Sonica

It is around us all the time - on the radio, in the elevator, at the club, on our ringtones 

and inside our head. It makes us move, dance and sing along with it, remember, feel and be inspired by it; yet we do not know where it came from - what was the magic that created the One True Sound, and what is its true power. Only one girl has heard it in its entirety, and lived to tell the tale. This is the story of Sonya Sol.

Upon seeing the front cover of this book and reading the summary, I was very intrigued with what it could potentially offer to a wider audience. The very idea that the protagonist has these powers that are sound and music dependent was a fascinating concept. 

I'd like to begin by saying that I would have liked a better understanding as to what happened between Sonica's parents, I felt that the chemistry between Sonica and her father wasn't particularly strong, but perhaps that's down to their circumstances. However, I would have liked to have seen that relationship addressed in a bit more depth.

On the flip side, I really liked the origin story of Sonica, she had a very fun backstory which could be argued as a "typical superhero origin", but this storytelling only emphasises Guy Fogel's understanding of the superhero narrative. 

It featured great chemistry between the main character and Sonica's high school friend, Shay. Without giving anything away, he's a character who I believe will have a pivotal role in this series. 

Of course, I can't speak about this book without mentioning the inclusion of Sookie, the four-legged companion who's just as much a part of the story as Sonica. It's enough of a pleasure to read a generally light-hearted story, but when there's a dog involved, that elevates it further. So if you're a dog lover aswell as a superhero fan, this could be the book for you.

The artwork in this book is incredibly eye-catching, it draws you in from the front cover and really suits the tone of the book wonderfully. It's a very animated and colourful story with plenty of variety and great themes. The lettering in the speech bubbles are done with complete clarity and the panels are well placed, which makes the story easy to follow. I especially like how sound is depicted in this book and the way it's drawn, it's almost as though you can hear the music coming off the pages.

I'd like to conclude by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed these two issues of Sonica, I thought it was a fun and uplifting read and Guy Fogel has established the beginnings of a compelling world. 

The pacing was textbook, the main character is established, the conflict that arises and how that conflict impacts the rest of the story. The initial origin story doesn't drag out too much yet it gives the reader enough detail that it doesn't feel rushed. I was specifically impressed with how Guy used the superhero formula and managed to create a character with such unique powers. The inclusion of the dog was a brilliant idea and I'm interested to see where her story leads her in this colourful and fun series. This book resonated with me as a dog owner myself, so I appreciate the emphasis of literal companionship but also as a music lover aswell, this book really stood out to me and I look forward to seeing where the story goes.

Rating: 4/5

For more information on Sonica, aswell as other stories, follow Guy Fogel online.