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Where Black Stars Rise
AN IGNYTE AWARD WINNER FOR BEST COMICS TEAM!
"Where Black Stars Rise boldly pushes the limits of what a comic can do. ...
It's a gorgeous work. I loved it." —Trung Le Nguyen, author of The Magic Fish
Nadia Shammas and Marie Enger's Where Black Stars Rise is an eldritch horror graphic novel that explores mental illness and diaspora, set in modern-day Brooklyn.
Dr. Amal Robardin, a Lebanese immigrant and a therapist in training, finds herself out of her depth when her first client, Yasmin, a schizophrenic, is visited by a nightly malevolent presence that seems all too real. Yasmin becomes obsessed with Robert Chambers’ classic horror story collection The King in Yellow. Messages she finds in the book lead Yasmin to disappear, seeking answers she can’t find in therapy. Amal attempts to retrace her patient’s last steps—and accidentally slips through dimensions, ending up in Carcosa, realm of the King in Yellow. Determined to find her way out, Amal enlists the help of a mysterious guide. Can Amal save Yasmin? Or are they both trapped forever?
“Strange is the night where black stars rise, and strange moons circle through the skies. But stranger still is lost Carcosa...” —From The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
"Where Black Stars Rise boldly pushes the limits of what a comic can do. ...
It's a gorgeous work. I loved it." —Trung Le Nguyen, author of The Magic Fish
Nadia Shammas and Marie Enger's Where Black Stars Rise is an eldritch horror graphic novel that explores mental illness and diaspora, set in modern-day Brooklyn.
Dr. Amal Robardin, a Lebanese immigrant and a therapist in training, finds herself out of her depth when her first client, Yasmin, a schizophrenic, is visited by a nightly malevolent presence that seems all too real. Yasmin becomes obsessed with Robert Chambers’ classic horror story collection The King in Yellow. Messages she finds in the book lead Yasmin to disappear, seeking answers she can’t find in therapy. Amal attempts to retrace her patient’s last steps—and accidentally slips through dimensions, ending up in Carcosa, realm of the King in Yellow. Determined to find her way out, Amal enlists the help of a mysterious guide. Can Amal save Yasmin? Or are they both trapped forever?
“Strange is the night where black stars rise, and strange moons circle through the skies. But stranger still is lost Carcosa...” —From The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 18, 2022
9 people are currently reading
4804 people want to read
About the author
Nadia Shammas
73 books92 followersNadia Shammas is a Palestinian-American comics and games writer from Brooklyn, NY now living in Toronto, Canada.
She is best known for being the writer and co-creator of Squire (HarperCollins), a Harvey Award winning YA Middle Eastern fantasy graphic novel co-created with Sara Alfageeh. Her other original work includes Where Black Stars Rise (Tor Nightfire), an adult eldritch horror graphic novella co-created with Marie Enger.
She is also known for her work on Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin (Scholastic). Her clients include Marvel, DC Comics, IDW Publishing, First Second, Tor Nightfire, Penguin Random House, and HarperCollins.
She is best known for being the writer and co-creator of Squire (HarperCollins), a Harvey Award winning YA Middle Eastern fantasy graphic novel co-created with Sara Alfageeh. Her other original work includes Where Black Stars Rise (Tor Nightfire), an adult eldritch horror graphic novella co-created with Marie Enger.
She is also known for her work on Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin (Scholastic). Her clients include Marvel, DC Comics, IDW Publishing, First Second, Tor Nightfire, Penguin Random House, and HarperCollins.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
October 15, 2022
A lot of other reviewers seem confused by this which I think is because maybe a lack of previous exposure to eldritch/lovecraftian writing?
The story follows Amal, a new therapist with a perfectionist streak working with her patient, Yasmin, who has schizophrenia. She struggles to build an honest relationship with Yasmin as a doctor, while refusing to acknowledge her own shortcomings - which eventually goes terribly wrong, as Yasmin goes missing after weeks of strange nightmares. She is determined to find Yasmin, and in doing so, wanders through worlds.
