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A review by missyssippi
Doctor Who: Origin Stories by Mark Griffiths, Katy Manning, Jasbinder Bilan, Sophie Aldred, Emma Norry, Dave Rudden, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Temi Oh
4.0
So, I was very eager to read this book. The idea of it was great: giving us more insight into our beloved character's past. When I saw the cover, I was thrilled! Most of the characters were among my favourites. Yet, this book didn't hit the right button for me, at least, not all the way through.
What I really liked about this book is how it allowed us to glimpse into the past of some well-known and less-known characters. Among my favourite stories were Kate Stewart's and Madame Vastra's because their stories didn't evolve around the Doctor. "My Daddy fights Monsters" was absolutely heart-wrenching and I loved seeing this version of Kate, a child already willing to fight for what matters to her, and hoping that her father will come home. Vastra's story was amazing, and the end made it all the more worthwhile. I suppose, with the companions, the only story that really made a difference to me was Amy and Rory's story.
Don't get me wrong, the other stories were great. Most of them. But each of the companions' stories, whether they were classic or not, involved the Doctor which I found somehow disappointing. I was hoping that their lives were more than their relationship with the Doctor, that we would get to see where they had gotten their values, how they resembled or not, the older version that we've seen on tv. And I didn't feel like we got that. The end of the book, from Clara's story to Missy's, somehow disappointed me, despite featuring some of my favourite characters. It just didn't feel like them. I found their stories underwhelming and after a while, the mind-wipe trope gets old.
Overall, I think this book is a great collection of stories. Could it have been better? Yes. Were all the stories good? No. But I'm still thankful it exists. I'd rate this book 3,5.
What I really liked about this book is how it allowed us to glimpse into the past of some well-known and less-known characters. Among my favourite stories were Kate Stewart's and Madame Vastra's because their stories didn't evolve around the Doctor. "My Daddy fights Monsters" was absolutely heart-wrenching and I loved seeing this version of Kate, a child already willing to fight for what matters to her, and hoping that her father will come home. Vastra's story was amazing, and the end made it all the more worthwhile. I suppose, with the companions, the only story that really made a difference to me was Amy and Rory's story.
Don't get me wrong, the other stories were great. Most of them. But each of the companions' stories, whether they were classic or not, involved the Doctor which I found somehow disappointing. I was hoping that their lives were more than their relationship with the Doctor, that we would get to see where they had gotten their values, how they resembled or not, the older version that we've seen on tv. And I didn't feel like we got that. The end of the book, from Clara's story to Missy's, somehow disappointed me, despite featuring some of my favourite characters. It just didn't feel like them. I found their stories underwhelming and after a while, the mind-wipe trope gets old.
Overall, I think this book is a great collection of stories. Could it have been better? Yes. Were all the stories good? No. But I'm still thankful it exists. I'd rate this book 3,5.