Monstress Volume 1: Awakening

Written by Marjorie Liu (X-23, Black Widow) and illustrated by Sana Takeda (X-23, Ms. Marvel), Monstress stands distinctly apart from the usual sword & sorcery dark fantasy comic, starting with the fact that most of the main characters are female as are most of the powers that be. But this is no simplistic or heavy-handed feminist take on the genre - it's done very subtly and naturally so that we simply accept that this is the way this world is, nothing more, nothing less. The artwork is vivid and detailed and gives the world of Monstress a very different look and feel, as well as an unrelenting atmosphere of foreboding and danger. And the story progresses slowly and carefully, building the world little by little as we see and experience it through the characters, leaving the reader with a number of questions and mysteries that are only gradually revealed.

It helps to know that the world of Monstress is inhabited by five known races:

(1) Humans, who cannot perform magic, though some women are born with mental powers that seem like magic. Among humans there is a religious order called the Cumaea who seek out such children and compel them to join their order. Refusal is not an option.
(2) The Ancients, immortal beings who resemble humans but have the heads and tails of animals and who can perform powerful magics. The Ancients are divided into two rival courts: the Dusk Court and the Dawn Court. Think a number of Egyptians gods and you get the picture.
(3) The Cats, magical beings distinguished from ordinary cats by their ability to speak, to perform magic and by their multiple tails. More tails reflect more power, status and age.
(4) The Old Gods, an ancient race of evil, powerful and destructive beings, not remotely human in appearance, supposedly gone from the world but fear of them still lingers.
(5) The Arcanic Halfbreeds, a hybrid race originally resulting from matings of Ancients and humans, inheriting varying traits and powers from both. Some can pass for human, their animal-like traits either not visible or suppressed, but most are marked by one or more animal traits: eyes, ears, tails, even wings.

The central character of Monstress is a seventeen-year-old girl named Maika Halfwolf, an Arcanic who can fully pass for human, in spite of the fact that her left fore-arm is missing. And the strange eye-like tattoo on her chest. The book begins with her being put up for bids at a slave auction. This is her story.

Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a deeply complex dark fantasy graphic novel where the artwork is luxuriant and the story is a slow delicate build of gradual revelations.

A bit disappointed after reading all the positive reviews. The artwork is beautiful but doesn't create a sense of dynamism and lacks fluidity - more like a series of posters rather than providing a vantage point to the rolling action. The story is slow to develop and is not capturing my interest. There will be no Vol. 2 for me.

In a world consumed by a bigoted war between humans and Arcanics, monsters are treated as second class citizens and are often beaten and enslaved so that witch cults can harvest their powers. Maika Halfwolf is one of those monsters. She gets herself intentionally captured so that she can begin her quest for knowledge as to who her parents are, why she is the way she is, and how she can tame the demon inside of her that devours everything it touches. With a talking cat and a fox girl by her side, she is in constant fear of the demon coming out and killing both of them. And yet, they remain loyal throughout all of the attacks and captures from various witch cults.

If for some reason that opening synopsis sounds a little off, don’t worry, you’re not alone in feeling befuddled. I too was confused by the happenings of this graphic novel. I kept trying to piece together which magician belonged to which alliance. I kept wondering about the terminology. I kept wondering why magicians were attacking members of their own cliques (at least I think they’re part of their own clique, I’m still not sure). For some reason I kept spacing out during the cat lectures in between chapters. The fact that I was able to put together at least SOME of the pieces was nothing short of a miracle. It made me question whether or not I had to read other source material in order to understand this fictional world, but this is the first volume of the Monstress series, so I guess not. Maybe if someone explains it to me in depth, then I can get a better grasp of what’s going on here.

On the bright side, the cats were cuter than a bug’s ear. Yes, they’re intended to be taken seriously by the characters in the story, but that won’t stop me from rubbing their bellies and feeding them Temptations. During one of the cat lectures, there’s a little kitty rolling around on his back playing with a slave collar’s chain. Torturous device aside, that’s still a cute image. I also liked the image of the cat teacher making chocolate-covered mice with the rest of her class. As a lover of animals, it was refreshing to see that these cats weren’t being abused in some way, dark fantasy canon aside. There could have easily been a time where a soldier kicked a cat or flung it against a tree, but that didn’t happen. Thank god good taste prevailed!

Of course, dark fantasy cannot work without delicious violence and this graphic novel has that in spades. Whether it’s Maika’s demon gnawing on living flesh or a cat with two swords slicing and dicing his way to victory, feel free to drink it all in. I especially like the part where Maika slams a prison cell door against a corpulent, torture-loving guard. The guard deserved it almost as much as Captain Byron Hadley from The Shawshank Redemption deserved to be dragged out in cuffs. Maybe those two should get married and go on a honeymoon to Guantanamo Bay. Lots of blood, lots of broken bones, lots of madness, lots of everything! It’s not really fair to call this gornography, whether you’re confused by the storyline or not, but you can get your fill of violence and dirty language easily from a text like this.

If it wasn’t for the muddling storyline and the many pieces that don’t seem to fit, I would have given this graphic novel a passing grade. There have been times I’ve considered doing that anyways because the demonic presence inside Maika Halfwolf reminds me of my own schizophrenia. I love a good story that I can relate to in some way, which sounds like a weird thing to say about a blood-stained dark fantasy book, but that’s the thing about fantasy: it’s just as reflective of our society as modern day drama. But alas, I had an easier time understanding The Matrix than I did this graphic novel. A mixed grade is what Monstress has earned.

this the first comic i ever bought and its going to be the last
i thought this series going to make me likes comics but i guess i was wrong
i love the drawing in this comic and very detailed thats why i gave 2 stars for the artist
other than that the story it just stupid i dont understand Maika sometime i think shes a dumb girl for taking hardest way to get what she want and she cant even control her power
the fights in this Volume is very short and simple no breathtaking fights and sometimes its funny like *spoiler* the way she fought the witch ivyt its stupid and funny she killed her with a push *i think* no fights no magics has been used in the fight!! xD
im not impressed by what i read so far

Maika is a 17-year-old survivor of a horrible war between human and Arcainics, animal and/or dark magic hybrids. Now, humans sell these Arcainics as slaves, experiment on them, and collect Lilium (a precious, highly magical and altering chemical) from their dead and dying bodies. Cumaea are powerful witch-nuns (though nothing like typical nun, more a magical cult of vicious fighters, killers, enslavers, and non-virgins) who do a majority of the killing and harvesting from Arcainics. Maika, one such slave, is trying to figure out her own past, her place in the world, why her mother was killed, where the unknown voice inside her is coming from, and what she’s supposed to do about all of it. She finds friends in a young female fox-Arcainic and a cat. Who try to help he through the first volume to not die and realize that in unconscious moments she devours others.
This graphic novel is a feminine power-house, future-dystopia, magic awry beginning to a six-part set. The full-color book has good print quality and paper, though the binding does not appear to be very strong, looking paperback, glue based with no reinforcing tread or fabric. The plot is intriguing though, much like the main character, the reader is dropped in the middle of a story, war, and place that they are given little to no previous knowledge about. It takes a little while to get into the story and start piecing some of the information together, though the plot has good movement and the characters are well thought-out. A majority of all of the characters are powerhouse women, both on the good and the bad (and yet to been seen) sides. Though there are a few men illustrated throughout, they do no have as much page time or character development as of yet. A darker book with the topics and themes of war, slavery, slaughter, destroying and eating innocent young children, etc. Recommended for later-teens and older. But a good start to what is sure to be an epic adventure tale.

There are five races in the known world: Cats the oldest who are descendants of Ubasti; The Old Gods who were banished by Ubasti; The Ancients who wear the forms of animals and are blessed by their lunar goddess with magical abilities and immortality; humans who came forth from the sea and some of whom have mental abilities such as telepathy, telekinesis, and foretelling...the Cumaea witches seek these people out to join their ranks; and the Arcanics who are the offsprings of the Ancients and humans and are considered monsters by some as they do not, for the most part, look human and they carry the best and the worst of their forebearers. A very bloody war broke out between the Arcanics and the humans that ended in a delicate truce which is about to be broken.

Maika Halfwolf has vowed vengeance against Lady Yvette Lo Lim. She leaves her best friend Tuya, who is against this, behind, and gets herself captured and taken to the slave market. The Cumaea claim her outright and take her along with a few other Aracanics for free. Lady Sophia is worried about the symbol marked on Maika's chest that represents to her a demonic monstrosity. But her lover and helpmate, Atena, does her best to reassure her that there is nothing to worry about.

Maika breaks free from the prison and lets everyone loose. A little fox named Kippa decides to stay with her rather than leave. Maika kills many guards and torches Lady Sophia and stabs Atena in the shoulder. Then she heads up to Lady Yvette's chambers hoping for answers to questions she cannot form. When Lady Yvette tries to use lilium on her like shining kryptonite in front of Supergirl it effects Kippa, but Maika is able to overcome its effects and kill Lady Yvette. She reaches through the lilium barrier and grabs the piece of the mask that is there that calls to her and frees the Arcanic that is there. She grabs a photo of her mother and her with Lady Yvette and some other people that is on the mantlepiece and the three of them escape the castle in the city of Zamora and head for the forest.

The secret hunger she has has awakened again and she must eat and without thinking she eats what's left of the child from Lady Yvette's chambers, which terrifies Kippa. Master Ren the cat meets up with them and gets them passage through the forest though they do not make it through unscathed. Meanwhile, Mother Superior has arrived in Zamora to take care of things. Atena uses lilium to tend to Lady Sophia's wounds while the Mother Superior uses it to bring Lady Yvette back from the dead to find out what happened.

When Maika runs into a Cumaea witch in the forest while holding the mask her half arm grows into something wild and uncontrollable and the thing inside of her attacks the witch who flees for her life. There is something very ancient inside Maika that with the whole mask would make her very powerful, indeed if she could control it. But there are others who want that mask desperately for its power that they hope to wield. This is amazing and fresh with new ideas comic. The artwork is a bit steampunk-ish and while Lady Sophia is a scientist, the comic really isn't steampunk, per se. It has way too much mythology and not enough technology to be steampunk. I'm not a cat person, but I do love the talking, fighting, poetry-quoting cats. And interspersed throughout the book are entries that explain the world written by cats. Maika is a fierce warrior of only seventeen who has seen much and grown up way too fast. The hunger inside her makes her want to eat anything in her path, the more intelligent the better and Kippa is often in her path. She also has to deal with this ancient being inside of her trying to take control of her body and mind which will probably get her killed and leave him to try to find another host body if he can. I have fallen in love with this series and cannot wait to read the next one. I highly recommend this book.

This is a great comic! It has gorgeous artwork that can pull off everything from intricate clothing and architecture to adorable kids and animals to brutal killings. Visually, it's just amazing. And story-wise, it's filled with plot twists and a really interesting main character. I will definitely be reading the sequel, since I already own it, and I think I would have been too hooked to not keep reading anyway. That ending! Uh, Marjorie Lui explain yourself!!

The worldbuilding is also very interesting (ancient monsters... demigods... witch nuns... wars about to be rekindled... necromancer cats... matriarchal culture) but got a bit confusing for me. It's a lot to keep track of in your head, especially combined with the many characters, although being sort of muddled by it didn't usually impede enjoying the story. There was only one point where I honestly did not understand what happened — but unfortunately, it was a pretty major plot point.

