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Reviews
Cooking with Monsters: The Beginner's Guide to Culinary Combat by Jordan Alsaqa, Vivian Truong
off2explore's review
5.0
The world-building in this new graphic novel series is just delicious! In the book's universe, warrior chefs roam the land like samurais, vanquishing (and then cooking up) the monsters who threaten the populace. Hana has dreamed of becoming a warrior chef from the time she was saved from a basilisk as a young child. The bulk of the story takes place at warrior chef training academy, where we follow Hana and her peers through the first year of training. There's fantastic diversity in race, gender, and sexual orientation, and navigating the line between teen friendship and romance is sensitively addressed. Teens will enjoy both the fast-paced action and the school story.
whitecat5000's review
adventurous
medium-paced
3.0
A unique premise and world, but the plot was a bit lacking.
avidan's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
4.25
whitneymouse's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Would recommend for readers who liked Basil & Oregano or Food Wars but would like something less spicy than FW. Only thing I didn't love was the implied love triangle. Not my favorite trope.
sabesaw's review
3.5
This was a pretty decent read for me. I love most things cooking related, especially in graphic novel or manga form. So the element of cooking and fighting monsters really appealed to me. I think the artwork went well with the story, I enjoyed her art style and thought the vibrant colors made everything beautiful and the food appetizing. I did have an issue with Chef Graham's present day self not matching is past self at all. I know that you can get smaller as you become elderly, but he was a foot shorter. It just seemed too stark, unrealistic and took me out of the story. Other than that issue I did enjoy the art style.
The writing was nice for the most part. I think the plot and character development were well thought out. The conflict was well written and seemed fitting for the teen age group. I do wish the sections were broken up my explicit and clear cut chapters, but that is a personal preference
With the writing I did have issue with some of the dialogue being clunky and unnatural. The way characters would sometimes talk was hard to read or even think of anyone saying it in that manner, this also took me out of the story. It was one of those "no one would say that" kind of things, and it happened frequently enough that it became a tad annoying.
Even with all of that I did enjoy the book and I could see others enjoying it, especially the target audience. It would be easy to identify with Hana, Bobby, and Olivia.
I do wish..they had actually fully fleshed out the story behind Olivia and her grandfather. I get that Olivia wanted to keep it to herself, but I feel that they audience should have been clued in on what actually happened. It felt like an incomplete part of the story.
The writing was nice for the most part. I think the plot and character development were well thought out. The conflict was well written and seemed fitting for the teen age group. I do wish the sections were broken up my explicit and clear cut chapters, but that is a personal preference
With the writing I did have issue with some of the dialogue being clunky and unnatural. The way characters would sometimes talk was hard to read or even think of anyone saying it in that manner, this also took me out of the story. It was one of those "no one would say that" kind of things, and it happened frequently enough that it became a tad annoying.
Even with all of that I did enjoy the book and I could see others enjoying it, especially the target audience. It would be easy to identify with Hana, Bobby, and Olivia.
I do wish..
mattyb's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Xenophobia
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Animal death
Minor: Death
steamy_earl_of_grey's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
noamcompsky's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.0
destdest's review
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed the world-building and the food creatures a lot. The pacing was very slow, but the character arcs were completed nicely. None of the romantic elements were hitting. Like, there was no chemistry or hints for any of the characters. Was it added last minute? Hana's crush on Olivia seemed abrupt, and when did Olivia start liking Bobby? Then, he says he's liked Olivia all along too? Here comes drama in book two! This is also a rare portrayal of platonic boy-girl friends who don't fall in love.
Still, I'd read more of this series.
Still, I'd read more of this series.