STARRED Book Review: Deluge

Reviewed by Kathy L. Brown

Laura’s new town is cursed in ways both obvious and hidden. Can she solve the mystery behind the dangers, or must she remain trapped in Deluge forever?

In Deluge: The People That Melt in the Rain, a stranger comes to town. Yet it’s the town itself that’s strange; the new girl, Laura, appears to be perfectly normal. Laura and her mom move to Deluge for a new, perhaps too-good-to-be true, job. 

But they are immediately confronted by a frog-infested rain shower, a wonderful opening scene for the graphic novel. It strikes Laura as odd that the residents regard this event as more of a bother than a remarkable occurrence.

Most Deluge people are nice enough, and Laura is quickly befriended by an elderly neighbor and Kevin, a boy about her own age. With their guidance, Laura learns the day-to-day reality of survival in this cursed town. After a disastrous company picnic, Laura shares some thoughts with her new friend. “In Seattle I used to love to stand in the rain…but here it’s all frogs and acid.” To which Kevin replies, “Just frogs and acid?”

But the “why” of it all entices Laura to sleuthing, especially when she learns that people don’t (that is, can’t) leave. This means she won’t see her father back in Seattle again unless she solves the mystery of Deluge. 

The story effectively mingles Laura’s narrative with that of a woman traveling through Deluge at another time, a parallel tale that soon intertwines with Laura’s plotline. Olmec legends and lore are introduced, specifically “The Jaguar Child,” and we suspect this information will grow in importance in future volumes of this graphic novel.

Laura is a great protagonist for middle grade readers: a bit of a loner, independent, and inquisitive. She can make friends, but won’t sacrifice her individuality just to fit in. Deluge handles the tropes of the middle grade category well: a single parent struggling with life’s practical issues, a mentoring elder who has time for a child, and a trusty sidekick. Even hints of a mysterious cat friend. Laura’s goals and needs center around her family and friends: dealing with the separation from her father, making friends, and finding her place in this new town, but the immense threat of the setting amplifies all her problems. 

Deluge’s illustrations are phenomenal. The drawings are realistic, with palettes ranging from muted to colorful, depending on the needs of the narrative. A variety of point-of-view angles and panel styles support the story events they portray. 

Deluge will appeal to readers young and old, both for its interesting story, appealing characters with real problems, supernatural and mysterious aspects, and beautiful graphics. I can’t wait to follow Laura and Kevin in their future Deluge investigations!

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Thank you for reading Kathy L. Brown’s book review of Deluge by Carolyn Watson Dubisch & Mike Dubisch! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.