GNW: Americus by M.K. Reed [Illustrated by Jonathan Hill]

I picked up Americus at Teen Book Con. (By now, those of you who read this blog frequently are wondering, Just how many books did she 'pick up' at Teen Book Con?? A lot, my dear reader, more than I'm willing to 'fess up to buying.) I thought it seemed like a pretty interesting premise, plus I managed to get it signed by the author, who complimented me on my Lord of the Rings tattoo and even mentioned it in her personalization when she signed my book.

Americus is told from the perspective of Neil Barton, a young teen who is still trying to figure out his place in the world: what he likes, what he doesn't like, what the hell those girls are giggling at . . . the usual stuff. What he does know is that he loves "The Adventures of Apathea Ravenchilde," the book series he and his best friend are obsessed with and his librarian keeps urging him to read faster so they can talk about all of the wonderful things have happened in the latest addition.

But when Neil's best friend, Danny, is discovered reading the latest addition to the series by his very strict and scarily religious mother, all hell breaks loose. His best friend is sent to military school following a series of fights between he and his mother after the discovery and, to top it all off, Danny's mom has begun to campaign for the banning of the series from
the local library. If he wants to save his beloved book series, Neil is going to have to learn to step outside himself and fight for what he believes in, and team up with other likeminded individuals in the process.

I really enjoyed Americus. I read it all in one sitting after work a few nights ago and pretty much fell in love. Neil is an awkward, out of place teenager who reminds me very much of myself. And don't get me started on how much a loved that badass librarian! I loved the focus on fighting the banning of beloved books. It's a familiar tale for anyone who is invested at all in the book industry.

The art was fully black and white and quite similar in style to artists like Faith Erin Hicks. It's very simple in its lines, but that doesn't mean it sacrifices the art at all. Each person looks different from the next and that just makes the artwork even more interesting (plus it keeps the reader from getting confused on who's who).

Americus was a fun read and one I'd recommend to anyone who loves graphic novels, adores books, and is interested in the topic of censorship. It's definitely worth sitting down with over a cup of coffee, remembering what it's like to fight for the things we love.

Rating: ★★★★☆