*No Major Spoilers*
Garlic feels as though she’s always doing something wrong. At least with her friend Carrot by her side and the kindly Witch Agnes encouraging her, Garlic is happy to just tend her garden, where it’s nice and safe.
But when her village of vegetable folk learns that a bloodthirsty vampire has moved into the nearby castle, they all agree that, in spite of her fear and self-doubt, Garlic is the obvious choice to confront him. And with everyone counting on her, Garlic reluctantly agrees to face the mysterious vampire, hoping she has what it takes.
The recent uproar about how all the bookish social medias are hyping the same five or ten books has others trying to diversify other’s TBRs. However, the books that are often described as ‘books I’ve never seen on TikTok’ are still highly popular books. However, I saw this graphic novel on Instagram and I fell in love with the art style and the anxiety representation. So let’s weed out my thoughts for Garlic and the Vampire.
Garlic and her friends are adorable. I wish I could’ve jumped into this world and stayed. They spend every day gardening and providing the townsfolk with fresh produce. When they notice that someone has taken residence in the abandoned castle, they all fear for their safety and the safety of the townsfolk.
I liked having the anxiety disorder representation in this story. I suffer from an anxiety disorder as well and to see Garlic overcome it with help and encouragement from her friends was comforting to me. I hope it helps and encourages others with anxiety feel the same way while reading this graphic novel.
Overall, I loved this story. The characters, the artwork, and the earnest emotions are what made Garlic & the Vampire my book of the year so far for 2022. I would highly recommend this graphic novels to everyone who loves cute characters, Studio Ghibli films, and are looking for a palate cleanser.
Elisha's Book Reviews 