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A review by meemzter
Monstress Book One by Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda
5.0
“What happened once, will happen again...but in a different form. To become a future-teller, one needs only to study history.”
As promised, I retrieved this absolutely GORGEOUS hardcover edition which collects Monstress issues #1-18. Having finished it, I am left with a real dilemma of whether to wait and buy book 2 when it comes out in the next year or two... or to go ahead and purchase the next two trade paperbacks that are already out. I will inevitably catch up and have to wait at some point, and part of me thinks leaving myself another 18-issue-sized chunk of story for next time is not a bad plan. But ALSO. I WANT MORE AND I WANT IT NOW.
Okay, anyways, review time. So first of all: it cannot be overstated that this edition is gorgeous and it is now one of my most prized possessions. Also, it's signed by the author???? Just. Hit up your Barnes and Noble if you haven't already @ Monstress fans.
As far as the content, since I discussed issues #1-6 in my review of Monstress: Volume 1, I'll focus on issues #7-18 here.
The first arc of a comic book is usually pretty tightly-plotted, and it was almost jarring to shift from the laser focus of the first arc into a plot that is a bit more circuitous. We're settling in for a long journey and there is maybe some time for side plots, for new characters, for a larger world.
There are some lovely character editions in these next two arcs (Would I die for pirate-tiger-brothers Seizi and Kenzi? Yes. Yes I would), terrific world-building, and a shift in tone away from straight up horror and toward more classic fantasy. The plot moves along quite a lot, and retains the excellent "show-don't-tell" approach that I praised so much in my review of Volume 1. Am I confused about some stuff? You bet! And I am therefore so excited for a reread, hopefully very soon.
This comic does so many things that work on so many levels, but one thing I want to call out is the ability to introduce characters and instantly make you care about them. There are characters who have never even spoken who I am invested in, who I can't wait to learn more about, and THAT - that ability to tease your reader, to inspire in them a desire to know more about every individual aspect of your story - is what makes this book truly exceptional for me.
In the words of Zihn:
"Hunger is not an illness child. Hunger is a gift."
And I am very grateful for it.
As promised, I retrieved this absolutely GORGEOUS hardcover edition which collects Monstress issues #1-18. Having finished it, I am left with a real dilemma of whether to wait and buy book 2 when it comes out in the next year or two... or to go ahead and purchase the next two trade paperbacks that are already out. I will inevitably catch up and have to wait at some point, and part of me thinks leaving myself another 18-issue-sized chunk of story for next time is not a bad plan. But ALSO. I WANT MORE AND I WANT IT NOW.
Okay, anyways, review time. So first of all: it cannot be overstated that this edition is gorgeous and it is now one of my most prized possessions. Also, it's signed by the author???? Just. Hit up your Barnes and Noble if you haven't already @ Monstress fans.
As far as the content, since I discussed issues #1-6 in my review of Monstress: Volume 1, I'll focus on issues #7-18 here.
The first arc of a comic book is usually pretty tightly-plotted, and it was almost jarring to shift from the laser focus of the first arc into a plot that is a bit more circuitous. We're settling in for a long journey and there is maybe some time for side plots, for new characters, for a larger world.
There are some lovely character editions in these next two arcs (Would I die for pirate-tiger-brothers Seizi and Kenzi? Yes. Yes I would), terrific world-building, and a shift in tone away from straight up horror and toward more classic fantasy. The plot moves along quite a lot, and retains the excellent "show-don't-tell" approach that I praised so much in my review of Volume 1. Am I confused about some stuff? You bet! And I am therefore so excited for a reread, hopefully very soon.
This comic does so many things that work on so many levels, but one thing I want to call out is the ability to introduce characters and instantly make you care about them. There are characters who have never even spoken who I am invested in, who I can't wait to learn more about, and THAT - that ability to tease your reader, to inspire in them a desire to know more about every individual aspect of your story - is what makes this book truly exceptional for me.
In the words of Zihn:
"Hunger is not an illness child. Hunger is a gift."
And I am very grateful for it.