The book lifts much of its setting from The King in Yellow, a book of short stories tied together by the eponymous play that, after performance, seems to herald catastrophe. As Amal ends up in Carcosa, where black stars hang in the sky, the art and layout, time, her quest, all become muddled as her mind and spirit disintegrates.
Eldritch locations at their heart are difficult to describe, because if you CAN describe it, it's not eldritch. I think this is where some other folks got lost because they're looking for explanations or a linear read and it can't provide either of those without losing itself.
What I really enjoyed is that the book doesn't backtrack on Yasmin actually having schizophrenia AND ALSO seeing things that really are there. Her mental illness is not symptomatic of her otherworldly trek, but a part of her and not something to be 'cured' at the end. Amal also recognizing the damage talk therapy can do to someone simply by not really listening to them, and striving to be better - as a person, as well as understanding therapy from the patient side - was a really nice touch.
The art is beautiful and while initially I was disappointed seeing how short the book is, it's the perfect length.
The story follows Amal, a new therapist with a perfectionist streak working with her patient, Yasmin, who has schizophrenia. She struggles to build an honest relationship with Yasmin as a doctor, while refusing to acknowledge her own shortcomings - which eventually goes terribly wrong, as Yasmin goes missing after weeks of strange nightmares. She is determined to find Yasmin, and in doing so, wanders through worlds.
The book lifts much of its setting from The King in Yellow, a book of short stories tied together by the eponymous play that, after performance, seems to herald catastrophe. As Amal ends up in Carcosa, where black stars hang in the sky, the art and layout, time, her quest, all become muddled as her mind and spirit disintegrates.
Eldritch locations at their heart are difficult to describe, because if you CAN describe it, it's not eldritch. I think this is where some other folks got lost because they're looking for explanations or a linear read and it can't provide either of those without losing itself.
What I really enjoyed is that the book doesn't backtrack on Yasmin actually having schizophrenia AND ALSO seeing things that really are there. Her mental illness is not symptomatic of her otherworldly trek, but a part of her and not something to be 'cured' at the end. Amal also recognizing the damage talk therapy can do to someone simply by not really listening to them, and striving to be better - as a person, as well as understanding therapy from the patient side - was a really nice touch.
The art is beautiful and while initially I was disappointed seeing how short the book is, it's the perfect length.
November 27, 2022
3.0 stars
Horror tends to work well in the visual format so I was excited to check out the first graphic novel from the Tor Nightfire line. The artwork style was not my favourite as I tend to prefer my realistic styles. However the color palate was wonderfully bright and bold. I tend to really enjoy psychological fiction but this one didn't work for me on that level. I did however appreciate the cultural diversity within this story.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Horror tends to work well in the visual format so I was excited to check out the first graphic novel from the Tor Nightfire line. The artwork style was not my favourite as I tend to prefer my realistic styles. However the color palate was wonderfully bright and bold. I tend to really enjoy psychological fiction but this one didn't work for me on that level. I did however appreciate the cultural diversity within this story.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
November 16, 2022
It was all a dream . . . or was it?
GYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! NOOOOTTTTT AAAAGGGGAAAAIIINNNNNN!!!!!!
Third one this month. I thought it was Movember not Dreamvember.
And to make the surreal horror/fantasy/dream sequence even worse, to fully appreciate it (and who really wants to fully appreciate a dream sequence?), you even need to do homework and read some old proto-Lovecraftian book called The King in Yellow from 1895. No, no, nope, naw, nuh-uh.
And then we get to the art . . . Is it heavily stylized or just very sloppy? Regardless, it's a hindrance as reading order becomes confusing with a jumble of panels that sometimes randomly stretch across two pages just to mess with you. Everything is so vague and messy, it wasn't until the end matter that I discovered one page was supposed to show a pomegranate full of teeth. Even with a character shouting about teeth on the page, I had had no clue what I was looking at. I'm thinking I could use more such notes to decipher a bunch of the other opaque doodles.
