Review: "Friends With Boys"

Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks
3.5 out of 5 stars

This graphic novel had been on my to-buy list for a long time and when I saw it at the convention Saturday for $5, I figured that was a sign for me to buy it! Unfortunately, I missed the sign that said it would be $2.50 10 minutes later. :( But I was still happy I bought it. This is a quick little read, I actually started it on the train home and got halfway thru it. I marked it down half a star only because I really feel like it needs a sequel, but it doesn't look like there are plans for one right now. I'd love to check out some of her other work though.

Maggie is the youngest in her family, with 3 brothers, and is about to start high school. This is a big deal for her, not just because it's high school, but because she has been homeschooled by her mom all her life up until now. The family has a tradition of going to public school starting in 9th, which I think is not a great time personally. Way too many changes and rules and chaos going on. Maggie is both excited and terrified. Apparently, their mother ran off a few months (weeks? days? not sure) before and their father is the new chief of police. Things are tense, to say the least.

I really liked all the characters, even though some weren't as fleshed out as I would have hoped. Maggie is that perfect blend of awkward and quirky, even when she is being haunted. Yes, there are ghosts too...this book has everything! Her twin brothers and oldest brother all had their own stories that I wanted to read more about. For example, Daniel is a senior and apparently had a rough time when he first started, with the popular group of boys on the volleyball team. Because of that, he is suspicious of Maggie's new friends, outcast siblings Lucy and Alistair. There are hints of a crush on and by several people, but the book is just not long enough for anything to develop. That is honestly my biggest criticism, so that's pretty good right? I want more!

The artwork and style was decent and worked well with the story. Hicks is very good at emotional faces (although Maggie looked a bit too much like her brothers (boyish) in some spots) and she really knows how to use her positive and negative spaces well. (That was fancy art wording hah!) Overall, I would definitely recommend this book!