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Death & Sparkles #1
Death & Sparkles
Being Death is a lonely job, especially when everything you touch instantly dies (not to mention the paperwork), but being Sparkles the Last Unicorn is not much fun either, since everyone just wants to take selfies with you or use you to sell stuff. But when Death and Sparkles meet between life and, well, death, it's the beginning of a friendship that just might change the world.
368 pages, Paperback
Published October 5, 2021
About the author
Rob Justus
10 books20 followersFormerly an award-winning market researcher, Rob Justus is a self-taught debut author/illustrator who raised himself on a classic diet of comics and Saturday morning cartoons. His debut picture book,Kid Coach, was published in 2020; this is his first graphic novel. Rob lives and doodles near Ottawa, Canada.
source: Amazon
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
July 6, 2021
Sparkles the Last Unicorn, as you might imagine, enjoys world-wide celebrity and endless marketing opportunities. Completely self-involved, Sparkles encounters Death — yeah, the Death — when the unicorn dies in an incredibly stupid stunt orchestrated by Sparkles’ malevolent agent. Neither Death nor Sparkles have had any real friends heretofore; everything Death touches literally dies, and Sparkles has been so controlled and manipulated that he’s been totally cut off.
This graphic novel resonates even more in light of #FreeBrittney and of news accounts of self-absorbed celebrities, be they actors, influencers or politicians. Sparkles’ initial shallow and selfish nature and Death’s bureaucratic work prove pretty funny, and the superficiality of the media and fandom strikes a chord. “All they want is sparkles and bonbons.” A pretty accurate description.
So why didn’t I like this book more? Because, despite being 368 pages long, this book was a one-trickpony unicorn. Aren’t celebrities stupid and vain? Didn’t you just know that the afterlife would have as much red tape as this life? People sure gravitate to superficialities and shlock while ignoring what’s important! Not that I disagree with any of that; however, author and illustrator Rob Justus had made those points by the end of the Chapter 5, and we still had to slog through another 278 pages to get to the end. Where there some funny spots later on? Sure. I loved “the power of bureaucracy” and how often that can save the day. Despite such an auspicious premise, most of the final portion is just pretty cliché.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review.
This graphic novel resonates even more in light of #FreeBrittney and of news accounts of self-absorbed celebrities, be they actors, influencers or politicians. Sparkles’ initial shallow and selfish nature and Death’s bureaucratic work prove pretty funny, and the superficiality of the media and fandom strikes a chord. “All they want is sparkles and bonbons.” A pretty accurate description.
So why didn’t I like this book more? Because, despite being 368 pages long, this book was a one-trick
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2022
Meh. This just doesn't read as a kids book to me--from the tone to the message it feels like an adult book being marketed to kids because of unicorns. Will kids check it out due to the cover? Definitely. Will they laugh? I mean, there is a farting unicorn, so probably? But is it really a kids book that I would recommend and see a huge readership for? Not really.
Not my book, but I'll see if I can talk to any kids that have read it. Maybe I'm wrong and there's a huge audience out there.
Not my book, but I'll see if I can talk to any kids that have read it. Maybe I'm wrong and there's a huge audience out there.
October 26, 2021
The cuteness. I can't wait to read the next one. Make 100. Thank you.
September 27, 2023
Like chocolate and peanut butter, unicorns and death go together in this absurd graphic novel. Sparkles is misunderstood unicorn who is only liked for her cuteness and product endorsements. Death is overworked, unappreciated and unhappy in his job. What happens when their worlds collide? Told with humor, fans of Stephen Pastis will like this.
July 18, 2022
Super cute book
August 28, 2022
Cute and chaotic, but in the good way.
January 13, 2022
I mean it's a graphic novel about Death and a Unicorn being friends, it was cute as hell.
February 5, 2022
Super cute! Nice story too. Definitely a lot of potential for future books in this series.
October 1, 2022
Weird and wonderful! 🧁 🦄 💀
September 19, 2021
This book was super cute and made me giggle. It took a bit for me to get into it, as the beginning was a bit on the grim side and I have just had two large losses in my life recently, so the beginning where death is discussed hit a little close to home for me, but it isn't for too long, so I was able to get past it with little issue.
