Delicates (2) (Sheets)

Wow! I was not expecting a Graphic Novel to turn my emotions so upside down.‘Delicates’ is the Sequel to ‘Sheets’, which I had not read yet, but it stood on its own well.Marj is an eighth grade student who has recently lost her mother. She, her dad, and younger brother are still navigating grief. Luckily, Marj has the help of her best friend, Wendell. Only, she can’t share that friendship with the rest of her friends because Wendell lacks a body.While Wendell wishes he were not a ghost, another new acquaintance feels like taking her paranormal fascination a step further by becoming a ghost herself. She already feels like she qualifies. No one seems to see her.The author gives voice to those things we often find hard to speak.A truly beautiful read.

About halfway through the book I was still wondering to myself where is this story going? And when you finally get to where the story leads up to, you realize that the storyline isn’t good at all. The first book of the series was definitely better and had more action. Delicates started off slow, went nowhere for a while, and then the story resolves it self in such a lame way. Kind of disappointed because I was expecting some thing as good as the first one.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, Sheets -- I wasn't terribly sold on the art style, but the story was both cute and surprisingly emotional, dealing with grief and death in a sensitive manner. I assumed the story was a stand-alone and that it wouldn't have a sequel... but then Delicates came out and proved me wrong. It deal with a lot of weighty issues and is decidedly less adorable, with the ghostly element taking a back seat... but it's still a powerful graphic novel that makes some much-needed statements.Marjorie's life hasn't been the same since she befriended Wendell, a ghost... and since Wendell and his friends have begun hanging out at her family's laundromat. Not only is she still trying to help her family cope with her mother's death and managing most of the laundromat, but she's been accepted into the popular clique at school... at the expense of her friendship with Wendell. And when said clique's attention falls on Eliza, an awkward loner obsessed with photographing ghosts, and said clique decides to make her life miserable, Marjorie has to decide where her real friendships lie.I'm still not a huge fan of the artist's art style, and some of the color choices come across as weird -- a lot of pink and aqua despite the story supposedly taking place in the fall. Characters don't emote much, often having the same expression no matter what's going on around them. This is somewhat understandable with the ghostly characters, whose faces only consist of eyes and a mouth... but when said ghosts manage to be more expressive than the humans, it's a problem.The story focuses less on its ghostly element, save Wendell and his relationship with both Marjorie and Eliza, and more on the human characters. And it does feel like some plot threads were left hanging, such as with Marjorie's father. But it's still a story that packs a surprising emotional punch, tackling not just grief but bullying in a sensitive manner. And it makes it clear that inaction can be just as harmful as active malice when it comes to bullying, and that it can be just as hurtful to stand by and do nothing as it can be to participate in the awful behavior.Delicates is less cute than its predecessor, but still isn't afraid to deal with a difficult issue head-on, and is a good continuation of Sheets. I'm not sure I'm champing at the bit for a third volume, but if one should come out I'll most likely read it. Hopefully Wendell and company get more attention in it...

A year after the events of the first book, Majorie Glatt is trying to figure out her life. She’s about to start eighth grade and has been trying to get the attention of her crush all summer but has found herself a new member of his mean group of friends instead. Her new friends have begun to target one of their classmates, Eliza Duncan. Eliza is obsessed with trying to photograph ghosts, which has made her even less popular than before. Bullied and feeling invisible everywhere else in her life, Eliza is getting closer to wanting to become one of the ghosts she has been trying to find.I read the first book and loved it, so I knew I had to pick this one up when I saw it was becoming a series. I was a little confused since the first book wrapped up in a way that seemed like a stand-alone story, but I decided to pick it up anyway. The first book is about Majorie, who was trying to find her place in the world as well as figure out how to continue life without her mother. This time around, we see it’s been a year and she’s still trying to find her place. Unfortunately for her, she thinks that place might be with a group of mean people claiming to be her friends.The story expands a bit, and we follow another character, Eliza, as well. Eliza is used to being bullied and her interests, ghosts and ghost photography, doesn’t help her make friends. She does try, but those who are not bullying her aren’t interested in befriending a girl dubbed as weird. Meanwhile, Majorie is busy trying to fit in with her new friends and stands on the sidelines as the bullying occurs.As the book continues, we see the two of them begin to overcome their individual struggles. Depression and suicide are present in Eliza’s plot, so that is something to take into consideration before giving this book to younger readers. Bullying is also prevalent. I like that this book encourages readers to speak up about depression in addition to encouraging readers to look at how their actions and their friend’s actions impact others.I think this is a great follow-up to the first book and it covers some very important topics. I’m interested in seeing if there will be a third book in the series or if this will end at two books.

I may have squealed from excitement when I received this book as I forgot I’d preordered it and when the release date was...

Absolutely amazing book - by far one of my faves !!

Marjorie è riuscita ad entrare nel gruppo più popolare della scuola, grazie alle uscite pseudoromantiche con Colton, nonostante con queste persone non abbia nulla in comune. Sono sciocchi, superficiali e bullizzano quelli diversi da loro. New entry è Eliza, una ragazza con la passione per la fotografia, alla disperata ricerca di scatti unici che riprendano dei fantasmi. Ma è proprio questa sua peculiarità che la rende imbarazzante agli occhi dei suoi coetanei e pian piano la isola, facendole desiderare di essere invisibile, a suo modo un fantasma.Ammetto che il primo volume mi è piaciuto di più ma anche questo tocca temi profondi e decisamente delicati. Fa male leggere di quanto Eliza si senta sola e di come gli altri non se ne accorgano, che siano compagni bulli o famigliari. Ma fa ancora più male rendersi conto che Marjorie, che nel primo libro era lei la ragazza "invisibile", viva per inerzia e che, non intervenendo a difesa delle vittime, si renda complice delle cattiverie del suo nuovo gruppo di "amici". Mi ha fatto riflettere su come, proprio lei che era sola, non riesca a vedere che anche Eliza sta provando il suo stesso smarrimento. Fondamentalmente è la storia di tutti i giorni nella vita reale: quando stiamo male, chi ci sta attorno magari non se ne accorge; ma noi, siamo in grado di leggere la sofferenza silenziosa negli altri?Tornando alla trama, il fatto che Marjorie abbia questo nuovo gruppo di amici la fa allontanare da Wendell e dagli altri fantasmi e la cosa mi ha spezzato il cuoricino... Wendell va protetto a tutti costi! E' il migliore amico fantasma che vorrei.

Wie schon der erste Teil hat mich auch der zweite sehr begeistert .