Garbage, through and through.
GYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! NOOOOTTTTT AAAAGGGGAAAAIIINNNNNN!!!!!!
Third one this month. I thought it was Movember not Dreamvember.
And to make the surreal horror/fantasy/dream sequence even worse, to fully appreciate it (and who really wants to fully appreciate a dream sequence?), you even need to do homework and read some old proto-Lovecraftian book called The King in Yellow from 1895. No, no, nope, naw, nuh-uh.
And then we get to the art . . . Is it heavily stylized or just very sloppy? Regardless, it's a hindrance as reading order becomes confusing with a jumble of panels that sometimes randomly stretch across two pages just to mess with you. Everything is so vague and messy, it wasn't until the end matter that I discovered one page was supposed to show a pomegranate full of teeth. Even with a character shouting about teeth on the page, I had had no clue what I was looking at. I'm thinking I could use more such notes to decipher a bunch of the other opaque doodles.
Garbage, through and through.
February 13, 2023
"I've always loved horror, particularly eldritch horror. Despite the deeply racist and misogynistic roots of these works, primarily the violent xenophobia of its creators, there's an existential understanding as to what it feels like to be powerless. While these men grappled with the horror of an uncaring universe, marginalized individuals grapple with the horror of a system specifically designed not to care about us."
Tonight, after the Rihanna concert, I took an edible & read the unsettling Where Black Stars Rise by Nadia Shammas & Marie Enger.
Dang.
I was not prepared for this graphic novel to go the places it did; the deep gut-punch portrayal of mental illness, therapy & diaspora within a frantic, subversive eldritch horror. Plus the artwork is vulnerable & unhinged in just the most gloriously rad of ways!
And I cannot unsee the pomegranates.
::shiver::
I'm bloody excited for more graphic novels to come from the Tor Nightfire imprint!
Tonight, after the Rihanna concert, I took an edible & read the unsettling Where Black Stars Rise by Nadia Shammas & Marie Enger.
Dang.
I was not prepared for this graphic novel to go the places it did; the deep gut-punch portrayal of mental illness, therapy & diaspora within a frantic, subversive eldritch horror. Plus the artwork is vulnerable & unhinged in just the most gloriously rad of ways!
And I cannot unsee the pomegranates.
::shiver::
I'm bloody excited for more graphic novels to come from the Tor Nightfire imprint!
February 11, 2024
In all honesty, I'll probably reread this at some point since I didn't entirely either get the eldritch horror aspects, or The King in Yellow references that this comic is based on. Oh well. I did appreciate that it's queer, features a Lebanese main character as well as tackles mental health from a novel point of view
The art style is unique and makes use of a lot of yellow. It's also reminiscent of Marie Enger's art in Under Kingdom but definitely more suited to this comic
The art style is unique and makes use of a lot of yellow. It's also reminiscent of Marie Enger's art in Under Kingdom but definitely more suited to this comic
July 22, 2022
I’m a bit disappointed by this one, it was good but not great. Although there’s was a lot of character development in this, there wasn’t much to hold my attention and it was a bit difficult to read in spots.
October 31, 2022
This is a bizarre, dreamlike graphic novel that explores themes of therapy, family, fear, and accountability. The illustrations were angular and saturated with color. Parts of the story could be difficult to understand, but I saw them as following “dream logic.”
November 4, 2023
Content notes for schizophrenia and night terrors.
What keywords came to mind reading this volume? Training, failure, perfection, dream, and lost.
Looking at the art first, it certainly wasn't for everyone but I really enjoyed it. Jagged, with a very deliberately chosen colour scheme I particularly liked how frenetic it felt. Which really augmented the feeling of the story nicely. Plus the layouts and overall compositions were really interesting.
