Scan barcode
bythebooks's review against another edition
4.0
I new to graphic novels so the probably wasn’t the best choice to start out with since it had a lot of world building to keep track of while also understanding the format so for that it’s more of a 3.5. I still really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the next volume. (also baby fox and cat
Merged review:
I new to graphic novels so the probably wasn’t the best choice to start out with since it had a lot of world building to keep track of while also understanding the format so for that it’s more of a 3.5. I still really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the next volume. (also baby fox and cat
Merged review:
I new to graphic novels so the probably wasn’t the best choice to start out with since it had a lot of world building to keep track of while also understanding the format so for that it’s more of a 3.5. I still really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the next volume. (also baby fox and cat
Merged review:
I new to graphic novels so the probably wasn’t the best choice to start out with since it had a lot of world building to keep track of while also understanding the format so for that it’s more of a 3.5. I still really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the next volume. (also baby fox and cat
Merged review:
I new to graphic novels so the probably wasn’t the best choice to start out with since it had a lot of world building to keep track of while also understanding the format so for that it’s more of a 3.5. I still really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the next volume. (also baby fox and cat
mlliu's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, this is one of the most engaging graphic novels/comics I've read in awhile. In the past, I've had difficulty following the sequence of illustrations in some graphic novels, or disliked the artwork, or just didn't care about the characters. I'm not that familiar with myths, so I can't say how original Marjorie Liu's ideas are, but I love how lush and imaginative the world of Monstress seems to be. Kana Takeda's artwork perfectly complements the fantastic elements of the story.
Merged review:
Wow, this is one of the most engaging graphic novels/comics I've read in awhile. In the past, I've had difficulty following the sequence of illustrations in some graphic novels, or disliked the artwork, or just didn't care about the characters. I'm not that familiar with myths, so I can't say how original Marjorie Liu's ideas are, but I love how lush and imaginative the world of Monstress seems to be. Kana Takeda's artwork perfectly complements the fantastic elements of the story.
Merged review:
Wow, this is one of the most engaging graphic novels/comics I've read in awhile. In the past, I've had difficulty following the sequence of illustrations in some graphic novels, or disliked the artwork, or just didn't care about the characters. I'm not that familiar with myths, so I can't say how original Marjorie Liu's ideas are, but I love how lush and imaginative the world of Monstress seems to be. Kana Takeda's artwork perfectly complements the fantastic elements of the story.
raelovestoread's review against another edition
5.0
Monstress is stunning.
The first thing that captivated me was the gorgeous artwork. Set in a world that's subtly steampunk with an art deco feel and Lovecraftian elements, it's the ideal aesthetic!
My respect for the story came later as it took a while for the lore to be revealed. Now at the end of Volume 1, I'm hooked and can't wait for the next instalment.
I particularly love some of the strong, ruthless, fearless females in this book. Not a damsel-in-distress in sight. I found it refreshing: effortlessly badass.
Also there are talking cats.
If you like graphic novels - and don't mind them angry and dark - this one is not to be missed.
Merged review:
Monstress is stunning.
The first thing that captivated me was the gorgeous artwork. Set in a world that's subtly steampunk with an art deco feel and Lovecraftian elements, it's the ideal aesthetic!
My respect for the story came later as it took a while for the lore to be revealed. Now at the end of Volume 1, I'm hooked and can't wait for the next instalment.
I particularly love some of the strong, ruthless, fearless females in this book. Not a damsel-in-distress in sight. I found it refreshing: effortlessly badass.
Also there are talking cats.
If you like graphic novels - and don't mind them angry and dark - this one is not to be missed.
The first thing that captivated me was the gorgeous artwork. Set in a world that's subtly steampunk with an art deco feel and Lovecraftian elements, it's the ideal aesthetic!
My respect for the story came later as it took a while for the lore to be revealed. Now at the end of Volume 1, I'm hooked and can't wait for the next instalment.
I particularly love some of the strong, ruthless, fearless females in this book. Not a damsel-in-distress in sight. I found it refreshing: effortlessly badass.
Also there are talking cats.
If you like graphic novels - and don't mind them angry and dark - this one is not to be missed.
Merged review:
Monstress is stunning.
The first thing that captivated me was the gorgeous artwork. Set in a world that's subtly steampunk with an art deco feel and Lovecraftian elements, it's the ideal aesthetic!
My respect for the story came later as it took a while for the lore to be revealed. Now at the end of Volume 1, I'm hooked and can't wait for the next instalment.
