ROADQUEEN by MIRA ONG CHUA
A REVIEW by ALEXA DUNCAN
Road Queen by Mira Ong Chua is a very interesting graphic novel. Why? Because it straddles the line between Western comics and Japanese manga to the point where I could easily see this being a manga. The book features Leo and Vega, a couple of teenage lesbians who go to an elite boarding school for girls. The best way to get to and from the school is through motorcycle. Our main character, Leo, is one of the coolest riders in the school Everyone has a crush on her and she cannot stand it. But when a new girl named Vega comes along and takes Leo’s beloved
bike away from her. To get it back. Leo decides to make a deal with Vega: Leo dates her for one week to see if she’s worthy of getting Bethany back. If Leo proves herself to be the kind of girlfriend Vega knows she can be, Leo will get her bike back. If she doesn’t, then Leo will never see Bethany again.
What I liked most about Road Queen is that it clearly has a lot of manga influence. While the first dozen or so pages are n full color, the rest in in black and white paneling, just like how a volume of manga would be. This makes the story easy to read. The art style is great, the overly exaggerated expressions some of the characters make providing a lot of comedy. Speaking of comedy, Roadqueen is hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times throughout the story.
At the heart of this graphic novel is its characters. Leo is a swoon-worthy motorcycle rider who prefers to keep to herself. Vega is kind but she tries to teach Leo the error of her heartbreaking ways. I liked them both, but I think I like Vega more just because she’s more fun as a character. While neither of the girls remain static throughout the story, Leo has the most changing to do, and by the time we reach the end, it’s clear Leo has gone through a dramatic transformation thanks to Vega,
All in all, Roadqueen is a fun love story perfect for older LGBTQIA+ teens who love manga. It reads quickly and you’ll laugh along the way.
You can find Roadqueen at the Oreana Library today!