Scan barcode
jade13's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Gore
The art is abstract but can amplify the grotesquejulesleigh's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
A fun and creepy little book! Alice and wonderland vibes but the art was very pink rock of the early 2000s.
nikres's review
5.0
Really enjoyed this. It looks amazing and thereβs so much hidden in the art I think it will take multiple reads to discover everything. The story is very well done as well. Loved everything about this book.
obscurepages's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.0
Okay I'm convinced that the copy I got from Libby is somehow defective??? ππ Either that or the fact that I need to read more this genre (eldritch horror). I mean, the synopsis sounds really good and I loved the artwork and color. But yeah, I am confused ππ I think I would have really loved this though.
onemamareads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.25
Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/where-black-stars-rise
maybeams's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
twilliamson's review
3.0
Riffing on the classic cosmic horror collection The King in Yellow, Where Black Stars Rise offers the tale of a psychiatrist-in-training trying to assist her schizophrenic patient through a moment of harrowing terror. The book draws heavily on the horror motifs of Chambers' classic, but tries to innovate on its cosmic horror and incorporate some modern characterization.
To its credit, Where Black Stars Rise acts as a transformative treatment of the ideas and terrors of Chambers' original classic, and it does a lot of heavy lifting in trying to diversify what has long since been considered a subgenre trapped in its own bigotry and prejudice. The graphic novel presents mental illness seriously, and provides ample diversity of perspective and experience such that it does feel like Shammas and Enger know the problematic spirit of some of the original work--or at least, its most infamous standard-bearers. The inclusion of LGBTQ+ representation and black and brown bodies is an important one, and it does add some cultural depth to its conflicts.
But for all that the book does well and aspires to do, I found the whole of the effort to be missing some element to give the book some vitality. There's some great, high-concept horror here, like dialogue being hidden carefully in the background scenery as Amal searches for the missing Yasmin. Pulling off such a stunt simply wouldn't be possible in other written mediums, and I think this is where the graphic novel format really shines.
Even so, I had a hard time visually interpreting Enger's artwork here. Graphic novels are really difficult to construct, and visual composition is an important component to the effort at storytelling. Enger only just manages to pull off some of the book's more daring visual stunts, but I feel that her character work and her visual design is much less cosmic horror than it is punk rock. While Enger can be a great illustrator in her own element, I think her visual style and her layouts are not consistent with the tone of horror this project really demands. The result of Enger's visuals only serves to muddy some of the bigger, broader cosmic themes, and too much of the book just boils down to a lot of visual clutter that doesn't actually signify anything broader or more interesting. It's just a tonal mismatch, and while I do want to see some horror from Enger, I do not believe this was a project that plays to her illustrative strengths.
Tonal mismatch aside, I think there's a good story in here. It's easy for me to see where the script is the strongest, and the visual ambition does strike really well in certain panels. I wish the book were more consistent in its vision, but I also think it is what it is--and what it is is fine.
To its credit, Where Black Stars Rise acts as a transformative treatment of the ideas and terrors of Chambers' original classic, and it does a lot of heavy lifting in trying to diversify what has long since been considered a subgenre trapped in its own bigotry and prejudice. The graphic novel presents mental illness seriously, and provides ample diversity of perspective and experience such that it does feel like Shammas and Enger know the problematic spirit of some of the original work--or at least, its most infamous standard-bearers. The inclusion of LGBTQ+ representation and black and brown bodies is an important one, and it does add some cultural depth to its conflicts.
But for all that the book does well and aspires to do, I found the whole of the effort to be missing some element to give the book some vitality. There's some great, high-concept horror here, like dialogue being hidden carefully in the background scenery as Amal searches for the missing Yasmin. Pulling off such a stunt simply wouldn't be possible in other written mediums, and I think this is where the graphic novel format really shines.
Even so, I had a hard time visually interpreting Enger's artwork here. Graphic novels are really difficult to construct, and visual composition is an important component to the effort at storytelling. Enger only just manages to pull off some of the book's more daring visual stunts, but I feel that her character work and her visual design is much less cosmic horror than it is punk rock. While Enger can be a great illustrator in her own element, I think her visual style and her layouts are not consistent with the tone of horror this project really demands. The result of Enger's visuals only serves to muddy some of the bigger, broader cosmic themes, and too much of the book just boils down to a lot of visual clutter that doesn't actually signify anything broader or more interesting. It's just a tonal mismatch, and while I do want to see some horror from Enger, I do not believe this was a project that plays to her illustrative strengths.
Tonal mismatch aside, I think there's a good story in here. It's easy for me to see where the script is the strongest, and the visual ambition does strike really well in certain panels. I wish the book were more consistent in its vision, but I also think it is what it is--and what it is is fine.