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The Deep & Dark Blue
After a terrible political coup usurps their noble house, Hawke and Grayson flee to stay alive and assume new identities, Hanna and Grayce. Desperation and chance lead them to the Communion of Blue, an order of magical women who spin the threads of reality to their will.
As the twins learn more about the Communion, and themselves, they begin to hatch a plan to avenge their family and retake their royal home.While Hawke wants to return to his old life, Grayce struggles to keep the threads of her new life from unraveling, and realizes she wants to stay in the one place that will allow her to finally live as a girl.
As the twins learn more about the Communion, and themselves, they begin to hatch a plan to avenge their family and retake their royal home.While Hawke wants to return to his old life, Grayce struggles to keep the threads of her new life from unraveling, and realizes she wants to stay in the one place that will allow her to finally live as a girl.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 7, 2020
21 people are currently reading
6130 people want to read
About the author
Niki Smith
37 books211 followersArtist, writer, lover of fine comics (and some pretty trashy ones too). Niki Smith now calls Germany home and is dedicated to filling the world with queer and diverse stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 538 reviews
July 23, 2022
The Deep and Dark Blue took me completely by surprise. The book has been sitting on my shelves for over a year, and I’m regretting not picking it up sooner. This was one of the best graphic novels I’ve read, and my favourite middle grade I’ve ever picked up. This was the perfect mix of intricate fantasy and meaningful relationships and storytelling.
The art and colour palette were so unique. I’ve never seen a book that primarily utilises blue and pink/purple tones. The colour combination was gorgeous, and I’ll remember the beautiful drawings until I feel compelled to revisit. The weaving and the way the threads were drawn, was incredible. The characters were distinct, and I really appreciated how well emotion was conveyed through facial expressions. The lore and world-building were phenomenal, especially for a relatively short graphic novel. The sisters of communion reminded me so much of the Moirae from Greek mythology. I loved learning about their world and how different forms of weaving created elements like wind, fire, or water.
Grayce was my favourite character. It was delightful to see how she slowly embraced her identity. I thought that the trans rep was strong. I really enjoyed how, despite her fear, everyone reacted positively, and seamlessly adapted to her new name and pronouns. The world also felt very accepting, and I’m sure will be affirming for many trans readers. I loved how the threads, which essentially represent the will of the universe, were the first to accept Grayce, and always saw her as a girl. The tone and rep felt perfect for a middle grade graphic novel.
I cannot recommend this magnificent story enough. This book is why I love queer graphic novels so much! They are just too good.
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The art and colour palette were so unique. I’ve never seen a book that primarily utilises blue and pink/purple tones. The colour combination was gorgeous, and I’ll remember the beautiful drawings until I feel compelled to revisit. The weaving and the way the threads were drawn, was incredible. The characters were distinct, and I really appreciated how well emotion was conveyed through facial expressions. The lore and world-building were phenomenal, especially for a relatively short graphic novel. The sisters of communion reminded me so much of the Moirae from Greek mythology. I loved learning about their world and how different forms of weaving created elements like wind, fire, or water.
Grayce was my favourite character. It was delightful to see how she slowly embraced her identity. I thought that the trans rep was strong. I really enjoyed how, despite her fear, everyone reacted positively, and seamlessly adapted to her new name and pronouns. The world also felt very accepting, and I’m sure will be affirming for many trans readers. I loved how the threads, which essentially represent the will of the universe, were the first to accept Grayce, and always saw her as a girl. The tone and rep felt perfect for a middle grade graphic novel.
I cannot recommend this magnificent story enough. This book is why I love queer graphic novels so much! They are just too good.
I post about queer books on: Instagram Twitter TikTok
January 3, 2022
Started off 2022 with a solid middle-grade graphic novel. Wholesome fantasy story with an empowering exploration of gender identity.
