Official Review: Esemtu Vol. 1 by Karin Springer

[Gabriel Merêncio]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Esemtu Vol. 1" by Karin Springer.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Esemtu is a graphic novel written by Karin Springer and illustrated by her daughter, Raphaela Springer. The first volume follows the trio of university students Ethan, Dave, and Isabella as they try uncovering the mystery behind a refugee’s death in Vienna. The central pieces in their investigation are the Esemtu: the oldest representations of Sumerian gods. Why would someone resort to murdering to get one of these statues? Will our heroes manage to stop the culprit before it’s too late? These are the questions you'll ask yourself as you read this book.

Fans of mystery plots with supernatural elements will find plenty to enjoy. The first portion of the story plays out like classic detective fiction, while the final pages unveil hidden occult phenomena. But whether he’s dealing with people or gods, Ethan remains calm and analytical, using his intellectual skills to crack the case. Readers who enjoy smart detectives should appreciate Ethan’s grounded but insightful deductions, as well as his quirky enthusiasm and curiosity.

Speaking of characters, Dave and Isabella are a bit outshined by Ethan, but they still provide valuable contributions. Dave is a very empathetic person who tries carrying everything on his shoulders and blames himself for the refugee’s death. Isabella is sadly not very fleshed out in this first volume, but she’s still a likable protagonist with plenty of fun interactions with other characters. I particularly enjoyed her teasing by Ethan.

The book’s overall presentation is great, featuring beautiful illustrations with distinct character designs and simple but functional backgrounds. I only found two minor typographical errors that most readers won’t even notice: a missing comma and a misspelling of “separating” as “seperating.” My one complaint is that the final action scene doesn’t feel as dynamic as it should be, likely because the sound effects blend into the background rather than calling the reader’s attention and heightening the scene’s tension.

Unfortunately, the story falls flat towards the end, especially during two important moments. The first one is when a huge secret is revealed to one of the characters and their reaction is subdued and unrealistic. The second one is the confrontation with the culprit, who becomes a cartoonish villain and spills all of his secrets for no good reason. The main characters’ actions after the encounter also feel quite foolish given how smart they’d been up to that point. These narrative decisions make sense if one wants to move the plot forward quickly, but they end up weakening the characters in the process.

I rate Esemtu 3 out of 4 stars, deducting one point for the lackluster ending. It’s a lovely graphic novel for young readers, featuring charming characters, an intriguing murder mystery, and a myriad of paranormal secrets. Indeed, there’s only one instance of vulgar language in the book, making it suitable for teenagers. That said, I wouldn’t recommend this graphic novel if you’re looking for something more mature and realistic.

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Esemtu Vol. 1
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[Ekta Swarnkar]

It is really sad that a book with such perfect characters and nail-biting plot end in a dull way. I'm not sure if I'll read it but hope that others will enjoy it. But I enjoyed your review!

[Aniza Butt]

I do love mystery with or without supernatural factor but I don't appreciate unrealistic stories. I was really excited to read it when I started to read your review but when I reached the end, i began to rethink and now am not reading it, thanks to u
Thanks a lot for the review Tomah.

[Wyland]

I enjoy looking at illustrations in my books and the fact that there is some mystery involved would make for an interesting reading. Thanks for the wonderful review.

[Prisallen]

I love mysteries as well. It is too bad about the ending up being up to the rest of the book. Thanks for a wonderful review, as always!

[OuKoyoo]

It is unfortunate that the amazing story has a flat ending. That puts me off but people who do not mind having such ending can consider reading the book. Thank you for the insightful review.

[Gabriel Merêncio]

I do love mystery with or without supernatural factor but I don't appreciate unrealistic stories. I was really excited to read it when I started to read your review but when I reached the end, i began to rethink and now am not reading it, thanks to u
Thanks a lot for the review Tomah.

I enjoy looking at illustrations in my books and the fact that there is some mystery involved would make for an interesting reading. Thanks for the wonderful review.

I love mysteries as well. It is too bad about the ending up being up to the rest of the book. Thanks for a wonderful review, as always!

It is unfortunate that the amazing story has a flat ending. That puts me off but people who do not mind having such ending can consider reading the book. Thank you for the insightful review.

It is really sad that a book with such perfect characters and nail-biting plot end in a dull way. I'm not sure if I'll read it but hope that others will enjoy it. But I enjoyed your review!

Thanks for the comments! Yes, the ending is a bit disappointing, but it's still a pretty decent graphic novel overall.

[rumik]

I really like the cover for this one, makes me want to read it right away! I wasn't expecting this to be aimed towards young people though, I prefer more mature reads so that's a bit disappointing. Thank you for the helpful review!

[kandscreeley]

Graphic novels aren't something I read. This one sounds intriguing despite the somewhat lackluster ending. See least the illustrations are good. Thanks.

[inaramid]

Pity about the ending. There could've been a way to advance the plot without compromising character development. Great review!

[kdstrack]

Your description of this novel makes it sound interesting, and I liked that your recommendations. According to your comments, the weaknesses in this first volume could be fleshed out in subsequent volumes. Great review!

[Gabriel Merêncio]

Graphic novels aren't something I read. This one sounds intriguing despite the somewhat lackluster ending. See least the illustrations are good. Thanks.

Pity about the ending. There could've been a way to advance the plot without compromising character development. Great review!

Your description of this novel makes it sound interesting, and I liked that your recommendations. According to your comments, the weaknesses in this first volume could be fleshed out in subsequent volumes. Great review!

I really like the cover for this one, makes me want to read it right away! I wasn't expecting this to be aimed towards young people though, I prefer more mature reads so that's a bit disappointing. Thank you for the helpful review!

Thanks for the comments! Indeed, the next volumes could fix the issues I've had with the first one. It's not a mature read, but it's pretty decent for what it is, and the illustrations are in fact quite good.

[Kaitlyn Canedy]

I honestly thought that this book was for adults, not for teenagers. Adult graphic novels are more of my thing, as I am an adult anyway. It is sad that the ending seems to be lackluster; your review was very helpful in pointing this out. Thank you for the informative review.

[Gabriel Merêncio]

I honestly thought that this book was for adults, not for teenagers. Adult graphic novels are more of my thing, as I am an adult anyway. It is sad that the ending seems to be lackluster; your review was very helpful in pointing this out. Thank you for the informative review.

Thanks for the comment! Yes, it's more of a juvenile graphic novel, though I believe adults could enjoy it as well.

[Kaitlyn Canedy]

Honestly, I am not sure if I can read this book because of the lack-luster ending; this is a turn off for me. I do appreciate the honest review!