A review by breezer
Deserter by Junji Ito

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Deserter is my favourite Junji Ito work to date. Containing some of his earlier short stories along with his older art style, it had some absolute gems. My favourite stories include;

Biohouse: The first in the collection and the best! It has a badass heroine, bug horror, mind control and satisfying acts of vengeance.
Where the Sandman Lives: This was brilliantly creepy and felt like a mix between The Sandman by Neil Gaiman and Nightmare on Elm Street.
A Father's Love: Explores the lengths a father will go to help his children succeed. Although fantastical, it mirrored reality with sad clarity.

I would recommend this is a great jumping in point for new Ito fans (as usual please check out the content warnings before diving into this collection) as well as seasoned readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and VIZ Media for an advanced readers copy. 
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