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A review by sgrizzle
My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Ferris
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
slow-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
“… because when adults are haunted, it’s kids who get the worst frights…”
This graphic novel is unlike anything I’ve ever read. We follow 10 year old Karen in late 1960s Chicago as she navigates poverty, death, upheaval, and complicated family dynamics, all interpreted through her love of monsters and pulp horror. The major plot point is her neighbor’s murder, which takes Karen on an investigative journey back to Nazi Berlin and deep darkness. The novel is illustrated entirely in pen as if it was a notebook which is fascinating.
It always takes me a minute to get into the rhythm of a graphic novel, and since this one is such a BEAST (over 400 pages!) it was slow going at first, but once I was in it and had began to unravel some of the context, I was hooked. The second volume has been delayed for years but hopefully it will come out soon, because I need to see how Karen navigates her new reality.
This graphic novel is unlike anything I’ve ever read. We follow 10 year old Karen in late 1960s Chicago as she navigates poverty, death, upheaval, and complicated family dynamics, all interpreted through her love of monsters and pulp horror. The major plot point is her neighbor’s murder, which takes Karen on an investigative journey back to Nazi Berlin and deep darkness. The novel is illustrated entirely in pen as if it was a notebook which is fascinating.
It always takes me a minute to get into the rhythm of a graphic novel, and since this one is such a BEAST (over 400 pages!) it was slow going at first, but once I was in it and had began to unravel some of the context, I was hooked. The second volume has been delayed for years but hopefully it will come out soon, because I need to see how Karen navigates her new reality.