I was also put off in the beginning by the amount of mutilation and blood and etc, which is a more personal problem (though as it got less brutal after the first part I was more able to relax) and has nothing to do with the quality of the comic, which is very high

Somehow this book was also missing, I don't know, something. The thing that drives you to grab the book you're reading the moment you have free time. I took far longer to read this than I'd usually take to read a graphic novel. Maybe it was just too much for me. But I'm still looking forward to getting more answers to the mysteries in this volume.

A teenage girl searching for answers on her mother’s death and the horror that is transforming her mind and body.

Once you get into this graphic novel, which might take a little bit, the characters are likeable and some horrible. They make you feel the way you should which terror, fear and a little hope for our main character.

The art is good reminds me of anime and manga. Only thing it is the type anime manga art I dislike. I am not a fan of the gory, and bloody art. Maybe that is because in high school art class we watched the anime Akira over and over. It was really gross and that is how I found some of the art. It’s really great art just not a fan of the theme.

I read this because I heard good things about it and Neil Gaiman had a good quote about it. I will probably read volume two to find out what happens. Once I got through the beginning which is a little vague in storytelling wise but starts to come together at the end. Still worth a read.

I don't think I have all the proper words to describe how much I enjoyed this book. It is so beautiful. Even if the story hadn't been all that great I'm pretty sure I still would have given the story a high rating because of the art. The intricacies, the details, the lighting, the tone- everything about the drawings in this book is just absolutely wonderful. Even though this is a really dark, gory, and scary story, you can still see the beauty in the images.

The basic description of this book doesn't quite do it justice. Monstress is more than just a historical fiction based on a matriarchal society where there is magic involved. It's a really dark story. I'm not even sure if this story is really suitable for teens but if it is for teens, I would say definitely 16 and up (maybe). This is a very mature story with partial nudity, foul language, violence, gore, dark themes- anyone with conservative religious views isn’t probably going to be able to get into the story and less they also happen to have an open mind.

With all of that said, I really enjoyed this story. I like the idea that our main character is kind of putting herself undercover of her own volition. She decides that something has to be done and takes it upon herself to do it. It seems like from the start that she's making a sacrifice of herself but you soon find out that her motives are a little bit selfish. Something is tormenting her and she doesn't even know what it is, but as she seeks answers, revenge, or whatever higher calling she's after she finds out what's inside her and it terrifies her. But even the terrifying thing inside of her isn't her worst enemy; there are enemies all around that she wasn't even aware of. And this is just the beginning of the story (issues 1 - 6) I can't wait to see what else is going to happen.

I'm a fan of fantasy so this story is right up my alley. I felt like the only thing it was missing was maybe some dragons, but I could see how they might not fit into this mythos. Perhaps I'm jumping the gun and there will be dragons down the road (maybe). In any case, I love that most of the characters that are shown in a good light are hybrid characters (not all human, but part of many different creatures). There are lots of social messages beneath the main storyline. There are feminist issues, there are issues of race and socioeconomic status, issues of war, issues of faith, matters of territories and borders, and more all hidden between the line for those who chose to see them. I personally feel like these are the types of things that make for the best stories.

I feel like if I keep talking about this story I'm going to drop a spoiler and I don't want to do that. This may seem like a vague review but it's all I can do to express how much I really enjoyed this graphic novel without giving too much away.

I’d definitely recommend this book to any comic book fan over the age of 16, especially women (though this is for anyone). But I think those who like a mixture of historical fiction and fantasy might also be able to appreciate this story. Even if someone isn't interested in the story, they should be able to appreciate the images themselves, as each page is a work of art.

This collection, Volume One of Monstress, is fantastic. The artwork and story work seamlessly to build a unique and well-developed world. As an avid fantasy reader, I was very happy to see the cultural and political world-building in this collection. Graphic novels, (in my albeit limited experience) often allow the art to stand in for complete narrative development, often to the detriment of the story. Monstress, however, really delivers. Steampunk meets high fantasy in this tale of a dystopian realm where the made battle the born for freedom and equality. Like many other stories making the rounds, this one features a heroine upon whose shoulders lies the weight of countless lives, those already taken and those in danger of being taken too soon. In the post-war lull, where an uneasy peace maintains a border. Maika, an Arcanic, does not want to save anyone. Her mission is vegeance, yet when confronted with the immediate suffering of her  fellow prisoners, she takes up the torch and, though vengeance is served, and so very satisfactorily, Maika finds a better path to walk, fighting to save, at least a few of her fellow Arcanics.  Like any well designed beginning, this first volume sees Maika take her revenge, save children from a life of eugenics-based experimentation and torture, and discover a long hidden family secret. Then, as a final twist, a classic cliffhanger, we are offered a glimpse of the imprefection of our heroine, her driving need, her sliver of evil against which she fights so hard...

An absolutely amazing beginning, I cannot wait (literally, I've already purchased it) to continue on this journey, to see what other ingenuity comes through in the next volume.

4.25 stars.

Monstress is a harsh, gritty story set in a stunning Asian fantasy/steampunk world. It's honestly one of the best graphic novels I've ever read, and has some of the most beautiful art I've ever seen.

I tend to struggle with visual stories, since I find it harder to connect to/emotionally invest in them. That wasn't the case with Monstress, though—these pages are bursting with fantastic characters, action, and mystery.

The main character, Maika Halfwolf, is a teenager caught up in a complex magical war between humans and Arcanics—a race of supernatural beings descended from the offspring of humans and immortal "Ancients". As an Arcanic, Maika faces harsh discrimination and cruelty. She and others of her kind are literally sold for parts, given to a cult of witches who take their limbs to extract a highly-coveted substance called lilium.

It's a brutal world, and Maika is a ruthless and compelling heroine. Even as she struggles against captivity and discrimination, she also has a deeper internal conflict going on. There's an old, dark, hungry power inside her that she doesn't fully understand and has even less ability to control.

A few other things I loved:
▪️ there's a race of cats that are 100x smarter than everyone else and are 100% done with humans being dumb
▪️ a minor f/f relationship between two VERY morally gray ladies
▪️ Kippa, the cutest little fox child my eyes have ever SEEN

My only real complaint was that the worldbuilding and plot felt a tad overwhelming/confusing at times—it's super complex, and difficult to convey quickly in this format. By the end of the novel, I felt like I was starting to get a grip on all the different factions and races, so hopefully this won't be as much of an issue in the second volume.

Overall, this was beautiful and horrible and VERY exciting. I highly recommend it.

Content warnings for graphic violence, human trafficking, slavery, and racism.

Monstress is a dark fantasy comic with a steampunk feel to it and the artwork is absolutely stunning. There are pages I could happily stare at all day long and this is definitely a book I'd be happy to reread because you spot new things every time you look at it.

Maika is a young girl caught in the crossfire of the ongoing war between humans and Arcanics. The Arcanics are a race with access to magic, some who can pass for human and others who look more like animals or are a cross between the two. Humans seem to be jealous and scared of the Arcanics so they set out to do what humans do best and destroy their perceived enemies. Maika is an Arcanic who looks human, she is missing an arm and has been branded with a magical marking but she plans to use her looks to infiltrate her enemy and get her revenge. There are a third group involved in the war, the Cumaea, who are allied with the humans but have magical abilities and they have been using the war as an excuse to carry out all kinds of experiments on the Arcanics. Maika ends up captured by the Cumaea but what originally looks like a trap may well have been her goal all along when she turns the situation to her advantage.

I don't want to say too much more about the plot but there is a lot going on in this graphic novel. It has a dark tone and there are some serious issues entwined throughout the story but it's an interesting world and I can't wait to see where Maika's journey takes her. I'm not going to say this was perfect, there were times when I found myself confused and wishing for more world building and then there were others where important details were given in a bit of an info dump that could be overwhelming. I actually read the book a second time and found myself catching lots little things I'd missed the first time around which made it much easier to follow.

In spite of my issues I still found it very easy to become invested in Maika's story and I particularly fell in love with young Kippa, a fox-girl Maika rescues along the way. The artwork is nothing short of beautiful and I have high hopes for the story now that I'm more familiar with the world and have started to get to grips with exactly what is going on. I'm definitely going to be purchasing the second volume when it releases.

Source: Received from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Luckily the plot was also interesting and it had a nice cast of characters with the main heroine leading the ...

Here's a story worth reading even if only for the graphic. Luckily the plot was also interesting and it had a nice cast of characters with the main heroine leading the way.

Maika, a one-armed girl, with hidden powers, is searching for answers about her past. She's willing to be enslaved by her race's enemies to get them. But she's not willing to die just yet.
While she's fighting for her life and piecing the puzzles of her mystery, a dark power awakens inside her. Now she'll have to learn to control the demon before he'll take over her own body.

Let's face it, the most appealing thing about this novel is graphic. I adore it! The details, the style, the colors - everything is perfect. Yes, it's a bit brutal, but it fits.

The setting looks like some alternative version of Asia, with magic and steampunk-like technology. The war between Arcanics (magical creatures) and Cumaea (a kind of humans, but with some special gifts, technology, and skills) split the land into two fractions. They seem to have a treaty, but it's far from peaceful. This world is filled with fantastic creatures - humans, demons, strange talking cats with fighting skills and multiple tails, winged hot dudes (well, there was one but I bet there's more of them;)), cute (and not so cute) chimera-like creatures, and much more.

The plot that is seemingly chaotic at first, but as it unfolds we can see everything is connected. Some of the events take place in the past and these pieces might be a bit confusing at first, but I got used to these little jumps.

It's the characters that make it all fascinating. Maika is strong, independent, but she has a hard time trusting others. Each time, when her faith depends on others she's trying to run away. Part of it is because of the monster inside her, but that's not all. I can't say I liked her, but I admire her strength.

I kind of liked the cat that was following Maika and Kippa (the part-fox child). He was annoying and a bit stubborn, but helpful and smart. I'm guessing he was supposed to be Maika's guide in this journey.

As for Kippa - she was simply adorable. Yes, most of the time Maika scared her, but she didn't give up. Maybe she just had no place to go to, maybe she wanted to help. She definitely did the latter, thanks to her Maika started controlling her dark powers just a little bit better.

To sum it up - I want a hard copy of this novel! Reading it on a computer screen is not the way to do it. Sure, it's still pleasant, but just not the same.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very pretty, even exotic looking piece of work, thanks to the skills of Sana Takeda, but unfortunately the visuals carry more weight than the narrative. Monstress has an ok story of the standard dark fantasy variety, but maybe a little too standard. I was initially enamored with the ornate visuals and the way it throws you right into the action, but then it quickly bounces around a gamut of different characters with only vaguely defined importance and feels convoluted. There is also some rather long bouts of info dumping pretty early on that is a bit trying because its not completely clear what the direction of the story is at this point. The charm wore off pretty fast for me, and I soon found myself a little bit bored as the thin cliches and stereotypes keep rolling out. But... Monstress is ok. It just doesn't didn't hold my interest enough that I want to keep reading after this first trade.

It's been a long time since I've read a graphic novel. I hadn't heard of this book until I saw a review on Lair of Books and knew I HAD to read it! Luckily for me, all six single issues that make up the first volume were listed on NetGalley. I downloaded them all and quickly read it. The whole combination of story and amazing illustrations just blew me away!

Without giving away too much of the story, Monstress is about a young woman named Maika who has suffered greatly following a war between her people the Arcanics and humans. I immediately liked Maika. She's such a badass that you can't help but root for her. The story opens with her being sold into slavery, but she never once surrenders herself to her captors. She's strong and has a lot more going on. There's a darkness to her that I found very interesting and want to learn more about.

Also, there is a talking, multi-tailed cat that was downright awesome. The attitude, the foul language...I could have read a whole story just with this cat. I WANT MORE CAT!