Writing wise I also just got immediately sucked in... After reading through Sandman for a while I've still been chewing on the question of how mental health and horror can intertwine and how they can flourish better together, in contrast with the definitely bad/lazy use of people who are "craaAazy" as the monstrous other. Anyway, this felt like a fairly successful attempt at an answer. Although perhaps just the start? Either way, very engrossing.
To break things down a little more, clearly labeled as a remix/response to The King in Yellow collection of short stories by Robert W. Chambers a predecessor to Lovecraft in the whole Eldritch Horror thing... The story does take a bit of a break in the middle to get meta. Breaking down how even from their bigoted pedestals of privilege, people like Chambers were able to create a sub-genre that centres powerlessness in the face of uncaring systems. "while these men grappled with the horror of an uncaring universe, marginalized individuals grapple with the horror of a system specifically designed not to care about us. We are born into something larger, something malevolent, something we have no power to stop."
The power dynamics between our characters were deliberately complicated as well. Our POV character, as a therapist, clearly has power over her patient. On the other hand we have Yasmin, someone who has been going to therapy for a long time and who has a lot of experience and wisdom that Amal, as a brand new therapist, finds intimidating. And despite all the very interesting things going on and being said I can't help but feel like the ending was a bit of a let down and leaves Yasmin as such a question mark. Although perhaps I'm missing something. There is a lot of dream logic going on in the second half.
Relationships also felt fairly central to the story, with Amal being at the centre of a galaxy of people dancing around her. We have parents, we have a lover, we have a mentor, and we have a patient. Each relationship charged with its own unique, but incredibly strong, energy.
Listening is something that is really questioned and exercised through the text, alongside perfectionism.
Going through the various intersections as we do for every review, you will not be too surprised that I ranked disability as one of the central themes of the story.
Sexuality and race come in a fairly distinct second, but even within our relatively small cast we see a deliberate move to make each person fairly unique, with a strong sense of diverse experiences.
I was not surprised at all to see a pull quotes from Trung Le Nguyen and Sloane Leong, as their work also highlights different facets of the queer BIPOC diaspora experience. Which is certainly something that, as a white queer person, I think the community really needs and should appreciate. Links to my review of Prism Stalker and The Magic Fish.
Gender and class, while not entirely ignored, did feel like the least focused on aspects of the story. Four stars.
What keywords came to mind reading this volume? Training, failure, perfection, dream, and lost.
Looking at the art first, it certainly wasn't for everyone but I really enjoyed it. Jagged, with a very deliberately chosen colour scheme I particularly liked how frenetic it felt. Which really augmented the feeling of the story nicely. Plus the layouts and overall compositions were really interesting.
Writing wise I also just got immediately sucked in... After reading through Sandman for a while I've still been chewing on the question of how mental health and horror can intertwine and how they can flourish better together, in contrast with the definitely bad/lazy use of people who are "craaAazy" as the monstrous other. Anyway, this felt like a fairly successful attempt at an answer. Although perhaps just the start? Either way, very engrossing.
To break things down a little more, clearly labeled as a remix/response to The King in Yellow collection of short stories by Robert W. Chambers a predecessor to Lovecraft in the whole Eldritch Horror thing... The story does take a bit of a break in the middle to get meta. Breaking down how even from their bigoted pedestals of privilege, people like Chambers were able to create a sub-genre that centres powerlessness in the face of uncaring systems. "while these men grappled with the horror of an uncaring universe, marginalized individuals grapple with the horror of a system specifically designed not to care about us. We are born into something larger, something malevolent, something we have no power to stop."
The power dynamics between our characters were deliberately complicated as well. Our POV character, as a therapist, clearly has power over her patient. On the other hand we have Yasmin, someone who has been going to therapy for a long time and who has a lot of experience and wisdom that Amal, as a brand new therapist, finds intimidating. And despite all the very interesting things going on and being said I can't help but feel like the ending was a bit of a let down and leaves Yasmin as such a question mark. Although perhaps I'm missing something. There is a lot of dream logic going on in the second half.
