Neman: knjiga druga

Monstress #4-6

by Marjorie M. Liu, Sana Takeda (Illustrator), Ivan Zorić (Translator)

Maika Poluvuk živi u svijetu koji je zahvatio vihor rata – u alternativnoj, matrijarhalnoj Aziji 20. stoljeća prepunoj mističnih opasnosti. Dok se ona s mukom trudi nadvladati traumu nasilja i upoznati svoju prošlost, sve je čvršća njezina veza s nadnaravnom nemani goleme moći. Ta povezanost oboje će ih preobraziti i pretvoriti u metu ubojitih sila, kako ljudskih, tako i nezemaljskih.

Ovo impresivno izdanje objedinjuje sveske 19-35 omiljene i višestruko nagrađivane serije Marjorie Liu i Sane Takede, kao i dodatke koji uključuju dosad neviđene skice.

Knjiga sadrži sljedaća originalna izdanja Image Comics-a:
19. Monstress #19, 32 str. (23. January 2019)
20. Monstress #20, 23 str. (20. February 2019)
21. Monstress #21, 21 str. (20. March 2019)
22. Monstress #22, 27 str. (22. May 2019)
23. Monstress #23, 25 str. (19. June 2019)
24. Monstress #24, 27 str. (31. July 2019)
25. Monstress #25, 28 str. (29. January 2020)
26. Monstress #26, 26 str. (26. February 2020)
27. Monstress #27, 30 str. (25. March 2020)
28. Monstress #28, 27 str. (24. June 2020)
29. Monstress #29, 29 str. (22. July 2020)
30. Monstress #30, 32 str. (02. September 2020)
31. Monstress #31, 31 str. (27. January 2021)
32. Monstress #32, 31 str. (24. February 2021)
33. Monstress #33, 30 str. (21. April 2021)
34. Monstress #34, 32 str. (26. May 2021)
35. Monstress #35, 32 str. (30. June 2021)
+
Monstress: Talk Stories #1, 24 str. (25. November 2020)
Monstress: Talk Stories #2, 24 str. (30. December 2020)

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Collections, Steampunk

532 pages, Hardcover

First published December 7, 2022

About the author

New York Times bestselling and award-winning writer Marjorie Liu is best known for her fiction and comic books. She teaches comic book writing at MIT, and she leads a class on Popular Fiction at the Voices of Our Nation (VONA) workshop.

Ms. Liu is a highly celebrated comic book writer. Her extensive work with Marvel includes the bestselling Dark Wolverine series, NYX: No Way Home, X-23, and Black Widow: The Name of the Rose. She received national media attention for Astonishing X-Men, which featured the gay wedding of X-Man Northstar and was subsequently nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for outstanding media images of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Ms. Liu also wrote the story for the animated film, Avengers Confidential: Black Widow and Punisher, which was produced by Marvel, Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Madhouse Inc.

Her newest work is MONSTRESS, an original, creator-owned comic book series with Japanese artist (and X-23 collaborator) Sana Takeda. Published by Image in Fall 2015, MONSTRESS is set in an alternate, matriarchal 1920’s Asia and follows a girl’s struggle to survive the trauma of war. With a cast of girls and monsters and set against a richly imagined aesthetic of art deco-inflected steam punk, MONSTRESS #1 debuted to critical praise. The Hollywood Reporter remarked that the longer than typical first issue was “world-building on a scale rare in mainstream comics.”

Ms. Liu is also the author of more than 19 novels, most notably the urban fantasy series, Hunter Kiss, and the paranormal romance series, Dirk & Steele. Her novels have also been bestsellers on USA Today, which described Liu “as imaginative as she is prolific.” Her critically praised fiction has twice received the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, for THE MORTAL BONE (Hunter Kiss #6), and TIGER EYE (Dirk & Steele #1). TIGER EYE was the basis for a bestselling paranormal romance video game called Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box.

