Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 02/01/2020 Gr 8 Up—Sparks fly between a scrappy witch and a young woman in this gorgeous graphic novel fantasy. When an argument breaks out between Lelek, a witch who travels the land selling amulets, and a villager, Sanja intervenes. Impressed by Sanja's swordplay, Lelek enlists the girl to teach her to fight, and Sanja, eager for a life away from her father and brothers, accepts. Sanja knows little about witches, other than what she's heard from rumors, but she's curious to learn more—like, is witch blood really poisonous? (No.) And are witches' souls contained in the candles that float above their heads? That last one is a more complicated question, at least for Lelek, whose soul was split in two when she was younger; she's been searching for it ever since. The pair move from town to town so Lelek can gain experience (and a bit of money) sparring with other witches—a popular pastime that sells tickets. Though Lelek and Sanja start off bickering, in spite of themselves, they become fast friends, and their relationship turns romantic as Sanja learns more about how witches are marginalized and Lelek contends with past trauma. Most of the characters are women, and there are other positive lesbian relationships depicted. Featuring muted colors and intricate details, the stunning artwork has a manga-esque flair. The panel work is also well rendered, and though there's not an abundance of text, it's always easy to tell what is happening in a scene. VERDICT Teens looking to branch out from shojo manga will eagerly pick up this romantic fantasy.—Gretchen Hardin, Bee Cave Public Library, TX - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 02/15/2020 Gently atmospheric and suffused with intriguing magic, this graphic novel traces the unlikely but heartening friendship between Sanja, the put-upon daughter of a merchant, and Lelek, a witch with a hard secret in her past. At first, their relationship isn’t equal—Lelek kidnaps Sanja and insists she teach her how to fight with a sword. But Sanja is more up for adventure than Lelek realizes, and the merchant’s daughter has some very savvy ideas about how Lelek can make money. Zabarsky’s soft, rounded artwork is full of refreshingly diverse body shapes and sizes, all of which are drawn with expressive movement and an impressive economy of marks. That rounded quality, coupled with Chouteau’s warm pastels, perfectly matches the quiet pace of the story—both Sanja and Lelek live with troubling secrets from their pasts, but there’s very little in the way of tension or suspense here. Rather, Zabarsky keeps the emphasis on the characters’ growing closeness, their journey in search of the witch who trained Lelek, and the loving community they gradually find themselves in. Tenderly drawn and told. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.