I really enjoy animated series and graphic novels, so this book was really perfect for me even though I'm not technically part of their target audience.

I thought the stories were well written and the illustrations were fantastic. Rather than a combination between Lara Croft and Indiana Jones I would compare Alison Dare with Kimpossible and Madeline. I think the stories had the same kind of humor that you find in the Indiana Jones films - kinda campy but still really enjoyable.

The first story in the book was a bit disjointed. It seemed to jump around a bit and not have the same amount of coherent story telling as "The Heart of the Maiden." That said, it did give me a sense for Alison's personality. She's not an entirely likable character, but I'm ok with that. She's a bit of a braggart and enjoys telling everyone around her tall tales which bear little resemblance to what actually happened. Rather than seeing this as some sort of character flaw, I think it just about describes every kid, though possibly not every 12 year old, and maybe that's the biggest weakness in the story. The girls almost seem to be written younger than they really are and are treated by other characters in the book as though they are much younger as well. If the book is written for girls/kids from 9-12, I think that Alison is more reflective of a 9 year old than a 12 year old, but that's really my biggest complaint about the book.

"The Heart of the Maiden" was a fun story and I would definitely pick up another Alison Dare graphic novel to see what adventures she got up to next. ( )

Move over, Lara Croft. If you have a clever preteen who is eager for adventure, but you are made somewhat uncomfortable by the less-that-realistic body image of the illustrious Tomb Raider, Alison Dare may be just the heroine for you. Alison, a young girl at boarding school, knows her way around a good story. With her flair for the dramatic, she fascinates the other girls by recounting adventures of mummies, pyramids, and other dangers. Real life is both more and less interesting, though. Alison's family is straight out of multiple adventure genres. Dad's a superhero of sorts, Mom's an Archeologist (Think "The Mummy"), and her uncle is a super spy and master of disguise. When all three daring relatives show up at Alison's quiet school, it's clear that something mysterious and exciting is afoot. Alison and her two sidekicks set out to see what they can find out, and nothing is as it seems.

This graphic novel is a fun, quick read, with witty banter and captivating illustrations. The action is frenetic to the point of confusion sometimes, but it will definitely hold the interest of readers young and old.

This Heart of the Maiden was a fun read, not really my cup of tea but still, well done. It is a cartoon kind of book and it would have been nicer to the eyes if not done in black and white, just my opinion here. ( )

This book was really a bit... meh. I mean, it was fun (more or less), but there wasn't much to it. I usually do read kidlit and YA instead of "grownup" books, so it's not just that I'm not the target age range. ( )

http://hollybooknotes.blogspot.com/2010/07/ya-weekend-series-grab-bag-edition.ht... ( )