Besides the interesting world and politics, what stood out to me were the illustrations by Sana Takeda. They are GORGEOUS! There's just so much detail and emotion to them. The images really help tell the story by emphasizing the horrors of slavery, torture and the impact of war. I often stopped reading just to admire how fantastic the artwork was!

The only issue I had was that the background/politics were confusing at times. The book really hits the ground running and very little background is provided, so I did find myself a little lost in certain parts. Of course, as you read on more and more is revealed. It just meant I did have to flip back and forth to stay on track.

I'm now eagerly awaiting Volume 2. This is a MUST read book for people who enjoy graphic novels and even for those who don't. The illustrations alone need to be checked out. I highly recommend it!

"There's more hunger in the world than love."

Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda is a strong and intriguing start of the new, gorgeous graphic novel series.

Maika is a survivor of a ruthless war between The Federation of Man and supernatural hybrids Arcanics, which buried many innocent lives. In the world after the war, humans control everything and treat Arcanics as animals and slaves, and the Cumaea strive to capture them in order to create lilium, a powerful potion able to bring anyone back from death. As Maika escapes the Cumaean stronghold with a strange mask piece, we follow her on the path to unravelling the truth about her mother's death and a strange hunger that takes control over her body.

I have to admit that I don't read many graphic novels these days but I decided to pick up Monstress, because of an intriguing plot summary and beautiful cover art, and I wasn't disappointed!

The concept and the world building of Monstress is really interesting. We have humans, Arcanics, who are hybrids of humans and animals, and Monsters, ancient magical beings that many people believe to be only legends but which show their forms only to a few chosen ones. The plot takes us on a rocky journey with Maika, who strives to find out who killed her mother and at the same time has to fight with a mysterious being growing inside her. The whole world created by Marjorie Liu, set in past alternative Asia, is a creative and magical mixture of fantasy and steampunk.

For the most part, the tone of the novel is very dark, brutal and bloody, and contains some graphic violence and fighting scenes (which I would advise keeping in mind when you decide to pick it up), but there are a few humorous moments as well. The author touches upon many themes which also exist in our current society, such as prejudice against different race, war, striving for power. The other thing worth mentioning is the fact that there is a wide cast of characters with different skin colours and mutations, and our main character Maika is a very strong person despite her disability.

On top of a great story, the artwork by Sana Takeda is simply breathtaking. The images are a mix of steampunk and art deco, and I could hardly take my eyes off them! In fact, I would highly recommend reading the comic at least twice - first to get the story and then once again, to get a full grasp of gorgeous illustrations. I absolutely loved the artist's style, the colour scheme and the amount of details. Together with the story they create a terrific package.

To sum up, if you're looking for an intriguing new story with unique world and stunning artwork, and don't mind a bit of darkness in your reading, I would highly recommend picking up Monstress!

Disclaimer: I have kindly received a copy of this book from netgalley and Diamond Book Distributors in exchange for an honest review. The quote included in this review has been taken from an advanced reader copy and therefore might be subject to change.

Humans have enslaved Arcanics (a human/animal blend) while the Cumaea (witchy humans) harvest some sort of gunk called Lilium from Arcanic bodies. Our hero is an empowered Arcanic with the apt name Maika Halfwolf who has an uncontrollable hunger, the reason for which is explained in the middle issues. She brings havoc to the Cumaea and snatches a piece of an empowered mask that everyone seems to want and that may represent a tie to her past. Maika is accompanied on her adventures by a little fox/girl and a talking cat. So now you’ve got a sense of what this story is like.

I’m impressed by the quality of the prose that shapes this story. The story itself is like a lot of stories that depend on magic and oppressive humans and talking cats. There’s a whole bunch of backstory crammed into back pages of each issue that explain the world in more detail for those who are interested in backstory. I think backstory should usually be kept to the author or worked into the story rather that force-fed to the reader, but reader who really get into the details of fantasy world-building might like it.

The art is luscious and, combined with strong prose, makes the six-issue volume worth reading. The story isn’t special but it is nicely executed.

There’s quite a lot of complicated post-war world building and a cast of almost entirely morally grey characters. Maika is a fascinating main character. She’s full of inner turmoil and repressed memories, and emo as heck, but you can’t help but root for her, even when she’s mid–slaughter. It doesn’t hurt of course that the enemy she’s up against is an evil order of nuns who deal in slavery, torture, medical experimentation and murder. Who doesn’t want them dead?

As much as I loved Maika for her badass-heroine-ism, my favourite character is this little fox-cub girl, Kippa. She’s truly adorable and I want to hold her and keep her safe from everything in this brutal world. Even though she’s terrified for most of the volume (of Maika as much as the evil-nuns) she sticks with Maika and shows true bravery and friendship.Image1

The artwork throughout the volume is stunning, which just makes some of the horror’s even more disturbing. There’s a wonderful amount of detail and linework in some of the Art-Deco inspired settings, while the characters each have unique designs and beautifully (or hideously) rendered and expressive faces. The story, overall, has a very sweeping, epic-fantasy feel to it, and the plot promises to become far more complicated, full of twists and turns and unveiled secrets. The steampunk elements are a woven through the rest of the story and the artwork blends the Asian, Art-Deco and Steam-punk elements together so as no one stands out and overshadows the others.

While this isn’t a light-hearted story or an easy graphic novel to read (both for the subject matter and the depth of the background information, it took my far longer to read that other graphic novel’s of a similar length) it’s really good. As long as the violence and subject matter don’t put you off, I’d recommend this to any fan of graphic novels in general or to non-fans looking for something they can really get their teeth into, meatier than what the average graphic novel provides.

May my curse of only picking mediocre Image books to read finally be broken. Majorie Liu, and Sana Takeda has drawn, one of the most stunning comics I have read in my life. In these six issues are everything I would ever want to come out of this medium.

Monstress takes place in a fictional world of warring faction. Human's divided into the usual government and a religious sect known as the Cumaea, have warred for years with the Arcanics, a group of half-humans born from immortal animal spirits. A tentative peace has existed for years after a massive explosion slaughtered thousands years ago, though the humans still slave what Arcanics they can. The story follows Maika Halfwolf, an Arcanic looking for answers about a certain power she has, a power both sides want and threatens to throw the country back into war.

First, let me say that Takeda's art is worth the cover price alone. I don't say this for many artists, but she is easily top three in the industry. But Liu, too, deserves praise for creating such a complex political world worthy of any fantasy series, and a great number of unique characters to root for. The closest thing I could call a criticism of this story is that there are almost too many characters being developed at once, but what kind of criticism is that really?

If you like comics at all, you simply have to buy this.

Every now and then, a story will tip you into a strange new world without any attempt at exposition or context, leaving you to catch up on events in the most exhilarating way possible. You either sink or swim, and "Monstress" is one such graphic novel, demanding complete attention, careful consideration, and at least two re-reads in order to grasp all of its detail.

We first meet Maiko Halfwolf as she's put up for auction as a slave – a pretty clear indication of how dark this story can get, even when it becomes apparent that she's more in control of the situation than first appears. Piece by piece, we get an understanding of Maiko's history and what she's attempting: that this is a girl searching for answers to her past in a world on the brink of war.

I'm reluctant to say too much, as most of the enjoyment in reading "Monstress" comes from the fact you have little idea of what to expect. Marjorie Liu has crafted a story with plenty of twists and turns, and illustrator Sana Takeda depicted a world of steampunk horror, art deco styling, and Egyptian/Asian aesthetics that is a feast for the eyes. Every panel is filled with incredible detail and colour – you could pore over them for days.

It's also notable for its range of female characters – nearly every main character is a woman, each one different in age, race, and affiliation. An advantage to this is that the conflict isn't a straightforward "women vs men" battle of the sexes, but which instead pits women of varying motivations and agendas against each other. Some are sympathetic, others are loathsome, and making the plot revolve around *them* neatly removes any sticky gender politics that might have otherwise distracted from the story.

That there is a rich history here is apparent, though it's doled out in careful measures, with only a few pages of exposition (framed as university lectures) and conveyed mainly through conversation and oblique background references. This is a world of witch-nuns, shaman-empresses, half-human hybrids, ancient gods, many-tailed cats, ruthless inquisitrixes – all of which serves to form the underlying structure of this world and its many divisions.

It's also not for the faint of heart, as "Monstress" depicts beheadings, slavery, vivisection, torture, mutilation – you get the picture. But this volume (which contains the first eight volumes of the comic books) is still a story to be savoured and enjoyed more than once, if not just to untangle the myriad of characters and their ongoing schemes.

I think I've just talked myself into reading it again.

There are not enough stars to rate how much I love this graphic novel. Enough to say that it's my #1 favourite EVER. Epic, thrilling, and utterly unique in every sense of the word. Honestly, I don't know where to start the praise! The world is rich, engaging, and exciting. The story is complex and filled with twists. The villains are devious. The action is bloody and visceral. The monsters are nightmare-inducing. The main character is hard as nails and a force to be reckoned with. The side characters are layered and endearing, and in the case of one Corvin D'Oro, completely swoon-worthy. The writing is solid and will grab you from the very first page. Honestly, I can't praise this book enough. My only complaint was that it wasn't long enough. Literally, as soon as I finished it, I picked up the sequel because I need to know what happens next. There are no words to describe how much I adore MONSTRESS. It's something every horror fantasy fan needs to read ASAP. You will not be disappointed!

That was a very interesting read, one that actually left me wanting to find out more about the heroine, as well as the development of the story!
Maika is a troubled girl that seeks to uncover the truth behind her mother's death, as well as a dark secret she, herself is keeping!
I totally love the whole "don't let the monster inside come out" theme, and thought it was really powerful the way it was narrated and shown in the comic!
The only downside for me was that there was a little more blood that what I would have liked, but still it wasn't that much that it could distract me from the rest of the storyline!
Totally looking forward to starting the second volume of Monstress!

I really loved this dark and steampunky fantasy graphic novel. The illustration is amazingly beautiful and the story is unique and engaging. It’s very intriguing to watch our heroine struggle between wanting to be more powerful through her connection to this monster (especially since she’s been in a lot of bad situations) and watching her be concerned about how much damage she can do to those around her with this power.

The world is incredibly interesting as well. There is a lot of world building here and I loved the steampunky fantasy world we are introduced to. You just scratch the surface of all the complexities of this world in this book and I can’t wait to read more books and delve deeper into it.

Additionally I loved the talking cats; I mean you can’t go wrong with talking cats...even if they are slightly evil at times in this book. I can’t wait to meet more types of species and monsters.

The illustration is absolutely beautiful; it’s done in dark lush tones and adds a ton to the story. The novel is easy to follow and highly entertaining.

There are tons of strong female characters in here as well and I always enjoy that. From the heroine, to her companions, to the villains...there are many intriguing strong female characters throughout.

Overall this was amazing graphic novel and I am excited to read more about this story and world. The characters are complex and amazing and the whole story and artwork is beautifully put together.

Content warning: torture, violence, enslavement, fatmisia not challenged.

Rep: Disabled WOC MC, Matriarchy society, Asian inspired world, POC and F/F couples

I love so much that a disabled woman of color has the space to be an antihero. Maika is wonderful, especially because she is a very complex and sometimes not very likable character. The story is so good; fantasy, politics, monsters, and rebellions.

Sana Takeda is a wonderful artist. The colors of the story go perfectly with what is happening: blacks, greys and dark browns. The characters are full of expressions and alive. And the world-building? It is amazing.