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April 1, 2023
This is a gorgeous little graphic novel with a beautiful, trans affirming message. When a violent military coup kills twin brothers Hawke and Grayson's Grandfather and their cousin who was next in line for the throne. Knowing they too will be executed by their military-leader cousin in order for her to take the throne, they flee and disguise themselves as girls to hide out in the training school of a women-run religion as Hanna and Grayce. This group uses spinning to weave the fabric of the universe together--Smith does well through creating brief yet insightful depictions of how this magical group works without needing to get into many details or fully explain it. The brevity of the world building here really works, leaving much to the imagination while still feeling fully immersed in this world. An empowering trans narrative with a very diverse cast of characters and fun world-building, this book is a gem.
Lately my 10 year old and I have been sharing graphic novels with each other, often reading them aloud and getting quite animated in our depictions of characters. This one has quickly become a favorite very much from how well Smith has quickly constructed a well-rounded world and political climate while also only telling a singular story within it. There is strong implication of a much larger world going on with the spinners, the military, the history of Noble lines and the multiple plagues that are briefly mentioned, and it has been fun to explore in our own imagination when playing it out with LEGOS and such. This book is quick--perhaps the middle portion feels a bit rushed--yet still very effective as the many parts coalesce efficiently and form something greater than the sum of its parts.
This story is, ultimately, a trans affirming narrative and it is really beautiful. Grayce is on her path to figuring out who she truly is, and this is embraced quite well in the story. Something that really touched me was the acceptance of Grayce which is encouraging to young readers. There isn't an argument over gender so much as it is shown that the magic of the threads have full accepted Grayce and there can be no arguing with the fabric of the universe. It is a coming out tale full of acceptance and empathy, which is really lovely and would make a comforting and empowering story for a teen--or anyone--while they are working through their identity.
The artwork really pops as well, with a strong blue and pink color scheme that underlines many of the novels themes. There is sort of a hyper vibe to the book, quickly moving with lots of action and character motion effectively captured in the art. The fight scenes are exciting as well. I enjoyed how diverse the cast of characters was, which allows young readers from all over to find representation in the novel. This is perfect for fans of series like The Witch Boy, which deals with similar subjects. Overall this is fast, fun, effective and most importantly, full of empathy.
4/5
Lately my 10 year old and I have been sharing graphic novels with each other, often reading them aloud and getting quite animated in our depictions of characters. This one has quickly become a favorite very much from how well Smith has quickly constructed a well-rounded world and political climate while also only telling a singular story within it. There is strong implication of a much larger world going on with the spinners, the military, the history of Noble lines and the multiple plagues that are briefly mentioned, and it has been fun to explore in our own imagination when playing it out with LEGOS and such. This book is quick--perhaps the middle portion feels a bit rushed--yet still very effective as the many parts coalesce efficiently and form something greater than the sum of its parts.
This story is, ultimately, a trans affirming narrative and it is really beautiful. Grayce is on her path to figuring out who she truly is, and this is embraced quite well in the story. Something that really touched me was the acceptance of Grayce which is encouraging to young readers. There isn't an argument over gender so much as it is shown that the magic of the threads have full accepted Grayce and there can be no arguing with the fabric of the universe. It is a coming out tale full of acceptance and empathy, which is really lovely and would make a comforting and empowering story for a teen--or anyone--while they are working through their identity.
The artwork really pops as well, with a strong blue and pink color scheme that underlines many of the novels themes. There is sort of a hyper vibe to the book, quickly moving with lots of action and character motion effectively captured in the art. The fight scenes are exciting as well. I enjoyed how diverse the cast of characters was, which allows young readers from all over to find representation in the novel. This is perfect for fans of series like The Witch Boy, which deals with similar subjects. Overall this is fast, fun, effective and most importantly, full of empathy.
4/5
May 24, 2020
Many thanks to Little Brown Books for Young Readers for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
Phew. When I picked this graphic novel up, I did not expect it to be so hard hitting. Especially for a middle grade novel.
This fantasy graphic novel follows Hawke and Grayson after they evade being killed by their evil cousin. To evade capture, they disguise themselves as girls and join the Communion of Blue.
