Delicates by Brenna Thummler
Title: Delicates (Sheets, #2)
Author: Brenna Thummler
Publisher: Lion Forge/Caracal
Release date: 16th March 2021
Genre(s): sequential art, graphic novel, children, middle grade, mental health, fantasy, supernatural
Pages: 317
Book purchase links: Book Depository | Amazon
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book Blurb
Following the events of the bestselling graphic novel, Sheets, Delicates brings Brenna Thummler’s beloved characters, artwork, and charm back to life.
Marjorie Glatt’s life hasn’t been the same ever since she discovered a group of ghosts hiding in her family’s laundromat. Wendell, who died young and now must wander Earth as a ghost with nothing more than a sheet for a body, soon became one of Marjorie’s only friends. But when Marjorie finally gets accepted by the popular kids at school, she begins to worry that if anyone learns about her secret ghost friends, she’ll be labeled as a freak who sees dead people. With Marjorie’s insistence on keeping Wendell’s ghost identity a secret from her new friends, Wendell begins to feel even more invisible than he already is.
Eliza Duncan feels invisible too. She’s an avid photographer, and her zealous interest in finding and photographing ghosts gets her labeled as “different” by all the other kids in school. Constantly feeling on the outside, Eliza begins to feel like a ghost herself. Marjorie must soon come to terms with the price she pays to be accepted by the popular kids. Is it worth losing her friend, Wendell? Is she partially to blame for the bullying Eliza endures?
Delicates tells a powerful story about what it means to fit in, and those left on the outside. It shows what it’s like to feel invisible, and the importance of feeling seen. Above all, it is a story of asking for help when all seems dark, and bringing help and light to those who need it most.
(Source: Goodreads)
My Review
Honestly I'm surprised that Delicates by Brenna Thummler is served as a sequel to the first book titled Sheets. I figured it out when I finally finished reading the book. This means that the second book can be read as a standalone as I didn't find the story detaching.
We follow a girl named Marjorie who's been befriending with ghosts(covered in sheets) ever since she's stumbled upon them in her family's laundromat. One of them is a deceased young boy named Wendell who later becomes a special friend to her. However, the relationship between Marjorie and Wendell is getting strained when a group of popular kids invites her into their circle. Marjorie desires the idea of being seen and visible. So she'll do anything in order for the circle to see and accept her.
As I read through these scenes, I felt bad for Marjorie. Her supposed-to-be-friends always act reluctant around her as if they didn't acknowledge her presence at all. A true friend is supposed to accept and embrace your flaws, not belittling them. A true friend is supposed to be there when you're at the lowest point of your life. At this rate, Thummler has successfully fleshed out the characters very well, to the point that I could put myself in Marjorie's shoes.
Then here comes another spotlight of the story, Eliza, Marjorie's classmate, who has a deep passion in capturing pictures of ghosts. Due to that, people around her feel that she's a freak for developing an eccentric hobby that nobody in the class does. Thus, she is labeled as a different one. Howbeit, she still wants to befriend with Marjorie because Marjorie doesn't outcast her like other kids have done.
Having all of these interconnected, Eliza, Marjorie and Wendell together embark on a quest to untangle what has been holding them back from showing the true side of themselves? It's a story that shines through the darkness, a story that people these days often resonates with and a story that has its own originality. With that spellbinding art, please, I want to see more of them in the future.
Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
About the Author
Brenna Thummler grew up in northwestern Pennsylvania, where she developed a great love for nature trails, peanut butter, and, above all, drawing. A graduate of Ringling College of Art and Design, she was named the Society of Illustrators Zankel Scholar during her junior year. Since graduation, she has done editorial and advertising work for such clients as the New York Times, the Washington Post, Razorfish, and Empathic Films LLC. While Anne of Green Gables is her first published graphic novel, her first original graphic novel is Sheets. In those rare moments she’s not creating art, you might find her dancing, making music, baking cheesecakes, or spending time with kindred spirits.
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