Liu has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, MTV, and been profiled in the Wall Street Journal.com, Hollywood Reporter, and USA Today. She is a frequent lecturer and guest speaker, appearing on panels at San Diego Comic Con, the Tokyo Literary Festival, the New York Times Public Lecture series, Geeks Out; and the Asian American Writers Workshop. Her work has been published internationally, including Germany, France, Japan, Poland, and the United Kingdom.

Ms. Liu was born in Philadelphia, and has lived in numerous cities in the Midwest and Beijing. Prior to writing full-time, she was a lawyer. She currently resides in Boston.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: Review pending re-read. Individual reviews for included volumes can be found here:
- Monstress, Volume 4: The Chosen
- Monstress, Volume 5: Warchild
- Monstress, Volume 6: The Vow

[Elizabeth (Plant Based Bride) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We don't have to be friends. We just have to remember that if this world dies, we all die." pg. 156

Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda are back at it again with Book Two of their epic dark fantasy comic, Monstress. The following 16 issues of this intricately sprawling tale did not fail to wow me all over again with the utter magnitude of this infinitely complex world and the wonderfully diverse characters that populate it.

"To hope... is to ask for a possibility, just a chance, at something better. The smallest, most fragile hope will keep a person fighting, no matter how impossible the odds. I know this now." pg. 403

I was so excited to dive back into Maika's story as she continues to put together the pieces of who she is and where she came from. Maika Halfwolf is a fantastic protagonist - badass, resilient, and ruthless while keeping a sliver of herself open to love and vulnerability. Continuing to watch her relationships develop over the course of this collection (especially with Kippa and Zinn) was such a pleasure and was a lovely counterbalance to all of the despair and heartbreak filling these pages.

"...there is no more divine reverberation than the one that comes from gentle acts... to others, and to one's own self." pg. 404

Speaking of Kippa and Zinn, my adoration for them continues to grow. I love that they both had more time to flesh out their history and motivations without pulling focus too much from the overarching plot - which is complex enough as it is.

The world-building here is just fantastic, though at times hard to follow due to its sheer complexity. The magic system, the various races of beings, the interplay and political tensions between groups, and the deep lore all come together to form a vivid foundation that is taken to new heights with Takeda's exceptional art. (Seriously, though. This art is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Every page is a masterpiece that I want to hang on my wall.)

The frank exploration of the horrifying realities of war and what unadulterated hate born out of fear of difference can destroy is woven through every fibre of the tapestry of this story. I can't help but find myself enraptured by its simple yet profound message, often taking breaks to think about the story's deeper themes or being brought to tears.

"…from the darkness we emerged, resurrected inside new selves we could not have dreamed of becoming… And our enemies, who thought us dead, who tried to murder us with hate, fled from our rebirth, in despair at having made us stronger…" pg. 461

Last but certainly not least, this book is feminist and gay as fuck. And I love it. There are several sapphic relationships taking centre stage here, and so many strong female characters who are not held back by limiting gender stereotypes. In fact, the vast majority of the notable characters in this comic (and almost all of those in power in this world) are women. Seeing as high fantasy can so often be heavily weighted towards male-dominated stories (and told through the lens of the male gaze), Monstress is truly a breath of fresh air in its complete lack of patriarchal attitudes and misogyny!

"Who I am now... could not have been born any other way... except through leaving you." pg. 516

All that being said, if it wasn't clear enough already, I continue to love this story. I don't know how I'll be able to wait to read the rest!



Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, death, violence, war, blood and gore, body horror, child death, torture, medical experimentation, gun violence, fire injury/death, cannibalism


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[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series has won seven Eisner Awards, four Hugo Awards, the Harvey Awards Book of the Year, and so many other awards that it would be ridiculous to try to list them all. It's one horror/fantasy comic that is absolutely worth following even if you are not usually into graphic novels. The storyline is as fascinating as the artwork. I really recommend these collections--I know Image is about to release a compendium as well as a third book, so you can read it via 3 large books of the volumes or one huge compendium. I personally always find the compendiums a bit hard to deal with as they are just too thick. But either of these is the easiest way to get the series.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. Book Two collects Volumes 4-6 (issues #19-35) of the comic. I think there is a benefit to reading this series at once. I don't think I could keep up with all the characters, alliances, warring factions and subplots otherwise. My primary criticism of this series is still that answers are revealed too slowly. However, when answers have been revealed I've been satisfied and they've often subverted my expectations which I always enjoy.