As they come up with their next steps, Hawke and Grayson—Now using the aliases ‘Hanna’ and ‘Grayce’—stay in the Communion of Blue. While Hawke is itching to leave, Grayce doesn’t. She wants to stay in the one place that will allow her to live as a girl.
I really did love the graphic novel. It was gorgeous and fascinating. It also weaved in the Grayce’s exploration of her gender into the novel perfectly. There were some great moments, some that even made me cry.
My only problem with this was the world building. As beautiful as the art was and as amazing as the story was, the world building was that much worse. I really like the idea of the Communion of Blue and the idea of the magical thread but it wasn’t explored at all.
If there is a sequel (and I really hope there will be), I’d love to see this explained in greater detail.
Overall, this graphic novel was beautiful and (mostly) well written!
Bottom Line:
➵ 4.5 Stars
➵ Age Rating - [ PG ]
➵ Content Screening (Mild Spoilers)
➵ Positive Messages (4/5) - [Familial love, Self love, Gender acceptance]
➵ Violence (4/5) - [Characters are shot, stabbed, etc.]
➵ Sex (0/0)
➵ Language (0/0)
➵ Drinking/Drugs (0/0)
Trigger and Content Warnings - Gender dysphoria, Violence, Loss of a loved one
Publication Date: January 7th, 2020
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Genre: Middle Grade/Fantasy
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4.5 stars! That one was a tear jerker! Review to come!
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February 13, 2020
I've been a fan of Niki Smith for years and have been eagerly following the updates on this book ever since it was announced. It does not disappoint! Grayson and Hawke are twins, grandchildren of the Lord of House Sunderlay. They are forced to flee a bloody political coup and go into hiding in plain sight. They disguise themselves as twin sisters and enter as initiates into the Communion of Blue, a holy sisterhood of dyers, weavers, magic spinners, healers and guardians who live and train in a monastery in the city center. Hawke chaffs under the disguise of Hanna, wanting to return to their home and fight for his place as Sunderlay's Heir. But Grayson thrives as Grayce, finally able to live the studious, peaceful, female life she's always wanted. When it is announced that Lord Sunderlay's murderer is going to take his place on the council, the twins must bring the truth to light and choose the paths their lives will take.
Read
May 7, 2019My new book...!
May 24, 2023
¡AYY! Que linda novela gráfica verdaderamente. Conocemos a dos hermanos gemelos, que después de un atentado a su reino y familiares, tienen que huir. ¿A dónde se van? Con esta tipo hermandad que controla los hilos de la realidad y ambos cambian sus identidades, ahora son dos niñas. Mientras que están conociendo sus nuevas vidas y planeando su venganza, uno de los hermanos muere por escapar y tomar y proteger el trono, mientras que el otro está aprendiendo de su vida y conociéndose a si mismo. Al final tenemos esta historia súper linda y rápida de leer con representación trans, mujeres poderosas, drama y un toque feminista. Me gusta muchísimo la hermandad que se formó en la historia y el apoyo incondicional. También adoro que sea un libro que puede impactar a un público mucho más joven, si tienes como 11 o 12 años, esto es IDEAL para ti.
Por fin estoy saliendo de mi bloqueo gracia a esta historia, así que se las recomiendo muchísimo si es que les llama la atención.
Por fin estoy saliendo de mi bloqueo gracia a esta historia, así que se las recomiendo muchísimo si es que les llama la atención.
February 1, 2022
Oof this one got me good. So many feels at the end.
The Deep & Dark Blue is a story about twins Hawke and Grayce. When their cousin comes and murders their grandfather to start a coup, the twins must run and find sanctuary. The are taken in by the Communion of the Blue as initiates. Hawke must pretend to be a girl while Grayce finally gets to experience life as the girl she knows she is. But while they're safe in the Blue, they also don't know what happened to their cousin, and Hawke is desperate to avenge his grandfather.
