hush, hush (graphic novel) by Becca Fitzpatrick

Overview from Barnes and Noble:

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life!
This title also contains an exclusive, original story written especially for this book by the author. This bonus story tells what happens to the characters between Book 1 and Book 2 of this series and will only be available in this book.

My thoughts:
I read hush, hush when it was offered as a First Look Book Club through Barnes and Noble and really enjoyed it and I was interested to see how it would be as a graphic novel.  The graphic novel only covers the first half of the book as seems to be common with graphic novels.  I guess since so much of the story is told in pictures, even though there is less word wise to read, there is more space taken up with pictures.

The picture I had of Nora in my mind was not the way she was drawn on the page.  I am not a fan of how graphic novels make the female characters more exaggerated.  Bigger hips, bigger breasts and such.  Nora had a belly baring top on page after page which is not how I saw her at all.  I would have thought that the intended audience of the novel were female teenagers and young adults, I think having this depiction is actually a negative thing as very few girls actually look like that and it is another avenue like fashion magazines which are marketing a mostly unattainable image of beauty.  My dislike of how Nora was drawn led to less satisfaction with the story overall.  I think if I had picked this up before the novel I would have been unlikely to read the actual book.

The short story included at the end was good and much more in line with the series.  It takes place after book one and before book two and gives a hint at the politics that are to come into play in the storyline.

Product Details

• ISBN-13: 9780983613114
• Publisher: Sea Lion Books
• Publication date: 4/24/2012
• Edition description: Graphic Novel Edition
• Pages: 120
• Sales rank: 41,677
• Age range: 12 - 17 Years