Graphic Novel Review – Monstress Vol 2: The Blood by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Manga
Length: 152 pages
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: July 11, 2017
ISBN-13: 978-1534300415
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd volume in the Monstress series
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars

“The Eisner-nominated MONSTRESS is back! Maika, Kippa, and Ren journey to Thyria in search of answers to her past… and discover a new, terrible, threat. Collects MONSTRESS #7-12”

This is the second volume in the Monstress graphic novel series. This was an amazing continuation of this fantasy graphic novel series. The illustration, story, world-building, and characters…all of it is absolutely phenomenal.

After finding a strange bone key in her mother’s room, Maika decide to journey to a deadly island to try to find out more about her past. While there Maika does find out a lot more about the monster inside her and during the journey she meets a new villain even more monstrous than she is.

I can’t praise the illustration of this graphic novel enough. The whole thing is absolutely stunning with muted colors and absolutely amazing detail both in the characters and in the backgrounds. It is just artistically amazing.

The characters are incredibly interesting and filled out as well, and not just Maika, many of the side characters are wonderfully intriguing. Additionally the world-building is very well done. This is an amazingly complex fantasy world that I am dying to learn more about.

This is a graphic novel for older readers; there’s quite a bit of graphic violence and language.

Overall this is one of those rare graphic novels that has is all: beautiful artwork, detailed world-building, amazing characters, and a wonderful story. I would recommend to mature readers who enjoy fantasy graphic novels. I definitely plan on continuing this series; it is one of my favorite graphic novel series right now.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
– New Release Reading Challenge
– Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
– Steampunk Reading Challenge
– Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge