alcoholic_frog's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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pastel_princess's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

To start, the artwork in this book is amazing. Sana Takeda (Artist) did a wonderful job detailing the many characters you meet in this book. The story line is very clear and well written. Watching Maika learn about her past and reveal her story is sad and hard, but it is also besetting. I can't wait to read book 2!

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ithladin's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Gorgeous art, good worldbuilding, interesting history... but all the triggers!! 

I would love to read something more happy/hopeful with the same art/worldbuilding though.

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millie's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0


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dreammewords_'s review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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nutmegandpumpkin's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

definitely mature readers only! graphic violence and gore, some nudity, heavy topics, and horror (definitely check content warnings)
- complex and interesting world building 
- morally grey protagonist 
- very dark and gory
- character design and setting design were really amazing 
- it dragged a bit in some parts

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mugs_it_is's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


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melsmagicalreads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark funny tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.75

Kicking off 2022 with a graphic novel and I couldn't have chosen a better way to start my year! The world is on the brink of war, with humans and witches of the Cumaea against the Arcanics, half-human half-Ancient hybrids. Monstress follows a 17 year old girl, Maika, who travels deep into enemy territory. While doing this, she is fighting to keep a literal monster at bay who is residing inside her. With the unlikely traveling companions of a sentient cat and a cute little half-fox, she seeks answers to her unknown past while dodging all the different people who want her and her monster dead. 

I was so impressed by the depth of world-building in this graphic novel! It is so complex with multiple sentient species, warring factions, complex systems of power, and of course, monsters. The art is absolutely outstanding, unlike any other graphic novels I've read. It's definitely got a dark and gory steampunk vibe.

The story had the potential to be too dark for me, but the addition of sentient cats and a cute little half-fox sidekick for our monstress added much-needed comic relief. I imagine I will be flying through the next few volumes this week!

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rainbowshelves's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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elly29's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

This was hard to read. At times the plot seemed nonsensical, and it was very, very violent. Like, dismemberment, rolling heads, blood, wanton killings, life-sucking tentacles that make you age in the blink of an eye, etc etc. The art style is mostly beautiful when it's not bloody, and Kippa is cute and Ren the Nekomancer is funny. I'm not sure they and even four-tailed nekomancer Professor Tam Tam can keep me reading the next installment... I have it checked out of the library, so I probably will give it a go...

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