The storyline was cute and also smart, with a focus on how the media can get people to focus on stuff and not on things that truly matter. Definitely a cautionary tale, but told in a non-preachy way.
I really enjoyed seeing how the friendship between Death and Sparkles. It was fun and organic and when Death got angry at the end, that made me laugh out loud while reading.
Not quite sure what the age range on this one would be, maybe upper middle reader and higher? The bit about death at the beginning is dark and an adult might want to view it before handing it to a child, depending on if the child has experiences loss before or not and how well they handled it. Could be used as a good way to start a conversation about death, or could start one, so adults be prepared.
4 solid sparkly stars!
My thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
The storyline was cute and also smart, with a focus on how the media can get people to focus on stuff and not on things that truly matter. Definitely a cautionary tale, but told in a non-preachy way.
I really enjoyed seeing how the friendship between Death and Sparkles. It was fun and organic and when Death got angry at the end, that made me laugh out loud while reading.
Not quite sure what the age range on this one would be, maybe upper middle reader and higher? The bit about death at the beginning is dark and an adult might want to view it before handing it to a child, depending on if the child has experiences loss before or not and how well they handled it. Could be used as a good way to start a conversation about death, or could start one, so adults be prepared.
4 solid sparkly stars!
My thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2021
I really enjoyed this story about loneliness, fame, and friendship with a dash of death and plenty of humor. I never thought to see Death paired up with a unicorn and think of Death as the slightly better… person/creature… although both have their flaws.
Death is lonely and seems to oversleep and neglect his work. Sparkle is the last unicorn and not very kind or caring for his fans. An unfortunate stunt brings them together and they learn how to become friends and work together through more unfortunate and wacky incidents.
The odd side plot of these lizards who hope to gain the world’s attention to fix its problems with destroying itself was interesting. They in turn take over for Sparkle and become famous and almost the villains at one point in the plot.
I really enjoyed the design of the book, the graphics were fun and engaging. There was a lot more death than I thought there would be, but I guess I should have assumed from the title.
Death is lonely and seems to oversleep and neglect his work. Sparkle is the last unicorn and not very kind or caring for his fans. An unfortunate stunt brings them together and they learn how to become friends and work together through more unfortunate and wacky incidents.
The odd side plot of these lizards who hope to gain the world’s attention to fix its problems with destroying itself was interesting. They in turn take over for Sparkle and become famous and almost the villains at one point in the plot.
I really enjoyed the design of the book, the graphics were fun and engaging. There was a lot more death than I thought there would be, but I guess I should have assumed from the title.
September 13, 2023
This was a cute and quick read. I loved the friendship between Sparkles and Death. The lizard bros bit was a bit strange but funny, and I thought it was an interesting side story to have between Death and Sparkles.
November 6, 2021
Humorous and surprisingly relevant, I enjoyed this book simply for its marvelous balance of friendship, cupcakes, and the impending fate of mortals.
... and also the green lizard men.
... and also the green lizard men.
December 11, 2021
Fun cute book about friendless Death and Sparkles the ever so popular unicorn. A little hectic for me. But there were some funny parts.
July 28, 2022
I did not enjoy it but I definitely get why kids would enjoy it.
May 8, 2023
When Sparkles is being a real pain in the butt, if Death sneezes, Sparkles farts. Yes, there is little kid bathroom humor (and this little kid did find it amusing). There is actually a lot going on that is serious in the humor. The idea of Fame and true friendship is the focus, while we have evil managers (Cornel Parker had nothing on Sparkles manager!) and cupcakes. Lots of cupcakes. While some sensitive readers/listeners might not be okay with the fact there is death (spoiler: Sparkles dies. Sort of ) and fantasy action, for the most part it is done in a Cartoon Network level, and therefore probably a lot more tame than what kids see in TV/movies/etc.
August 14, 2023
Hilarious. A really fun way to combine two VERY different things into a LOL book. The story line is awesome. Just all round an amazingly amazing book ❤
April 13, 2024
My 8 year old son picked it off a graphic novel rec list because he liked the title, and just devoured it - he’d definitely give it 5 stars.
I thought it was definitely very cute.
I thought it was definitely very cute.
April 26, 2024
a fun, cute, and chaotic book!!
November 29, 2021
I enjoyed Death and Sparkles' relationship, but found the lizards to be somewhat random and weird.
