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beachyv's review against another edition
4.0
I felt that the story had a slow start because you don't get the history right off, but thanks to the Professor Tam Tam I caught on quickly. Oh the ending! The ending was amazing and I nees to get Vol. 2 quickly!
Merged review:
I felt that the story had a slow start because you don't get the history right off, but thanks to the Professor Tam Tam I caught on quickly. Oh the ending! The ending was amazing and I nees to get Vol. 2 quickly!
Merged review:
I felt that the story had a slow start because you don't get the history right off, but thanks to the Professor Tam Tam I caught on quickly. Oh the ending! The ending was amazing and I nees to get Vol. 2 quickly!
deepfriedfairy's review against another edition
5.0
I am loving this story and can't wait to read more. The artwork is stunning. I have never seen black on black artwork like some of the pages in this book. There are several full page prints where the image is just a little darker black than the background. I could look at these images all day and keep seeing more details.
Merged review:
I am loving this story and can't wait to read more. The artwork is stunning. I have never seen black on black artwork like some of the pages in this book. There are several full page prints where the image is just a little darker black than the background. I could look at these images all day and keep seeing more details.
Merged review:
I am loving this story and can't wait to read more. The artwork is stunning. I have never seen black on black artwork like some of the pages in this book. There are several full page prints where the image is just a little darker black than the background. I could look at these images all day and keep seeing more details.
jada38375's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
30something_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Wow, this was such a gorgeous graphic novel. Visually impeccable. And the story is fascinating.
I found myself struggling just a bit with some of the time jumps because they were not always labeled or easily identifiable. (I do think there were some nice differentiations with the color pallets used, but, again, it was not always easy to spot.) I did find my groove towards the end though.
I'll absolutely be continuing this series.
I found myself struggling just a bit with some of the time jumps because they were not always labeled or easily identifiable. (I do think there were some nice differentiations with the color pallets used, but, again, it was not always easy to spot.) I did find my groove towards the end though.
I'll absolutely be continuing this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and War
noahapples's review against another edition
4.0
This is like a comic book version of a really fucked up Final Fantasy game. I'm worried I have a limited cultural scope and maybe I just need to read more manga or something? Idk. I liked it.
Merged review:
This is like a comic book version of a really fucked up Final Fantasy game. I'm worried I have a limited cultural scope and maybe I just need to read more manga or something? Idk. I liked it.
Merged review:
This is like a comic book version of a really fucked up Final Fantasy game. I'm worried I have a limited cultural scope and maybe I just need to read more manga or something? Idk. I liked it.
here_goes_books's review against another edition
4.0
Liu's epic Monstress Vol. 1 is fantasy at its finest. With gorgeously rendered panels by Sana Takeda whose art deco meets anime, east meets west style bring to life the world of Maiko Halfwolf of the Arcanists.
Liu has created a martiarical world that has war, classicism, and racism. Part of the joy of being thrown into the tale during the middle is trying to understand the rules and the players. Is Maiko a good person even as she has a demon inside of her? Is Hammer the most amazing character? What's going on with the lesbians and who is playing who in that relationship?
Monstress is a contemporary of the Saga Series, if not a sister to it. Where Saga plays around with a child of two dueling worlds growing up in a space opera, Monstress stars a teenager growing up in a war torn world in a fantasy or grounded setting. And while both books have memorable characters - bug assassin lady or talking cats... I think Monstress is a bit easier to digest than Saga. Saga feels like one big acid trip with the writers plucking more fantastical or horrific characters in the book. But Monstress instead has an overarching semblance of rules. Who is who, what is allowed and not etc. Both have the pros and cons, but for me, Monstress is the more polished book
Merged review:
Liu's epic Monstress Vol. 1 is fantasy at its finest. With gorgeously rendered panels by Sana Takeda whose art deco meets anime, east meets west style bring to life the world of Maiko Halfwolf of the Arcanists.
Liu has created a martiarical world that has war, classicism, and racism. Part of the joy of being thrown into the tale during the middle is trying to understand the rules and the players. Is Maiko a good person even as she has a demon inside of her? Is Hammer the most amazing character? What's going on with the lesbians and who is playing who in that relationship?
