Thatcher is on a journey of self-destruction after he finds himself cursed, turning more and more demonic as the days go by. He soon runs into the free-spirited Rayne, who believes there might be a way to cure him. Together, they travel the country, working to unravel his predicament, while trying to survive each other.
K. Lynn Smith is an award winning artist and writer from the Mid-Michigan area. She is the writer and artist of the western comic PLUME, published by Devil's Due Comics, and the series FOR GOODNESS' SAKE, and has been involved with projects such as Boom!'s GARFIELD: HIS 9 LIVES, Space Between Entertainment's AFTERGLOW, Source Point Press' HOPE, and Scout Comic's LOOT.
I truly can't recommend this book enough! It completely took me by surprise.
I loved the world that is built here. We see a demon who didn't used to be a demon, a human woman who is sunshine-y and nice, and completely intent on helping turn our demon back into a real boy. Learning about the rules behind the demon powers and what not was fascinating, and really added to the world. It was a nice mix between fantasy and contemporary.
Along these lines, I loved learning more about our demon, Thatcher. He was cursed and the story behind it is so interesting. I loved all the little flashbacks we got of our demon's life, and really coming to understand how he came to be who he is. Also, his sarcastic and grumpy personality was so fun. And Rayne was his perfect opposite. She was intent on being good and helping others, especially him. Seeing their stories converge was thrilling and made this story more than just a fun adventure. There was actual heart and emotion behind it.
Overall, I loved every second of this book! If you like graphic novels with a grumpy/sunshine pair, a great mix of fun adventure and heart, and some truly excellent insults, check this one out!
I have the hardback version of this book and it is a lovely book to hold, but that is not we're here, this is "goodreads" so what of the contents? The story itself is the standard mismatched pair of Thatcher and Rayne having, or sometimes choosing, to put up with each other as they work through their issues. That is not to say it is boring or predictable. One indicator of that is that my first reading of this took much less time than I'd like. Usually I like to pace myself through a new book so as not to overindulge, but many times when I was ready to pause I had to keep going because I needed to know what happened next.
The humor in both the characters and the book itself are delightful, e.g. "Chapter Twelve: The reunion of the fan and its shit". This make is a joy to read. But, there's more. I was originally attracted to this book by K. Lynn Smith's drawing style (which is very important for me in selecting "bande-dessinée" books). As can be seen from the cover illustration is a nice clear style as it is throughout the book. The page layout and camera angles flow smoothly and do not get in the way of the story as can be the case when authors try too hard. And overall it is a delight for the eye and the mind.
I don't normally include graphic novels on good reads, but this one was amazing. I picked it up at NYCC knowing absolutely nothing about it other than that it looked cute, and I put off reading it for a while. But I just sat down and read it and I think it's my favorite thing I've read all year. I want more. I hope her other books are just as good, because I now feel compelled to find everything she has written.