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bkwrm1317's reviews
213 reviews
H.P. Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth by Gou Tanabe
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
What a bizarre little thing this was. Graphic novel over reading Lovecraft any day though. Enjoyed the manga style reading, although v challenging for me at first.
Good fit for folks who enjoy GNs, horror, cosmic/edlritch horror, body horror, atmospheric horror, etc. and other Lovecraftian themes but who don’t want to read Lovecraft himself.
I was disturbed by a reference early on to swaztikas used by “the deep ones” and comparison to Nazis rather than Sanskrit or something less offensive, but it is Lovecraft after all.
Good fit for folks who enjoy GNs, horror, cosmic/edlritch horror, body horror, atmospheric horror, etc. and other Lovecraftian themes but who don’t want to read Lovecraft himself.
I was disturbed by a reference early on to swaztikas used by “the deep ones” and comparison to Nazis rather than Sanskrit or something less offensive, but it is Lovecraft after all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
The Down River People by Adam Smith
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
2.5
Didn’t love, picked up on a whim at the lib/liked the description.
Did like the art, but the story was lacking quite a bit for me/didn’t resolve enough by the end (and I read a lot of speculative fic).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Violence
Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Talty’s collection of connected short stories is intense, real, and dark. Reflecting on the reality of an Indigenous Tribal Penobscot family and some of their connections brings you to witness their humor, grief, addiction, culture, food, economic reality, and more.
Pacing medium-slow made it harder for me to get through (and short stories aren’t my fave).
Pacing medium-slow made it harder for me to get through (and short stories aren’t my fave).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, and Colonisation
Minor: Vomit
The 500 Years of Indigenous Resistance Comic Book: Revised and Expanded by Gord Hill, Pamela Palmater
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Recounting 500 years of Indigenous and Tribal resistance in the Americas, Hill covers broad resistance from the Mapuche of Chile to the Potawatomi of the Maumee River basin to the Apache, Comanche, and northern Plains Tribal resistance, to the unceded territories of the Pacific Northwest, and everything in between.
Whether you are familiar with histories of Indigenous resistance in the Americas or not, you’ll undoubtedly learn something new. While selective (going for themes, not deep details, here) in coverage, the reader leaves with a deeper understanding of the history AND continuity of Indigenous resistance and the record of colonial forces over hundreds of years with the intention of erasing and eradicating these First Nations peoples across the Americas.
Whether you are familiar with histories of Indigenous resistance in the Americas or not, you’ll undoubtedly learn something new. While selective (going for themes, not deep details, here) in coverage, the reader leaves with a deeper understanding of the history AND continuity of Indigenous resistance and the record of colonial forces over hundreds of years with the intention of erasing and eradicating these First Nations peoples across the Americas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
Moderate: Racism, Torture, Police brutality, Murder, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Suicide
Pretty Deadly, Vol. 3: The Rat by Emma Ríos, Kelly Sue DeConnick
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
The noir style of this one was more up my alley (I do enjoy the creators’ playing with different comic genres though, can’t lie).
I also enjoyed their toying with the noir genre here re: Clara’s story.
I also enjoyed their toying with the noir genre here re: Clara’s story.
Pretty Deadly, Vol. 2: The Bear by Emma Ríos, Kelly Sue DeConnick
dark
medium-paced
3.0
Liked this volume a bit less. Not entirely sure why, just wasn’t my jam as much.
That Self-Same Metal by Brittany N. Williams
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Williams’ debut is super solid. A young Black femme (Joan Sands) is part of the crew for the King’s Men in 1605. She is Ogun’s chosen vessel and has magical powers as a result that could put her, the company, and her family in grave danger.
One performance, Joan has to reveal her powers in order to save her fellow company members from a Fae who has decided to attack her and sick other fae spirits on her as well. Joan successfully fights them off with help but ends up ensnared in something much larger as a result.
Joan’s wit slices sharp as a blade and Williams’ prose is seamless.
A great little page turner based loosely on true historical events in 1605 London (minus the fae as fact). I’ll be looking forward to more of Joan’s adventures and am keen to find out if she does indeed get both Nick and Rose’s affections in the end without having to choose between them - as Williams reminds readers in the historical note, queer and non-white people were very much present in 1605 London.
One performance, Joan has to reveal her powers in order to save her fellow company members from a Fae who has decided to attack her and sick other fae spirits on her as well. Joan successfully fights them off with help but ends up ensnared in something much larger as a result.
Joan’s wit slices sharp as a blade and Williams’ prose is seamless.
A great little page turner based loosely on true historical events in 1605 London (minus the fae as fact). I’ll be looking forward to more of Joan’s adventures and am keen to find out if she does indeed get both Nick and Rose’s affections in the end without having to choose between them - as Williams reminds readers in the historical note, queer and non-white people were very much present in 1605 London.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Gore and Blood
The Genius Plague by David Walton
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
SF thriller by David Walton, an engineering contractor for Lockheed Martin (hence why our main character works for the NSA and isn’t self-critical, I suppose).
Disappointed that the acknowledgement doesn’t manage to even mention the linguistic anthropologists whose work is undoubtedly a major source of research for this novel like Daniel Everett, I’d guess, among others.
Our protagonist, Niel, has just secured a job at the NSA, following in his father’s footsteps, when his older brother Paul nearly dies at the hands of a paramilitary group in the Brazilian Amazon. Paul, a mycologist, escapes by walking through the jungle, and discovers a bioluminescent species of fungi on the way.
A fascinating reflection on language-as-code, and what a species might do to help itself survive.
A near perfect novel for me in the beginning 2/3, regardless of my initial complaints here, but the ending was lackluster for me and stepped too far away from the brainy code breaking of the plot line that got us there.
Disappointed that the acknowledgement doesn’t manage to even mention the linguistic anthropologists whose work is undoubtedly a major source of research for this novel like Daniel Everett, I’d guess, among others.
Our protagonist, Niel, has just secured a job at the NSA, following in his father’s footsteps, when his older brother Paul nearly dies at the hands of a paramilitary group in the Brazilian Amazon. Paul, a mycologist, escapes by walking through the jungle, and discovers a bioluminescent species of fungi on the way.
A fascinating reflection on language-as-code, and what a species might do to help itself survive.
A near perfect novel for me in the beginning 2/3, regardless of my initial complaints here, but the ending was lackluster for me and stepped too far away from the brainy code breaking of the plot line that got us there.
White Horse by Erika T. Wurth
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
So glad I picked this up on a whim for a later in the year reading challenge and looking forward to reading more by Wurth very soon.
A new voice (for me) in horror to eat right up. Loved this metal head, the Lofa haunting her, and the slow burn reveal about her mother who went missing two days after her birth, presumed dead. Definitely worth the read!
Check CWs
A new voice (for me) in horror to eat right up. Loved this metal head, the Lofa haunting her, and the slow burn reveal about her mother who went missing two days after her birth, presumed dead. Definitely worth the read!
Check CWs
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder
Pretty Deadly, Vol. 1: The Shrike by Kelly Sue DeConnick
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Picked up on a whim when my fave librarian showed me the adult graphic novel section at the library. Looking forward to Vols 2 and 3.
Different than other GNs I’ve read. Western and dark, but also spaghetti and more manga than comic.
Different than other GNs I’ve read. Western and dark, but also spaghetti and more manga than comic.