Monstress is a contemporary of the Saga Series, if not a sister to it. Where Saga plays around with a child of two dueling worlds growing up in a space opera, Monstress stars a teenager growing up in a war torn world in a fantasy or grounded setting. And while both books have memorable characters - bug assassin lady or talking cats... I think Monstress is a bit easier to digest than Saga. Saga feels like one big acid trip with the writers plucking more fantastical or horrific characters in the book. But Monstress instead has an overarching semblance of rules. Who is who, what is allowed and not etc. Both have the pros and cons, but for me, Monstress is the more polished book
Liu has created a martiarical world that has war, classicism, and racism. Part of the joy of being thrown into the tale during the middle is trying to understand the rules and the players. Is Maiko a good person even as she has a demon inside of her? Is Hammer the most amazing character? What's going on with the lesbians and who is playing who in that relationship?
Monstress is a contemporary of the Saga Series, if not a sister to it. Where Saga plays around with a child of two dueling worlds growing up in a space opera, Monstress stars a teenager growing up in a war torn world in a fantasy or grounded setting. And while both books have memorable characters - bug assassin lady or talking cats... I think Monstress is a bit easier to digest than Saga. Saga feels like one big acid trip with the writers plucking more fantastical or horrific characters in the book. But Monstress instead has an overarching semblance of rules. Who is who, what is allowed and not etc. Both have the pros and cons, but for me, Monstress is the more polished book
Merged review:
Liu's epic Monstress Vol. 1 is fantasy at its finest. With gorgeously rendered panels by Sana Takeda whose art deco meets anime, east meets west style bring to life the world of Maiko Halfwolf of the Arcanists.
Liu has created a martiarical world that has war, classicism, and racism. Part of the joy of being thrown into the tale during the middle is trying to understand the rules and the players. Is Maiko a good person even as she has a demon inside of her? Is Hammer the most amazing character? What's going on with the lesbians and who is playing who in that relationship?
Monstress is a contemporary of the Saga Series, if not a sister to it. Where Saga plays around with a child of two dueling worlds growing up in a space opera, Monstress stars a teenager growing up in a war torn world in a fantasy or grounded setting. And while both books have memorable characters - bug assassin lady or talking cats... I think Monstress is a bit easier to digest than Saga. Saga feels like one big acid trip with the writers plucking more fantastical or horrific characters in the book. But Monstress instead has an overarching semblance of rules. Who is who, what is allowed and not etc. Both have the pros and cons, but for me, Monstress is the more polished book
suziegon's review against another edition
4.0
A breathtakingly illustrated world filled with darkness, magic, and intrigue. It's gracefully written and immersive, with a stoic lead in Maika Halfwolf who... kind of reminds me of Lightning Farron! I don't know how Liu came up with a world and story like this, but it's exceptional. And I'm someone who isn't usually into darker books.
Merged review:
A breathtakingly illustrated world filled with darkness, magic, and intrigue. It's gracefully written and immersive, with a stoic lead in Maika Halfwolf who... kind of reminds me of Lightning Farron! I don't know how Liu came up with a world and story like this, but it's exceptional. And I'm someone who isn't usually into darker books.
Merged review:
A breathtakingly illustrated world filled with darkness, magic, and intrigue. It's gracefully written and immersive, with a stoic lead in Maika Halfwolf who... kind of reminds me of Lightning Farron! I don't know how Liu came up with a world and story like this, but it's exceptional. And I'm someone who isn't usually into darker books.
rarewren's review against another edition
3.0
My first time through this first volume was something of a disjointed slog, only because I was overwhelmed by the sheer magnificence of the world-building. The visual richness slowed me down (in the best way!) The narrative expanse did too (as I struggled to track who's who among the characters and political factions). And I had to pace myself with the horror and the violence. I was also annoyed at the poor form of the trade paperback, which allowed the gutter to gobble up images and text. Yet I am totally hooked: by the grand entrance of Ren the sardonic, foul-mouthed, adorable enigma of a talking cat, the ghosts of dead gods towering over the forest like Miyazaki's nightwalker, the unapologetically matriarchal peacockery of it all. I can't wait to reread it, perhaps after reviewing Professor Tam Tam's lectures.
