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danielles_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
We’re all the same inside the cage. When they put the collars on us.
This was fine. I spent most of it very very confused, until the random insert of the lecturing professor cat lol. I’m glad that was there to explain things, but that’s like the absolute worst kind of world building, so I wish the author would have woven that information in more seamlessly.
I’m like kind of curious what will happen next, but not very. There was so much violence and gore that seemed kind of gratuitous to me tbh. Very over the top. It doesn’t help that I still don’t really understand the purpose of the violence, like what the war is really over, and why is the mask so important? I do like that the world is mostly women, with all of the powerful figures women. The world building is pretty interesting with the different races (and I love talking cats hehe). The character designs and background designs are phenomenal. The art is beautiful, but I don’t like how the artist doesn’t color in the whites of people’s eyes unless they’re in a close-up? It’s very eerie to see eyes be basically the same color as skin…
(There’s also the fact that there was one fat character, who was pretty much sadistic, is literally called a pig, and then is killed right away. Since this was first published in 2015, I can only hope it progresses beyond fatphobic imagery in future issues.)
I am interested in Maika’s story, and I like her friendship with Tuya, but she is pretty heartless. Justice for Kippa, that bb was too loyal to someone who didn’t deserve it (even the cat didn’t!). 🥺 I’m not sure if I will continue the series. I’m not totally against it but I’m not excited about it either. Maybe one day.
Yes, Miss Halfwolf scares me. A lot. But that doesn’t make her a monster. Don’t be like the witches, Master Ren. They call us monsters because it makes it easier to hurt us. But monsters are people, too.
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Violence, and Death
vincci's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death, Murder, War, Slavery, Gore, Blood, Trafficking, Child abuse, and Violence
miayukino's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, War, Torture, Murder, Cursing, Gore, Death of parent, Body horror, Violence, Genocide, and Death
Moderate: Blood
jetix's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Slavery, Blood, Medical trauma, Violence, Body horror, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Cannibalism and War
Minor: Death of parent and Suicidal thoughts
kryskross's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Violence
a_very_dyslexic_reader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Blood, Trafficking, Child death, Slavery, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Religious bigotry, and War
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Cursing
itsmemiana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
look up trigger warnings before reading if you get easily triggered.
Graphic: Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Confinement, Slavery, War, Child death, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Torture
ellenkyo's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.5
Graphic: Gore and Violence
hngisreading's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Cannibalism, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Slavery, Torture, War, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gore, and Violence
nannahnannah's review
4.0
Monstress takes place in a matriarchal alternate 1900's Asia with five main races: the Ancients, anthropomorphic animal-like immortal beings; the Old Gods, horrific formless monstrosities; Cats, multi-tailed wise and powerful . . . cats; humans (as we are); and Arcanics, the powerful human x Ancient hybrids.
The story is told in two main polar points of view: through Maika, the main protagonist, an arcanic whose body is forcibly shared with an Old God, and through some of the witch-humans, who vehemently oppose arcanics. The two races have been in a violent war, and the readers are taken into the meat of the conflict between them.
Maika is unwillingly put in a tough spot. She's wanted by everyone for the thing inside her, and above all else she wants it out. But if she's to survive and stop an even greater evil from coming, she might have to come to terms with this monster inside . . .
Worldbuilding and character designs are so lush and gripping. I wanted more and more, and was disappointed when I reached the last page. This world has so much life and structure and character, it's difficult not to become engrossed in it.
But the graphic novel is not without it's faults, though. The only larger woman is an awful character whom Maika calls a "pig". Not exactly pleasing representation. There's also a ton of PoV and time switches that make it a bit difficult to follow the timeline of the story (until maybe the halfway point). It's difficult to understand the story until you're a couple chapters in. Also, the book's design is a little annoying; the font is so tiny I had to turn on extra lights and hold the dang thing up to my nose, and I know I'm destroying the poor book's spine as I'm trying to read the dialogue printed so close to the middle spread.
But Monstress is definitely the best graphic novel I've read so far. I can't wait to see more (note: I haven't read many graphic novels . . . but still).
Graphic: Gore and Slavery
Minor: Fatphobia