Reviews with content warning for Slavery - Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening

Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie Liu, Marjorie Liu

73 reviews

nannahnannah's review against another edition

4.0

My initial impression still stands: this is the most gorgeously illustrated graphic novel I've ever set my eyes on! The illustrations never waver in quality; they're intensely detailed and elegant, and I'm almost tempted to say it's worth buying the graphic novel for the illustrations alone.

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).

Content Warnings

beccabookworm's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A

3.5

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our_bookish_reads's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is just the kind of graphic that I love to stumble upon and find out it's actually pretty fucking amazing!

I love the art and characters, yes, even the bad ones! Very supernaturally and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

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sillylilreader's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious slow-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

4.0

a lot of exposition in this volume, i imagine setting up for a lot of plot to come! the art is beautiful, really curious about some of the world building that i hope gets expanded upon.

definitely a lot of really heavy themes

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