Merged review:
My first time through this first volume was something of a disjointed slog, only because I was overwhelmed by the sheer magnificence of the world-building. The visual richness slowed me down (in the best way!) The narrative expanse did too (as I struggled to track who's who among the characters and political factions). And I had to pace myself with the horror and the violence. I was also annoyed at the poor form of the trade paperback, which allowed the gutter to gobble up images and text. Yet I am totally hooked: by the grand entrance of Ren the sardonic, foul-mouthed, adorable enigma of a talking cat, the ghosts of dead gods towering over the forest like Miyazaki's nightwalker, the unapologetically matriarchal peacockery of it all. I can't wait to reread it, perhaps after reviewing Professor Tam Tam's lectures.
Merged review:
My first time through this first volume was something of a disjointed slog, only because I was overwhelmed by the sheer magnificence of the world-building. The visual richness slowed me down (in the best way!) The narrative expanse did too (as I struggled to track who's who among the characters and political factions). And I had to pace myself with the horror and the violence. I was also annoyed at the poor form of the trade paperback, which allowed the gutter to gobble up images and text. Yet I am totally hooked: by the grand entrance of Ren the sardonic, foul-mouthed, adorable enigma of a talking cat, the ghosts of dead gods towering over the forest like Miyazaki's nightwalker, the unapologetically matriarchal peacockery of it all. I can't wait to reread it, perhaps after reviewing Professor Tam Tam's lectures.
rlaferney's review against another edition
5.0
At the start of MONSTRESS: AWAKENING, 17-year-old Maika is sold as a slave, becoming a prisoner of a sect of deadly nuns who steal a powerful drug from the bodies of their young victims. She and a handful of potential victims escape, but there's no safe haven for them. Maika seeks to understand what happened to her mother, who disappeared years ago, and the trail of clues leads to encounters with winged warriors, human/animal hybrids, and perhaps even the Old Gods.
I wanted to rate this higher than four starts but truth be told, I think this is a bit of bumpy start to a very promising series. Monstress, Vol. 1 plunges readers in the middle of the action with little preparation. In Monstress: Awakening, clues to how this world works are scattered hither and yon, and it's up to the reader to collect them and put them in the proper order. This is fine but it made for a bit of a confusing and slightly frustrating reading experience. I feel like the world building is a little too complex for a graphic novel. It’s trying to squeeze so much information in, but it can’t quite cope with the amount it has.
But, at the same time, this graphic novel is packed with awesomeness. Sana Takeda's gorgeously painted illustrations, which mix the traditions of both European comics and Japanese manga, are truly stunning. The art is often intriguing, strange, horrific, and beautiful.
I might be complaining that the story is hard to follow but really Maika holds a dark power- in this case a literal demon living inside her- and is caught in the middle of an old war. That's really all you need to know going into this.
You got to work hard with this one but I think its worth it. It's a dense and beautiful illustrated story. Magical!
Update: Reread in 2022. The world building and storyline holds up and is AMAZING on a second reading. One of my favorite graphic novels. It's an absolutely remarkable work of art and imagination.
Merged review:
At the start of MONSTRESS: AWAKENING, 17-year-old Maika is sold as a slave, becoming a prisoner of a sect of deadly nuns who steal a powerful drug from the bodies of their young victims. She and a handful of potential victims escape, but there's no safe haven for them. Maika seeks to understand what happened to her mother, who disappeared years ago, and the trail of clues leads to encounters with winged warriors, human/animal hybrids, and perhaps even the Old Gods.
I wanted to rate this higher than four starts but truth be told, I think this is a bit of bumpy start to a very promising series. Monstress, Vol. 1 plunges readers in the middle of the action with little preparation. In Monstress: Awakening, clues to how this world works are scattered hither and yon, and it's up to the reader to collect them and put them in the proper order. This is fine but it made for a bit of a confusing and slightly frustrating reading experience. I feel like the world building is a little too complex for a graphic novel. It’s trying to squeeze so much information in, but it can’t quite cope with the amount it has.
But, at the same time, this graphic novel is packed with awesomeness. Sana Takeda's gorgeously painted illustrations, which mix the traditions of both European comics and Japanese manga, are truly stunning. The art is often intriguing, strange, horrific, and beautiful.
I might be complaining that the story is hard to follow but really Maika holds a dark power- in this case a literal demon living inside her- and is caught in the middle of an old war. That's really all you need to know going into this.
You got to work hard with this one but I think its worth it. It's a dense and beautiful illustrated story. Magical!
