLING: ⭐⭐
  ORIGINALITY: ⭐⭐
  CHARACTER DEV.: ⭐⭐
  PLOT DEV.: ⭐⭐
  IMPORTANCE: ⭐
• 
  Helene Black

  Before I start discussing the story, I wanted to highlight just how much I love the art style. The colour palette is gorgeous and perfectly fits the island vibes. The donkeys, the scooters, the goats--I was in Crete in May and this comic brought me straight back. Plus, the artist pays a lot of attention to small details (I noticed that Gucci bag straight away!).
  
  Now, to the story. When I saw the reviews here, I was quite shocked. I think a lot of readers read this comic with the wrong expectations, and I also firmly believe that the intended audience is wrong. It's meant for a Teen+ audience, but I'd say it's more suited for adults. A lot of the subtle dialogue will probably fly over your head if you don't pay attention. Why would a girl get invited to a luxury holiday with friends of the family? There are only a couple of explanations.
  
  Contrary to the other reviewers here, I really enjoyed reading this comic. I opened it with the idea of reading it over a few days, but couldn't put it down once I'd started. There was something special about this story. Maybe it was the undoubted "Britishness" or the Greek charm, or maybe the fact that it's set in the 80s or 90s. But I enjoyed every second of it.
  
  Recommended for more mature audiences and lovers of Greece.
  
  I received a copy via NetGalley. All my opinions are my own.
• 
  Estibaliz79

  While I enjoyed the art and the blue and ochre color pallet here, I have to agree with what seems to be the popular opinion: that the storytelling is lacking, especially when it comes to building characters, and the story itself is a bit vague and predictable.
  
  But it is still a very evocative coming of age story, with the Aegean Islands as a true protagonist. The summer vibe is ever present, and the subtle underneath currents of foreboding add some spice to a story that could have certainly be much more interesting...
• 
  J MaK

  This coming of age boasts sweeping Grecian landscapes coupled with the allure old Hollywood glamour.
• 
  Ije the Devourer of Books

  I did enjoy this story and the artwork was excellent in the way it conveyed the beautiful Greek island. It is supposed to be a YA graphic novel but it does come across as adult because of some of the themes in the story.
  
  I did wonder if something awful was going to happen to sixteen-year-old Rachel whose parents’ glamorous friends unexpectedly invite her on a glitzy trip to Greece for the summer holiday. Her parents hadn’t seen these friends for years but quite happily packed their daughter off to Greece for a holiday with perfect strangers who immediately introduced her to wine, skimpy dresses, their partying friends and a young man called Benjamin.
  
  This had ‘safeguarding’ alarms going off in my brain, but the story was quite surprising in the end. Rachel emerges as an excellent character despite the gossipy adults around her and the story is both engaging and surprising.
  
  I also realised that it is high time I visit Greece and experience the sun and sea for myself. This is a lovely story with a courageous young woman as the main character set against the beautiful background of Greece.
  
  Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
  
• 
  Andie

  It was neither bad nor great. I liked the work with the colour, especially the shift in the colours between the bland beginning to the colourful ending. I thought it was a nice way to represent the development of the character, a very much-needed element as the story itself doesn’t show much character development on its own.
  
  Some bits needed, to my opinion, some clarity. I often had the impression some panels were missing as we were skipping from one scene to another too quickly, therefore missing context. The plot twist is easy to misread and doesn’t give off much detail. It is weird to depict a story with little action and have this interesting and crunchy element left as little exploited as possible.
  
  Once the secret is unveiled, not much happens afterward. Of all the possible outcomes of the story and how it could’ve gone, the path chosen was the most passive option possible.
• 
  Murat

  The Mediterranean summer atmosphere is reflected perfectly by unique drawings and a lovely palette. So, as a Mediterranean and comic lover, it's impossible for me not to adore Sunburn by Andi Watson.
  
  The story, on the other hand... Meh.
  
  Sooo, 6 for the art (yep, why not) and 2 for the story. Avg: 4.00
• 
  Melissa

  2.5. It was okay but I didn’t see the point.
• 
  soph ;)

  very pretty but weird ending/plot
• 
  Online Eccentric Librarian

  

  More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog
  http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

  Perhaps it is a sign of modern times that I think most readers will get through half the story and start feeling like it is a set up to a horror novel of kidnapping and pedophilia. However, this is a beautifully told and gently drawn coming of age story set in the late 1950s/early 1960s Greece. Out heroine has lived a boring and staid life in her middle class British home and is given the chance to see a different view of the world in which she lives.
  
  Story: Her Summer looks to be a temp job at the butcher and then a leaky wet caravan in the country for 16 year old Rachel. But then her mother runs into an old friend who moved away years ago - a friend now living in Greece. Rachel is invited to spend her Summer there and she gratefully accepts. What she finds is a glamorous world in which the childless couple introduce Rachel to a Greece of poolside parties, alcohol, and Summer swims. As well, to young and handsome Ben. But there is more going on behind the scenes than the sheltered Rachel will be able to understand or accept.
  
  What starts as a coming of age story of Rachel exploring a life she had never before envisioned soon delves into the nature of relationships and societal mores. To say any more would be to give away key plot points; suffice it to say it is a very well written piece on expectations, innocence, and a view point into lives very different from one's own. It's also a commentary on early 1960s values and a glimpse of the coming turbulent late 1960s.
  
  The artwork is as superb as expected and there is a lot to see and enjoy without the panels being overcrowded or too busy. Artist Gane has a great way of expressing glamor and beauty as well as innocence and naivete. There are many meaningful glances throughout and emotions are often left to the graphics and not the words. This is definitely a story to enjoy slowly as it is never overtold or rushed.
  
  In all, a beautifully written and illustrated piece well worth the read. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
• 
  Olivia Rose

  Thank you to Netgalley and Image Comics for the EARC!
  
  What a beautifully drawn, anxiety inducing book! From the start the concept made me rather uncomfortable, and the book did nothing to soothe my worries. The art is truly some of the most beautiful I’ve ever come across, and I’m glad to have read it! The story left a little to be desired, but overall very enjoyable!
• 
  Carol Tilley

  3.5
• 
  Elizabeth A

  This is an interesting YA graphic novel in that there are unsettling undertones that kept me wondering what was going on.
  
  I don't know who would allow their 16 year old daughter to go spend a summer with people they barely know, in a different country no less, but that's the setup.
  
  This is a coming of age story. Rachel who swaps dreary England for sunny Greece for one summer. She doesn't know the married couple she's going to visit - well, yes she did ride on their dog when she was little - but who would pass up the chance?
  
  I really liked the illustration style, and the above mentioned undertones kept me turning the pages. A quick read with lovely art, and a young teen who has to learn to navigate an adult world far from all that is familiar.
• 
  RainyDayReader

  This graphic novel jumped out to me because of the color palette and art style. It screamed summer to me, which was exactly what I was looking for. The story follows Rachel, a teenage girl, who randomly gets invited to spend the summer with her parent’s acquaintances, the Warners, in Greece. Throughout the summer, she goes to a lot of parties and meets a teenage boy who she begins to fall for. Her hosts are continually pushing her out of her comfort zone, often in slightly unsettling ways that I could never put my finger on. One of the consistent ways they did this was by bringing her to adult parties and encouraging her to drink.
  
  The setting was amazing for the story, perfect for the tone and color palette of blues and whites. The Warners live on top of a hill which gave many opportunities for beautiful panels of the town and water from above.
  
  Unfortunately, the book didn’t end up being a full win for me. The parties the characters went to were very repetitive. Maybe that was purposeful, but it didn’t add to the reading experience or the plot. The biggest issue for me though was the Warners. At the end of the story there is a “revelation” about them that is supposed to hint to why Rachel was invited for the summer. The information given however was not really substantial enough to give the reader a clear idea what in the world was actually happening. You are just left with a weird feeling and no real conclusion or any clarity at all. I apologize for the vague description of this, but I don’t want to spoil for those who choose to read this.
  
  So while the plot is lacking, it is actually worth reading just for the art alone. If you don’t mind some confusion, repetition, and weird vibes, I would recommend this graphic novel because the art really is that nice. I think it really could’ve benefited from less words and more showing through the art.
  
  (Thanks to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.)
• 
  Nettles

  👀😬 I'm sorry what was that reveal??
  
  Getting one star bc the content is genuinely harmful but let it be known that the art deserves 5 and the writing deserves zero!! Simon Gane, this book did not deserve you
  
  The story is so unsettling and creepy and ending anticlimactic that I had to check the other comments on here to make sure I wasn't reading this wrong...????
  
  ~~~~SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS ~~~~
  
  
  (aka me trying to make sense of this plot)
  
  So Rachel gets invited to spend a summer in Greece with her dad's estranged friends out of the blue. While she's there, the wife, Diane, gives her revealing clothing and lipstick and sets her up with a local boy.
  
  The vibes are OFF. The town talks about how Diane has a new young guest every year. Rachel is kinda dating that boy Ben, but she knows something is up between him and Diane.
  
  And the next part is so ambiguous that I don't think a lot of the reviewers made sense of it. I'm still not sure what I read. But I think:
  
  The big reveal? Diane and Ben are sleeping together??? It's implied that the couple invites young people every year to prey on them, but Rachel was invited this year to be in a fake relationship with Ben to keep down rumors.
  
  It's an adult/minor relationship and power dynamic is entirely wrong. Ben has little money to leave, he feels indebted to Diane for getting him a ticket to Greece in the first place. Despite these facts, Rachel is mad at Ben. Rachel says "I would never do what you are doing!" To him as if he wasn't trafficked and like he's the problem.!????
  
  Diane tells Rachel not to make a fuss and implies her husband knows so it's okay? !!!!!????
  
  Rachel leaves and tells everyone she had a great trip and she would love to go back to Greece????????
  
  I get that she's young but this book never hits the right emotional tone with its subject matter and I felt really unsettled knowing Diane and her husband are going to get away with it and keep preying on kids.
  
  Wtf
• 
  Katharine

  Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
  
  With how the plot blurb was written, I expected this graphic novel to be much more dramatic and have more mystery than it actually did. The "mystery plot twist" I guessed correctly from the beginning, and the other "plot twist" I expected didn't happen. I will admit, my hackles were raised when the adult host couple both kept commenting on how "beautiful" Racheal was with weirdly sly smiles to each other right after she arrived in Greece. Thankfully, that ended up being nothing of significance, it was just legitimate compliments. But when the plot blurb exspouses that the novel with have "shocking secrets" and "nothing is what it seems" types of scenes, you're already expecting the worst. The "romance" between Rachael and Benjamin is fairly bland. Stereotypical, teenager summer fling type of plot line. I won't lie, it was a cute little romance, but again when you're expecting mystery and drama, it just falls flat. The "dramatic reveal" at the end felt both out of nowhere and completely predictable. It was one of my primary guesses of how that plotline would end, so I had no emotional reaction to it. Just an "Oh, I was right" moment. I still want to know why they invited her, and why was there a line "They invite a new young person every summer!". My interest was peaked with that line, but then it was literally never brought up again. The art style I did enjoy. The limited palette really added a different vibe and made it feel like the story was set in the 1960's. I'm not sure what time period this novel is set in, but it didn't feel like it was a modern time period.