Relationships also felt fairly central to the story, with Amal being at the centre of a galaxy of people dancing around her. We have parents, we have a lover, we have a mentor, and we have a patient. Each relationship charged with its own unique, but incredibly strong, energy.
Listening is something that is really questioned and exercised through the text, alongside perfectionism.
Going through the various intersections as we do for every review, you will not be too surprised that I ranked disability as one of the central themes of the story.
Sexuality and race come in a fairly distinct second, but even within our relatively small cast we see a deliberate move to make each person fairly unique, with a strong sense of diverse experiences.
I was not surprised at all to see a pull quotes from Trung Le Nguyen and Sloane Leong, as their work also highlights different facets of the queer BIPOC diaspora experience. Which is certainly something that, as a white queer person, I think the community really needs and should appreciate. Links to my review of Prism Stalker and The Magic Fish.
Gender and class, while not entirely ignored, did feel like the least focused on aspects of the story. Four stars.
January 12, 2024
Wonderfully unique art style and an interesting concept for a story about a therapist.
Amal is a new therapist and struggling with how to help her first client, Yasmin. I thought the awkwardness between them was portrayed well. Amal is trying incredibly hard and getting weighed down by her rigidity and determination to keep things formal and clinical. Throughout this process, Yasmin is just struggling to find someone to believe her and not reduce her fears and nightmares to symptoms of her mental illness and that was a compelling aspect of the story.
The art style and use of colors (so much yellow!) made this a graphic novel I will remember for quite some time.
I also appreciated the rep included queer women of color.
Amal is a new therapist and struggling with how to help her first client, Yasmin. I thought the awkwardness between them was portrayed well. Amal is trying incredibly hard and getting weighed down by her rigidity and determination to keep things formal and clinical. Throughout this process, Yasmin is just struggling to find someone to believe her and not reduce her fears and nightmares to symptoms of her mental illness and that was a compelling aspect of the story.
The art style and use of colors (so much yellow!) made this a graphic novel I will remember for quite some time.
I also appreciated the rep included queer women of color.
December 26, 2023
Okay I'm convinced that the copy I got from Libby is somehow defective??? 😭😂 Either that or the fact that I need to read more this genre (eldritch horror). I mean, the synopsis sounds really good and I loved the artwork and color. But yeah, I am confused 😭😂
I think I would have really loved this though.
I think I would have really loved this though.
December 20, 2024
Something like this needs to be a slow burn but things are resolved really quickly.
January 30, 2023
There are good moments here, but they're lost in a sea of questionable art and really obscure literary references. (At least, I think they are obscure literary references? Too obscure to tell.) The art has flashes of brilliance and a wonderful color palette, but overall did more to confuse the story than propel it. And the story really could have used some help. Disappointing.
October 11, 2022
Review in the October 2022 issue of LJ and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2022/10... [link live 10/12/22]
4.5 stars!
Three Words That Describe This Book: character centered, inclusive retelling, disorienting
Uses the King in Yellow as a frame but updates it with immigrant protagonist, LGBTQ, mental health issues, and story within a story frame
Told in a visceral visual style with liberal uses of black, yellow, and sharp angles, heightening the unease of the storyline on every page, and including ominous textual notes of warning deftly incorporated into the art throughout, this an impressive graphic novel about life in the diaspora, an inclusive retelling, and a strong, Cosmic Horror tale.
Draft Review: Yasmin comes to Amal, a newly minted therapist, for their first session. Amal is very affected by Yasmin’s story. Unsure of how she is handling this first client, Amal shares her worries with her mentor and girlfriend. Amal is also navigating her life in America while trying to stay anchored to her family back in Lebanon. After a few sessions, Yasmin disappears and Amal goes out to find them. Her search leads her to an alternative theater company, the backstage of which is a portal into a weird subworld, one that is eerily similar to that portrayed in the Cosmic Horror classic “The King in Yellow.” Told in a visceral visual style with liberal uses of black, yellow, and sharp angles, heightening the unease of the storyline on every page, and including ominous textual notes of warning deftly incorporated into the art throughout, this an impressive graphic novel about life in the diaspora, an inclusive retelling, and a strong, Cosmic Horror tale.