Update: Reread in 2022. The world building and storyline holds up and is AMAZING on a second reading. One of my favorite graphic novels. It's an absolutely remarkable work of art and imagination.
I wanted to rate this higher than four starts but truth be told, I think this is a bit of bumpy start to a very promising series. Monstress, Vol. 1 plunges readers in the middle of the action with little preparation. In Monstress: Awakening, clues to how this world works are scattered hither and yon, and it's up to the reader to collect them and put them in the proper order. This is fine but it made for a bit of a confusing and slightly frustrating reading experience. I feel like the world building is a little too complex for a graphic novel. It’s trying to squeeze so much information in, but it can’t quite cope with the amount it has.
But, at the same time, this graphic novel is packed with awesomeness. Sana Takeda's gorgeously painted illustrations, which mix the traditions of both European comics and Japanese manga, are truly stunning. The art is often intriguing, strange, horrific, and beautiful.
I might be complaining that the story is hard to follow but really Maika holds a dark power- in this case a literal demon living inside her- and is caught in the middle of an old war. That's really all you need to know going into this.
You got to work hard with this one but I think its worth it. It's a dense and beautiful illustrated story. Magical!
Update: Reread in 2022. The world building and storyline holds up and is AMAZING on a second reading. One of my favorite graphic novels. It's an absolutely remarkable work of art and imagination.
Merged review:
At the start of MONSTRESS: AWAKENING, 17-year-old Maika is sold as a slave, becoming a prisoner of a sect of deadly nuns who steal a powerful drug from the bodies of their young victims. She and a handful of potential victims escape, but there's no safe haven for them. Maika seeks to understand what happened to her mother, who disappeared years ago, and the trail of clues leads to encounters with winged warriors, human/animal hybrids, and perhaps even the Old Gods.
I wanted to rate this higher than four starts but truth be told, I think this is a bit of bumpy start to a very promising series. Monstress, Vol. 1 plunges readers in the middle of the action with little preparation. In Monstress: Awakening, clues to how this world works are scattered hither and yon, and it's up to the reader to collect them and put them in the proper order. This is fine but it made for a bit of a confusing and slightly frustrating reading experience. I feel like the world building is a little too complex for a graphic novel. It’s trying to squeeze so much information in, but it can’t quite cope with the amount it has.
But, at the same time, this graphic novel is packed with awesomeness. Sana Takeda's gorgeously painted illustrations, which mix the traditions of both European comics and Japanese manga, are truly stunning. The art is often intriguing, strange, horrific, and beautiful.
I might be complaining that the story is hard to follow but really Maika holds a dark power- in this case a literal demon living inside her- and is caught in the middle of an old war. That's really all you need to know going into this.
You got to work hard with this one but I think its worth it. It's a dense and beautiful illustrated story. Magical!
Update: Reread in 2022. The world building and storyline holds up and is AMAZING on a second reading. One of my favorite graphic novels. It's an absolutely remarkable work of art and imagination.
daphnia23's review against another edition
5.0
Мертві боги, напівмертві боги, майже боги у стані не скільки мертвий, скоріше напівживий.
Древні, напівДревні, нащадки Древніх із гомеопатичною дозою справжньої крові Древніх в собі.
Люди, напівлюди, люди, які у пошуках богів максимально віддалилися від свого людського стану і раптом вирішили, що це їх наблизило до богів.
Міфічні істоти та їх чудернацькі поєднання. Многохвості коти-некроманти із хвороболиво-шанобливою повагою до древніх поетів (але не плутати із Древніми!) і власною системою цінностей, настільки ж многохвостою, як і вони самі.
А ще восталі мертві, недовмерлі привиди, морські гулі, русалки, перевертні, внутрішні демони та зовнішні янголи.
І здається, я ще точно когось забула. Як ви зрозуміли, це я просто спробувала перерахувати усіх діючих осіб цього стім-фентезі-панк мальопису, навіть не намагаючись досконало визначити їх міжвидові відносини. В цілому же внутрішня політика рас у цьому світі виглядає як «один проти всіх, всі проти кожного». Люди полюють на циклопів та янголів, коти воскрешають черепа, відьми живцем розчленяють та жеруть діточок, морські гулі просто давно на вимушеній дієті, тому жруть все, що потрапило у воду, не зважаючи на несвіжість чи цілісність тіла.
