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thehhugg's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lunaballz's review
2.0
Wytches just missed the mark for me. It sounded like it would be interesting, but when you actually dive into it it reads like that cliched horror movie you saw last weekend that you can't remember the name of.
First of all, the tropes. Good god, the tropes. The angsty teenager who has some trauma that they moved to a new town to escape from, the alcoholic father who is trying to be good now, the cops being in on the secrets, the wytches that like to eat children.
Periodically bits of a good story shine through, but nothing is ever done with them. You have wytches that you can sacrifice people to and then wish for whatever you want? The story could have run further with that, instead the townspeople are just shown as greedy and not wanting their wishes taken. I can't even decide if what I needed was more or less explanation, as there was clearly so much I was missing out on, but there was also way too much being explained about trivial things.
The flicking back and forth between the past and the present was pretty irritating too; I felt like the past didn't explain anything significant nor did it help develop the characters. Instead they felt like terrible distractions when things are getting serious in the current time.
I also found the characters to be 2D and boring. The story dove straight into everyone thinking the teen, Sail, is insane and having a mental break and because nothing else is shown of her character it's hard to empathize with her. The father is overbearing and boring, and it's later revealed that he was a shitty father earlier and is now trying to make up for it, but learning about his alcoholism really didn't develop his character at all. The mother was a complete (as opposed to mostly blank like the rest of them) blank slate to me. Her only character development is with her off-page from offhand comments made about her accident and the loss of the baby. When she's.
Do I recommend?
I think fans of horror would enjoy this, but it was a huge miss for me. The art was beautiful but also blurry and unclear often leaving me confused about what was going on, the characters boring, and the story was cliched and unimaginative.
First of all, the tropes. Good god, the tropes. The angsty teenager who has some trauma that they moved to a new town to escape from, the alcoholic father who is trying to be good now, the cops being in on the secrets, the wytches that like to eat children.
Periodically bits of a good story shine through, but nothing is ever done with them. You have wytches that you can sacrifice people to and then wish for whatever you want? The story could have run further with that, instead the townspeople are just shown as greedy and not wanting their wishes taken. I can't even decide if what I needed was more or less explanation, as there was clearly so much I was missing out on, but there was also way too much being explained about trivial things.
The flicking back and forth between the past and the present was pretty irritating too; I felt like the past didn't explain anything significant nor did it help develop the characters. Instead they felt like terrible distractions when things are getting serious in the current time.
I also found the characters to be 2D and boring. The story dove straight into everyone thinking the teen, Sail, is insane and having a mental break and because nothing else is shown of her character it's hard to empathize with her. The father is overbearing and boring, and it's later revealed that he was a shitty father earlier and is now trying to make up for it, but learning about his alcoholism really didn't develop his character at all. The mother was a complete (as opposed to mostly blank like the rest of them) blank slate to me. Her only character development is with her off-page from offhand comments made about her accident and the loss of the baby. When she's
Spoiler
revealed as the person who pledged Sail, I could not have given a shit. I knew nothing about her so her selfishness at sacrificing her own daughter didn't shock me at all like I think it was supposed toI think fans of horror would enjoy this, but it was a huge miss for me. The art was beautiful but also blurry and unclear often leaving me confused about what was going on, the characters boring, and the story was cliched and unimaginative.
laurenkara's review
4.0
WHAT JUST HAPPENED!?!!? Another spur of the moment read because I'm on a graphic novel kick. I devoured this volume in one sitting. I LOVED IT SO MUCH. It was creepy and dark and unsettling. The art matched the story so incredibly well. I adored Sailor to pieces. It almost made me cry because I related to Sailor's anxiety issues so much. There's a part where she says she wanted her parents to have another kid so that they could have a child that wasn't like her and it hit me so hard because I've been there. I loved the concept of the wytches and reading this at night in the dark made it creepier. I was confused at times by some things, but it didn't bother me. I actually sat there saying "WHAT" out loud repeatedly for lik five minutes at one point of the story. I need Volume 2 and I need it now.
gonesavage's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The art is incredible and I love that this volume shows the process at the end. The story starts as one thing and ends as another. I really loved this.
lisa13omodei's review
4.0
INCREDIBLE!! I love a good horror that's legit scary. And the art is beautiful, so that's a plus
lsparrow's review
4.0
creepy... i think i will be thinking about pledges and hands that reach out of trees for a long time.
heavensnights's review
Scott Snyder’s writing is my enviable doom. I really can’t stand whatever he’s doing. Sorry fellas.
amybraunauthor's review
4.0
I’m trying to think of the best way to rate this one. I think it has great dialogue, meaningful themes, twists, and is scary, but the pacing seemed a little too quick for me. I think it would have made more sense if I understood some of the motives better. The art style also made it hard for me to see things clearly. But I do recommend it for anyone who wants a unique and genuine scare!