This was such a great story. I loved it so much. I would love another that focused more on Grayce and her trials in the Communion of the Blue. Grayce shows innate talent at spinning and I want to see her living her truest and happiest life. I love what we got to see in this one, but I also want more.
Hawke is much more impulsive, but he's also great comedic relief. He loves his sibling and he'd do anything in his power for her. I loved seeing these two work together and take back what was rightfully theirs. This was such a fun adventure!
Rep: Twin MCs: white male and white trans female, multiple BIPOC female side characters, BIPOC male side character.
CWs: Death, deaf of grandparent, deadnaming, blood, grief, misgendering, murder, violence. Moderate: transphobia/transmisia.
The Deep & Dark Blue is a story about twins Hawke and Grayce. When their cousin comes and murders their grandfather to start a coup, the twins must run and find sanctuary. The are taken in by the Communion of the Blue as initiates. Hawke must pretend to be a girl while Grayce finally gets to experience life as the girl she knows she is. But while they're safe in the Blue, they also don't know what happened to their cousin, and Hawke is desperate to avenge his grandfather.
This was such a great story. I loved it so much. I would love another that focused more on Grayce and her trials in the Communion of the Blue. Grayce shows innate talent at spinning and I want to see her living her truest and happiest life. I love what we got to see in this one, but I also want more.
Hawke is much more impulsive, but he's also great comedic relief. He loves his sibling and he'd do anything in his power for her. I loved seeing these two work together and take back what was rightfully theirs. This was such a fun adventure!
Rep: Twin MCs: white male and white trans female, multiple BIPOC female side characters, BIPOC male side character.
CWs: Death, deaf of grandparent, deadnaming, blood, grief, misgendering, murder, violence. Moderate: transphobia/transmisia.
January 26, 2021
This was such a wholesome middlegrade graphic novel!
June 1, 2025
i really enjoyed this, i just wish it were longer and we got to really get into the magic system of the communion and some of the politics! it moves quickly though and i loved the trans storyline.
love the art style as well 💙
love the art style as well 💙
April 4, 2020
A nice fantasy with a LGBTQ+ twist. After a violent coup in their noble house, heirs and identical twins Hawke and Grayson go into hiding, dressing as girls to join a magical religious order. While going about their daily lives as initiates, one is wholly focused on righting the injustice while the other is also coming to terms with inner truths and the direction they want their life to take.
Telling the twins apart can be difficult unless you pay close attention to their earrings.
The mandatory action is a bit rushed and unlikely at times and the magic not well defined, but the rest of the story has all the feels.
Telling the twins apart can be difficult unless you pay close attention to their earrings.
The mandatory action is a bit rushed and unlikely at times and the magic not well defined, but the rest of the story has all the feels.
Read
December 1, 2019Really charming trans graphic novel. This is only the second graphic novel I've ever read so I'm still getting used to processing story lines in that format and can't really comment on any of that (especially because I read an ARC with no color, and I think color would've helped me differentiate between characters better), but I loved the trans storyline and lbr that's what I was there for.
March 22, 2020
This was a fun middle grade fantasy graphic novel about two siblings caught up in a political coup. Both are assigned male, and escape and hide themselves as new initiates in The Communion of Blue, a women-only communal society with sacred duties. When they are given the opportunity to avenge the wrongs done to their house, one is eager to get back to his old life and the other wants to stay in the life she knows is for her. Nice trans storyline, good but not great art, could have used some more details about the world-building. I see in the acknowledgements there was consultation on including a trans girl character, so I'm happy to see that and for trans representation for this age group in comic form.
May 27, 2021
This is such a great middle grade graphic novel! It's got great world-building, beautiful illustrations, amazing characters, and such a thrilling storyline! I honestly love everything about it and have no complaints. The magic system is so interesting, and there is political intrigue, a trans main character, and a found family aspect! I love it so much!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Blood
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Blood
March 23, 2020
3.5/5
I loved the message to this but it felt like there was a disconnect between a lot of the panels and what the panels were supposed to be showing me. I felt a bit lost in a few places. The illustrations were beautiful but they didn't totally line up quite right.
Rep: transgender
I loved the message to this but it felt like there was a disconnect between a lot of the panels and what the panels were supposed to be showing me. I felt a bit lost in a few places. The illustrations were beautiful but they didn't totally line up quite right.
Rep: transgender
September 26, 2021
So cute!! I'd definitely recommend this to fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender; while I'm not too far into the show, the vibes are similar. I loved the contrast between Grayce and Hawke, and the magic system was interesting.
November 3, 2022
This is a sweet story of trans acceptance that will probably be deeply meaningful for some kids. Unfortunately, I am enough of an anti-monarchist that I spent half the book with "strange magically updating family tree tapestries is no basis for a system of government!" running through my head. The worldbuilding in general is slight here: what does it mean to rule a noble house, what is the relationship between the nobility and the military, just how big is this city that it can support the vast number of noble lineages shown in the library? And how does the magic work, anyway? But I don't know that any of these questions will bother the target audience.
August 9, 2022
Really nice middle grade/borderline teen fantasy story with trans rep. The Deep and Dark Blue is like if Molly Knox Ostertag's Witch Boy Series, had a baby with Jen Wang's "The Prince and the Dressmaker".
It's a journey where a character discovering their gifts (magical or otherwise) goes hand in hand with discovering and accepting who they really are.
It's a journey where a character discovering their gifts (magical or otherwise) goes hand in hand with discovering and accepting who they really are.
February 18, 2020
I LOVE THIS SO MUCH
Quick question, though: why do all the stories about men-only institutions and girls disguising themselves as boys condemn the men-only rule and advocate for accessibility to all genders, but anything with women-only institutions portrays them as just super duper all around? Why shouldn’t guys get to weave and spin and dye and study if they want to? What if it was Hawke who wanted to stay with the Communion, who felt like it was his real home, and they were like, “😬 Sorry, girls only”? The happy ending is INCREDIBLY conditional on this not being the case, but imagine it. Or, what if they BOTH wanted to stay but had to be split up against their wishes? How is that fair? What if Grayce was nonbinary but AMAB? WHERE’S THE JUSTICE???
Anyway. This GN still ruled, I’m just always a little bitter about women-centric institutions going unexamined and getting free rein to discriminate by gender.
Quick question, though: why do all the stories about men-only institutions and girls disguising themselves as boys condemn the men-only rule and advocate for accessibility to all genders, but anything with women-only institutions portrays them as just super duper all around? Why shouldn’t guys get to weave and spin and dye and study if they want to? What if it was Hawke who wanted to stay with the Communion, who felt like it was his real home, and they were like, “😬 Sorry, girls only”? The happy ending is INCREDIBLY conditional on this not being the case, but imagine it. Or, what if they BOTH wanted to stay but had to be split up against their wishes? How is that fair? What if Grayce was nonbinary but AMAB? WHERE’S THE JUSTICE???
Anyway. This GN still ruled, I’m just always a little bitter about women-centric institutions going unexamined and getting free rein to discriminate by gender.
December 20, 2019
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL??? IT HAD SO MUCH REPRESENTATION AND IT WAS FAST AND LOVELY.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
March 6, 2023
the first graphic novel of the year i didn't completely SOB at but i'd be lying if i didn't shed a few tears at the end
literally this book is nearly perfect and i LOVE the lore and history of the in-book universe
it's queer, it's middle grade, it's a graphic novel, it's literally perfection :,)
literally this book is nearly perfect and i LOVE the lore and history of the in-book universe
it's queer, it's middle grade, it's a graphic novel, it's literally perfection :,)
May 8, 2019
An engaging fantasy book with magic, political intrigue, and gorgeous artwork! Recommended.
July 28, 2021
Fantastic, positive trans rep and really interesting world-building!
