Oh Kae Reads: Seconds...yes please!

My Review of Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Synopsis (courtesy of Goodreads):

Katie’s got it pretty good. She’s a talented young chef, she runs a successful restaurant, and she has big plans to open an even better one. Then, all at once, progress on the new location bogs down, her charming ex-boyfriend pops up, her fling with another chef goes sour, and her best waitress gets badly hurt. And just like that, Katie’s life goes from pretty good to not so much. What she needs is a second chance. Everybody deserves one, after all—but they don’t come easy. Luckily for Katie, a mysterious girl appears in the middle of the night with simple instructions for a do-it-yourself do-over:

Write your mistake
Ingest one mushroom
Go to sleep
Wake anew

And just like that, all the bad stuff never happened, and Katie is given another chance to get things right. She’s also got a dresser drawer full of magical mushrooms—and an irresistible urge to make her life not just good, but perfect. Too bad it’s against the rules. But Katie doesn’t care about the rules—and she’s about to discover the unintended consequences of the best intentions.

From the mind and pen behind the acclaimed Scott Pilgrim series comes a madcap new tale of existential angst, everyday obstacles, young love, and ancient spirits that’s sharp-witted and tenderhearted, whimsical and wise.

My Review:

Let me begin my rolling out my absolute admiration for Bryan Lee O'Malley. Scott Pilgrim is one of my absolute favorite graphic novels and films. I have even cosplayed Ramona Flowers several times. So, I had high hopes when I started reading Seconds. I sat down and within a couple hours I had already devoured the entire thing. Katie, the main character, isrelatably messed up. She is sassy, sarcastic, hopeful, and closed off. The novel has great themes including friendship, relationships, witches, alternate realities, and so much more. As always, Bryan Lee's art direction is quirky and adorable. If you are a fan of Scott Pilgrim, you will be pleasantly surprised to find a couple little nods to it hidden within Seconds. Being the huge fan I am, I grinned and showed whoever was around me when I spotted the little hidden surprises, even though they had no idea what I was talking about. Overall, I loved Seconds. For me, it had a little bit of everything, and it even teaches a valuable life lesson. I highly recommend picking up a copy and giving it a read, especially if you are a fan of Scott Pilgrim.

A definite 5/5 stars in my book!