Maika's father *seems* to be the big bad of this series. However, every main character is intentionally female. Everything about this series is intentional. So is he a villain or a red herring? Is he both?


How am I supposed to feel about The Baroness? Does she have feelings for the Warlord? For Maika? She seems to, but her betrayal of Maika at the end of volume 6 makes me question it. She can obviously fake affection. Why is she so loyal to her court? I am hesitant to form an opinion on Tuya before I know more about her situation.


When Kippa was first introduced I wasn't sure what to make of her character. Her dialogue and insight felt beyond her years. I wasn't sure why Maika let her continue to hang around. I'm still unsure when Maika started to care about her. But Kippa has grown on me a lot in these volumes. I'm curious to know what her gift is and how the visitor to her when she was an infant plays into it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5* rounded up to 5*- The struggle for power escalates and war begins, while intrigue and betrayal continue to intensify. In the meantime, the characters develop, relationships become more convoluted, and more backstory is revealed. My rating for this second volume is identical to the first:

"This graphic novel is a completely immersive experience: the art is gorgeous, the story is complex, the characters are mysterious and fascinating, and the world is wonderfully textured. However, it was challenging to follow at times as the plot unfolds in a cocktail of perspective shifts, flashbacks, dream sequences, and intense world building...While the complexity is what gives this graphic novel so much to sink your teeth into, I often felt like I was drowning in the details."

I hoped this volume would be easier to follow after already spending 500+ pages in the world, but whenever I thought I had a good grasp of the tangled web that makes up the story, new elements, characters, and story threads were introduced. It sometimes felt like there were too many moving parts, but as I said before, the complexity is what makes it so compulsive. I'm not sure what I'll do when there are no more volumes to consume....

[Highland G · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot to take in, I think this may take several reads to truly appreciate. I loved the art . The world building and in world terminology is a bit overwhelming but it’s also really fun to read a story that is completely new and unique.

[Ángel Javier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poco a poco, se desinfla el globo. Lo que empezó como una curiosa vuelta de tuerca al género fantástico, con una concepción feminista de lo que siempre ha sido un cenagal de tópicos machistas, sin descuidar la violencia y el misterio, se va convirtiendo en una saga tediosa y estirada cual chicle, a lo largo de la cual el en un principio apabullante dibujo de Sana Takeda va reduciéndose por momentos a bosquejos, bocetos sin acabar, sketches... en lo que sospechamos es un ejercicio de cansancio en toda regla por parte de la ilustradora. Siendo justos, no carece de interés este segundo tomazo de Monstress; de hecho, tanto las historias cortas sobre la infancia de los personajes como la trama relacionada con el traicionero padre de la protagonista logran mantener el listón de la serie más o menos alto, lo suficiente como para que, un tanto desganadamente, continuemos con la lectura de la misma. Pero la ultraviolencia cansa, la tragedia interminable y plomiza, también, y no deja de llamar la atención el hecho de que Marjorie Liu considere (al menos, es lo que se desprende de su obra) que un matriarcado, en caso de establecerse, sería igual de malo (o peor, incluso), que el patriarcado vigente en el mundo actual (una concepción no muy lejana a la de Y, el último hombre). No es que me parezca mal, pero me parece una curiosa elección para un cómic que comenzó siendo decididamente feminista. Y, bueno, siento si esto lastima las sensibilidades de alguien, pero ese neutro fantasmal e impostado, completamente innecesario (sí, me refiero al «todes», «le monstrue» y esas cosas), me saca de quicio, no puedo evitarlo. Como profesor de lengua que soy, sé perfectamente que los poderes fácticos impulsan estos usos, y así no es como una lengua debe funcionar. La aparición del neutro en nuestro lenguaje debería de ser elección del pueblo, no de las élites, y sobrevenir como consecuencia lógica de una sociedad plenamente igualitaria. Si no, estamos contribuyendo no solo a una igualdad impostada, sino también a impulsar esa concepción de la lengua como un instrumento de manipulación de masas que desean los gobiernos; hoy, puede que este uso sea bienintencionado, o, al menos, no abiertamente negativo, pero, si permitimos que los de arriba creen nuevos vocablos (¡o nuevos usos gramaticales!) a su antojo y nos lo tragamos tal cual, no creo que quede mucho hasta que la neo-lengua de 1984 se convierta en realidad. He dicho.

