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xsamwise's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
somethingsnappy's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
zach_collins's review
5.0
Mesmerizing artwork, extravagant worldbuilding, and complex characters? Sign me up!
Set in a steampunk alternate reality with talking cats and shadowy Old Gods on the edge of war, Monstress tackles themes of racism, xenophobia, trauma, and guilt, and though it is a fantasy it feels real and vital, especially in the world's current climate. The characters sound like clichés at first (a rugged loner with survivors-guilt, a wide-eyed innocent child, and shadowy double-agents), but they feel fresh in the author's and illustrator's telling, not at all dusty or overused.
I only hesitate to recommend those who struggle with expansive fantasy works. But if you can follow the political intrigue of Game of Thrones and the rich cultural studies of Tolkien's elves, then add this to your to-read pile.
Set in a steampunk alternate reality with talking cats and shadowy Old Gods on the edge of war, Monstress tackles themes of racism, xenophobia, trauma, and guilt, and though it is a fantasy it feels real and vital, especially in the world's current climate. The characters sound like clichés at first (a rugged loner with survivors-guilt, a wide-eyed innocent child, and shadowy double-agents), but they feel fresh in the author's and illustrator's telling, not at all dusty or overused.
I only hesitate to recommend those who struggle with expansive fantasy works. But if you can follow the political intrigue of Game of Thrones and the rich cultural studies of Tolkien's elves, then add this to your to-read pile.
gxlucky's review
4.0
Good story, world building, character development, and art. Action panels could be a bit more fluid. Can be confusing at times
esthergreenwoodx's review
5.0
Ridiculously gorgeous art. Amazing story. Hated that it ended on a cliffhanger.
souljababy's review
5.0
I bought this thinking I would like it and wasn't disappointed. In graphic novels, for me, artwork is more important than story and I loved the artwork. Not to say the story was bad it was good, not anything great or amazing but good and I liked how the story's been told so far. Setting was awesome too. I am now sad that i'm gunna have to wait for the next hardcover to come out hopefully its within the next year.
morganpk7's review
3.0
This is an overall review for volumes 1-5.
The setting is very interesting, but I think the story would have been much better as prose rather than a graphic novel. Sometimes comics are good, but in this case I had a very difficult time telling what was occurring from the art. Many of the characters look very similar and are difficult to tell apart, and dramatic or climactic events were frequently unclear.
The story was interesting enough to keep me reading, despite frequent confusion due to the art. However, the writing wasn't perfect either - I was frequently at a loss when it came to character motivations, even those of our protagonist. Many of the problems and storylines seemed disconnected, without a clear reason - i.e. why did our protagonist go to this city? why is she killing this demon but rescuing this almost-the-exact-same demon? This may be due in part to the serial nature of the comic, but reading everything at once made this somewhat off-putting.
I read this immediately after finishing Saga, which was incredible and had extremely clear art and also a strong narrator throughout. The comparison may have contributed to my more negative view here. Despite my complaints, I liked Monstress and may continue reading - though I probably won't go out of my way to do so.
The setting is very interesting, but I think the story would have been much better as prose rather than a graphic novel. Sometimes comics are good, but in this case I had a very difficult time telling what was occurring from the art. Many of the characters look very similar and are difficult to tell apart, and dramatic or climactic events were frequently unclear.
The story was interesting enough to keep me reading, despite frequent confusion due to the art. However, the writing wasn't perfect either - I was frequently at a loss when it came to character motivations, even those of our protagonist. Many of the problems and storylines seemed disconnected, without a clear reason - i.e. why did our protagonist go to this city? why is she killing this demon but rescuing this almost-the-exact-same demon? This may be due in part to the serial nature of the comic, but reading everything at once made this somewhat off-putting.
I read this immediately after finishing Saga, which was incredible and had extremely clear art and also a strong narrator throughout. The comparison may have contributed to my more negative view here. Despite my complaints, I liked Monstress and may continue reading - though I probably won't go out of my way to do so.
mandimsadler's review
5.0
Woah. This is such an incredible work of fantasy.
I picked this up when Elizabeth from @plantbasedbride mentioned it offhand in a video, and I'm SO GLAD I did!!
First off, the artwork is insanely beautiful. Steam punk meets art deco meets fantasy. It's a complete feast for the eyes on every page.
Then you get introduced to this world-- which is incredibly rich and interesting. With a warring history between multiple races-- including all powerful god monsters, half human / half animals, and a race of religious poet cats-- it's a very intriguing setup. The worldbuilding is done so well throughout.
Then you get the main plot-- a girl with a monstra inside her who finds herself at the political intersection of several dangerous plots, who has to learn about her magic and her mysterious past while she grows to trust and understand the literal monster inside her. It's gripping and full of action. I was completely hooked from page 1.
This officially sits on my shelf of favorite graphic novels. I highly recommend picking it up!!
I picked this up when Elizabeth from @plantbasedbride mentioned it offhand in a video, and I'm SO GLAD I did!!
First off, the artwork is insanely beautiful. Steam punk meets art deco meets fantasy. It's a complete feast for the eyes on every page.
Then you get introduced to this world-- which is incredibly rich and interesting. With a warring history between multiple races-- including all powerful god monsters, half human / half animals, and a race of religious poet cats-- it's a very intriguing setup. The worldbuilding is done so well throughout.
Then you get the main plot-- a girl with a monstra inside her who finds herself at the political intersection of several dangerous plots, who has to learn about her magic and her mysterious past while she grows to trust and understand the literal monster inside her. It's gripping and full of action. I was completely hooked from page 1.
This officially sits on my shelf of favorite graphic novels. I highly recommend picking it up!!