I particularly love some of the strong, ruthless, fearless females in this book. Not a damsel-in-distress in sight. I found it refreshing: effortlessly badass.
Also there are talking cats.
If you like graphic novels - and don't mind them angry and dark - this one is not to be missed.
toolittletime's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Writing this review on the reread of the book.
Gorgeous art and really cool world building. You are drawn into Maika's world and story really quickly. Very good introduction that leaves you with questions to pull you into the next volume.
Very dark and violent world.
Gorgeous art and really cool world building. You are drawn into Maika's world and story really quickly. Very good introduction that leaves you with questions to pull you into the next volume.
Very dark and violent world.
crystaldg7's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully illustrated! I am liking the story as well. I could not give it 5 stars due to the dialogue being choppy and jumping around from scene to different scene a lot. Overall an excellent graphic novel though.
Merged review:
Beautifully illustrated! I am liking the story as well. I could not give it 5 stars due to the dialogue being choppy and jumping around from scene to different scene a lot. Overall an excellent graphic novel though.
Merged review:
Beautifully illustrated! I am liking the story as well. I could not give it 5 stars due to the dialogue being choppy and jumping around from scene to different scene a lot. Overall an excellent graphic novel though.
Merged review:
Beautifully illustrated! I am liking the story as well. I could not give it 5 stars due to the dialogue being choppy and jumping around from scene to different scene a lot. Overall an excellent graphic novel though.
Merged review:
Beautifully illustrated! I am liking the story as well. I could not give it 5 stars due to the dialogue being choppy and jumping around from scene to different scene a lot. Overall an excellent graphic novel though.
shokoshik's review against another edition
5.0
This is so beautiful, and so very generous in terms of how much you get in a single volume. Every single character is interesting and you want to know more about, it's layered, and complex, and creates this entire world with fascinating (relevant!) history, and I'm so very curious to see what's next.
Merged review:
This is so beautiful, and so very generous in terms of how much you get in a single volume. Every single character is interesting and you want to know more about, it's layered, and complex, and creates this entire world with fascinating (relevant!) history, and I'm so very curious to see what's next.
Merged review:
This is so beautiful, and so very generous in terms of how much you get in a single volume. Every single character is interesting and you want to know more about, it's layered, and complex, and creates this entire world with fascinating (relevant!) history, and I'm so very curious to see what's next.
dalinarsreads's review against another edition
5.0
This was interesting? Not sure on my thoughts but I am for sure going to continue with this graphic novel series and the art is beautiful.
Merged review:
This was interesting? Not sure on my thoughts but I am for sure going to continue with this graphic novel series and the art is beautiful.
Merged review:
This was interesting? Not sure on my thoughts but I am for sure going to continue with this graphic novel series and the art is beautiful.
coco_lolo's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
My first serious foray into comics and graphic novels, and I must say that this was a pleasant surprise! That is most likely because I enjoy manga so much and, in some ways, Monstress reads a bit like one, whether it be the art style or the story.
Speaking of art, Sana Takeda's character designs and style is absolutely incredible - as gorgeous as it can be creepy, the art is what sold this first volume of Monstress for me. There were times when I felt that things were a bit too dark, but that's easy to overlook because it was so clean and precise, and everyone looked distinct.
The plot, though entertaining, is convoluted in that there is a lot going on behind the scenes and at the forefront, and for most of this volume I felt that the story could have been better fleshed out. World building is something I would also like to see more of, because while I did like the information provided at the end of most chapters, this universe doesn't yet feel cohesive. And what is the influence behind the culture? Egyptian? Japanese? Hebrew? It seems to be inspired by various elements that don't necessarily mesh together so far.
Although Maika is a interesting character because of her position in the world of humans and Arcanics, I feel like she's going to have to undergo some major development before I can say I actually like her. She just felt too much like all the other kickass heroines I've come across, the girl that is distant and closed off from almost everyone else and doesn't know who she is because she has (of course) lost pieces of her memories. I was also annoyed by how she sort of speaks down to people: rather than addressing them by their names, it was "little fox" or "cat" or "ravenborn." On a side note, though, I thought Kippa was adorable and want to see her create more of a relationship with Maika, and Ren the cat is the best character hands down: his were the lines I truly laughed at.
I talked more about my issues with Monstress in this review, but I really did like what was going on and am hoping the story and characters strengthen in the subsequent issues. I'll definitely be picking up the second collected volume when it comes out this summer!
My first serious foray into comics and graphic novels, and I must say that this was a pleasant surprise! That is most likely because I enjoy manga so much and, in some ways, Monstress reads a bit like one, whether it be the art style or the story.
