Written by contributor Lauren Marie
The Witches of Brooklyn is a graphic novel by French-American author Sophie Escabasse and follows 12-year-old Effie, who is forced to live with her Aunts in Brooklyn, following the death of her mother. Effie doesn’t know her Aunts and must adjust to life without her mother in a new house, a new school, and with her weird, old Aunties.
Then, without warning in the middle of the night, Tilly Shoo, famous singer and Effie’s idol, appears at her Aunties door asking for help. Tilly’s entourage demand that Tilly’s mysterious illness be cured. Whilst helping her Aunties find a cure for the affliction, Effie discovers that her Aunties are witches.
This book really surprised me because since it’s a middle grade graphic novel, I was expecting a fun, upbeat book that wasn’t very deep. However, that wasn’t the case. I was shocked to discover that Escabasse used the graphic novel to actually talk about matters usually avoided in children’s books and she has done so in a very fun and sensitive way.
The graphic novel features LGBT+ characters: Effie’s Aunty, Selimene, has a female partner, Carlota. It never explicitly states that the two are a couple, however, it is obvious that they are a romantic couple. Escabasse presented Selimene and Carlota like she would a hetero couple. None of the other characters seem to mind and there was no mention of homophobia or homophobic comments. Escabasse normalised same sex relationships in The Witches of Brooklyn, which I loved because I think it’s important for contemporary novels aimed at younger audiences to portray same sex relationships as normal and in a positive light.
It also portrays grief and mentions dead parents, but this is not the focus. Effie’s mother has died, which is why she must live with her Aunties. While Effie tries to adjust to her new life she is, of course, also dealing with the grief of losing her mother. This doesn’t last longer than a few panels and this part has me torn. While I wish this part was expanded on further and the grief and missing her mother lasting longer than one night, I am aware that it is a children’s book and is suppose to be kept light and airy.
Other parts of the story I liked were the coloured depictions. They were vibrant and clear and also easy to follow. I never felt like I was lost with the action, or confused about what the characters were doing in each panel. I also liked the humour, brought by a certain sassy, comic relief character (who shall remain unnamed, so I don’t reveal spoilers), especially since it was more family humour than childish humour, which meant I could enjoy it as well.
Without a doubt, my favourite aspect of this book were the characters. I found the three main characters, Selimene, Carlota, and Effie to be well thought out and dynamic. For a short, children’s book, these characters had great depth. While, this story was more plot driven, these three characters keep you engaged and interested in the story. Each character was unique, however, Escabasse used just the right amount of complimentary traits between Carlota and Selimene to present a compatible couple.
Overall, I thought this book was really well written and beautifully drawn. It has everything going for it. A beautiful story with interesting, engaging characters and subtle messages perfect for children. I recommend this book for any and all young readers.
The Witches of Brooklyn is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of September 1st 2020.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
There’s a new witch in town! Life in Brooklyn takes a strange turn when Effie discovers MAGIC runs in the family.
A middle-grade graphic novel adventure filled with magical hjinks for fans of Phoebe and Her Unicorn and Making Friends .
Effie lost her mom.
Lost her home.
And now she has to live with two strange aunts who she’s never met before.
Life in Brooklyn takes a strange twist for Effie as she learns more about her family and herself. With new friends who will do whatever they can to be there for her, a cursed pop-star, and her new magically-inclined family — Effie’s life is about to get interesting.
