Some experts will tell you that the key to achieving your goals begins with creating a five-year plan. For Astrid Beeswax, the blueprint for her goal has been more than a decade in the making, ever since the fateful day when Harold Braggart dropped a lit match in a tent filled with fireworks. The ensuing explosion not only took her father’s life and her mother’s vision, but set Astrid on an unwavering course to reveal the unseemly side of the Braggart family. Even though she was the only one to witness Harold’s deed, Astrid could never allow him to get away with such a cruel infraction, regardless of the Braggart family’s considerable wealth, reputation, and influence. So with the unwitting assistance of her clever friend, Lottie Dah, Astrid has spent years putting all the pieces in place to exact her revenge. With the Annual Harvest Festival approaching, every part of Astrid’s plan is coming together, but there could be trouble if she doesn’t share the burden she’s been guarding so closely. Her kindhearted brother, Roland, is the coach for Doily Dayle’s beloved hockey team and, just like so many things in town, the team is controlled by the Braggarts. Astrid learns that Harold is cooking up quite a scheme of his own, one that could ruin Roland’s career. The Beeswax clan will either have to come together or risk being torn completely apart.
If you enjoy quirky characters, a charming locale, a heartwarming family dynamic, or a vintage aesthetic, you’ll fall in love with Astrid Beeswax and her eccentricities before the end of the first page. True, Astrid’s relatively dark motivations stem from a grudge she holds and the vengeance she seeks. Still, the overall feel of the story is blindingly bright and impossibly cheery, with a moral message or a valuable life lesson proffered at every opportunity. Despite holding a secret that weighs heavily on her, Astrid remains vibrant, sassy and smart, and seems to exist in an era all her own. Although the flow is interrupted with protracted sections of backstory and peculiarly formal dialogue, the interesting plot and variety of eccentric characters are solidly on point. Charming artwork is also a nice touch, bringing the cast to life in exactly the way you imagine, particularly with Astrid and her fabulous outfits. Astrid Beeswax: The Sting is a cozy comedic adventure that illustrates how to live, laugh, and love through any trial.