June 13, 2024
When a cousin betrays the rest of the family and starts killing everyone, Hawke and Grayson are forced to run away and take on new identities so they won’t be found. Reeling from their losses, they find their way to the Communion of Blue where they become Hannah and Grayce. The longer they stay with the sisterhood, the more the siblings learn, but now they aren’t seeing eye to eye. Hawke wants to return to their old life, but Grayce is finally getting to be her true self and loves everything she’s been learning with the sisterhood.
I absolutely loved this story. We follow Hawke and Grayce as they go through the terrible loss of everyone they care about and are forced into hiding. While the opening makes it seem like the story will be about a political coup, that is actually the background of the story. At its core, it’s a story about several different transitions. Much of the focus is on Grayce being able to be herself and slowly come out and blossom. We see how afraid she is to tell her brother that this is who she is, but we also get to see her being accepted, including by the magic of the blue thread.
This was an excellent read. While the opening of the story is pretty bleak, it turns out to be a beautiful story about siblings and trans identities. The artwork was absolutely stunning and had such a beautiful color palette that helped tell the story. I can’t wait to see more of Smith’s work in the future.
I absolutely loved this story. We follow Hawke and Grayce as they go through the terrible loss of everyone they care about and are forced into hiding. While the opening makes it seem like the story will be about a political coup, that is actually the background of the story. At its core, it’s a story about several different transitions. Much of the focus is on Grayce being able to be herself and slowly come out and blossom. We see how afraid she is to tell her brother that this is who she is, but we also get to see her being accepted, including by the magic of the blue thread.
This was an excellent read. While the opening of the story is pretty bleak, it turns out to be a beautiful story about siblings and trans identities. The artwork was absolutely stunning and had such a beautiful color palette that helped tell the story. I can’t wait to see more of Smith’s work in the future.
August 3, 2020
I loved the art and the affirming message of The Deep & Dark Blue. The plot had a lot of action in it, which made for a fun and fast read. My biggest complaint was that I didn't feel much of a connection with either Hawke or Grayce. More time is spent on the story than on character development and I would've loved a bit more about both of our main characters. I still enjoyed The Deep & Dark Blue and will definitely be recommending it to my friends who teach middle schoolers.
C/W:
C/W:
March 8, 2020
Enjoyed the message of acceptance and being true to yourself, as well as the character arcs of the twins, but the world building and magic system seemed a bit mythological and vague rather than fully explained.
I liked the drawing style and color scheme, but with all the initiates having the same hairstyle and uniform, half the time I wasn’t sure which twin (until you see their hair) or which character (until their name is stated)....
A bit brief for a standalone, so hopefully there’s a sequel with more details. Otherwise, it might’ve been improved with more breathing room as a two-parter. But enjoyable overall!
I liked the drawing style and color scheme, but with all the initiates having the same hairstyle and uniform, half the time I wasn’t sure which twin (until you see their hair) or which character (until their name is stated)....
A bit brief for a standalone, so hopefully there’s a sequel with more details. Otherwise, it might’ve been improved with more breathing room as a two-parter. But enjoyable overall!
May 29, 2020
I loved this. The colors and world were great, the drama and conflict perfect for its intent and audience. The handling of queer intricacies, delightfully positive and uplifting without ever being the defining characteristic.
July 6, 2023
Compelling charcterization, good story, heartfelt!
February 11, 2020
It's cute and and has some very sweet heartfelt moments. Action is swift. There is violence but it's not overly graphic. The motivation of the antagonist is a bit handwavey and I would've liked a bit more time there. As a spinner I enjoyed seeing all of the spindle spinning in the book. Not the best print quality I've seen--colors were a bit muted or washed out. I wonder if I'd gotten an e-version if they would've been more vibrant.
March 9, 2020
This was really sweet! I clearly love warm-hearted stories made for middle-graders. Good old Disney-vibes with LGBT characters, what's more to ask?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 538 reviews