Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

Monstress, Book One by Marjorie Liu

5 reviews

ladypalutena's review against another edition

It feels like we're dropped in on the third or fourth volume of the comics, rather than the first. I gave it 1/3 of the book to see if anything would happen, and found myself googling Monstress to see if it gets better. It seems to be a very divisive comic, but most people seemed to agree with if it hadn't grabbed you by the end of chapter 2, you're not going to find it any easier going forward. I gave it until chapter 5. 

So this is my first DNF in several years, and I don't know how to feel about it. But I don't want to force myself through multiple books and feel like I wasted my time in the end. The art is gorgeous, but the subject matter is hard, and the story is almost...non-existent? I know the main character has some sort of amnesia, but the world building is so slow it's hard to want to pay attention. I kept seeing the phrase "very, very slow burn" thrown around when I was reading about it, and decided this one wasn't for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Genocide, and Grief

jessthanthree's review

adventurous dark tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Animal death, War, Murder, Xenophobia, Death, Blood, Gore, Body horror, Cannibalism, Violence, and Cursing

Moderate: Trafficking, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Self harm, Slavery, and Religious bigotry

vigil's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious relaxing tense medium-paced

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

5.0

i’m utterly devouring this comic series! it’s definitely confusing at first, liu doesn’t take the time to fully introduce you to the world, instead throwing you in head first (making you feel as confused as our main character, maika.) but the learning curve is a very short one, and the pieces start to fall into place soon enough. 

it’s not a comic for everyone. grimdark doesn’t begin to describe the setting, but it’s used for a purpose. marjorie liu doesn’t shy away from from the horrors of war and failed societies (many details she pulled from her own family’s experience during wwii, i believe) and the effects and tragedy left in its wake.

the series has its share of heartwarming moments, mainly in the form of kippa, and her relationship with the world and the people around her. it’s a world chockfull of bad guys, no good guys, and everyone with their backs to the wall and the choices they make because of it. 

i just enjoyed this series so much that i’m giving it a five star despite its aforementioned issues (pacing, vagueness, entry confusion.) if you go into this series treating it like you would a sci-fi / fantasy novel where you stick through the beginning as you gain a hold on the story and setting, you’ll be much better off.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Animal death, Death, Racism, Blood, Death of parent, Genocide, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Slavery, War, Cannibalism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Murder

carochacord's review

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Murder, Slavery, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Death of parent

shadereads's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gun violence, and Murder