By: Samantha Ward
In the world of books, graphic novels are highly underrated. They go far beyond the better-known sub-genre of superhero comics. For decades now, artists have used this medium to tell a wide range of stories from a family’s experience fleeing war-torn Vietnam to a young adult antihero’s quest to find love and self-acceptance to a story about the hardships of a middle school girl and how a kid ghost helps her along the way. Brenna Thummler’s debut novel, “Sheets,” is wonderfully illustrated and told in a way that draws in readers of any age with its quaint setting, lovable protagonists and honest look at dealing with difficult experiences. It is a book I would recommend to any reader, especially one who is easing their way into the world of graphic novels.
The story looks at the life of a middle school girl named Marjorie who is dealing with the aftermath of her mom dying, her dad falling into a depression and consequently the daunting task of keeping the family laundromat business afloat on her own while a man attempts to sabotage them to get the building for himself. At the same time, a ghost named Wendell who died as a kid is struggling to accept his new existence as a spirit, so he journeys back to the human world to find a place where he belongs. Crossing paths with Marjorie, he at first accidentally makes more trouble for her but ends up being the helping hand she needed to reach a better point.
I adore the art style in Sheets. With a coordinated palate of muted blues and pinks, the visual aspect of the entire book flows seamlessly. Thummler’s technique of using warmer hues for the occasional flashback surprised me at first, but I think this technique works well in telling the story. Thummler also has a knack for drawing very expressive faces without going over the top. This especially works well in a format where dialogue isn’t relied on as heavily and we don’t have a way of hearing tones used. Compared to other graphic novels I’ve read, the layout of Sheets is simplistic, similar to that of many comic books with predictable patterns of smaller blocking. For a story like this, I don’t necessarily see that as a bad thing. It helps the reader keep with the flow of the plot without having to figure out which part to look at next. In scenes where it makes sense, there are occasional changes to this pattern from full double-page spreads to wider or longer blocks for drawings. Every detail in the visual aspects of this book feels intentional and works together to help tell the story.
Despite the fantasy elements of the book with the presence of ghosts, this story feels painfully real. As someone who still has both of her parents, it is hard for me to imagine how difficult it must be to go through something like the death of your mother as a young kid. On top of that, her journey of processing this situation and endurance through the trials of trying to keep the family business going make for a compelling, dynamic character. It pulled at my heart to see the way she struggled through situations no child should ever have to go through, and this story symbolizes those in real life who have to face similarly trying scenarios. I appreciate that Thummler doesn’t just focus on Marjorie’s endurance but places an emphasis on the importance of getting support from others in order to get to a better place. While at times it feels like the world is against her, Marjorie does have some friends on her side who make a difference. Even these side-characters are developed in a way that makes them realistic and interesting. The only character I have some complaints about is the antagonist Mr. Saubertuck. He feels like a villain out of an old cartoon: conspicuous, not relatable and quirky just for the sake of making him different from the other characters. He’s a plot device used to move the story along, but his motivations and methods for pursuing them don’t match the tone of the rest of the book. Some reworking of this character would make a huge difference in the overall story.
While there are some small flaws here and there, overall this is a wonderful graphic novel. It surprised me to learn this was Brenna Thummler’s first book as the quality level is that of far more experienced illustrators and authors. I give this book four stars for its pleasing aesthetic, realistic characters and ability to tell a story all ages can enjoy. I’m pleased to say Thummler is signed to create a sequel called “Delicates” which will continue to follow the story of Marjorie and Wendell. You can be certain I’m buying it as soon as it’s released.
Your review is well-written! I’ve never read a graphic novel, but I would love to check out “Sheets.”