Y perdón por el rollo.

[Liliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This keeps getting better.

[WadeofEarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

[2025 re read]

My initial impression holds true; this is a gripping, propulsive story and I had to fight to put it down.

Kippa, aka Little Fox, is has got to be one of my very favorite characters! they are such a forceful combination of indomitability of spirit, with fragility of body. Especially in a world where there are those with godlike strength, their pluck and kindness, despite it all, is inspiring.

Where book 1 gave me a sense of the blunt force of war, this one seemed to focus on the duplicity going on behind the scenes and how those most influential in beginning wars are rarely the ones who fight them. It is wild that the soldiers on the ground are just pointed at each other and told to kill – but behind the scenes there may be alliances being brokered and backs being stabbed, and then tomorrow, the armies get pionted at new targets; yesterday's enemies are today's allies and your backup in the last battle is now your target...

Taken together, the blunt brutality of war, and the changeable duplicity of those directing it, makes for a hellishly befuddling meat grinder ... also, some very compelling stories!


[2023 read]

Everything that I said in my review of the first book continues to he true in this one.

The frenetic pace of this story kept me torn between the desire to fly through the pages as fast as I could, and the gravitational pull towards each of the gorgeously ilustrated pages.

I am really enjoying how the story and characters are developing, and while I am disappointed that I'll have to wait a while for the next book, honestly, my heart and mind need a break; this story is a bit exhausting... rest assured I will pre order the next one, and dive in as soon as its in my hands!

[Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the world building and character introductions of volume 1, volume 2 really gets the conflict going. At the same time even more characters, factions and history get introduced into the mix. If the story keeps this forward momentum, I can’t wait to see where Monstress goes next. Art-wise it’s still one of the most beautiful series I’ve ever read. The character and environmental designs are very cool and all the small details really reward paying attention to every single panel.

[Dominique · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was some improvement on the emotional range of the characters here, but the book is still action/information heavy.

[Marybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

We were hungry.

That cliffhanger should be illegal!!

No one remembers us. We're just bodies that survived & take up too much room where we don't belong.

Absolutely beautiful art. I wish I could have screenshot so many times, but I was reading on Hoopla.

"Someone who has traveled the stars shouldn't live so far from the sky."

Moving story. Great plot. I'm definitely more connected with this book & I understand more of what's happening.

"...We cannot allow...our hearts...to break us..."

Beautiful prose.

"Hope is a strange feeling, Tuya. Hope is frightening. What is hope, except the possibility of disappointment? & yet, I've learned that hope is just another kind of hunger. Hope is another kind of fuel. To hope...is to ask for a possibility, just a chance, at something better. The smallest, most fragile hope will keep a person fighting, no matter how impossible the odds."

I need more, now.

"'Dangerous people have to love. They have to love more than the rest of us. Or else terrible things will happen.' / 'Terrible things, huh? Love has never stopped that from happening.'"

Representation: disabled, amputee MC, multiple disabled characters, sapphic relationships, characters are a mix of various races, & human, part human, & non-human.

"Bye, Mister Monster! Enjoy your book!"

