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deanlockiradall's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Please note, this review is only for the first 200 pages of the book (included in the eARC). May contain spoilers for Book One.
In the concluding volume of Chicago native Emil Ferris's My Favorite Thing is Monsters duology, the story picks up right where Book One left off--with the revelation of Karen Reyes's other older brother, Victor, and his untimely death. This revelation comes just as Karen is reeling from her mother's passing (cancer) and her on-going investigation into the death of her neighbor, Anka Silverberg, a Holocaust survivor whom Karen believes was murdered. As young, monster-loving Karen struggles to make sense of these mysteries while surrounded by adults who seek to "protect" her from the truth, she continues to understand the world through art--her comics, penned into spiral-bound school notebooks; famous paintings and sculpture from the Art Institute of Chicago; and, of course, classic monster B-movies.
Rendered in alternately detailed and sketchy ballpoint pen, Ferris explores the flexibility of the medium, drawing replicas of classic works in find detail and abstract lineart as the mood dictates. The tone shifts constantly from grisly historical horror of the Holocaust to surreal dreamscapes to the gritty but beautiful architecture of 1960s Chicago. This would be a good choice for fans of Chicago history, classic monster movies (ex. Svengoolie), and parodies of detective noire stories. This series is fairly slow-paced, however, so be patient for the gradual plot build-up and the various threads of the story. If this is anything like Book One, there will be a surprise plot twist at the end that readers won't see coming. Also note that these books are fairly text-heavy, and may require some creativity to follow the flow of the text boxes and speech bubbles in some places.
In the concluding volume of Chicago native Emil Ferris's My Favorite Thing is Monsters duology, the story picks up right where Book One left off--with the revelation of Karen Reyes's other older brother, Victor, and his untimely death. This revelation comes just as Karen is reeling from her mother's passing (cancer) and her on-going investigation into the death of her neighbor, Anka Silverberg, a Holocaust survivor whom Karen believes was murdered. As young, monster-loving Karen struggles to make sense of these mysteries while surrounded by adults who seek to "protect" her from the truth, she continues to understand the world through art--her comics, penned into spiral-bound school notebooks; famous paintings and sculpture from the Art Institute of Chicago; and, of course, classic monster B-movies.
Rendered in alternately detailed and sketchy ballpoint pen, Ferris explores the flexibility of the medium, drawing replicas of classic works in find detail and abstract lineart as the mood dictates. The tone shifts constantly from grisly historical horror of the Holocaust to surreal dreamscapes to the gritty but beautiful architecture of 1960s Chicago. This would be a good choice for fans of Chicago history, classic monster movies (ex. Svengoolie), and parodies of detective noire stories. This series is fairly slow-paced, however, so be patient for the gradual plot build-up and the various threads of the story. If this is anything like Book One, there will be a surprise plot twist at the end that readers won't see coming. Also note that these books are fairly text-heavy, and may require some creativity to follow the flow of the text boxes and speech bubbles in some places.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism
Moderate: Sexual content
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