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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Art is breathtaking! The story has this amazing mix of horror, scifi and mystery. A couple of the layouts I wasn't sure what order to read them in but figured out the style as it progressed. Time to get the rest of this series at the library!!!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Even though this was, as other reviewers have said, largely a set-up volume, it's a very good set-up volume.
The Nice House on the Lake follows several young 20- and 30-somethings who arrive at said Nice House only to be told that they've effectively been rescued from the apocalypse by their good friend Walter. That is, he is a good friend to some of them; to others at the Nice House, he is only an acquaintance. The mystery is why them? Why him? Why here?
Lots of strange things occur over the course of this volume, none of which I can divulge with enough skill so as to not spoil major plot points, so I'm instead going to focus on my favorite element of this story: character development. To me, the characters here are so, so well done. As a horror fan, you might think that my standards for character development are low, but lack of solid characterization is in reality a huge pet peeve of mine in my genre. In The Nice House on the Lake, James Tynion IV does an amazing job allowing the reader to get to know the characters through monologues that introduce each issue as well as through just generally unique personalities and, most importantly, occupation.
We're clued in early on that we should pay close attention to their occupations, and I pessimistically thought that careers were going to stand in for legitimate characterization. You know, the jaded writer, the curious reporter, the cool-headed doctor, etc. Instead, however, Tynion IV used these careers as landmarks for the reader, plot building, art direction, set dressing, and hints for the characters' dispositions. Like, yes, the reporter is curious, but you can tell that his career honed this potential in him--he wasn't always like this, yet he always had the potential. There are only three characters that didn't get this sort of attention, but I suspect they will in the next volume to follow the pattern set here. The amount of care and the way in which we gradually come to know each character--their pasts, presents, and futures--makes it feel like you're sharing the house with them, discovering what it holds with them, worrying about the wellfare of those who didn't make it there with them . . .
And let me just say that the artwork is fantastic. I also loved the light incorporation of mixed media. Every artistic decision enhanced the reading experience and amplified immersion. Seriously well done.
So why not five stars? I actually see them as tentative. For me, the five-star rating for this volume depends entirely on how the rest of the series goes. And believe me, I'll be devouring it as soon as possible.
CW: dead naming (it happens in flashbacks pre-transition)
For fans of: The Good Place (2016-2020), Cabin in the Woods (2011), Archive 81 (2022), Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay / Knock at the Cabin (2023), Infidel by Pornsak Pichetshote, Alice in Borderland by Haro Aso, Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice, Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky, Eat the Rich by Sarah Gailey, This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno
The Nice House on the Lake follows several young 20- and 30-somethings who arrive at said Nice House only to be told that they've effectively been rescued from the apocalypse by their good friend Walter. That is, he is a good friend to some of them; to others at the Nice House, he is only an acquaintance. The mystery is why them? Why him? Why here?
Lots of strange things occur over the course of this volume, none of which I can divulge with enough skill so as to not spoil major plot points, so I'm instead going to focus on my favorite element of this story: character development. To me, the characters here are so, so well done. As a horror fan, you might think that my standards for character development are low, but lack of solid characterization is in reality a huge pet peeve of mine in my genre. In The Nice House on the Lake, James Tynion IV does an amazing job allowing the reader to get to know the characters through monologues that introduce each issue as well as through just generally unique personalities and, most importantly, occupation.
We're clued in early on that we should pay close attention to their occupations, and I pessimistically thought that careers were going to stand in for legitimate characterization. You know, the jaded writer, the curious reporter, the cool-headed doctor, etc. Instead, however, Tynion IV used these careers as landmarks for the reader, plot building, art direction, set dressing, and hints for the characters' dispositions. Like, yes, the reporter is curious, but you can tell that his career honed this potential in him--he wasn't always like this, yet he always had the potential. There are only three characters that didn't get this sort of attention, but I suspect they will in the next volume to follow the pattern set here. The amount of care and the way in which we gradually come to know each character--their pasts, presents, and futures--makes it feel like you're sharing the house with them, discovering what it holds with them, worrying about the wellfare of those who didn't make it there with them . . .
And let me just say that the artwork is fantastic. I also loved the light incorporation of mixed media. Every artistic decision enhanced the reading experience and amplified immersion. Seriously well done.
So why not five stars? I actually see them as tentative. For me, the five-star rating for this volume depends entirely on how the rest of the series goes. And believe me, I'll be devouring it as soon as possible.
CW: dead naming (it happens in flashbacks pre-transition)
For fans of: The Good Place (2016-2020), Cabin in the Woods (2011), Archive 81 (2022), Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay / Knock at the Cabin (2023), Infidel by Pornsak Pichetshote, Alice in Borderland by Haro Aso, Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice, Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky, Eat the Rich by Sarah Gailey, This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Went into this completely blind and was immediately hooked. Wish I didn't start ANOTHER incomplete series but omg. This was so good. Graphic and scary as well, I was spooked.
'The Nice House on the Lake' by James Tynion IV with art by Alvaro Martinez is a graphic novel about a group of people all connected by a man named Walter.
Walter has been collecting friends for years. Everyone sees him as a little odd, especially with his game where he asks how the world should end. When he invites a select group of friends to his lake house for a week, the somewhat friends and acquaintances find that things aren't at all what they seem, and neither is Walter.
I didn't expect this story and I found it thrilling and compelling. The ephemera that accompanies the story in the form of transcripts and emails is a really nice touch to this strange story. The art sets a great mood and tone to the story.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Walter has been collecting friends for years. Everyone sees him as a little odd, especially with his game where he asks how the world should end. When he invites a select group of friends to his lake house for a week, the somewhat friends and acquaintances find that things aren't at all what they seem, and neither is Walter.
I didn't expect this story and I found it thrilling and compelling. The ephemera that accompanies the story in the form of transcripts and emails is a really nice touch to this strange story. The art sets a great mood and tone to the story.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes