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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
Disclaimer: Recieved copy via Netgalley
What is it about Maine that invites horror stories? Scratch that. There is something about those cold places – Maine, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Russia and so forth – that leads to dark tales, be it horror or personal demons. Maybe it’s the long nights.
But at least you know why it has the title it does.
This graphic novel is very, very good. The only question is whether the art work or the story is better.
The answer is that the art and story are tied.
The story concerns Salamandra, a young girl whose parents have gone missing, maybe. Salamandra is a tough girl, though she isn’t a Goth. She acts like a loner, but it seems that this trait is more learned than bred. And she isn’t a witch, though she isn’t quite human either. She has a teddy bear and a crow. In some ways, Salamandra might be the offspring of those tough loner chicks that you see in all the urban fantasy novels right now. Yet she’s not. She is far more human. She loves her teddy bear.
The book is good in so many ways. From the double meaning of the title – there is more than one demon here – to the stunning artwork, a cross between Rackham and Anime. The story works because it can be read on more than one level and while Salamandra might not win our sympathy, the reader likes her because she is believable, because she grows and changes. More importantly, unlike some other heroines I can think of she knows when to ask for help.
Salamandra is not a darker version of Harry Potter. She is more like a mutant from the Marvel Universe, albeit one without the triple D bra size. Yet even that comparison is flawed. The stories are far more adult, though it seems this graphic novel is marketed for young adults. It’s great that smaller publishers are coming out with more female oriented comic books, and make the heroines real instead of fashion models with powers.
What is it about Maine that invites horror stories? Scratch that. There is something about those cold places – Maine, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Russia and so forth – that leads to dark tales, be it horror or personal demons. Maybe it’s the long nights.
But at least you know why it has the title it does.
This graphic novel is very, very good. The only question is whether the art work or the story is better.
The answer is that the art and story are tied.
The story concerns Salamandra, a young girl whose parents have gone missing, maybe. Salamandra is a tough girl, though she isn’t a Goth. She acts like a loner, but it seems that this trait is more learned than bred. And she isn’t a witch, though she isn’t quite human either. She has a teddy bear and a crow. In some ways, Salamandra might be the offspring of those tough loner chicks that you see in all the urban fantasy novels right now. Yet she’s not. She is far more human. She loves her teddy bear.
The book is good in so many ways. From the double meaning of the title – there is more than one demon here – to the stunning artwork, a cross between Rackham and Anime. The story works because it can be read on more than one level and while Salamandra might not win our sympathy, the reader likes her because she is believable, because she grows and changes. More importantly, unlike some other heroines I can think of she knows when to ask for help.
Salamandra is not a darker version of Harry Potter. She is more like a mutant from the Marvel Universe, albeit one without the triple D bra size. Yet even that comparison is flawed. The stories are far more adult, though it seems this graphic novel is marketed for young adults. It’s great that smaller publishers are coming out with more female oriented comic books, and make the heroines real instead of fashion models with powers.
Beautifully, haunting art. It had a decent story, but nothing that made me fall in love with the work.
Come for the wonderful gothic art. Stay for the...
...come for the wonderful art.
...come for the wonderful art.
Hopeless, Maine lives up to its name. There is not a lot of hope, but there are a lot of orphans and missing persons. Where do they all go? Why are there never any bodies? What lurks in the fog? Salamandra is one such orphan. Her parents might have disappeared or they might have just gone away. Either way they are gone and her brother is missing so she ends up in the orphanage. She is not a witch like Miss Nightshade, but she does have some powers of her own. She can control fire and fight demons. Because of this, Salamandra doesn't fit in with the other orphans. They fear her and she spends more and more time alone. Then she makes a friend. But who is this friend really and why can't anyone else see her?
This is a dark and gothic tale and the illustrations add immensely to the atmosphere. There is a lot going on in the background of these pictures. Those things are not addressed in the narrative but they do add to the unusual and dark mood that surrounds the island.
This is a dark and gothic tale and the illustrations add immensely to the atmosphere. There is a lot going on in the background of these pictures. Those things are not addressed in the narrative but they do add to the unusual and dark mood that surrounds the island.
The artwork was probably my favourite thing about the book, very detailed and haunting and beautiful. At times I found the story a little hard to follow, characters popping up that I didn't immediately recognize and things suddenly appearing (which did give it a nice, spooky vibe at times), but overall I was intrigued and wanted to read more about this strange island.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
2.5 stars.
A creepy, gothic tale that slowly unfolds through nothing but dark artwork. The whole vibe is dark too, so it fits. I glanced over a few reviews, and it seems that even people that didn't like the story still love the art. I wasn't blown away by it at all. In fact, I found many of the characters looked too similar. The dark hair, the facial structure, their eye shape. I had to flip back and forth across pages to see who was who, and who was female or male. Eh, might just be me since so many others love it, but I guess I prefer tighter linework.
I found the story depressing, appropriately hopeless, a bit disjointed, and with just enough balance to nudge my rating to 2.5 stars. If I come across the second title I may pick it up, but I won't actively look for it.
A creepy, gothic tale that slowly unfolds through nothing but dark artwork. The whole vibe is dark too, so it fits. I glanced over a few reviews, and it seems that even people that didn't like the story still love the art. I wasn't blown away by it at all. In fact, I found many of the characters looked too similar. The dark hair, the facial structure, their eye shape. I had to flip back and forth across pages to see who was who, and who was female or male. Eh, might just be me since so many others love it, but I guess I prefer tighter linework.
I found the story depressing, appropriately hopeless, a bit disjointed, and with just enough balance to nudge my rating to 2.5 stars. If I come across the second title I may pick it up, but I won't actively look for it.