December 4, 2021
Light cute fun. Enjoyed the colors a lot.
November 17, 2021
If the glittery cover doesn't pull you in, the fun, punchy artwork and characters will. The story brings you through a new, wild adventure of friendship between Death and Sparkles, the last unicorn. A super fun story that has a charming ending and also sets us up for a much-anticipated second book.
June 11, 2021
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy meets The Emperor’s New Groove in this fun and adorable tale of the last unicorn names Sparkles, and Death (or Dennis depending on who you ask). Sparkles the Unicorn is the world’s biggest celebrity, known for his love of cupcakes and magical candy-producing powers. Death, working as a Grim Reaper, works a tireless bureaucratic job of taking souls and filling out never-ending paperwork. With only a touch, Death takes the soul of anyone, making it tough to make new friends. After a life-altering event, Sparkles is given a second chance to make things right in his life with Death as an unexpected guide. Along with Death, these two form a buddy comedy duo in this graphic novel of unlikely friendships and doing what’s right. The hand-drawn thick lines and zany dialogue make this an enjoyable read for both children and adults alike.
ARC provided by Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review
ARC provided by Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review
July 15, 2021
First, I would like to thank NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy.
I loved everything about this graphic novel. The story is wonderful, and Sparkles and Death complement each other very well because they are very different.
Sparkles is the last unicorn and is world-famous for over-the-top stunts. Death is a loner because his touch will kill you, and he also hates paperwork. They meet because it is Sparkles' time. Sparkles thinks otherwise and fights to come back which leads Death and Sparkles on an exciting journey.
The artwork is amazing and works perfectly for a unicorn that barfs rainbows and Death who is allergic to flowers, which I guess is a side effect if you get stuck with a unicorn horn. I thought this graphic was very funny and look forward to more adventures of Death and Sparkles. I also can't wait to share it with my patrons. It is just that good.
I loved everything about this graphic novel. The story is wonderful, and Sparkles and Death complement each other very well because they are very different.
Sparkles is the last unicorn and is world-famous for over-the-top stunts. Death is a loner because his touch will kill you, and he also hates paperwork. They meet because it is Sparkles' time. Sparkles thinks otherwise and fights to come back which leads Death and Sparkles on an exciting journey.
The artwork is amazing and works perfectly for a unicorn that barfs rainbows and Death who is allergic to flowers, which I guess is a side effect if you get stuck with a unicorn horn. I thought this graphic was very funny and look forward to more adventures of Death and Sparkles. I also can't wait to share it with my patrons. It is just that good.
September 20, 2021
Death and Sparkles is adorable and funny. This graphic is about Sparkles the last unicorn, his fame, and of course Death. Sparkles is famous and has MILLIONS of friends, but he's lonely and just wants to play some videogames. Death his a hard worker, but given that his touch kills literally anyone, he's also lonely. When Sparkles "dies" in an unfortunate sock incident, Death and Sparkles begin a reluctant friendship filled with laughter and various hilarious accidents. Rob Justus has the most amazing flair for facial expressions and I found myself laughing out loud at nearly every page. Great graphic, I hope to see more adventures from Death and Sparkles.
PS - Death's turtle collection was pure genius and so sweet.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
PS - Death's turtle collection was pure genius and so sweet.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2021
This is a really cute story and I greatly enjoyed the fun the art style brought to the tale. I also appreciated that the book starts with a brief but well done look at death and how it comes for everyone. It fit well to the narrative and made it clear that death itself isn't the joke and is still a serious topic. I think this was a kind way to start the book especially for young readers who have felt the pain of loosing a loved one. Once the story gets going it is a great goofy ride. It has some great twists and overall is an engaging laugh out loud story with a good message about friendship and doing what is right.
September 23, 2021
Got the book in yesterday (9/22) finished it this morning (9/23). Absolutely loved the book. I believe my 8yo will love it as well. The story was fun, quirky, and so enjoyable. I can't wait for the second installment that way I can see what happens next!!
January 21, 2024
Cute and very visually appealing, but also nonsensical and ridiculous. I loved all the colours and the book's theme of friendship, but the storyline and execution is just wacky. A chaotic read, and not in an endearing way.
July 6, 2023
So so strange and entertaining....
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews