On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

 

I first came across Tillie Walden's On A Sunbeam on a Barnes and Noble trip. I hadn't heard of it before, but the summary sounded interesting and the illustrations looked beautiful. I decided to buy it, but then I proceeded to do what I always do with graphic novels--not read it. I always want to save graphic novels for "the perfect time." I think this is because they are quick reads, so I hang onto them for times where it might be difficult to read something longer, like vacations. I really wanted to get to this one though, so I put it on my 22 in 2022 Challenge list. Lucky for me, I found a "perfect time" for it this week, when I knew that my new work and school schedule would be limiting my reading time.

The plot of the novel follows a teenage girl named Mia. As the novel begins, she joins the crew of a spaceship that travels across the galaxy restoring old buildings. The work isn't easy, but she soon develops the skills she needs for it and begins making friends with her new crewmates. Things are going well until she makes a mistake that threatens to pull the team apart. Interspersed with this story are flashbacks to Mia's time in high school that recount her relationship with a girl named Grace. Grace is Mia's first true love, but their relationship ended abruptly when Grace left school to deal with some family issues. The past and present storylines collide when Mia finds an opportunity to bring her teammates back together and reach out to Grace one final time.

I thought this novel was terrific. The illustrations were really beautiful and the story was surprisingly complex and emotional. Mia was a well-developed character with enough good qualities to be likable and enough flaws to feel genuine. Her relationship with Grace was very sweet and I wanted them to find a way to be together by the end of the story. Her crewmates were very likable as well; each one had a distinct personality and were interesting to read about. There was great representation throughout, with different ethnicities and sexualities spread amongst the characters.

Similarly, the sci-fi setting of the novel was imaginative and well-designed. The buildings, spaceships, and different worlds were original and creative. The world-building was excellent and provided the perfect backdrop to the story. I especially loved the design of Mia's ship, which looked like a giant fish swimming through space. The illustrations showed off the details of the world perfectly--dream-like and pretty. It was a pleasure to look at each page.

On A Sunbeam was one of the strongest graphic novels I have ever read, and I'm glad to have finally picked it up this year. It's a sci-fi adventure and a sweet romance all wrapped into one beautifully illustrated package. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes graphic novels...or anyone that likes sci-fi...or anyone, really. 

 

Challenge Tally

22 in 2022: 20/22

Total Books Read in 2022: 85