I'm fascinated by Maika's world, a world ruled by powerful women. Women who are not perfect or one-dimensional, they are all complex with a hunger for power that sometimes is terrifying. Women are real monsters and I'm in love.

I think that the best endorsement I can ever give a work or product is when I'm willing to keep reading beyond my initial requirement and/or purchase it with my own money. In this case, I was barely started with the first issue of Monstress when I requested the other six issues. A few pages later I ended up buying the first volume because I liked it so much. That's as good of a recommendation as any, that I spent hard cash to collect the first volume.

I can't even begin to tell you why I fell in love with the comic without discussing the artwork. It's lavishly detailed and absolutely gorgeous. The story is fantastic as well, but I've gotten into more than one series just because I loved the art style. It also helps that it suits the story very well, as there's something unique and well, "old" about the style. It's polished in its own way while avoiding the slick feel you get with some of the contemporary graphic novels and comics in the genre - this last part isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's not always the right fit for every story and I'm glad that Liu went in this direction with the series. I hope that she sticks with Takeda for the series' length, as series art tends to do better when you have the same crew working on the piece from beginning to end, at least on the main pieces.

Story-wise, this is fantastic and what you'd expect from Liu's work. She does an excellent job with Maika, as the character is sympathetic without being a woobie. You can feel sorry for her without feeling like she's an absolute victim, which honestly has become fairly important to me over the years. Maybe it's because we've had so many works of fiction where the author crafts the character as someone everyone should feel sorry for because reasons - we get far too much of that and in many cases very little reason to actually feel sorry for the main character because somewhere along the line the author forgot to make the character actually sympathetic or anything beyond what's been done to them. (cough*Anita Blake*cough) In any case it's just great when we have a character that isn't written solely to garner sympathy and reduced to what things have been done to them.

I can't recommend this enough, especially to fans of series like Saga.

(ARC provided by Netgalley, but I purchased a copy on my own at a local comic book store)

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

MONSTRESS is a dark, dark breed of fantasy, where the magic and monsters in the world are more likely to prey upon children's bones than protect them. Wade into the horror and cruelty, plunge into this war, and even the hope hidden within carries betrayal and sadness.

This series opens a direct vein into the horror underlying mythology and fairy tales. Magic is no guarantee of safety or protection, but more likely makes you a target for people intent on harvesting your body parts. And while this is a world of women, turning the usual female to male ratio on its head, gender doesn't soften the cruelty of guards or the zealotry of cults. Children are drawn as fluffy, big-eyed sprites, making it all the more painful when they are dehumanized and abused.

This is fantasy with blood dripping from its claws, horror pumping through its veins. Dangerous and beautiful, even the magic that could save this world seems too terrible to be borne. MONSTRESS may never feel comfortable, but it is definitely unforgettable.

Sexual Content: Threats of rape.

[NOTE: I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

Actually, I received the first 6 parts, now gathered in this volume, so I thought I might as well review everything at once.

The 6 books are a blend between “traditional” comics and manga, especially in the themes and graphic style.

I found the art gorgeous—the cover got me interested even before I read what the book was about—with its seinen-style style softened in parts with rougher lines, and the way it pictures a civilisation both refined and savage, through the auction and the Cumaea, on a backdrop of war with “monsters” (the arcanics). The Cumaea reminded me of a kind of medieval-flavoured order of “nuns” who hunt and capture monsters to perform cruel scientific experiments on them. Also, characters reminiscent of eastern folklore, like the kitsune-type child, coexist with more “western” characters (the little cyclops or angel-winged kid). Said art remains impressive throughout the whole volume, able to convey both harshness and a certain softness: gorgeous landscapes, expressive characters, and creepy features when it comes to the more monstrous parts. (It seemed slightly darker in issue 5, and I’m not sure if it’s on purpose or a matter of different inks, but I find it’s quite fitting, reflecting the way the story is evolving (towards darker revelations and purposes).)

The first part follows Maika, a fierce young woman who looks but isn’t human, as she’s “bought” by a Cumaea nun and brought into their compound. Gifted with a strange power she cannot fully control, Maika is looking for answers, and isn’t shy about dirtying her hands to get them. The reader is also introduced here to a few other characters, some who will likely appear in other issues, and others who probably won’t… but I suspect their shadow won’t vanish as easily, and we’ll still hear about them.

In the second part, we get to discover the world outside, and not through a couple of flashbacks only. While Maika and the little kitsune manage to find a friendly woman to help them travel, the Cumaea’s badass and ruthless leadership is unveiled some more… and the world itself is not the least ruthless of all, what’s with the war still looming over its inhabitants. Not to mention the various uses of lilium.

Part 3 highlights the gruesome truths of the world (that “mountain” on the last two pages…), among which what’s hiding within Maika. Literally, may I add. The monster is revealing itself, and it is scary. Yet at the same time, beauty remains in that world, too: in its landscapes, in the costumes (Maika in her simple dress tends to make one forget the Cumaea’s clothes), in the wonders it may also contain. Kippa the cute fox-kid also plays more of a role, discarding an opportunity for running away to behave bravely instead. It may not seem much, but… but that kid is cute, and a little cuteness is not unwelcome in that world.

Part 4 and 5 also introduce more players, like the Warlord and the Queen, and the plot thickens (hints about what happened in Constantine). And in part 5 and 6, we get to see more of the mysterious Dusk Court, who have their own sources of information and their own plans for Maika, and even sent a bodyguard sent to escort her to their lands. Meanwhile, the Cumaea make their moves as well, and some of them are also in a long game, more than meet the eye for sure. Also, what is being done to these poor kids downstairs, and are the cats their guardians, or here to suppress their powers, or?…

As for part 6, this collection of first issues ends with a cliffhanger that doesn’t bode so well for Maika. Cosmic irony much? I am sad that I won’t get to find all the answers now, yet I’m also glad that the plot isn’t too simplistic noro “drowned” in pretty panels.

Notes:

- I find it particularly interesting that most important characters are females (men are mostly seen in passing), but in a way that doesn’t get pointed at: they aren’t strong or important “in spite of” being female (the way you unfortunately see in too many works of fiction), they just ARE, which is great. And speaking of the Warlord… haven’t we seen that face?

- I’m not sure if the “Awakening” volume also containes the “cat lessons” that were at the end of each individual issue. I found them interesting, and I didn’t mind the infoo-dump since it wasn’t imposed within the story itself, so all’s good for me in that regard.

Conclusion: Definitely a graphic novel I want to keep reading, for its wonderful art (both soft and harsh, a little weird, creepy in places, and with beautiful landscapes and buildings) as well as for the direction the story seems to be taking: Maika’s stay at the compound is only the beginning. So many questions, and hopefully many answers to come… in the next collection of issues.

Cannot recommend Monstress enough. There is a reason Marjorie Liu has won a Hugo Award for this piece of work.

Monstress is a dark fantasy/steampunk series that takes place in alternate matriarchal Asia during warring times between humans, witches and other magical creatures. The main character is Maika Halfwolf, an Arcanic (a magical creature that sometimes passes as human) amputee who is on a journey to learning and avening her dead mother. While at the same time maintain control of the ancient powerful monster within her.

The story is rich in worldbuilding and while there is so much to take in, Marjorie Liu is able to insert a little history lesson via adorable talking cats between each chapter. You'll pick up things quickly. But don't let my comment on cute cats make you think this is a cute story -- it's a DARK fantasy for a reason and is rich in beauty and violence and dark themes—if Game of Thrones meets Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra. Maybe not necessarily for the faint of heart. The series is also female dominated - and I love there's so many female characters all of ages, body type, race, skin tone and sexuality.

As far as the art - Sana Takeda's work is breathtakingly gorgeous from the style and the colors (she also does them herself.) It matches the style and tone of the story and characters.

Get a copy of Monstress. You really won't regret it. I can't wait for the next issue.

'Monstress Volume 1: Awakening' by Marjorie M. Liu with art by Sana Takeda is at times beautiful and grotesque. I loved the worldbuilding, the art and the almost completely female cast.

In a strange, alternate Asia that has a sort of steampunk feel to it, there is a war going on between humans and a race of Arcanic beings which seem like human/animal hybrids. Maika Halfwolf finds herself in the middle of this. With only one good arm, and a strange eye tattoo on her chest she is taken into the fortress of a religious order called the Cumaea. She wreaks havoc on them when she discovers they only want the Arcanics to harvest something called Lilium, and she escapes with a partial mask. Now on the run with a talking cat called Master Ren and a small foxlike girl called Kippa, she also finds herself with a terrifying ally. They are on the run from everyone, but Maika seems either brave enough or indifferent enough to see things through.

At first glance, there are things about this that should have put me right off of it. Overly pretty art and talking animals for a start. Something intrigued me about it, and I'm really glad I gave it a chance. I loved the look and mood of this story. I liked Maika's "don't give a crap about anything" attitude. The beauty and grotesqueness was a good balance, and it's an interesting world in which gods and men live alongside each other, but not so peaceably. As a bonus, since the volume wasn't finished, I got to read the individual issues, which also included fan mail and fan art, and some really nice interactions between the creators and fans.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

I have been excited for this series ever since I saw the first issue released. I actually bought that first issue digitally, but I never got the chance to pounce on it, so I was even more excited when I saw this on Edelweiss.

I received Monstress Volume One from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Monstress is about a girl named Maika who has something she doesn't understand inside of her. What she wants are answers- which means she has to get herself enslaved and into the middle of enemy territory. Of course, she also needs to escape again...

When I started reading this I was swept off my feet! The art is gorgeous (really, really wonderful stuff!) and the story starts by hurling you into a rich world with well defined characters and a unique story. I was enchanted by everything, and even if I didn't know what half of it meant, I was enjoying the ride.

And then the ride got a tad too long. The world is so full that every page had one new term or another, which is fine as long as there's something "normal" too touch base with, whether it's the art or another term that connects things. Eventually there were small snippets that helped describe the world and the different races and the politics but for me they came too few too late and I was lost swimming in what felt like an ocean. It really threw me off and made it hard to enjoy when I so confused for huge stretches of time.

Eventually I did figure it out (but it wasn't until the final two or three chapters) and I got back to enjoying the whole thing. It really is an incredible story and, even better (at least for me) it focuses on female characters and depicts them super well! As much as I love fantasy (and graphic novels) I have noticed how sometimes there just aren't enough women and while this has really been something that's been working on getting fixed lately (thank god for YA, which I credit for putting women back into literature and fantasy in particular) Monstress takes it into a whole other level. Not only does it feature two pretty badass girls front and center but it's set in a matriarchal world which is such a great change. Most of the characters, actually, are women and I love that so much!

This definitely isn't everyone's cup of tea but if you get the chance to pick it up I really do recommend it. While it is confusing, I recommend skipping ahead (but don't worry, no spoilers) and checking out the pages that explain the world itself. It will make the whole experience so much better and I promise you won't regret it!

Disclaimer: I received a free e-copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First things first, I actually read this in single issues rather than the collected volume. That shouldn't make a difference for the most part, but it included letters and a couple extras that may not appear in the collected book.

I'm not sure why, but this story just did not grab my attention. It follows a young woman named Maika Halfwolf who has been captured in the midst of a war between humans and a race known as Arcanics. These creatures are able to wield magic and typically look like anthropomorphized animals. Maika has the advantage of looking human, although she is missing an arm.

Maika herself didn't really interest me. She has amnesia or a very selective memory. Her internal conflict felt superficial at times. Something is possessing her and she takes strength from it as she comes to term with that relationship, which may have been the best part of the story for me. Their interactions towards the end of the arc are wonderful. The reactions of the other characters to her seemed odd at times too.

For all that, the story is really well done. There is complexity here that can be lacking in other books of this type. And the art captures the world beautifully. The characters are done well enough, but I think it is the set pieces that really bring it life. Some of the illustrations reminded me of an anime, but not in an over the top way. They are blended into the rest of the book perfectly.

Based on the end of the book, I could see myself picking up the next part of the story at some point. It just took getting through the first two thirds to get there.

The first thing that drew me to this book was the beautiful artwork - so detailed, brilliant color scheme, and that art deco style lush with gorgeous costumes, headgear and slight manga-like influences. The story revolves around Maika, who is an Archanic out to infiltrate the Cumean nuns of the human federation, who enslave and capture Archanics for their parts. She wants to find out the events of a decade ago, when a horrific battle had left both sides shocked and scrambling for a truce. She herself is afraid of the monster lurking within her, which has now awakened, and searching for answers is leading her into all sorts of danger.

More fantasy than alternate history or steampunk, the story unfolds in parts, which might be a bit confusing in the start when you don't have knowledge of the world, but at mid-way point when the world structure falls into place, it is worth it. Maika's struggles as a creature feared by everyone, but her own fearlessness about the ancient monster within her is something to watch. The world also is rendered in shades of reality - with bigotry, apartheid and propaganda playing a vital role in the progression of the plot. I would advise caution - though it has a teenage protagonist, there are scenes of gore, and brutality. Both sides of the collision have their own rules and their own evils, but there is also goodness in some. In conclusion, I am in awe of how this world and its characters were created and rendered.

Received a free galley from Image Comics, via Edelweiss and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review

Based on the samples and reviews, I was REALLY looking forward to Monstress. I even pre-ordered the 2nd volume. The artwork is beautiful and concept interesting but it was painfully confusing to read. I am an experienced comic reader but had difficulty following the thread. I kept having to turn back pages to see if I missed something (which I didn't). It kept muttering, "Who?", "What?" and "Huh?" to myself. Someone told me you have to read it a few times to appreciate it. I don't have that type of dedication... or time. Consequently, I rated it just OK. (and I cancelled my 2nd volume pre-order)

A bold and beautifully rendered vision, Monstress presents a universe populated by mythological creatures like unicorns, angels, talking cats and little fox girls, but while at first glance the characters may say “kawaii”, this female-centric graphic is more creepy than cute. No matter how delightful to the eyes, this world is for fighters and survivors, full of secrets, deceptions and mixed loyalties, and people both profane and violent.

The story is dark, and some of the images are quite brutal and disturbing. Suggested for mature readers only, and highly recommended, particular for readers of “Bitch Planet” and “Promethea.”

4.5 stars

I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the author/publisher via Netgalley.

When I saw the gorgeous cover for this, and read the intriguing title, I knew that I would definitely be reading it!

The deco and steampunk elements in the artwork are stunning!

I admit to being rather confused at the beginning of this story. Things didn't really fall into place for me until Issue 6. However, I kept up with the story and I am glad that I did. The story is intriguing and it is very much like nothing I've ever read before. I think that fact is one of the best things about this series. The uniqueness is extraordinary.

One of the things that struck me about Monstress was the darkness of the story and the art. I also appreciated underlying social issues.

The characters are very interesting. I loved the main character, although I am not sure if she is a heroine or something else entirely. This is the best kind of fantasy since the characters are so different - different races and beings all struggling against on another.

I definitely recommend this story. I am still a little confused about what is happening, but that doesn't matter in the least. Everything about this story is presented wonderfully.

The Asian-inspired art is gorgeous, creepy and so full of detail. The story is violent and gore-y, but also has talking cats in it, including one that looks like a badass Wilford Brimley.

I wasn't always entirely sure what was going on. The story just drops you in running and tries to fill you in on the backstory through history lessons given by a cat at the end of each chapter. I could follow the basic plot, but the political backstory was hard to follow for me. However, even when I felt lost, I was completely enjoying the ride.

I really like the characters and the brutal, brutal world that Liu has created and I'm excited to read more in the series.

Monstress Vol. 1 by Marjorie Liu is a stunning blend of wonderful art and an interesting story. It took some effort to get into the flow of the story but once I did I was totally invested.

There is a large amount of world building in this volume so the story doesn't move throughout at the same pace but that is minor once the reader has become accustomed to this dark world. This is not a place for the weak, at least not for long, and when a being meets its end it is not generally pretty.

I would highly recommend this to those interested in graphic novels and even those who, like myself, don't read very many graphic novels. The story alone is reason enough to read this and the artwork is a phenomenal plus.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.

I think it may have been Misty from The Book Rat who first put Monstress on my radar. This graphic novel is lovely, dark, and deep- but not for the faint of heart. The story is a bit of political intrigue, a bit of dark mythos, a bit of racial intolerance warfare, and a bit of outright magic. The setting is fantastical with some steampunk elements. The art is gorgeous- rich colors, high level of detail, beautiful themes. And that also means the gory bits are super gory. And the disturbing stuff (which isn't visual so much as plot) is visceral.

It was a fast read for me, because I was so enthralled with the story and the totally unlikeable MC and the totally fantastic supporting cast. The mystery just gets deeper and deeper as you go. But there were times I had to step back and 'woah', because the evil is also very, very evil.

Overall, I recommend it for fans of graphic novels that are fantastical, but who don't mind straight up horror elements.

Originally, I read the first issue of this comic back when it was released and when Marjorie Liu had a signing at our local comic book store. I was fascinated and couldn’t wait for more. It has been a little over a year since then, and I finally picked up the trade paperback to go through the first six issues simultaneously. I am truly glad I read it this way instead of issue to issue. While engrossing and beautiful, the story would have been much harder to appreciate had I read it monthly.

The comic follows Maika Halfwolf, who at the start of the first issue is seeking revenge for the death of her mother. She is both crass and combative, and I honestly had a hard time liking her. It is understandable as to why she is that way, however, due to her upbringing during the war and also having been a slave. She doesn’t take no for an answer, and even if she is indeed monstrous and unlikable, I can definitely respect her as a character.

The other characters, human, Arcanic, or otherwise, are all captivating in their own right. I loved reading about Ren and Kippa especially. Kippa, being a scared yet optimistic child regardless of what he goes through, and Ren, the trickster cat, work as great companions to Maika throughout the story. While the human villains feel truly evil, even they are full of surprises. Intrigue, betrayal, and ulterior motives are staples of Monstress, and nobody is truly as they seem. The humans are often inhuman, and the Arcanics are not the monsters the humans claim them to be.

One of my favorite aspects of this comic is the setting. The artwork gives off a very Egyptian atmosphere, with depictions of masks that resemble Anubis and the gratuitous use of the color gold. Their world is one of steampunk elements such as airships, and Lovecraftian Old Gods whose ghosts roam the world. While each element on its own may have been used time and again in the past, together they create an unique and stunning universe.

The plot itself, however, is one found in many comics. It is a story of revenge and a story where multiple factions are trying to track Maika down for what she holds. I can’t tell you how many comics I have read where people are chasing the main character as a main plot device. Even only considering the comic’s publisher, Image Comics, this is a common trope. Regardless, I still felt heavily absorbed in the story even if there are many recycled plot threads.

The depth of the worldbuilding in this work is rather grand as well, and this is why I felt it would be difficult to read each issue separately. I was dropped into the story without much guidance, and there was little info-dumping throughout save for the lessons given at the end of each issue. Those segments were incredibly helpful, and I would have been rather lost without them. It definitely takes the first few issues for things to begin to make sense overall.

Even with the formulaic plot, I loved Monstress. It is arresting, beautifully drawn, and full of fascinating characters. I also couldn’t help but love the cats too! I give this comic four out of five stars, and cannot wait to read more in the future.

“Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900’s Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steam punk, MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war,…”
The art struck me from the first page; beautiful, frame-worthy pieces that are rich and help tell the story in vibrantly-rich pages. Each volume is thirty-two pages and is as you may have guessed, a graphic novel told over many parts; the story continues past the six volumes I read. Each part packs a lot of fast-paced storyline.

The story starts with Maika a seventeen-year-old Arcanic girl being sold into slavery. Her world has been in a war in which she has lost her arm. A woman, Sophia Fekete, asks to have the girl donated to the Cumaea Order of nuns. They have plans for her and they are not good. The story adds more characters, some human but most not. It is difficult to say more without revealing too much. The way in which the story unravels is critical to the reader’s experience. I can recommend this to any reader that loves graphic novels and is over eighteen-years-old​. I received an ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Diamond Book Distributors.

This book is truly an exemplification of the term "hauntingly beautiful". Liu's storytelling and Takeda's art style combine to create a world that looks so beautiful, but harbors many dark secrets. And considering the dark things that are open knowledge, that's saying something. I had some trouble at first because I don't like kids getting hurt, even kids that aren't human, but the payoff of continuing was worth it.

There are a lot of things going on in this book. Many smaller stories entwined in the larger one. Fortunately it's easy to keep track without stumbling over plot holes. If anything, finding out how these stories are linked actually adds to the intrigue.

This volume is a great start to, what I hope will be, a long series. I want to know more. Plus, I only threatened to not read the second volume if anything happened to my favorite character. You'll know who she is. She's the adorable one.

... of gorgeous art and rich storytelling. Part of the illustrations' beauty comes from their delicate, detailed linework, but a big part comes from thoughtful use of color. Takeda works with a subdued palette - once you get away from the primary colors, far more shades and hues become available. Changes of color also help orient the reader to the telling's many changes of time and place.

A world and characters as complex as Liu's need to be seen from many angles. She creates a sprawling history for her vision, and fills it with many factions and kinds of beings - this title could go for a good, long run without exhausting the possibilities. And, with the pace of the action I see here, we're sure to experience many parts of that world soon.

That said, the story seems driven by dark, disturbing forces. The imagery certainly isn't for the faint of heart. If you can accept that - and not everyone can or should - you'll be richly rewarded by Monstress. I'll certainly be back for more.

-- wiredweird

Majorie's M. Liu's Monstress is steampunk and art deco fantasy. This story starts mid-stride and doesn't cut the pace down, but it doesn't try to rush exposition either. Liu's pacing here is expert. The atmosphere deliberately feels like fin de siele pre-War World 1 but in an increasingly alien universe. Sana Takeda's art is both highly stylized but still functional for the story. While very European, there are strong hints of manga's influence on this title fantasy world, but without the cartoonish sexuality--although this is still full of fairly sexualized charasters--or blunt force comedy. Indeed, I think this because of the female perspective of Liu and Takeda cut against those developments. The cast of characters is strongly female on both sides, but male characters are not dumbed down or depersonalized as caricature either. For a story about monsters, it is very humane.

WOW! This sweeping story and amazing art combine into something special! Marjorie M. Liu tackled some very hard and deep subjects with complex characters. Sana Takeda brought them to life with amazing artwork. Takeda's art literally took my breath away at times.

Sometimes surviving isn't the hardest part. What do you do when dying might have been the better option? Liu asked this question through Maika, a teenage girl trying to understand her place in the world. And if it wasn't hard enough being a teenage survivor of a slave camp, she knows something scary and most likely uncontrollable, living in her skin - literally.

Liu has gracefully and masterfully captured the struggle and questions that define the human condition that great postapocalyptic stories are about.

I am actually looking forward to volume 2 and to see where the story goes from the cliffhanger we get at the end of volume one.

— 4.5 stars —

“To quote the poets…murder is terribly exhausting.”

I pre-ordered MONSTRESS based on the cover alone; and, the more I learned about it, the more excited I became. A steampunk fantasy set in turn-of-the-century Asia, featuring a diverse cast of mostly-female characters, written and illustrated by two women of color? Sign me up!

As it turns out, MONSTRESS is everything I’d hoped for and then some. The story takes place in 1920s Asia, though you might not know it at first glance: this alternate ‘verse is so very different from our own. Humans are not the only – or even the first – sapients to walk the earth. (To borrow a term from THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET.) We were preceded by Cats, the children of Ubasti: Multi-tailed, talking creatures, who can wield a weapon as easily as a sarcastic comeback. The immortal Ancients assumed the forms of beasts and, like their Greek cousins, enjoyed toying with humans. It is from such relationships that Arcanic halfbreeds were born: some are human in appearance, while most are not; yet all Arcanics possess great powers, powers which can be extracted from their very bones. Last but not least are the Old Gods, of which precious little is known. Some believe them to be monsters.

While humans and Arcanics coexisted in peace for generations, war broke out for reasons that aren’t entirely clear. An infernal bomb, which rained destruction down upon the city of Constantine, resulted in a stalemate. Now both races live on their respective sides of the wall. Yet the Cumaea – a powerful order of nun-witches that rules the human federation – is intent resurrecting the war and exterminating the Arcanics.

Enter: Seventeen-year-old Maika Halfwolf, a human-like Arcanic who lost her mother and an arm in the conflict. Freed from a prison camp, Maika now lives in another kind of cage; one of her mother’s making, perhaps. Deep inside Maika dwells a hungry, tentacled monster; one that could tip the scales in favor of the Arcanic – or destroy them all. Though it longs to break free, Maika has other plans: find and kill the nun-witch who betrayed her mother.

MONSTRESS doesn’t waste any time: the opening scene shows Maika’s daring infiltration of the Cumaea’s compound in the border city Zamora. I was hooked from the first panel, and quickly found myself immersed in the story. Maika is a compelling and fascinating heroine; you can’t help but dig her devil-may-care attitude, not to mention her steampunk Furiosa mechanical arm. And the little fox-girl Kippa is just the cutest; every time she hugged her fluffy fox tail in fear, I wanted to scoop her up and give her snuggles.

Between the rich colors, the fantastical creatures, the art deco vibe, and all the BAMF white-haired ladies, the art is simply stunning. I all but devoured it with my eyeballs. Sometimes I have trouble following the action in comic books, especially when two or more of the characters are a little too close in appearance (insert your generic white guy here). But the breadth of diversity in MONSTRESS is just amazing: women of all skin tones, with some diversity in body shape, and a wide variety of lovely and intricate hairstyles. Not to mention all the richly colored robes and masks! The landscape is just all kinds of gorgeous.

What with all the double-crossing and shifting alliances, I did sometimes have trouble keeping track of the plot. It’s pretty intricate, and I felt at times like I should maybe be taking notes. The lecture excerpts from Professor Tam Tam (a totally squeezable blue-eyed cat) proved immensely helpful, though sometimes they came a little late. I suspect that some readers won’t be too keen on the showing-not-telling aspect of these little “cheat sheets.” I’m a fan.

Either way, I feel like MONSTRESS might merit a re-read, to see I might discover any new information the second time around. Hence the 4.5 stars. I eagerly await the Hollywood adaptation (no whitewashing please!), but I’ll settle for Volume 2.

I don't really have much to say about this novel except that the art style was PHENOMENAL and the story line is so intriguing! It's perfectly gory and brutal. I am still a bit confused with the story but I hope I can understand it more as I continue reading it. It was definitely the quick read I needed at the moment! If you don't mind your reads with crude language and violence, definitely read this! Almost every character that's introduced is as intriguing, or more, as the last.
I can't wait to move on to Volume 2!

The story is interesting but the world is rather convoluted. I felt as if I was plunged into the middle of a story which sometimes can be really effective but if you lose everyone about ten pages in and the exposition isn't built into reasonable chunks rather than slamming the reader with walls of text and ornate art at every point you're going to people. Of the top of my head I can count at least five or eight different locations the cast was in one volume. I'm fairly sure that number might be higher and I'm not entirely sure why everyone is darting all over the place.

It definitely has reread value because you're going to miss things. There's a lot to see.

I knew from page one I would love this. First off, the illustrations are beyond gorgeous, BEYOND. Secondly, there are so many cats. Thirdly, Kippa has got to be one of my favorite characters ever. Not to mention the plot is super fascinating, and totally complex!

Cannot say enough good thing about this!

“How a glimpse of the truth…even a terrible, awful truth…could make me feel, for a moment, that I have something to live for?”

This is an amazing start to a promising series.

Highlighting women of color and cats and loyalty this book jumps into action head first and turns out intriguing. The story is much darker than I expected with lots of violence, some sinister undertones, and conniving characters.

But overall there's the message of hope. The plot unwinds carefully as it hints at mysteries to come and a haunted past. This is the kind of story where everything feels intentional. It's wonderfully illustrated and sucks you in.

Monstress is set in a secondary world built with a flavor of several Asian cultures as well as original invention, and a somewhat steampunky esthetic. Two conflicting peoples: one superficially "human", and one the "Arcanics"--descendents of human-Other lineage, manifesting in a variety of "monstrous" physical forms, many with zoomorphic characteristics. Arcanics also share a hazardous property: their flesh can be harvested and processed to produce "lilium", a mystical substance with various uses. That harvest can be done in whole or piecemeal, so many of the Arcanics in captivity are portrayed as maimed. At some point in the past, peaceful relations between humans and Arcanics broke down, horrendous wars were fought, and the land was divided. Arcanics in human lands are treated as dangerous but useful animals. In this world, a young Arcanic named Maika sets out on a quest...

What I liked

The art is breath-taking. The story-telling punches all my favorite buttons for being plunged into a world with no explanation and revealing details with no coddling or hand-holding. Up until the last page of this first volume, you're learning new things about the characters and events you thought you'd figured out. The plot twists and turns like a snake, destroying your understanding of what's going on even as it reveals. The focus on female characters similarly hits my sweet spot, as do the plentiful same-sex relationships. I love how the story combines familiar, but not over-used tropes from non-Western cultures, while still being an entirely invented secondary world. The stakes start high and get stratospheric.

What I didn't like

I'm really not attracted to stories with lots of gratuitous violence, dismemberment, casual slaughter, and the like. This is a very intense story where it's not a good idea to get emotionally attached to any particular character. Content warnings for graphic, gory violence, dismemberment, child abuse and death, and threats of sexual violence. Maika is strugling against a literal monster inside, and often loses that struggle. I find this work heartbreakingly beautiful and at the same time repulsive. It's beautiful enough and engaging enough (not in the "cute and pretty" sense of engaging--more in the "fish hook in your flesh" sense of engaging) that I will almost certainly continue reading the series, but some may find it too intense to enjoy.

Beautiful drawings but otherwise boring. One dimensional characters. It is rated Mature only because of violence and gore, and F-bombs. I love good graphic novels but couldn’t finish it; the writing and story are very juvenile and as intellectually challenging as Archie comics. Huge disappointment.

Absolutely awesome! First, the art is just gorgeous! Right from page one the intricate and sublime paintings make you gasp. This story is high fantasy of the greatest quality. Several races are involved and the character development is superb. So much happens in this one book that it was a heart-pounding page-turning read. The world building is magnificent and I was spellbound by this intelligent story where good battles evil and yet there are many grey areas where both are present and certain characters who straddle each side. I'm always a sucker for sidekicks so my favourite character ended up being the little half-breed fox girl who shows much more spunk and bravery than her cute looks show. Wonderful book!

One of the things I'm discovering that I love about graphic novels is the way they hit the ground running. The creators don't toy with you the way writers of traditional books sometimes do---they don't have the time to draw out anything beyond the most important Secrets.

MONSTRESS, for example, opens with a slave auction, and the inquiries made about Lot 819 reveal the specific brand of prejudice that governs this world. You learn of a war that seems to have ended, while the thriving slave trade continues to fan the flames of hate.

There's no guesswork, and any confusion about terminology resolves itself quickly.

I friggin' LOVE it.

Our heroine, Maika Halfwolf, is the girl currently up for bid, but (once again) it quickly becomes obvious that she's only there b/c she wants to be.

YEP. You read that correctly: dollface WANTS to be auctioned off like livestock. And not only that, she's banking on the Cumaea, a witchy faction of humans, crashing the shindig and claiming the Arcanics, a race of beings with natural magic, for themselves.

Dun dun dunnnnnn . . . For research purposes . . . o.O

Just b/c graphic novels tend to be more straightforward than their picture-free counterparts, doesn't mean they aren't twisty.

Maika, you see, is looking for information.

Before the war ended, something happened (was done?) to her . . . Something that has recently begun to affect her in ways she can't control. It's made her dangerous, and she's desperate for answers.

Along the way, she picks up a two-tailed sasshole of a cat, a girl child with a fox tail, and an angry dialogue with the thing that plagues her.

Every aspect of MONSTRESS drew me in--the characters, the world-building, the plot, ALL of it. Everything else became a distraction to be ignored. I didn't give any thought to the why of it, as I tore through the beautifully illustrated pages, but at the end of the first volume, Lui wrote a letter about her intent when she began this series:

. . . The root of my desire . . . was to tell a story about what it means to be a survivor. A survivor, not just of a cataclysmic war, but of racial conflict and its antecedent: hatred. And to confront the question: how does one whom history has made a monster, escape her monstrosity? How does one overcome the monstrousness of others without succumbing to a rising monstrousness within?

All I can say is, well done, lady. Well. Done.

MONSTRESS by Marjorie M. Liu is the first collection (volumes 1 - 6) of her new graphic novel series that is part steampunk, part fantasy, and ALL awesome. Maika's struggle to control the monster inside her is inspiring to watch, b/c that's what it was: a struggle. But surrender is a concept she threatens to rip out of herself every time it whispers about the easier path, and as she slowly gains the upper hand, you can't help but sing "All I do is Win" under your breath, b/c she'd rather die than quit. Highly recommended.

*I received a free copy of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.*

Okay, first of all, this comic’s artwork is GORGEOUS. Just wanted to put that in there because it’s the one word I can use to describe it.

Second of all, I have no idea how to even write a decent review for this, so let’s just list my thoughts in bullet form, shall we. (Because obviously one can never go wrong with using lists.)

+ The storyline in this book is pretty good. It’s definitely one that’s worth a try. Though I did have a few problems with the info-dump during the previous page of every chapter that I may or may not have read-slash-understood.

+ This book was a bit creepy. And it’s the good kind of creepy, by the way. One of the scenes I loved the most were those with the gigantic eyeball. I love that dude.

+ GOOORE! I’d probably recommend this books for older teens (though I’m not sure I can actually say something about that, because I’m only 15 and I’ve already managed to read and love this comic). Moving on, this book had a handful of gore in it and it was AWESOME. If you’re a fan of violence like I am, then you’re in for a treat, my friend.

+ DIVERSITY! We got both white-skinned and dark-skinned people here, AND TALKING CATS! Let’s not forget about that talking cat, please. OH AND THERE’S THIS CUTE CHILD THAT’S HALF-FOX AND OMG I WANT TO HUG HIM AND SQUISH HIM SO BAD.

* * *

I’d definitely recommend this to those who can handle dark-themed comics and love tons of violence. If you’re a reader who can’t handle those, though, then you might just want to skip this. Oh, and one thing I’d also like to add is that I’m not quite sure I understood most of the storyline, or the background of the Arcanics and their battle with the humans. But maybe that’s just me. Monstress is not a must-read for me, but it's definitely worth a try.