Verdict: While familiarity with “The King in Yellow” could enhance the reading experience, it is not necessary as this book stands firmly and confidently on its own two, weird fiction, feet. A great option for fans of Kingfisher’s modern updates of Horror classics and the recent King in Yellow inspired anthology, Under Twin Suns: Alternate Histories of the Yellow Sign.
4.5 stars!
Three Words That Describe This Book: character centered, inclusive retelling, disorienting
Uses the King in Yellow as a frame but updates it with immigrant protagonist, LGBTQ, mental health issues, and story within a story frame
Told in a visceral visual style with liberal uses of black, yellow, and sharp angles, heightening the unease of the storyline on every page, and including ominous textual notes of warning deftly incorporated into the art throughout, this an impressive graphic novel about life in the diaspora, an inclusive retelling, and a strong, Cosmic Horror tale.
Draft Review: Yasmin comes to Amal, a newly minted therapist, for their first session. Amal is very affected by Yasmin’s story. Unsure of how she is handling this first client, Amal shares her worries with her mentor and girlfriend. Amal is also navigating her life in America while trying to stay anchored to her family back in Lebanon. After a few sessions, Yasmin disappears and Amal goes out to find them. Her search leads her to an alternative theater company, the backstage of which is a portal into a weird subworld, one that is eerily similar to that portrayed in the Cosmic Horror classic “The King in Yellow.” Told in a visceral visual style with liberal uses of black, yellow, and sharp angles, heightening the unease of the storyline on every page, and including ominous textual notes of warning deftly incorporated into the art throughout, this an impressive graphic novel about life in the diaspora, an inclusive retelling, and a strong, Cosmic Horror tale.
Verdict: While familiarity with “The King in Yellow” could enhance the reading experience, it is not necessary as this book stands firmly and confidently on its own two, weird fiction, feet. A great option for fans of Kingfisher’s modern updates of Horror classics and the recent King in Yellow inspired anthology, Under Twin Suns: Alternate Histories of the Yellow Sign.
July 16, 2023
Confusing yet I was able to connect the artwork with the reality of confronting mental health issues.
March 17, 2024
This was so good. I’m glad I went in without reading the jacket blurb or even knowing what genre it was, because that’s the entire plot. Loved the art.
July 10, 2023
Den här boken har en rätt intressant premiss. Den utspelar sig I Brooklyn i nutid och vi följer terapeuten Amal som tar sig a Yasmin en iransk kvinna diagnoserad med schizofreni. Yasmin lider av drömmar och vanföreställningar av ett slag som Lovecraft kännare kan relatera till.
Liten lektion:
Kungen i gult kommer egentligen från en novellsamling skriven av Robert W. Chambers 1895 och det är alltså Lovecraft som inspirerats snarare än tvärt om. I novellsamlingen återkommer ofta en pjäs(The King in Yellow) ungefär på samma sätt som Lovecraft använder Necronomicon. Slut på lektionen.
Yasmin försvinner och Amal letar reda på henne. Hon håller på med teater och .... Jag ni kanske förstår. Det är en pjäs inblandad.
Upplägget är intressant och serien är väldigt visuellt slående. Det blir något besvärade otäckt med en serie i samma stil som en typisk självbiografi som hamnar i kosmisk skräck och vågar koppla det till psykisk sjukdom. Jag ger serien en stark 3:a och det kan vara ett mycket högre betyg om man bedömer den utifrån en serieälskares perspektiv.
Men jag som skriver lite mer för biblioteken och en mer allmän publik gör lite avdrag för att historien efter ett tag hamnar allt för mycket i surrealism och slutet blir egentligen inte supertydligt för mig.
Det är en bra serie men också lite av en serie som hamnar för mycket i det konstnärliga facket för mig.
