Scan barcode
A review by pineconek
My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two by Emil Ferris
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I'm stunned, baffled, wanting for words, frustrated, enchanted, and utterly obsessed.
Both of these stellar volumes focus on mythos and chimeric storytelling. The stories are all told through the notebook of a ten year old, who draws and writes things as she sees them (and not as they are). She shows us her dreams, myths and paintings that enchant her, stories about friends (living and dead), and historically poignant scenes, and it all blends together into a surrealist cacophony. Most importantly, she retells the stories of others (most prominently Anka), and retelling leads to distortion.
This volume is frustrating. We get a semblance of an answer, sort of, but with a lot of ambiguity. We get an ending that feels rushed, unfinished, and clashes with everything that came previously... But our narrator is profoundly unreliable, prone to magical thinking, in deep grief, and very afraid. And also in love. And very confused. And it's all so much and I couldn't stop turning the pages, even when I was frustrated.
The lore surrounding this book continues to be wild. It went through a "will they wont they" publishing tease for seven years (first announced for a 2017!? release) featuring both missing pages and a lawsuit. I frantically googled and found rumours of a prequel and of unconnected stories contracted to another publisher, but it's all very messy. But it's also the best kind of messy (and calling VC Andrews to mind, tbh).
A nightmarish, ghoulish fever dream sequel to the first volume (which I maintain is a masterpiece). This will be eating at my brain for a long time. Maybe I'll be lucky and there will be a third volume, or a prequel, or or or... 4.5 stars rounded up.
Both of these stellar volumes focus on mythos and chimeric storytelling. The stories are all told through the notebook of a ten year old, who draws and writes things as she sees them (and not as they are). She shows us her dreams, myths and paintings that enchant her, stories about friends (living and dead), and historically poignant scenes, and it all blends together into a surrealist cacophony. Most importantly, she retells the stories of others (most prominently Anka), and retelling leads to distortion.
This volume is frustrating. We get a semblance of an answer, sort of, but with a lot of ambiguity. We get an ending that feels rushed, unfinished, and clashes with everything that came previously... But our narrator is profoundly unreliable, prone to magical thinking, in deep grief, and very afraid. And also in love. And very confused. And it's all so much and I couldn't stop turning the pages, even when I was frustrated.
The lore surrounding this book continues to be wild. It went through a "will they wont they" publishing tease for seven years (first announced for a 2017!? release) featuring both missing pages and a lawsuit. I frantically googled and found rumours of a prequel and of unconnected stories contracted to another publisher, but it's all very messy. But it's also the best kind of messy (and calling VC Andrews to mind, tbh).
A nightmarish, ghoulish fever dream sequel to the first volume (which I maintain is a masterpiece). This will be eating at my brain for a long time. Maybe I'll be lucky and there will be a third volume, or a prequel, or or or... 4.5 stars rounded up.