Review: Frostbite (Graphic Novel) by Richelle Mead

9723976Frostbite
(Vampire Academy Graphic Novel, #2)
By: Richelle Mead, Leigh Dragoon (Adapter), Emma Vieceli (Illustrator)
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: May 24, 2012
Genre: Paranormal/YA/Graphic Novel
Rating:
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Goodreads

A Strigoi attack puts St. Vladimir’s on high alert, and the Academy whisks its students away on a mandatory Holiday ski trip. But the glittering winter landscape and posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back at the Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose – and her heart – are in more danger than she could have imagined.

 

 

1thoughts

These graphic novels can be read by both those who’ve read the series and those who haven’t. Leigh Dragoon made sure that the essence of Frostbite is in the pages of the graphic novel. However, I highly recommend you read the books. While Leigh does a wonderful job adapting the story to a graphic novel, some of the complexity of the characters/situation gets left behind. After-all, there is only so much you can fit into a graphic novel. So, while the graphic novel series can be read without reading the series itself, those who’ve read the novels will probably enjoy these a lot more because we are seeing characters that we’ve only pictured in our minds drawn out for us to actually see. Regardless, Leigh did an amazing job taking a 327 page novel and adapting it into a 144 page graphic novel.

Even though the book starts off with a run down of the key players of the story, these books can not be read as a stand-alone. You need to read the Vampire Academy graphic novel before reading Frostbite.  The recap you get in the beginning is more of a refresher than to actually catch you up to speed. Once the refresher is out of the way the book moves onto the story itself and all the extra filler that’s in the novel is removed to make way for the key points of the story. So, in the end we get the heart of the story. Not to mention the artwork that Emma Vieceli did is amazing. It’s really great seeing the characters come to life. Especially since this is the installment where we get to meet Adrian! Seeing the characters drawn out really helped me envision them better. For some reason I did not picture Eddie as a beefy blonde. I honestly pictured him as a skinny brunette. So apparently I missed something when I read the series. HaHa

I’m not normally a fan of graphic novels. I’ve tried a few from different series that I’d enjoyed reading but they just didn’t work out for me. I don’t know what it was but I wound up not finishing them. However, there’s just something about these ones that hold my attention every time. Even though I know what’s going to happen, the illustrations pull me in and have me on the edge of my seat or swooning every time. However, I did take a star away because it lost some of it’s complexity when it was converted to the graphic novel. This story has so much heartache, so much confusion and internal battle, and you just don’t fully feel that with the graphic novel. Regardless though, this is a great graphic novel.

If you are a Vampire Academy fan than you have got to get your hands on these graphic novels. You will not be disappointed.

 

1favepartD&RI’d be a big fat stinkin’ liar if I didn’t say my favorite part was when Dimitri and Rose finally kiss without anything in the way. Sure, it was great seeing scenes come to life and I will admit that I really enjoyed the scene between Dimitri and Rose on the roof of the building where Rose finally decides to let go of Dimitri and try to move on with her life. However, this right here tops the cake for me. I’ve rooted for these two from the moment he told her that defending Lissa against him and his guardian team while in her bloodloss state was stupid but very brave.

 

 

Previous reviews from the Vampire Academy graphic novels
Vampire Academy

kRISTIN

14 Thoughts on “Review: Frostbite (Graphic Novel) by Richelle Mead

  1. I haven’t read the series or graphic novels on these yet, they’re on my TBR though! One day I’ll get around to the series 🙂 I love when the illustrations manage to pull you in. I have issues with a few graphic novels I’ve read for not managing to keep my attention.

    • I know you will be able to find the series at your local library when you decide to read them. It’s my favorite series of all time. Very rarely does a series hold my interest but I was hooked throughout the entire thing. I still need to finish the spin-off though. I’ve been kind of lacking with Bloodlines.

  2. Aww man I never tried graphic novels yet, they do look so good 😀

    • You should give them a try. This is by far my favorite GN so far. I’ve tried Patricia Briggs and Stephanie Myers, both books I loved but I didn’t wound up DNF’ing the graphic novels.

  3. I’m not a big graphic novel fan but I love TVA books so I might have to give these ones a go.

    • I’ve tried other GN’s and wound up putting them down. Either the story line was all over the place or the illustrations were not that great. However, these ones I love. I think I will check out Leigh Dragoon and Emma Vieceli’s other work. So far I’ve really liked what they’ve done with this adaptation.

  4. I’m not a graphic novel reader either. I think it’s the graphics, they distract me too much to the point that it takes me double, if not triple, the time to finish them!

    • I’m hit or miss. The illustrations have to be on point and the story has to be there. Otherwise it’s just drawings on paper for me. Kinda like reading a book. If the author can’t draw me in, it’s all just words on paper. So far this is the only graphic novel I’ve enjoyed.

  5. I haven’t read any graphic novels before, but have been curious about these, because I love the VA series. Glad you are liking them, and thanks for the heads up about reading them all together.

    Naomi @ Naomi’s Reading Palace

    • If you’ve read the series then you know what’s going on but for anyone who’s just starting out with the graphic novels as their intro to VA, then yes they must be read in order. You definitely need to pick up a copy. This graphic novel series is the only one I’ve enjoyed so far. I’ve tried Patricia Briggs and Stephanie Myers and I think a couple of others that I randomly picked up at the library and wound up putting them down before I even finished them. Leigh Dragoon and Emma Vieceli did an amazing job with this.

  6. Ot’s nice that you were caught by the story in these ones even if comics aren’t usually for thing. I have read the first real book but not this comics one. It’s fun sometimes, mainly to see the story in a different format. Maybe one day!

    • Obviously I didn’t picture the characters as cartoons but I feel like Emma Vieceli understood the characters and was able to portray them in the graphic novel perfectly.

  7. I am not a big graphic novel fan, but I love the Vampire Academy series so I have always been curious about these editions. The artwork is really awesome so they might be worth it for that alone. So glad you enjoyed this version of Frostbite. Great review!

    • You’ve got to try them. Especially if you are a VA fan like myself. The illustrations are great. I feel like Emma Vieceli understood the characters a lot more than whoever did the casting for the VA movie.

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