Liten lektion:
Kungen i gult kommer egentligen från en novellsamling skriven av Robert W. Chambers 1895 och det är alltså Lovecraft som inspirerats snarare än tvärt om. I novellsamlingen återkommer ofta en pjäs(The King in Yellow) ungefär på samma sätt som Lovecraft använder Necronomicon. Slut på lektionen.
Yasmin försvinner och Amal letar reda på henne. Hon håller på med teater och .... Jag ni kanske förstår. Det är en pjäs inblandad.
Upplägget är intressant och serien är väldigt visuellt slående. Det blir något besvärade otäckt med en serie i samma stil som en typisk självbiografi som hamnar i kosmisk skräck och vågar koppla det till psykisk sjukdom. Jag ger serien en stark 3:a och det kan vara ett mycket högre betyg om man bedömer den utifrån en serieälskares perspektiv.
Men jag som skriver lite mer för biblioteken och en mer allmän publik gör lite avdrag för att historien efter ett tag hamnar allt för mycket i surrealism och slutet blir egentligen inte supertydligt för mig.
Det är en bra serie men också lite av en serie som hamnar för mycket i det konstnärliga facket för mig.
January 20, 2023
A brand new therapist takes on a patient with schizophrenia that she doesn’t do very well by, though her intent is do so. When the patient goes missing she goes in search for her, unable to let it go, and this leads her own spiral, extrapolated into a horrific experience.
I haven’t really read any eldritch horror before and I can’t say that particular aspect did much for me. I really liked that it treated mental illness quite well in that context, which I think is hard to do. And I liked the characters and the arc quite a bit. The art style wasn’t my favourite and the binding in this paperback is wildly tight, so it’s actually a difficult book to rate. I ended up with a 3.5 rounded up, because I’m mostly positive on it!
I haven’t really read any eldritch horror before and I can’t say that particular aspect did much for me. I really liked that it treated mental illness quite well in that context, which I think is hard to do. And I liked the characters and the arc quite a bit. The art style wasn’t my favourite and the binding in this paperback is wildly tight, so it’s actually a difficult book to rate. I ended up with a 3.5 rounded up, because I’m mostly positive on it!
January 27, 2025
Rep: Iranian female MC, Lebanese female MC, Black SC, Sapphic
Ooh! Good shit! Hello!
Okay: it’s an eldritch horror rewritten. The OG horror story this is based off of is a southern white American story. Add a little spice by putting some BIPOC queens in there! Very goood!
I thoroughly enjoyed the retelling from a BIPOC lens of “how do BIPOC people do in a white man’s horror” (spoiler, we’ve been doing it our whole lives so here we are!)
TW: schizophrenia, not listening to mental health, immigrant (iykyk it’s traumatic I am one myself)
Ooh! Good shit! Hello!
Okay: it’s an eldritch horror rewritten. The OG horror story this is based off of is a southern white American story. Add a little spice by putting some BIPOC queens in there! Very goood!
I thoroughly enjoyed the retelling from a BIPOC lens of “how do BIPOC people do in a white man’s horror” (spoiler, we’ve been doing it our whole lives so here we are!)
TW: schizophrenia, not listening to mental health, immigrant (iykyk it’s traumatic I am one myself)
March 16, 2023
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫
Critical Score: B
Personal Score: B+
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘📘(4/5)
This one is almost amazing. The artwork is really rich and original but sometimes confusing and hard to look at. The writing is evocative and smart, but sometimes clunky. The story is subversive and eerie, but the pacing is wonky.
I love the characters, and the themes are progressive and challenging. This is a super cool graphic novel, and despite my reservations, I think it deserves more praise.
Critical Score: B
Personal Score: B+
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘📘(4/5)
This one is almost amazing. The artwork is really rich and original but sometimes confusing and hard to look at. The writing is evocative and smart, but sometimes clunky. The story is subversive and eerie, but the pacing is wonky.
I love the characters, and the themes are progressive and challenging. This is a super cool graphic novel, and despite my reservations, I think it deserves more praise.