Speaking of art, Sana Takeda's character designs and style is absolutely incredible - as gorgeous as it can be creepy, the art is what sold this first volume of Monstress for me. There were times when I felt that things were a bit too dark, but that's easy to overlook because it was so clean and precise, and everyone looked distinct.
The plot, though entertaining, is convoluted in that there is a lot going on behind the scenes and at the forefront, and for most of this volume I felt that the story could have been better fleshed out. World building is something I would also like to see more of, because while I did like the information provided at the end of most chapters, this universe doesn't yet feel cohesive. And what is the influence behind the culture? Egyptian? Japanese? Hebrew? It seems to be inspired by various elements that don't necessarily mesh together so far.
Although Maika is a interesting character because of her position in the world of humans and Arcanics, I feel like she's going to have to undergo some major development before I can say I actually like her. She just felt too much like all the other kickass heroines I've come across, the girl that is distant and closed off from almost everyone else and doesn't know who she is because she has (of course) lost pieces of her memories. I was also annoyed by how she sort of speaks down to people: rather than addressing them by their names, it was "little fox" or "cat" or "ravenborn." On a side note, though, I thought Kippa was adorable and want to see her create more of a relationship with Maika, and Ren the cat is the best character hands down: his were the lines I truly laughed at.
I talked more about my issues with Monstress in this review, but I really did like what was going on and am hoping the story and characters strengthen in the subsequent issues. I'll definitely be picking up the second collected volume when it comes out this summer!
tinyperidot's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
eldritchreader's review against another edition
5.0
Monstress is a steampunk story, following Maiko – a young female amputee with a monster inside of her. The artwork in this graphic novel would be more than enough to convince readers this is a must-have for their collection. Intricately vicious and beautiful, it builds an astounding world full of brilliant creatures and terrible violence.
The story itself has a richness that is often missed in graphic novels. This is blatant in the first volume, drawing readers into an almost-epic that, while full of detail, is engaging and can be read through quickly. Every single character clearly has an in-depth background that will no doubt unfold as the story continues. And the worldbuilding itself seems intertwined throughout these individual stories. If you love the darker, grittier, more adult graphic novels, like Saga, then you should absolutely be adding this to your list.
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links
Merged review:
Monstress is a steampunk story, following Maiko – a young female amputee with a monster inside of her. The artwork in this graphic novel would be more than enough to convince readers this is a must-have for their collection. Intricately vicious and beautiful, it builds an astounding world full of brilliant creatures and terrible violence.
The story itself has a richness that is often missed in graphic novels. This is blatant in the first volume, drawing readers into an almost-epic that, while full of detail, is engaging and can be read through quickly. Every single character clearly has an in-depth background that will no doubt unfold as the story continues. And the worldbuilding itself seems intertwined throughout these individual stories. If you love the darker, grittier, more adult graphic novels, like Saga, then you should absolutely be adding this to your list.
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links
The story itself has a richness that is often missed in graphic novels. This is blatant in the first volume, drawing readers into an almost-epic that, while full of detail, is engaging and can be read through quickly. Every single character clearly has an in-depth background that will no doubt unfold as the story continues. And the worldbuilding itself seems intertwined throughout these individual stories. If you love the darker, grittier, more adult graphic novels, like Saga, then you should absolutely be adding this to your list.
→ trigger warnings: war themes, slavery, rape discussed, suicide, hunting, blood depiction, electrocution, death (including of a child and mother), dead bodies, nonconsensual body mutilation and experimentation, decapitation and dismemberment, fire and burning alive, murder, stabbing
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links
Merged review:
Monstress is a steampunk story, following Maiko – a young female amputee with a monster inside of her. The artwork in this graphic novel would be more than enough to convince readers this is a must-have for their collection. Intricately vicious and beautiful, it builds an astounding world full of brilliant creatures and terrible violence.
The story itself has a richness that is often missed in graphic novels. This is blatant in the first volume, drawing readers into an almost-epic that, while full of detail, is engaging and can be read through quickly. Every single character clearly has an in-depth background that will no doubt unfold as the story continues. And the worldbuilding itself seems intertwined throughout these individual stories. If you love the darker, grittier, more adult graphic novels, like Saga, then you should absolutely be adding this to your list.
→ trigger warnings: war themes, slavery, rape discussed, suicide, hunting, blood depiction, electrocution, death (including of a child and mother), dead bodies, nonconsensual body mutilation and experimentation, decapitation and dismemberment, fire and burning alive, murder, stabbing
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links