This book is simply gorgeous. The soft cross-hatching technique is used beautifully and the detail in the art does not get lost during the process. The colors are perfect. So buy it for the art alone.

The story is engrossing. We're constantly being bombarded with "world-building" and often it can either be too complex or half-conceived. Liu and Takeda, through words and art, make sure to peel back slowly but give us enough to make it worthwhile. No one is quite a hero and not all villains are evil. Twists are fun. So buy this for the story alone.

You get SIX dense issues in one volume for under 10 bones. So buy it for the value alone.

Art, story, value. Buy this book,

Monstress is a book I didn't know I needed. It hits so many niche interests of mine - epic fantasy, body horror, eldritch horror, art nouveau, female-driven plot, female creators, non-European-centric world-building, matriarchal society - and is just all-around DAMN GOOD. Monstress offers a world of dead gods and dark magic. Of mysteries and secrets. Of war and the suffering that continues even after the fighting has ended. It's kinda a dark book. I loved that.

I could wax poetic about the art. Sana Takeda blows it out of the park! Her intricate pencil drawing lends a soft, dreamlike quality to the world created in the comic, and her muted, dark colors that create a sense of foreboding. The insane level of detail in the characters and backgrounds makes for some real eye candy but is never distracting (something that is not easy to accomplish.) The visual storytelling is also solid, with panels that are easy to follow and pacing that never seems odd. There just some really gorgeous stuff happening in this book.

5/5, would definitely recommend and I'm absolutely going to pick up the next in the series!

Liu and Takeda create an epic world that is so beautiful and tragic. Liu's story is pretty amazing with the drawback being that it has so many elements its hard to keep up with them for an opening chapter. She draws readers in with a pretty incredible main character who is dealing with inner demons, literally. Takeda's work is stunning here. The world they create is large and daring with twists and turns. Overall, a very good fantasy jam!

In a world of magic at war between the Arcanics and the Humans, Maika is taken by the Cumaea, a rival race and alies to the Humans. She also has powers which seem to work intermittently and over which she may not have much control. A monster ends up inside of her, trying to get out and do unspeakable harm. Meanwhile the various factions are all trying to find her and deal with her in a variety of ways.

Beautifully illustrated with a lot of detail, this collection is interesting in that it constructs a fantasy world with many features. Because there is so much of it, it is not always clear but some sporadic explanations are included. Enjoyable and complicated.

Majorie Liu and Sana Takeda place Maika Halfwolf, a survivor of a cataclysmic war, in a lush, steampunk fantasy world where humans and arcanics (offspring of the Ancients) are eying each other for a resumption of the conflict. Maika is searching for something she has lost - knowledge of her mother while dealing with a strange hunger that wants to feed on those around her. Entering human lands in her quest, she is chased by the Cumaean witches, befriended by arcanics, and betrayed by those she had trusted the most. And then she finds out what her hunger portends. The reader will just have to wait for the next volume to find out how all this will be resolved.

I really don't know where to start and describe how awesome this graphic novel is!!! The plot is amazing. Its plot is unique...It has a lot of action, mystery, some kind of sense of humour... Well the protagonist Maika doesn't have any, she is very serious, mysterious, skillful and dedicated to her mission, to find who she really is and where she comes from, and in order to do that she'll kill anyone that stands in her way. She doesn't trust anyone and she sure does very well! Her fellow friends will follow her to this bloody road, because even if they are scared of her they trust her in order to survive. They survived one war....will another one come in their way? Who knows!
Last but not least the illustrations here are just AMAZING. It is something between art nouveau and anime. I don't think I can describe it well. Anyway, it is a very detailed work with a beautiful color pallete. Just buy it and you won't regret it.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! The action started from the very first page and didn't let up until the end. The artwork was stunning. The storyline was dark and very violent. The fantasy and magical elements were interesting. I didn't love the main character, but I look forward to discovering how her storyline develops. I did love Kippa (the fox cub- adorable!) and Commander Ren Mormorian (the cat- hysterical!).

I would highly recommend this graphic novel for anyone that likes dark fantasy. If you are a fan of the Game Of Thrones graphic novels, you'll love this one!

Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda are firing on all cylinders with this series. Takeda has taken the best of Eastern and Western comics and created an original world with a somewhat steampunk look mixed with the lands of fairy. An uneasy truce exists between humans and Archons (basically fairies). Humans have discovered an Archon's essence can be distilled down to give humans magic. Those on both sides are hunting for a teenage girl trying to control the elder god hidden inside her.

Received an advance copy from NetGalley and Image in exchange for an honest review.

Saw this on the shelf at B&N about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I thought the title was dumb, but was struck (hahaah) by the artwork which was excellent. I picked it up and read thru 3/4's of the book. While reading it, I was like, WOW. Crazily enough, I put the book down and left the store to finish my errands. Throughout the week, I kept thinking about the book. I went back to B&N and purchased it. Finished it with no disappointments.

Absolutely fantastic story and artwork. My current graphic novel faves are East vs. West, Powers, Jupiter's Legacy and now Monstress.

This is a pretty good start to a series. It definitely started off strong and ended strongly. The artwork is absolutely stunning. Every single page is beautiful. Its very obvious that the artist has put so much thought, care, and skill in to every single drawing. The story was almost perfect. And I can definitely see this as anime or animated type show. The only flaw I found isn't a real flaw but more of a preference on my part. I would have liked to learn about our main character a bit more. As of now I like her but I don't feel completely connected to her yet. It's my hope that as the issues come out we can get to know her better and understand her background. I look forward to keeping up with this series.

The art in this graphic novel is amazing, I would recommend it based on that alone. The story is very engaging and complex, I forsee many rereadings of this in my future, which makes me glad there is some time before volume two comes out. I will need some time to fully digest the story. There are times when I feel like there is a backstory that I am supposed to know already, so I hope some of that is cleared up in later novels and better understood after I have read it more than once. This is definitely for adults, as there is violence, nudity, and language, but it is well worth reading.

Monstress combines beautiful and intricate drawings with a very layered and nuanced story. But it is also extremely dense with answers to the many mysteries doled out very miserly. As such, it is both fascinating and disenfranchising at the same time; a gorgeous read that perhaps destroys its own charm through inscrutable storytelling.

Story: 17 year old Maiko seeks answers to her forgotten past and odd inner power. She will travel to the enclave of her enemies as a slave and travel the world hoping to find that which she has lost. Along the way, she will make friends and enemies and come to understand just what kind of monster lurks within.

An interesting stylistic choice was made by artist and writer to contrast the beautiful, ethereal graphics with harsh language and violence/torture. Amidst the world of beauty, an ugliness lies underneath and only Maiko bluntly calls it. But at the same time, she is also hiding something even more evil - or is it? It's all very Lovecraftian.

There's not a lot of answers to be had here - it can be very frustrating and certainly more reveals would have been rewarding. Most of the characters are very one-dimensional and are summarily killed off - and then reanimated anyway. It made for a very confusing mix for a reader, perhaps creating an uneven footing that makes the entire reading experience very uncomfortable.

After awhile, I just gave up really trying to get into Maiko's character and just stared at the pretty pictures. Yes, that is rather shallow but nothing was happening for too long and the story was taking too long to progress. Likely, it will take several reads to really 'get' the viewpoint of the author and where she was taking the story. But this first book does sort of end an arc.

Do I recommend this? Definitely. There is something incredibly unique and beautiful here (in story and in art). But be prepared for several rereads until the denseness finally sets in. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Bought this on a whim as I've heard many good words of mouth for it.

Monstress is a work of juxtapositions. Highly imaginative world filled with beautiful visuals. Cute fuzzy character and talking felines. Then limbs are brutally hewn off, main lead drops F-bombs like the proverbial hat, and I'm completely flummoxed at how one editorial review has this rated as grade 9 and up, for scenes of gratuitous swearing and aggressive amputation?

As much as I enjoyed a good contrast of the beautiful and ugly, this one went a bit too much and feels dissonant. I think the lead is meant to be unlikeable with an redemption arc to come. The writer certainly got the first part down pat, I hope the second part comes quickly before I lose interest.

Buy this book for the beautiful art and fantastic visual, as for story, there's some good world building there, but there's better way to building characters than having them constantly try to out-edge each other.

I checked out Monstress, Volume 1 of a series, from my local library. I checked this eBook out without reading the blurb because it's Marjorie Liu--imagine my surprise that it was a beautifully illustrated action comic. Strange and filled with graphic violence, the storyline was riviting, and the artwork fantastic. It would be interesting to see where the next volume takes us.

Honestly, I didn't know what to expect when I bought this. It doesn't blow your mind away with an over-the-top new and complex character. Even the story is something that I feel I've read in at least a few instances.

However, I am not sure what it is; but this story really blew me away. It's an odd mixture of manga and graphic novel that I absolutely fell in love with. The characters are all relatively interesting, and the story is pretty intriguing. Nothing about it is completely new to me; but it's far from cliche.

I picked this up on a whim, and I recommend doing the same. This is a series that deserves a dedicated fanbase. At least if it continues to push stories like this one.

I bought this comic book on a whim, and I have to say an incredibly fortunate one! The tale told in this graphic novel is fascinating, exciting, and most importantly, original. Sana Takeda's artwor is perfect for the subject matter, which is no surprise. I have been a fan of Takeda a long time. Marjorie Liu, however, has just won another fan. Do as I did and take a chance on this book. I didn't regret it, and neither shall you.

The visuals and storytelling are amazing in this graphic novel. The author has woven a great mystery that begs you to keep flipping pages as you yearn to learn the truth alongside the character. At times though, the flashbacks in the story can become confusing, but the author is helping to build an immersive world that feels real enough to touch. This graphic novel would be great adapted as a motion picture, TV series, and even a video game!

A teenage girl in Asia is trying to survive the horrors of war. She shares a psychic link with a tremulously strong monster who may have the ability to change her. She goes to a woman who may have had something to do with her mother's death. Will she find out what she wants to know? Who is the monster?

I enjoyed the storyline of this graphic novel immensely. The art is fantastic and perfect for the story. It moves quickly and kept my attention from the beginning. I am completely involved with the story.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

If you love beautiful art, buy this book right now.

If you love captivating writing, look somewhere else.

The story, the characters, the narration and dialogue, it's so bland and unclear. I usually associate Image books with captivating long-form narratives that can't be told at Marvel or DC, but Monstress is the kind of nonsense I'd associate with '90s Vertigo. And the most distracting thing is the characters speak in all this fantasy terminology, but then routinely drop the f-bomb. Look, I love cursing, but it doesn't make any sense here and doesn't serve the already weak story.

Liu and Takeda are my favorite comic book team. It's been years since I've been into anime or manga, so that's not why I love this. Every word counts, every inch is active, every page is jam-packed with action and dialouge. This is hands down best comic book I've read in years. You can re-read this and it holds up. A little too intense for kids or young teens. Also, Liu's novels tend to be heavy on romance, which is so far absent from Monstress, so if you're picking this up because you love her novels, be forewarned you're in for a different ride. I can think of no other reasons why someone might not love this.

