Nothing Special

by Matthew | Aug 30, 2024

Callie hates that her father adventures through a magical world while she’s forbidden to set foot outside the village. Worse yet, most of the time she remains in the human realm… as a high school outcast. But on her birthday she she returns home to dim sum, blood stains, and no father. It’s time to break the rules.

Though Callie is soon forms a rescue party, the first volume is truly Callie’s story alone. Her quest to save her father allows her to grow in confidence and realize that she is special. She learns her family secrets, experiences magic, and, perhaps most importantly, makes her first lifelong friends.

Her companions orbit her, obsessed in their own ways. There’s Declan, from the human world, who’s had a crush on her since kindergarten. She’s kidnapped by the flamboyant demon, Lasser, who needs a bride and wonn’t take “no” for an answer. But the naivety under his confidence and Callie’s firm boundary setting eventually find him a place in the group. Finally, there is Radish, literally the spirit of a deceased garnish determined to be the only one allowed to bask in Callie’s glory.

Declan is the focus of the second volume, needing a healer, but the story expands to give each their own character arc. Declan and Callie are finding their balance within a romance and negotiating a future together. Lasser discovers a love for romance novels and a need to connect with others. So far this has poor results as he takes all the wrong lessons from his reading. And Radish probably can only grow so much after death, but they are learning to accept more people into their family. And taking part in some revolutionary tendencies.

This volume has a change of pace, meandering rather than breakneck. This allows for fascinating worldbuilding and character moments. This doesn’t mire the story down at all, though, as humor and energy are always present. A few new characters are introduced and we will definitely want to see more of them in the future.

As a side note, it was gratifying to see that a flirtatious side-joke between Lasser and Declan actually hints at things to come in the next volume rather than being part of a “gay chicken” trope. Also, readers should be aware that while the first volume feels complete, the second ends on a cliffhanger.

Cook’s large eyed characters feel comfortably familiar for web comics and she isn’t afraid to chibi-fy them for a great joke. Her characters always have extremely expressive faces and her style makes excellent use of body language and stances to amplify the emotion. Even without bodies, though, she’s able to give the tiny spirits that flood across her pages plenty of energy and personality.

The main characters of the first volume are predominately lithe and long-limbed but the second includes more body types as Cook seems to stretch her illustration talents. Her artistic style doesn’t change for the second volume, but the world and characters feel richer.

Readers should definitely pay attention to the detailed artwork because the background is full of jokes and pop culture references. Nearly every bit of background text will call out a chuckle, even if a magnifying glass is occasionally required. Cook also loves to play with text in general, often incorporating it into her illustrations in delightful, clever ways. Words may become vined and cursive as they travel through woods or thick and emphatic as something large rumbles towards them. There’s even an amazing set of pages incorporating Scrabble-esque tiles that transcend the panels.

Not that Cook ever feels limited by panels, as most pages include hijinks and commentary in the white spaces. Sometimes entire narratives travel the white space alongside the paneled story.

The characters turn eighteen in the second volume, but it still remains a great teen title that can also be enjoyed by adults. The many pop culture references span decades and may appeal to generations. Librarians may particularly love that books are included, from joke titles to story beats that are reminiscent of anything from The Giving Tree to The Lord of the Rings. Any swearing or off color jokes are just implied.

Nothing Special Through the Elder Woods
By Katie Cook
Ten Speed Press, 2024
ISBN: 9781984862822

NFNT Age Recommendation: Teen (13-16)