Scan barcode
ash_thelibrarian_reads's review against another edition
3.0
This graphic novel continues the story of Aurora West and her search for her mother's killer. Aurora is the teenage daughter of Haggard West who is the hero of the monster-ravaged Acropolis. She is training to be a monster hunter like her father, but her personal quest to avenge her mother interferes with that task in this book. She believes her old "imaginary" friend, Coil, is responsible for the crime because he mysteriously disappears from her life the night her mother dies. Haggard and his assistant have their hands full trying to keep Aurora safe and from becoming another casualty in the war against the monsters, but Aurora walks straight into a trap that endangers not only her life, but the life of her father.
Aurora is a relatable character because she is headstrong and feels as if she knows better or more than the adults in her life, which can be a typical quality in teens.The story is well written and its fast pace makes it easy to get through. Honestly, I am not regularly a graphic novel reader, but I liked this one well enough to continue the series. The ultimate resolution of the plot was quite surprising and had a twist I did not anticipate at all. The art work here is fantastic. The black and white graphics make the monsters seem more menacing and the actions of all the characters more mysterious. The content of the story does deal with monsters, murder and revenge, which may come across as tough topics for younger audiences, but Pope and Petty do a good job of not making the material too violent and even throw in some humor to lighten the mood of the plot. I would recommend this for reluctant readers who need something quick to get through, but that also holds their attention.
Aurora is a relatable character because she is headstrong and feels as if she knows better or more than the adults in her life, which can be a typical quality in teens.The story is well written and its fast pace makes it easy to get through. Honestly, I am not regularly a graphic novel reader, but I liked this one well enough to continue the series. The ultimate resolution of the plot was quite surprising and had a twist I did not anticipate at all. The art work here is fantastic. The black and white graphics make the monsters seem more menacing and the actions of all the characters more mysterious. The content of the story does deal with monsters, murder and revenge, which may come across as tough topics for younger audiences, but Pope and Petty do a good job of not making the material too violent and even throw in some humor to lighten the mood of the plot. I would recommend this for reluctant readers who need something quick to get through, but that also holds their attention.
atperez's review against another edition
4.0
I was given this title to review by NetGalley and the publisher First Second in exchange for my honest review.
Daughter of celebrated Haggard West – hero extraordinare of the monster-rampaged Arcopolis – and a hero-in-training herself, 15-year-old Aurora West continues on her quest to find the monster that killed her mother eleven years ago. All signs point to the responsible monster being Coil, Aurora's not-so-imaginary and not-so-friendly childhood companion, who just so happened to disappear from Aurora's life on the night her mother died. Aurora is hot on Coil's trail and ready to exact her revenge but Haggard, desperate not to lose another person he loves to the fight against monsters, is trying (and failing) to keep Aurora on a short leash. In her haste and desperation to rid Arcopolis once and for all of the fiendish Coil, Aurora plays right into the monsters' hands and puts not only her own life but the life of her father in even more danger than she realizes. Pope and Petty crafted a suspenseful and completely engrossing story that artfully explores the dangers of giving in to emotions in the midst of despair. Flawed characters abound – Aurora and her unfettered arrogance, Ms. Grately's well-intentioned secretiveness, Haggard's blind rage and over-protectiveness – bestowing a realistic complexity to an already layered story. Thankfully, the restrained violence is peppered with humor and heart-warming scenes which, alongside the story's breakneck pacing, prevents the dark tone from taking over completely. For his part, Rubín delivers an explosive style that dares the writing to keep up with it. Whether it is the orientation of the panel itself or the scene within, there is no shortage of diagonal lines, which imbues the story with the action and excitement that keeps it moving forward. Put this into the hands of readers who have advanced from Mike Maihack's Cleopatra in Space or Ben Hatke's Zita series.
Daughter of celebrated Haggard West – hero extraordinare of the monster-rampaged Arcopolis – and a hero-in-training herself, 15-year-old Aurora West continues on her quest to find the monster that killed her mother eleven years ago. All signs point to the responsible monster being Coil, Aurora's not-so-imaginary and not-so-friendly childhood companion, who just so happened to disappear from Aurora's life on the night her mother died. Aurora is hot on Coil's trail and ready to exact her revenge but Haggard, desperate not to lose another person he loves to the fight against monsters, is trying (and failing) to keep Aurora on a short leash. In her haste and desperation to rid Arcopolis once and for all of the fiendish Coil, Aurora plays right into the monsters' hands and puts not only her own life but the life of her father in even more danger than she realizes. Pope and Petty crafted a suspenseful and completely engrossing story that artfully explores the dangers of giving in to emotions in the midst of despair. Flawed characters abound – Aurora and her unfettered arrogance, Ms. Grately's well-intentioned secretiveness, Haggard's blind rage and over-protectiveness – bestowing a realistic complexity to an already layered story. Thankfully, the restrained violence is peppered with humor and heart-warming scenes which, alongside the story's breakneck pacing, prevents the dark tone from taking over completely. For his part, Rubín delivers an explosive style that dares the writing to keep up with it. Whether it is the orientation of the panel itself or the scene within, there is no shortage of diagonal lines, which imbues the story with the action and excitement that keeps it moving forward. Put this into the hands of readers who have advanced from Mike Maihack's Cleopatra in Space or Ben Hatke's Zita series.
larakaa's review against another edition
5.0
a lot of background history of the characters is revealed. I loved it even more than "the rise of aurora west".
squidbag's review
4.0
Quite a bit more emotionally involving than the first one, but just as quickly paced, and shot through with a kind of brutal intensity that only the best graphic narratives usually have. I enjoyed this, and think it would be a good option (coupled with the first one) for anyone who needed a quick action-adventure fix with some heart. The art does not suffer from the small format, either - in fact, often the pace of the story benefits from the crashing strain against the borders of the panels, pages, and book.
alenka's review
5.0
Fantastic. Aurora is an incredible character; tough and determined, but also a daughter with a bit of a father complex. These books are really her journey toward seeing her father in his full humanity, as well as coming to terms with her own grief. Not so much a coming of age - Aurora already fully knows what she is capable of - but an exploration of the dark, complex relationships within the West family. Loved it.
More...