I didn't realize this was a YA graphic novel when I picked it up on a recommendation, so it was a SUPER fast read, but charming and subtly subversive. Heroic Ambrosius Amberloin? Villainous Ballistair Blackheart? Heck, just the names of everyone amused me more than they should. We meet the young girl Nimona as she offers to apprentice herself to Ballistair Blackheart, but her shapeshifting powers soon get the plot rolling along faster than anyone - especially Ballistair - expected. Although it starts off as a series of fairly straight-forward capers, it develops layers and shades of grey I wasn't expecting and soon it's not quite as clear as it started who's the good guy, who's the bad guy, and what exactly the mysterious Institution is up to anyway. Definitely a fun and occasionally thought-provoking read right through to the end, where you're left wondering exactly what happened and who means what to whom. Would recommend to any teen!