Головна героїня, Майка Напіввовк, дівчина-інвалід, але із силою, що здатна знищити світ, пробує розгадати загадку смерті своєї мами, але у процесі того розгадування, схиляється під впливом обставин до того, що не важно, як померла, краще дізнатися, як вона дійшла до життя такого. Розгадування, як ви розумієте, супроводжується постійними смертельними небезпеками, спілкуванням із уявним привидом мами, із неуявним напівмертвим богом, який – ВНЄЗАПНО – живе у ній всередині і інколи потребує, гм, годівлі, постійними зрадами від усіх (майже), хто її оточує і потребує від Майки надзусиль і практично див щодня.
І, здавалося б, читач має співчувати саме їй, але ніт. Єдиним позитивним – для мене – героєм цієї історії стала взагалі не людина, а маленька дівчина-лисичка, яка й по суті і є носієм гуманістичних цінностей усього коміксу. До речі, у моєму ж випадку, саме вона й врятувала комікс від заслання на позбувну полицю. Дивитися на цю мордашку і пухкі рученята, що обіймають хвоста, коли їй страшно, хочеться й далі.
Цікава страшна захоплива історія, але краще б це був мульсеріал, а не папір.
А, і ще одна цікава деталь. У світі «Монстриці» панує тотальний матріархат. Єдині чоловіки, що там були, або прохідні і не люди, або їх пані водять за собою на ціпурі, або вмерли. Забавний світ, так. Чекатиму третього тому.
Древні, напівДревні, нащадки Древніх із гомеопатичною дозою справжньої крові Древніх в собі.
Люди, напівлюди, люди, які у пошуках богів максимально віддалилися від свого людського стану і раптом вирішили, що це їх наблизило до богів.
Міфічні істоти та їх чудернацькі поєднання. Многохвості коти-некроманти із хвороболиво-шанобливою повагою до древніх поетів (але не плутати із Древніми!) і власною системою цінностей, настільки ж многохвостою, як і вони самі.
А ще восталі мертві, недовмерлі привиди, морські гулі, русалки, перевертні, внутрішні демони та зовнішні янголи.
І здається, я ще точно когось забула. Як ви зрозуміли, це я просто спробувала перерахувати усіх діючих осіб цього стім-фентезі-панк мальопису, навіть не намагаючись досконало визначити їх міжвидові відносини. В цілому же внутрішня політика рас у цьому світі виглядає як «один проти всіх, всі проти кожного». Люди полюють на циклопів та янголів, коти воскрешають черепа, відьми живцем розчленяють та жеруть діточок, морські гулі просто давно на вимушеній дієті, тому жруть все, що потрапило у воду, не зважаючи на несвіжість чи цілісність тіла.
Головна героїня, Майка Напіввовк, дівчина-інвалід, але із силою, що здатна знищити світ, пробує розгадати загадку смерті своєї мами, але у процесі того розгадування, схиляється під впливом обставин до того, що не важно, як померла, краще дізнатися, як вона дійшла до життя такого. Розгадування, як ви розумієте, супроводжується постійними смертельними небезпеками, спілкуванням із уявним привидом мами, із неуявним напівмертвим богом, який – ВНЄЗАПНО – живе у ній всередині і інколи потребує, гм, годівлі, постійними зрадами від усіх (майже), хто її оточує і потребує від Майки надзусиль і практично див щодня.
І, здавалося б, читач має співчувати саме їй, але ніт. Єдиним позитивним – для мене – героєм цієї історії стала взагалі не людина, а маленька дівчина-лисичка, яка й по суті і є носієм гуманістичних цінностей усього коміксу. До речі, у моєму ж випадку, саме вона й врятувала комікс від заслання на позбувну полицю. Дивитися на цю мордашку і пухкі рученята, що обіймають хвоста, коли їй страшно, хочеться й далі.
Цікава страшна захоплива історія, але краще б це був мульсеріал, а не папір.
А, і ще одна цікава деталь. У світі «Монстриці» панує тотальний матріархат. Єдині чоловіки, що там були, або прохідні і не люди, або їх пані водять за собою на ціпурі, або вмерли. Забавний світ, так. Чекатиму третього тому.