Book Review: Northranger by Rey Terciero (Author), Bre Indigo (Illustrator)

Northranger
by Rey Terciero (Author), Bre Indigo (Illustrator)
June 6, 2023
Publisher: HarperAlley
In this swoony and spooky teen summer romance graphic novel set on a Texas ranch, sixteen-year-old Cade Muñoz finds himself falling for the ranch owner’s mysterious and handsome son, only to discover that he may be harboring a dangerous secret.

Cade has always loved to escape into the world of a good horror movie. After all, horror movies are scary—but to Cade, a closeted queer Latino teen growing up in rural Texas—real life can be way scarier.

When Cade is sent to spend the summer working as a ranch hand to help earn extra money for his family, he is horrified. Cade hates everything about the ranch, from the early mornings to the mountains of horse poop he has to clean up. The only silver lining is the company of the two teens who live there—in particular, the ruggedly handsome and enigmatic Henry.

But as unexpected sparks begin to fly between Cade and Henry, things get…complicated. Henry is reluctant to share the details of his mother’s death, and Cade begins to wonder what else he might be hiding. Inspired by the gothic romance of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom comes a modern love story so romantic it’s scary.

Amazon

I haven't read Jane Austen's novel Northanger Abbey, but I know the plot. Rey Terciero's young adult graphic novel version is a clever, insightful, and entertaining retelling. (I use these three adjectives often when reviewing YA stories... based on my experience as an adult and parent, these are the trifecta of a great YA story.)

I easily got caught up in Cade's wild and macabre imagination even though I knew where the story was going, lol. Northanger is well-written, with lots of drama and comedy.

Favorite quote:

Cade: "Garage? More like murder barn."

The author weaves fiction with a relatable coming-of-age story of two teens from different backgrounds and addresses some serious and very real subjects young folks deal with. These kinds of stories show kids they aren't alone in their struggles and teach compassion and understanding to others who might not have experienced them. In the author's note at the end, Tericero shares his personal connection to Cade's character.  

graphics from publisher

Bri Indigo's artwork is clean and expressive. They have a style that balances age appropriateness for the younger end of the demographic while also appealing to older readers. I loved the monochrome palette color choice. It complements the story's tone and characters without overshadowing it. Kudos to the publisher for pairing the story with the artist.

I read Northranger in one sitting! Request your schools and local libraries to put Northranger on their shelves.

5 "Salvador Dali" Sheep

SharonS

About the Author:

Website-Instagram-Twitter

REX OGLE is an award-winning author and the writer of nearly a hundred children’s books, comics, graphic novels, and memoirs—most notably Free Lunch, which won the ALA/YALSA award for Excellence in Non-Fiction.

Born and raised (mostly) in Texas, he moved to New York City after college to intern at Marvel Comics before moving over to DC Comics, Scholastic, and Little Brown Young Readers. As an editor, he championed over a dozen NY Times Bestsellers and worked on (and often wrote) major brands such as X-Men, Justice League, Star Wars, LEGO, Power Rangers, Transformers, Minecraft, Assassin’s Creed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Neil Patrick Harris’s Magic Misfits.

Rex has written under a lot of pen names, including Trey King, Honest Lee, and Rey Terciero (a nickname given by his Abuela, being Español for “third king,” which is apt since Rex is Latin for “king,” and he is the third “Rex” in his family).

Now, Rex lives in Los Angeles where he writes in his spare time—that is, when he’s not outdoors hiking with his dog Toby, playing MarioKart with friends, or reading.

About the Illustrator:
Website-Twitter-Instagram
Patreon-Tapas
Greetings! I'm Bre Indigo! It's lovely to have you here, thanks for visiting.

I'm a queer black artist based in SoCal. As someone who identifies as Agender, you may use any pronouns when addressing me. I'm a lover of salmon sashimi, astronomy, good coffee, Star Trek, face kisses, sun naps as well as my partner Tami, and fur babies Riley and Zelda.

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The purpose of my creative career is to bring people together and nurture a healthy community around my creations. I love to tell stories of gentle boys, strong girls, the great folk in between and those outside completely. I want to bring attention to the humanity and different forms of love we have in us as human beings.