Review by Ian Keogh
Maisie is heading for her first fantasy convention, which is something of a miracle as she barely survived a childhood condition necessitating the amputation of her leg from just above the knee. The implications of that are comprehensively shown, from the daily diet of pills to the irritation of patronising comments from well-meaning adults. Maisie has a prosthetic leg, but it’s a compromise rather than a solution, and the shortcomings are also aired.
Over the opening chapters Jessica Walton is great at laying out exactly how life is for Maisie, step by step and eye-opening for most readers unaware of amputation being a stage in a lifelong process rather than an end or new start. It’s accompanied by a convincing mother and daughter relationship. That’s where Maisie’s really drawn the ace. Jo is supportive, patient and understanding, has a great sense of humour and is an SF nerd to boot, although, in the manner of all parents, can be so supportive it’s embarrassing. She’s attending the convention with Maisie, and is present when she first sees Ollie, a convention helper. Endearingly, as seen on the cover, he’s drawn as someone few would be instantly attracted to.
Artist Aśka largely restricts the art to people, but she’s strong on visual emotion, and ensures the viewpoints are varied, so there’s no danger of the art being dull. A fearless attitude to bright, flat colours, completes an ideal package, which is all the more remarkable for the original Australian edition having been in black and white. References are frequently made to known SF and fantasy properties, and Aśka creates viable alternative designs to ensure no communication from corporate lawyers should arrive.
Feelings are the secondary purpose of Stars in Their Eyes, constantly discussed, with gender diversity also on the agenda. This is a double-edged sword. It’s positive reinforcement for readers who feel there’s no representation of fictional characters reflecting their identity, but continues at such length prompting a danger of it being dull for anyone who’s not the target audience. And does Walton have shares in the local pommertjes factory? They’re frequently and lovingly mentioned.
Good-humoured and reality-based despite the setting, Maisie and her mother are a joy to read about, although the remainder of the cast are more one-note. That won’t matter to minority readers as just mention of non-binary people in graphic novels is a step forward.
