Bloom
Ratings132
Average rating3.7
Bloom est un roman graphique tout récent, puisqu'il a été publié fin janvier 2019 par First Second. Il est signé Kevin Panetta au scénario et Savanna Ganucheau au dessin. Je ne sais plus exactement dans quelles circonstances j'en ai entendu parler mais le résumé m'avait tout de suite donné envie de le lire et je n'ai pas résisté longtemps avant de l'acheter :
Now that high school is over, Ari is dying to move to the big city with his ultra-hip band—if he can just persuade his dad to let him quit his job at their struggling family bakery. Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easygoing guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom . . . that is, if Ari doesn't ruin everything.Writer Kevin Panetta and artist Savanna Ganucheau concoct a delicious recipe of intricately illustrated baking scenes and blushing young love, in which the choices we make can have terrible consequences, but the people who love us can help us grow.
This is a soft, beachy read. It's a little bit Steven Universe (beachside setting), a little bit Scott Pilgrim (group of friends in a band), a little bit [b:Check, Please! 37534577 Check, Please! #Hockey, Vol. 1 Ngozi Ukazu https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1524057162s/37534577.jpg 59136002] (gay + baking). The blue color scheme is both muted and striking, especially given the ethnically diverse set of characters. I especially enjoyed the montage-type page spreads. The tone is consistent, and it's beautiful.My gripe is: the art and tone are so much stronger than the story. Often the dialogue felt choppy. Motivations and relationship dynamics were hazy. I got the gist, but I wanted to better understand why characters felt certain ways and made certain choices. Beyond that, I wanted to see characters and relationships develop more.I didn't need this to be more than a cute coming-of-age story. I just think a quieter plot needs dimensional characters. It's gentle and summery, and the artwork is wonderful. It just didn't get me like [b:The Prince and the Dressmaker 34506912 The Prince and the Dressmaker Jen Wang https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494400495s/34506912.jpg 46116413] or [b:The One Hundred Nights of Hero 28433627 The One Hundred Nights of Hero Isabel Greenberg https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1506013534s/28433627.jpg 48547479].
This was an incredibly beautiful book. While there was a hiccup or two in the story early on, overall I truly loved it from beginning to end.
Bonus points to this book for a small Yuri & Victor cameo ;D
It was the cover of Bloom that reeled me in: the subtle but finely drawn art with the equally hushed blue. I imagined a graphic novel that was intelligent and touching. The final product was much lighter than I expected it to be, definitely one written for a younger audience, or for those who prefer simple storytelling.
There just isn't much depth to the plot—and that's okay. What's perhaps less forgiving is the same lack of depth in the characters. The reader never gets much more than a surface impression of Ari and Hector, even less of their respective friends. I think this is the story's greatest failing. With a story such as this one, the characters have to be more than cute or fun—they have to engage a reader.
What this novel did well? The buildup is good. You know where the story is going—it's obvious—but the author saves that component so that the story moves at a natural pace. It never felt rushed or unnatural. Also, the illustrations were good. They were simple, but convincing, never scrimping on the details of backgrounds and textures.
Overall, Bloom is a very simple, but well rendered love story. I recommend it for fans of graphic novels who prefer simple stories, love displays of affection, or who think in emoticons.
A solid 3.5.
Very cute story. Lots of baking which made me really hungry. Ari can be clueless but he and Hector together are adorable.
Sweet with pretty art across a sweeping layout. Queer without a coming out story, good examples of teen friendships and parent dynamics. A little choppy in the narrative, but enjoyable overall.