November 22, 2022
Read via library.
March 17, 2023
Schizophrenia is a terrifying disease and this great short story shows how otherworldly it can be. The art style was really distinct- LARGE and impressionistic. The colors are deep.
June 8, 2023
Read Harder 2023 - Task #22 ALT {comics team 2023}
April 26, 2024
I genuinely really loved this. Check trigger warnings. V cosmic horror-y. Definitely recommend.
September 1, 2024
I love a unique art style with world building that’s thought out.
May 17, 2025
Loved it. An engaging story about family, friendship, accountability and mental health, paired with a striking color scheme that deliciously evokes the characters' descent into an eldritch phantasmagoria. Also enjoyed the ambivalent ending, though I wouldn't have minded had the story been longer, with more to Amal and Yasmin's relationship. Worth rereading too!
December 22, 2025
oh my god.
the best graphic novel i’ve read this year. so short, so grabbing and cold.
the best graphic novel i’ve read this year. so short, so grabbing and cold.
November 14, 2023
The only way out is through.
December 29, 2022
I purchased this book, but I did see that the advance copy available contained only the first 16 pages, so reviews from before the Oct 2022 release may not have read the full 128 page story--I saw a lot of confusion and mentions of an unsatisfying ending but didn't have that reading experience at all.
Where Black Stars Rise is a gorgeous, jagged, unflinching graphic novel that follows therapist Amal as she works with her first ever patient. That patient, Yasmin, has schizophrenia and is struggling with an UNRELATED supernatural situation (inspired by the eldritch classic The King in Yellow).
The text that accompanies the art is at times difficult to read, sometimes due to low contrast between background and text but more often due to the almost non-euclidean construction of the panels. It's worth the effort, and the book is short enough that I never minded taking my time with each page.
The artist (Marie Enger) is also the creator of the incredibly cool DEATH TO THE WIZARD KINGS! and the author (Nadia Shammas) also wrote one of my favorite short stories, "The Center of the Universe," so I had high expectations going in and this book exceeded them. I really appreciated the way the story addressed frustration with therapy and how Yasmin's schizophrenia was narratively present but separate from her nightmarish visions of lost Carcosa.
Where Black Stars Rise is a gorgeous, jagged, unflinching graphic novel that follows therapist Amal as she works with her first ever patient. That patient, Yasmin, has schizophrenia and is struggling with an UNRELATED supernatural situation (inspired by the eldritch classic The King in Yellow).
The text that accompanies the art is at times difficult to read, sometimes due to low contrast between background and text but more often due to the almost non-euclidean construction of the panels. It's worth the effort, and the book is short enough that I never minded taking my time with each page.
The artist (Marie Enger) is also the creator of the incredibly cool DEATH TO THE WIZARD KINGS! and the author (Nadia Shammas) also wrote one of my favorite short stories, "The Center of the Universe," so I had high expectations going in and this book exceeded them. I really appreciated the way the story addressed frustration with therapy and how Yasmin's schizophrenia was narratively present but separate from her nightmarish visions of lost Carcosa.
November 16, 2023
I was so excited by the concept of this book; the description on the back cover made it seem like the focus would be on exploring the visualization of schizophrenia and the journey through it. However, the entire plot is centered on the therapist worrying about herself and ultimately realizing that she was only thinking about herself and not the patient. She then goes on to continue focusing on herself. Maybe it's not a big deal, but it really annoyed me and it felt like the patient was fridged.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 19, 2022*I received a copy of Where Black Stars Rise via a Goodreads Giveaway*
This is a 16 page sneak peak I received. I felt this was kind of hard to read because the lettering is almost the same shade as the background and I wasn't a fan of the artwork. Will I read the full length version when it gets released? Probably not.
This is a 16 page sneak peak I received. I felt this was kind of hard to read because the lettering is almost the same shade as the background and I wasn't a fan of the artwork. Will I read the full length version when it gets released? Probably not.
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