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is still incredible and the world building just grows more and more. This is fantasy at its best. The weakest aspect of the series had been story and characters. However, this volume did an excellent job cleaning up the storylines a little bit, making things fit better, and explaining what is even going on. A whole turn around. The characters really expressed themselves way more and showed more personality and individuality, still feeling like that is the weakest aspect of the series sadly. Overall, the story is really speeding towards a satisfying finale, and the ending of the book left be hooked, need the next one to release asap.

[vynnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

caught my interest better than book one.

CW: blood, gore, fire injury, background child death, fantasy racism/genocide, war, non-suicidal self harm

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful. This story keeps surprising me. Give me more!!

[kuusela harry-pekka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps getting better. Top notch worlbuilding and emphasis on the tragic results of war makes this series shine. And the art…

[TAB · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series slowed down a bit or settled into the world which was needed but is still connecting its punches and really left it on a cliffhanger.

[Yolanda Carhell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A matriarcal, 1900s-Asian inspired society. A terrible, bloody war between humans and arcanics, with a witch-cult, cat-necromancers, shape-shifters, secrets, lies and bitter sibling rivalries thrown in. Gods awakening. And a very angry young woman possessed by a monster that compels her to eat people whenever it wakes up feeling hungry.

This was fantastic. It’s the first time that I read epic fantasy in comic form so maybe that’s why it took me a while to fully get into the world. But once it got me, it got me good. Epic battles, complex world building, found family, interesting characters and absolutely stunning, gorgeous, unbelievable art. It might sound like I’m being hyperbolic but I would print and frame any given page and hang it in my living room, if only our landlord allowed us to put holes in the walls.

This volume took it to an entirely different level. I am fully emotionally invested and could not stop turning pages. Gorgeous.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I thought I liked the first volume better, but the second half of this is just SO GOOD. It's twisty and brutal and the characters are so good. I love Tuya as a character. She might be my favorite. She is so complicated and grey (just like everyone else). I also really like seeing Kippa's ark and how she is changing, with everything she has been through. I do wish that some characters would actually stay dead though. It's a little frustrating that everyone survives miraculously (though I guess a lot of them are immortal and hard to kill) and at the same time there are MASSIVE casualties for the civilians and the soldiers of both sides. I guess it is realist for a war, but some terrible things are just glossed over. I almost cried at Ren and Kippa's reunion. Can't wait for more!

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still so fascinated by this fantasy world. Wow.

I will say though... Maybe I'm just not used to comics as a medium for storytelling? I have been very lost for about 50% of this story. It's hard for me to tell characters apart and remember their backstories and political connections. The reveals confuse me more often than not. I even go back to previous issues to try and understand, but it doesn't really help.

But the setting is so interesting to me, and the illustrations are so beautiful, and the plot is so fast paced and exciting. So I keep reading and just assume I'll be confused the whole time XD

Still highly recommend this one.

[Shadowzzz3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Art Continues to impress and dazzle! The setting and Lore continues to inspire, the intrigue and twists continue to engage and throughout it all is the lovable Kippa and Tough as nails yet vulnerable Maika Halfwolf.

The only complaint is that despite a 6 hour line read. It’s still not long enough and the story continues!

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic. Too short, though — I want more.

[Adam Burt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first Book.

[Ethan Aegon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malgré mon attrait pour la BD et l'image je reste un lecteur de comics... réticent. Les classiques V for Vendetta et The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen m'ont moins emballé que les films (oui, oui même la ligue) et l'encensée Saga m'a lassé. Je me suis aussi risqué à quelques super-héros (Wolverine, Wonder Woman) sans y voir davantage que des récits qui m'auraient ravi à 15ans. Mais à l'exception Locke & Key vient désormais s'ajouter Monstress et cela fait du bien de revoir ses préjugés.

Doublement même puisque je ne suis pas un fan de Manga mais les tendances japonisantes du crayon de Sana Takeda ne m'ont pas rebuté. En fait le graphisme de Monstress est juste éblouissant, les couleurs sont chatoyantes, le traits précis. Rarement j'ai eu de si belles pages entre les mains. Chaque couverture pourrait être accroché comme un tableau.

