Persephone

Persephone is the adopted daughter of a renowned mage, Demeter, in this modern retelling of the Greek myth. When a soldier drags Persephone to the underworld and forces her to eat its cursed fruit, a lock of her hair turns blue, which means that if she tries to return to her own realm, she'll die. As Persephone waits for Demeter, the only one who can break the curse, she befriends the people of Hades and tries to solve their crop problem. Through lively, crosshatched lines and a pretty, pastel color palette, Locatelli-Kournwsky accentuates the whimsical aspects of this tale. Manga influences shine through his work, especially in the character design. Persephone, for example, starts in a schoolgirl skirt and ages into a young woman who wears fingerless gloves. Meanwhile, her hinted-at love interest has long, platinum hair that drapes over his elaborate cloaks. Some of the most stunning panes are the wordless ones in which Hades' colossal bridges, archways, and caverns dwarf Persephone. Recommend to teens interested in mythology and those bored by prose versions.--Biz Hyzy Copyright 2018 Booklist