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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
This one didn't grip me the way the first one did! The artwork was still super beautiful and intricate. But in terms of story it was a bit slow, and I found myself pushing to turn the page.
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When I love the beginning of a story in a serialized format, I always fear that I will quickly grow accustomed to the way the author formats the story, how they begin and end each chapter. I fear how often I will notice their use of tropes and whether or not they try and subvert them.
Seeing the skeleton of a story is useful if you're working on criticism or learning the craft of writing, but it can be annoying if you're just trying to enjoy reading a story.
It wasn't long into volume two of Monstress that I started to notice the bones. But I didn't find them unsettling. I appreciated the way Liu draped her story over them. And I continued to be mesmerized by [a:Sana Takeda|377312|Sana Takeda|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1505568866p2/377312.jpg]'s art.
I recommend this book to just about everyone who comes into the store. But it's particularly interesting for people who like fantasy based post-apocalyptic tales, fans of fantasy who are intrigued by a story where male characters are mostly absent but which doesn't feel like a book that's missing anything, anyone with eyes who can appreciate dense art, people who like cute little human/animal hybrids that are badasses, pretty much everyone.
************
Update: I took away a star during my reread because the latter half of the book eally suffers from bad pacing. If you ae someone who likes to read stories and non-fiction, and make diagrams and keep going back and making sure you're following the threads properly, this might still be a four star book. But if you read for enjoyment, this is a bit of a jumbled mess by the end.
I actually didn't remember any of the plot point from this volume from my previous read, and that makes me wonder if there's anything to look forward to in the coming volumes.
Seeing the skeleton of a story is useful if you're working on criticism or learning the craft of writing, but it can be annoying if you're just trying to enjoy reading a story.
It wasn't long into volume two of Monstress that I started to notice the bones. But I didn't find them unsettling. I appreciated the way Liu draped her story over them. And I continued to be mesmerized by [a:Sana Takeda|377312|Sana Takeda|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1505568866p2/377312.jpg]'s art.
I recommend this book to just about everyone who comes into the store. But it's particularly interesting for people who like fantasy based post-apocalyptic tales, fans of fantasy who are intrigued by a story where male characters are mostly absent but which doesn't feel like a book that's missing anything, anyone with eyes who can appreciate dense art, people who like cute little human/animal hybrids that are badasses, pretty much everyone.
************
Update: I took away a star during my reread because the latter half of the book eally suffers from bad pacing. If you ae someone who likes to read stories and non-fiction, and make diagrams and keep going back and making sure you're following the threads properly, this might still be a four star book. But if you read for enjoyment, this is a bit of a jumbled mess by the end.
I actually didn't remember any of the plot point from this volume from my previous read, and that makes me wonder if there's anything to look forward to in the coming volumes.
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
Always a five star rating. The absolute most beautiful comic series/graphic novel I've read.
The artwork continues to blow me away, but no matter how beautiful the art is it cannot make up for how messy/confusing the plot is.
I must be missing something because I thought Volume 2 would answer some of the questions I had after reading Volume 1, however I still have NO IDEA what is going on and feel even more confused/lost. I'm still deciding if I will read Volume 3, on one hand the artwork is is BEST I've ever seen but at the same time I don't want to continue if the story doesn't make sense to me. *sighs*
I must be missing something because I thought Volume 2 would answer some of the questions I had after reading Volume 1, however I still have NO IDEA what is going on and feel even more confused/lost. I'm still deciding if I will read Volume 3, on one hand the artwork is is BEST I've ever seen but at the same time I don't want to continue if the story doesn't make sense to me. *sighs*
Wow. Another strong installment. The art is honestly so beautiful and haunting that even when the story gets dense with details and names, and I struggle to remember the backstory of all the characters, the imagery carries me through. It is both horror and beauty, violence and determination and a coming of age.. no, a coming of self. Both for Maika and for the Monster.
After I read through a page, I let my eyes roam and admire all the details, the colors, the composition and the expressions before me. Its truly fucking amazing.
After I read through a page, I let my eyes roam and admire all the details, the colors, the composition and the expressions before me. Its truly fucking amazing.
Occasionally some of the character art is confusingly similar, like the Blood Queens' forces and the sea ghouls they fight, or the Sword of the East and the Shaman-Empress. I guess it makes sense, given that the first pair are aquatic and the second pair are ancestral relatives, but some panels demand a bit more puzzling-over than they should.
Holy shit!!!
This was epic. I need the read the next one NOW.
This was epic. I need the read the next one NOW.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
Loving this series! We dig deeper into our heroine’s past, meet new badass characters, sail like a pirate, and get to admire absolutely gorgeous artwork the whole time?? Seriously love this. Still graphic, gruesome, and tragic but just so rich and well-written.