Cette beauté est essentielle à l'oeuvre qui investit beaucoup, beaucoup de temps dans la construction d'un monde d'une rare complexité. Le parrallèle avec GOT est évident tant la multiplicité des personnages, les intrigues politiques et l'absence de manichéisme frappent. Elles font de Monstress une oeuvre complètement à part qui mélange Fantasy, Science Fiction, antropomorphisme et un matriarchat absolu !

Mieux vaut prendre des notes et enchaîner les tomes, ne serait-ce que pour réussir à suivre l'histoire car l'autrice ne nous prend pas par la main. Mieux vaut revenir en arrière et relire à deux fois pour identifier les non-dits, repérer les agents doubles et comprendre les jeux de pouvoirs se jouant dans les non-dits.

La richesse du lore a son pendant, l'histoire avance peu et l'autrice prend un plaisir sadique à alterner les sous intrigues toutes les deux pages, technique littéraire adaptée aux lecteurs tiktokiens qui semble gagner en popularité et a le don de m'agacer. Il est également parfois difficile d'identifier les nombreux personnages (femmes en fait) dessinés voir même carrément de savoir où et quand (merci les flashbacks) nous nous trouvons. D'ailleurs il n'est parfois pas clair non plus d'où et à qui viennent les conversations notamment Maïka vers Tuya (flash forward / reflexions internes du moment / correspondance ?...). L'autrice subit également les impératifs de son médias et multiplie des cliffhangers en fin de tome qui ne s'imposaient pas. Le plaisir de lire m'ont tenu éveillé plus tard dans la nuit qu'il n'était raisonnable de le faire, happé par le suspense et émerveillé par des planches dont le gore ne m'a jamais gêné.
J'espère néanmoins que la cohésion scénaristique de l'ensemble se tiendra tant s'accumule déjà les "je savais mais je ne pouvais rien te dire tu devais le découvrir par toi-même / j'avais promis à ta mère de ne rien avouer". La série est encore en cours et j'espère qu'elle saura s'arrêter à temps et de façon satisfaisante.
En tout cas j'ai hâte de retourner quelques heures dans ce monde.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Issue#19
“May you always find the light.” – unknown caregiver to baby Kippa.
“I bought it on myself. I pulled a string that unravelled the world.” – Maika
..

Issue#20
“A wise cat is a quiet cat .. is that not what your poets say?”
..

Issue#21
“No, child. The old god might not have emerged from my flesh, as I’m told it has yours – but I tasted its dreams.” – Lord Doctor to his daughter, Maika

“All my travails made me hate the taste of bullshit.” - Maika
..

Issue#22
“In my experience the almost-good are nearly as malign as the all-evil.” – Dracul

“Come with us, Lady Dracul. Someone who has travelled the stars shouldn’t live so far from the sky.” – Kippa
..

Issue#23
“She might be your wolf .. but she is my MONSTER..” Maika’s father to her mother
..

Issue#24
“Your futures are not written. But they WILL be… either to great benediction … or even GREATER tribulation.” – Mother to young Maika.
..

#25
“Marium, save us.” – refugees
“I made a promise …” – Kippa
.
#26
“Tuya, stay close! Keep talking to …” (6 years earlier)
.
#27
“These orders are SHIT.”
War is ghastly
.
#28
“… goddess … please … please .. I’ll do anything..” – Kippa
“I’ve missed the smell of witch blood.” – warrior-ess
.
#29
“Who is this … she .. who everyone keeps speaking of?”
.
#30
“TRUST CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT TRUTH … to quote the poets.”
……………..

