*I was given an ARC of The Summoning Vol. 1 in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Oni Press and Elyse Castro for my copy of the graphic novel*
Synopsis:
Follow Claire, a young witch, and her kitty Familiar, Edgar, as they seek to hone her magikal abilities in this cozy, coming-of-age tale based on the hit animated Frederator Studios short viewed by millions around the world!
Claire specializes in the magic of manifestation, creating art pieces that are capable of coming to life! But she wants to do more, and to be more, with her magic—so when she learns that a prestigious magikal institution called the Ridgewood Coven is accepting applicants for the first time in years, she’s determined to make her mark and improve her skills.
But first, Claire has to pass the Coven’s rigorous application process. With the help of Edgar, her curmudgeonly rabbit neighbor Flufftops, her magikal rival Swan, and host of new friends, Claire is going to make works of art, summon ghosts, battle trolls, and even befriend Death—but will it be enough to impress the Coven and secure a spot within their ranks? Or will Claire’s self-doubt keep her from manifesting magikal art ever again?
Through it all, the sinister secrets of the closed-off Ridgewood Coven slowly come to light. Not everything is as it seems, and difficult decisions lie ahead: Will Claire be up to the task?
A wonderful world of magic, art, and friendship awaits readers in the first volume of The Summoning, the debut graphic novel from artist Elyse Castro, creator of the animated short of the same name!
Review:
The Summoning is a whimsically witchy graphic novel that is fun from start to finish. I’m a big fan of witchy graphic novels and this was a great one.
I have to start this review by talking about the wonderfully quirky art style. It has a hand drawn quality to it that was really quite lovely. I’ve always been a fan of spooky, slightly creepy things so The Summoning is right up my street. Weirdly, I’m glad this wasn’t a colour graphic novel as I think it would have been overwhelming with how much detail is on every page.
This world is filled with magical creatures, some of which are witches and others that are familiars. I was a little confused as to why Claire is a cat-like creature and her familiar is also a cat, but they had a lovely partnership. It’s not a typical witch-familiar relationship. Claire doesn’t treat Edgar like he’s there to work for her, they have more of an equal partnership. Their friendship was one of my favourite parts of The Summoning.
The magic system was also really cool. Claire’s manifestation magic was really interesting and it could have had some really dire consequences. She quite literally summons a demon at one point, but don’t worry, it’s fine apparently.
It felt like some parts of the story were a little all over the place, but I did really enjoy the trials. It was interesting to see how the different magics were used to solve the same problem. I especially enjoyed the final trial that had the coven-wannabes trying to grow a variety of plants. This trial led to some great character development and again, the artwork was lovely.
I’d highly recommend checking out The Summoning if you’re looking for a cute, cosy and kooky read. The debut graphic novel takes you on a fun journey with gorgeous artwork and loveable characters.
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