The art is truly amazing and that's why I purchased the graphic novel - but the storyline and writing does not match the artwork. I'm writing because other reviewers have said how incredible the writing is and one reviewer said something about how their is no fetishistic sexuality or something like that. I'm not sure if they remember page 1 of the story where they show a nude girl, an amputee and the writing describes her as 17 years old a and virgin. Why that part is important I couldn't tell you. I didn't write the storyline and I immediately thought of the Gor series of classic science fiction - then the story dropped away from that quickly and we are introduced to half animal/half children creatures. Just when I thought we had entered the realm of G-rated animal people, which I do like, there is a scene with a little boy in bandages who is pleading to a witch not to eat any more of his body parts. I'm open to any storyline you want to write but I found the story to be bouncing all over the place and I stopped reading half way through the novel and just enjoyed the amazing artwork.

I would highly recommend this graphic novel to artists and fans of artwork - the art, style and colors are truly beautiful.

One of the most beautiful graphic novels I've touched in...oh, quite a while. The storytelling's intriguing and original, the art is breathtaking, and even the physical feel of the book lets you know what you've got in your hands is an exquisitely crafted story. A+, would recommend.

Very cool blend of an alternate historical Asia, matriarchal societies, war, fantasy, diverse characters, beautiful art, and a really rich and complicated story. I'll admit I was lost at times, which did hinder my enjoyment of the storyline, but this was definitely a solid read, especially for a first volume.

Picked this up as it was recommended by Niel Gaiman whose works I've collected for years & was not disappointed. Great art, mixed with an engaging story & incredible world building. Definitely not for children though, this is a hard R rated dark fantasy that will not be for everyone.

I really enjoyed this book. The art is amazing! I stared at each page in depth and was always taken aback on how beautiful it was. I enjoyed the characters and the fast pace. I was a bit confused on what was going on though. I think I have the gist of it but not quite sure. Looking forward to the next volume!

I was not expecting to love this comic as much I as I did. Mostly just because I really didn't know what to expect. But let me just say. I freaking loved this comic.

Monstress is set in war torn fantasy steampunk world. Our main character Maika is bad ass lady on a mission of revenge. There's lots of mystery around her character and she's very well written. I have so many questions! Like why does she only have one arm? What exactly happened to her mother? Basically I desperately need the next volume in this series.

The art work for this comic is phenomenal, and the writing just as good. There are so many unique art styles for comics and it's so cool to see. The story is a bit violent at times, so just be aware of that. There's also nudity and use of the f word. But please don't let that turn you away from Monstress, as it's truly a great story.

I gave this book five stars on Goodreads and was given a copy of Monstress by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I consider this to be the epitome of feminine books with its beautifully nuanced artwork, its hyper-violence, its mysterious, intriguing and never quite explained (yet, I assume, with its hinting and offering pieces of the larger world it inhabits) complex plot, it's subtle humor and its randomly cute animals (some sort of clever marketing ploy for later, maybe current, merchandising I think). Magical, yet honest and gritty. Very cool.

This book is amazingly compelling and BEAUTIFULLY illustrated. It doesn't have any nudity but is definitely on the "sexy" end of the spectrum. When I finished the story I was really bummed out there isn't more out there (as of writing this review, at least) and I REALLY want to get my hands on more.

I am FLOORED by this piece of art. I devoured it in a day and am in my sister's debt for pointing it out. She grabbed it off a shelf in Barnes and Nobles and I already had an armful so I was hesitant on spending MORE money, but after a peek at the artwork and the price (NINE DOLLARS WTF HELL YEAH) I raced up to the check out. So I paid MORE than I would have on the store and I'm still pleased as punch about $9. Anyways. I was hooked from the first page and drooling with anticipation following each next page. The story line is unique as well as every character on each page. WHERE IS VOLUME TWO ????

Takes a little bit to get started but by the middle you will have no choice but to finish it immediately. Liu and Takeda seem like the best team in comics right now; Definitely going to keep an eye on them. The art is simply stunning, every other page features something that wouldn't be out of place in a museum, and the story is so good I find myself desperately wishing there was an anime or an HBO special. Pick this up, you won't be sorry. Definitely tops my list of comics from 2016.

I read this digitally on Comixology. Liu creates a wonderful world with unpredictable characters. Takeda's art is intricate and rich.

This book pushes comic storytelling forward into the territory traditionally reserved for the prose novel.

Here's the one thing good about Montress that kept it from getting 1 star. The writer built a world. Now let me tell you why I don't want any part of it.

The volume goes straight to strongly shocking imagery without earning it. The antagonists are commiting genocide through cannibalism, and yet everyone in their society seems to be okay with that. So much so that they have unquestionable authority. NO! You can't have scenes like that without at least a little build up and explaination. I'm not going to feel shocked because you want to force me to feel shocked. If I'm not invested enough to care yet, I'm not going to force myself to read through this torture porn.

As for the story, it's a rip off of Princess Mononoke. Treat yourself to that instead.

Rich and intriguing characters, stellar storytelling, paced well. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and looking forward to the next volume. If you enjoy dark, mystical adventures at all, do yourself a solid and give this a read. Well worth the price.

Let me start by saying this. The Art was Amazing. It was extremely, and I mean EXTREMELY well detailed. Besides the meticulous attention to the most minute of details, especially ornaments, clothes and over all fashion, the Artist's color palette was adequate to the world she was going for. You can almost feel the pain of the her fingers and wrists for the project.
However, the compliments stop here. The writing was all over the place, story telling was a mess. The plot (over)exposition manage to make anime and manga look tame in comparison to how forced it feels. All that would be forgiven if the over all story wasn't so bland. Despite that, in an attempt to show depth, got needlessly complicated. Making hard for the reader to keep up. There was a glimmer of hope by the way of exposing the reader to some world building but every time that came up, not only it takes the reader out of the experience, it felt, again, like homework. The characters go from annoying to unpleasant. The one the reader is suppose to root for, is as unlikeable as a badly written 90's "edgy" antihero with an "attitude". Despite the writer's intent to humanize her. Innocence is portrayed to such an extreme that it becomes sickly. And it's target audience is VERY apparent. So if you're not and decide to casually pick this up, you will feel un-welcomed almost immediately.
In conclusion, I think the artist's ultra-detailed panels have been wasted by mediocre writing. So if you just want to see pretty pictures and nothing else, than go for it. For the rest of us, it's not worth it.

Monstress: Awakening, Book 1 of 6 by Marjorie M. Liu et. al. is a free NetGalley e-comic that I read in early July.

Abruptly all-knowing, this comic issue begins with our heroine in capitivity and about to be sold at auction to a telepathic witch nunnery. Dealing in present-day peril and flashback, the story has way, way too many facets, too many mythos at play, and the art takes on a confusing Art Deco, grimy East End Victorian, thin-faced anime bent.

I've been told before it's bad form to leave a review for a work you didn't finish. But I personally feel that the word of someone who didn't finish a work can count just as much as the word of someone who stuck through to the end -- at least, if that person can give a valid reason for why they couldn't finish. I've left reviews for books I was unable to finish before, and in each case I feel my opinion was still valid. And in this case, where I was drawn to the work not only by the gorgeous, if dark, cover art and the intriguing plot synopsis (which mentioned steampunk, one of my favorite genres), but by a gushing review from Neil Gaiman himself, I feel especially cheated. "Monstress" is a very hyped graphic novel, but I found myself recoiling from my very first encounter with it.

The plot, as far as I could tell from as far as I got into it, seems to revolve around the aftermath of a war between humans and a monstrous race called Arcanics, and an Arcanic girl allowing herself to be sold as a slave to humans in order to accomplish some mission. Right away, we can tell it's going to be another "humans are the real monsters" story, as we both see and hear about Arcanics being tortured, maimed, and murdered for sinister purposes or just for kicks. I don't mind violence or oppression in what I read, but when the book plunges you straight into it first thing, without so much as letting you get to know the characters first, it leaves you reeling. Like another reviewer stated, the story hasn't "earned" the right to be so dark and torturous yet -- we know nothing of the world or the characters at this point, yet are expected to care about what happens to them when brutality and violence happen.

The language is another issue. No, I'm not saying that profanity should be kept out of books or graphic novels, but when it feels like every other word out of the characters' mouths is the "F" word, I'm turned off FAST. Not to mention that using this word and other harsh profanities so liberally shocks me out of my immersion in the story. This is supposed to be a richly built world, yet when everyone swears like a gangster or 4chan troll, it doesn't FEEL like another world, but our own crude reality.

The artwork... I admit, the art is sumptuous, and could have been the saving grace. I do think it could have used a bit more color, though -- everything is washed out, almost drained of color, and dominated by gray and sepia tones that make everything blend together in a muddy mess at some point. I'm not expecting garish neon, but a bit more color could have helped. Also, the artwork is very manga-inspired, leading to many characters looking identical, girly-looking men (which doesn't help the "same-face syndrome" at all), and an overall bland tone.

I stopped reading shortly after a guard started bragging about raping an Arcanic with a shock prod for laughs -- thankfully we don't have to see that, but that's where I decided I'd had enough. I rapidly flipped through the rest of the book to see if things improved at all, but they didn't. It could be an incredible story, or it could be a Miyazaki ripoff (another reviewer claims this book is a ripoff of "Princess Mononoke," but seeing as I didn't get too far into this book I can't judge for myself), but I know I'm not going to stick around to find out. "Monstress" is a highly uncomfortable read that seems to prize shock value over story, and I have no desire to read any further.

On of the best new comics in years. It has an intriguing plot that keeps moving, along side gorgeous art and a fully realized world. This is the most beautifully illustrated comic you'll read. Combine that with a story that fuses Western sword and sorcery and Japanese Manga, this one is a keeper, and a compelling protagonist, and you see why it's so celebrated. I'll keep buying it as long as they keep writing it.

This book is thrilling to read, but the pace was rapid and at times hard to follow what was what and what all the lore to each of the races were. I believe that more will be clarified further in the series. I can't wait to read more!

Monstress takes place in “an alternate matriarchal 1900's Asia” with a lot of steampunk vibes. Maika Halfwolf, the protagonist, is Asian and disabled. The plot’s a little confusing, but I’m interested in learning more about this odd, dark world and more about Maika.

The artwork is excellent.
However, I don't like reading about or seeing anybody, especially helpless children, tortured or eaten, even in a fictional setting. What kind of person would write a story that includes child cannibalism? How is that entertainment?
Years ago I watched a movie where there was a scene of a woman getting raped. I had a friend who had been raped and it made me think, why am I spending my entertainment money to watch a woman getting raped? Since then I've decided that there are somethings not worth spending money on. I borrowed this from the library and was very disappointed with it. Obviously you can't say no to every horrible thing that happens in books and movies or you'll end up missing out on some great stories. But what are your standards? To what are you going to say "no" to? .

This was a beautifully illustrated book with a strong female lead. I had a bit of difficulty in the beginning grasping the world and its various characters. After I kept reading, though, the world came alive. An excellent adult read!

This comic is dark, violent, and beautiful. The world building is great. The main character is tough, powerful, and not too bothered by morality (in other words, she's a badass). And as many others mentioned, the art is incredible.
Just buy it already.

This piece of intersectional garbage perpetuates a culture obsessed with minority oppression and exonerates violent resistance. A leftist extremist piece of propaganda the writer skillfully manipulates young minds into believing that all minorities are the same and should collectively revolt against their oppressors through anarchy. This is child abuse people!

Artistically it's good, I personally have few faults with this art style. the overall world of steampunk is what got me initially hooked onto it. if that is what your looking for, you're not going to find it. the plot itself feels like it's jumping into volume three instead of volume one, there is absolutely no empathy to most of the cast, and so much profanity is thrown around so often and casually that it has no weight to it. I bought it for roughly $10 including shipping and I feel like I wasted what little money I spent, I do not recommend it, especially for younger audiences.