# Talk-Stories – Part One
“No belly will be full, but there’ll be a bite for everyone.”
# Talk-Stories – Part Two
“Lightning squids! I didn’t think they were real!” – Young Maika. “Because no one survives he experience!” – Areka
“There is no more savage teacher than the sea, child. Remember that, when the danger comes. Fight like the sea – the sea is relentless. It never stops. It has no pity. It devours.”- Sauri Imura

[Marte · Rating 4 out of 5]

And the plot keeps thickening.

While volume 4’s amount of convoluted info-dumping, might’ve lowered my enjoyment for a short while, volume 5 and 6 made up for it in spades. At last, the many storylines started coming together, characters’ paths crossed, and I found it all immensely satisfying.
Volume 6 was also the first volume which wasn’t a re-read, and I’m really looking forward to whatever comes next (hello, that cliffhanger was rude). The talk-stories in the beginning of that volume were also a much-needed break from all the bleakness, and very efficiently made me even more invested in both Maika and Kippa as characters.

Monstress, Vol. 4: The Chosen
First read: July, 2021
Reread #1: January, 2024
New rating: 3.5★ → 3.5★

Monstress, Vol. 5: Warchild
First read: July/August, 2021
Reread #1: January, 2024
New rating: 3.5 ★ → 3.75★

Monstress, Vol. 6: The Vow
First read: January, 2024
Rating: 3.75★

[Gilang D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sana Takeda continues to amaze with its beautiful artwork. But it’s not just the visuals that stand out, the story is also getting more complicated and exciting.
The war at Ravenna is intense, with lots of deaths and bloodshed. I wish the author had taken a bigger risk by killing off an important character. Maybe it’s just my love for Game of Thrones, but I feel like a big loss could have been more impactful and raised the stakes even higher.
The motives of various key figures are also beginning to unfold. Usually for me, I would lose interest but Marjorie Liu manages to keep it alive. Even as I learn more about the characters’ desires and the universe’s lore, there’s still a sense of mystery. Like the gradual unveiling of the universe’s history though professor Tam-Tam continues to be interesting, as each explanation by her adds layers of depth to the already complex universe. I don't re-read the chapter as much as before, so that's a good sign.

[Kaiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was WAY more propulsive and interesting than the last and that’s saying something! A couple of the reading days were actually just me re-reading Book 1 to remember plot. I complained last time of getting lost in the middle and felt the beginnings of that this time just for all things Ravenna to slap me across the face.

Maika *feels* so much this time around, learns (kinda) from her mistakes, and generally becomes so much more interesting. Corvin (my kingggggg) and Pippa are fleshed out more as well - delightful! Tuya can fucking choke and die but it was cool seeing her as simultaneously a boss infiltrator and a massive failure at the same time. Overall char dev took the floor in these volumes so I wasn’t as awash in plot intricacies as Book 1. I really want to read Book 3 next but I’m not sure I can finish it and not burn something down when I remember Book 4 isn’t finished being written yet

[Sotofunkdamental · Rating 5 out of 5]

El mundo creado fascina e interesa, pero su historia se cuece a fuego muy lento (demasiado, diría yo). No obstante, poco a poco se van juntando todas las piezas, y aquí ya vemos la guerra entre la Federación de Humanos y los Arcánicos en la ciudad fronteriza de Ravenna. Eso sí, en algunos episodios lamentablemente el dibujo de Sana Takeda lo he visto cada vez más abocetado y rápido, escondido por una paleta de colores apagados y filtros. El lenguaje inclusivo sigue presente pero en menor medida, lo cual facilita bastante la lectura. Ya veremos el desenlace de la serie, estos episodios aquí incluidos me han convencido.

[Mattthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been quite a while since I've read Book One, so my memory is kinda foggy on the details. This was good, but I had a hard time getting my bearings and figuring out what the hell was going on for some of the story. We do find out quite a few things in this book about things that happened in the past. Also, there are nice enjoyable character moments, especially between Zinn and Maika and Maika and Kippa. The artwork was really good and detailed at times, but at other times, it looked rushed and sloppy. In spite of those things, it was still enjoyable, and I want to see what happens next.
Recommend