otrops reviewed Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu
Review of 'Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening' on 'Storygraph'
4 stars
This was a recommendation from a friend. To be honest, this is probably darker and gorier than most graphic novels I'd read. Despite this, I loved this graphic novel.
The first thing that drew me in was Sana Takeda's art. It somehow conjures time in the distant past while being unlike anything I've ever seen. It is intricate and strangely beautiful.
Takeda's art is the perfect complement to Liu's writing. It is also intricate and strangely beautiful. Liu and Takeda have created a fantastic and rich world filled with nuanced characters that are strange yet familiar.
While set in an unfamiliar world, the themes here are unfortunately familiar: war, famine, concentration camps and entrenched racism. All of this makes for a compelling read.
In the end, it is Liu's ability to weave mysteries together that kept me reading and will keep me reading to Volume 2 and beyond. As soon …
This was a recommendation from a friend. To be honest, this is probably darker and gorier than most graphic novels I'd read. Despite this, I loved this graphic novel.
The first thing that drew me in was Sana Takeda's art. It somehow conjures time in the distant past while being unlike anything I've ever seen. It is intricate and strangely beautiful.
Takeda's art is the perfect complement to Liu's writing. It is also intricate and strangely beautiful. Liu and Takeda have created a fantastic and rich world filled with nuanced characters that are strange yet familiar.
While set in an unfamiliar world, the themes here are unfortunately familiar: war, famine, concentration camps and entrenched racism. All of this makes for a compelling read.
In the end, it is Liu's ability to weave mysteries together that kept me reading and will keep me reading to Volume 2 and beyond. As soon as one aspect of Maika's past or present comes to light, several more questions are raised. It is unclear who can be trusted and that includes Maika herself.
These layers—both visual and written—of mysteries, of characters, of interests, make this a graphic novel that rewards careful reading. I've spent a lot of time with this one, and suspect I'll be spending more time with it in the future.
