Early Reader Review: Delicates by Brenna Thummler

Source:  From Oni Press in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

Delicates by Brenna Thummler 

Series: Sheets #2
Publisher: Oni Press
Publication Date: March 16, 2021  

 

Format: Ebook

Rating: 

Goodreads Synopsis: 

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. 

Book 1 Review- 

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Review: 

Trigger Warnings: This book includes racism, bullying, and mentions of suicide.

Delicates is the sequel to the Graphic Novel called Sheets, while you can understand this whole new addition without having read the first one, it does put more into context if you have read it. 

Delicates follows Marjorie and her friendly ghost companion Wendell, as she attempts to fit in and be accepted by the cool crowd. Wendell is continually left out and feeling very sad about it. In attempts to be part of the group he keeps following Marjorie and making things more difficult for her. 

We also have an alternate point of view, Eliza is the 'weird kid', a loner, who likes to take photos and believes that there are ghosts that she can capture on film, making her even more of an outcast. 

This book focuses on what is means to fit in and the struggle to fit in or even just be seen at all. It also has themes in dealing with loss. Overall, the plot, while a bit sad, is a good one. It follows a common struggle teens face - fitting in, and concepts of bullying and how to overcome those obstacles and ask for help when you are feeling like things are too much. Both the characters in this book have real emotions and are relatable, the only outlandish thing is Wendell being a ghost, but he also has emotions that are very realistic.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and I really enjoyed this one as well. I think it would be alright for Sheets to have been a stand-alone, but this follow up again focuses on important issues with mental health and safety and It might be what someone really needs.