Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Graphic Novel
Series: Oddly Normal
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Recommend to Others?: Yes
ABOUT: Meet Oddly Normal, a ten-year-old girl with pointed ears and green hair—a half-witch who will be the first to tell you that having a mother from a magical land called Fignation and a father from Earth doesn’t make it easy to make friends at school! On her tenth birthday, she blows out her cake’s candles and makes a disastrous wish. Now, Oddly must travel to Fignation to uncover the mystery of her parents’ disappearance.
My Review: Oddly Normal surprisingly absorbed all my attention; I read it in one sitting. I really like this first volume.
Yes, the main character’s name is Oddly Normal. Her parents named her that. They love her – they really do it seems – but this just sets her up for failure socially. Her green hair and pointy ears don’t help her to fit in either. Nevermind the fact that she’s secretly a half witch. So when she’s whisked off to Fignation, a place of fantasy and oddities by human standards – you’d think she’d be able to fit in for once. But no.
Readers will instantly relate to Oddly, the often all-consuming desire to fit in, pre-teen angst, and the frustration due to parents who don’t get you.
I wasn’t a big fan of the art style at first but I quickly grew to love it. The full pages of artwork absent of text were really beautiful. The illustrations of Fignation gave off edgy, somewhat gothic, fantastical vibes that I liked as well.
Oddly is a great character, the world of Fignation is fascinating, and the plot intrigues me. I’m really interested in finding out what happens next – how Oddly will find her missing parents and survive Menagerie Middle School.
The Bookshelf Corner 