Graphic novel spotlight - Plain Jane and the Mermaid

 

Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol

There are many stories about plucky young girls who go on adventures. Girls who are lovely but come from low class homes and wish to improve their circumstances. This is not one of those stories. Jane is a character who has never been enough. Too plain for her mother. Too female for her father. Too much of a dreamer for her peers. She doesn't have a lot of options in society. And with her home threatened by a predatory relative, she goes after the one thing she thinks can save her - marriage to an attractive but low income young man in town. This sends her on a reluctant quest with mermaids and witches and undersea societies. With dynamic illustrations and pleasantly complex characters this book is a delight to read and leaf through time and again.

 Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley