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A review by brandonadaniels
Where Black Stars Rise by Nadia Shammas, Marie Enger
4.0
Where Black Stars Rise is a modern take on The King In Yellow and “Lovecraftian” tales of madness. It is a short story that packs a lot of punch and contains some big ideas. It provides a unique, more human, twist on the “we can never truly know the world” concept prevalent in much of Lovecraftian fiction.
Marie Enger’s artwork helps give the story an even more unique and contemporary punch. The story really plays to the artist’s strengths. Their work is clearly inspired by Mike Mignola, perhaps the comic artist most associated with the genre, but it’s also brighter, more saturated, and, at times, even more abstracted and dreamlike. They also hand lettered much of the book, and the graphic elements blend in and out of the art with a unique effect. The reader is forced to slow down and study the imagery, even in its simplicity, for hidden meaning.
I was just a little underwhelmed by the ending. Parts of the main character’s identity felt emphasized over others, and some of the ideas felt a little underbaked.
Marie Enger’s artwork helps give the story an even more unique and contemporary punch. The story really plays to the artist’s strengths. Their work is clearly inspired by Mike Mignola, perhaps the comic artist most associated with the genre, but it’s also brighter, more saturated, and, at times, even more abstracted and dreamlike. They also hand lettered much of the book, and the graphic elements blend in and out of the art with a unique effect. The reader is forced to slow down and study the imagery, even in its simplicity, for hidden meaning.
I was just a little underwhelmed by the ending. Parts of the main character’s identity felt emphasized over others, and some of the ideas felt a little underbaked.