Monstress, Volume 2: The Blood

Monstress #2

by Marjorie M. Liu (Writer), Sana Takeda (Illustrator)

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

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

152 pages, Paperback

First published June 21, 2017

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

[Jesse (JesseTheReader)]

I appreciated this volume for bringing in more background with Maika's mom, because I feel like she's a big player in the background of the story and up until now we hadn't seen many of the threads of the story that lead to where Maika currently is in the chaos of the story. I still feel like there is A LOT going on and I think things will be even more clear when I re-read it at some point, but I'm still enjoying seeing where this story is going.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! I didn't love this volume quite as much as volume 1, but still adored it and this story.

2021: I enjoyed this even more on reread. Still probably not quite a 5 star, mostly because it wasn’t as expansive as the first volume, but I think I’m connecting more of the dots during this re-read. 4.75 stars

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I freaking loved it! This one is even better than the first one. Maika Halfwolf, Kippa, and Captain Ren are all together again in this one. Maika is on a journey to find something and get rid of something. There are a ton of wonderful characters in the book! I took some pictures from my book. They aren't that great but you will get an idea of some of the awesome graphics and creatures =) And they are not in order, just like my life!













ENJOY!

Mel ♥

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vol. 1: Awakening ★★★★★

“Halfwolf’s daughter has returned.”

In Volume Two: The Blood, We are thrown back into this amazing world that I love so much. We are reintroduced to a girl that is living with a monster inside of her. She is being hunted, but trying to piece together all the parts that make up her past, including what happened to her mother, who taught her at a young age to be strong in a world that will refuse to ever accept you.

Moriko and her sidekicks that she doesn’t want to love, Kippa and Ren, are on a completely new adventure, which involves a ship, a pirate crew, a mysterious island, and maybe some ghosts. The banter is perfection, the art is quite literally a gift to the world, and the story is a masterpiece. This is my favorite graphic novel series of all time.

And the message about never letting anyone control you, about rising to the top of a world that wants nothing more than to drag you down, is so powerful. This graphic novel is a fantasy inspired world that is ownvoices, and this graphic novel is filled with PoC characters. Also, Moriko only has one arm, but shows the world constantly how she should never be underestimated because of her disability. This is a super diverse series, and this story is filled with discussions about fear tactics and hate speech, and shows how easily hate speech can turn into hate actions.

Trigger and content warnings for a lot of blood, a lot of gore, and a whole lot of violence. Slavery, war themes, child abuse, animal cruelty, experimentations on unwilling living creatures, and one pretty dark birthing scene. This is a very dark graphic novel, please use caution.

But this series is so perfect, and I truly believe it is a tier above anything else out there right now. If you feel like you are in the right mindset, I can’t implore you enough to pick Awakening up and give it a try.



I’m now going to just break down each single issue super quickly! Minor spoilers ahead!

➽ CHAPTER SEVEN -
We are reintroduced to Moriko, and we get to revisit the monster that is trying to very hard to escape her. Kippa is the best character in all existence. Ren is second best. And I love all the cat people, so much, even when they are bad sometimes. Moriko finds a bone key and procures a ship and a crew to take her to an island that might have the answers about her mother.

➽ CHAPTER EIGHT -
Moriko talks about how it has always hurt her that she never received any Goddess-marks to easily show that she is like the other Arcanic children, even though she carries so much power within herself. And then we see a new monster that lurks in the sea below, right before the ship is attacked.

➽ CHAPTER NINE -
We get to see some flashbacks of Moriko’s mother teaching her, but we see how hard her mother was on her. Honestly? It just made me want to protect her even more. Also, Kippa is smart, perfect, and oh so loyal. I love her more than words.

➽ CHAPTER TEN -
This issue had some of the most beautiful art I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I could frame something on every single page. Perfection. But Moriko, Kippa, and Ren are on a smaller boat, heading to the island together. And the bone key comes into play, in a pretty amazing way. But once they get to the island, they quickly realize they are not alone.

➽ CHAPTER ELEVEN -
I loved this issue, because we get to know Moriko’s monster a little bit better through more flashbacks. And I’m loving all these breadcrumbs so much. And Moriko also gets more knowledge about her mother, but for a price.

➽ CHAPTER TWELVE -
Oh boy, this concluding issue left me needing the next volume this very instant! Also, I know I shouldn’t, but I love the ferryman. Moriko is able to put on the part of the mask she has in her possession, but someone else senses it immediately; her father.



Again, this graphic novel is everything to me. Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda are a gift to the world, and I will read this series for as long as they create it. If you’re looking for an adult, high fantasy, dark, ownvoices, Asian inspired graphic novel series, please pick this up. From the art, to the characters, to the mysteries, to the messages, this is a masterpiece in every single way.

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Readalong for the BooktubeSFF Awards which is being hosted by:
🌑 Samantha from Sam's Nonsense
🌒 Frankie from Frankie Reads
🌓 Kaitlin from Kitty G
🌔 Rachel from Kalanadi
🌕 Thomas from SFF180
🌖 Connor from Connor O'Brien
🌗 Sam from Thoughts on Tomes
🌘 Chelsea from TheReadingOutlaw
🌑 Elena from Elena Reads Books

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arrgh, me matey!



Volume 2 probably would have been cool even if Liu hadn't decided to make it pirate-themed, but with the addition of the high seas adventure she really kicked that shit up a notch.



Or is that just me?
You know, sailors just don't get enough credit for being badass in my opinion. Think about it! Mother Nature is a vicious bitch and she's at her most terrifying in the ocean. I mean, who knows what the fuck is lurking down at the bottom of that sucker?!



And all that horrific aquatic shit works well with the rest of this fantasy story about gods and monsters.



Truth time?
I'm not really sure how to even review The Blood. It's gorgeous and gross. It's crazy and confusing.
But. It does manage to give you a few answers!
Ish.
Hell, I don't know. I got nothing!
It's really weird but super cool, so check it out if you're looking for something outside the normal capes and tights comic.

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: On ancient trauma, mommy dramas, several shock reveals, long-term goals, imprisoned souls, and maritime ordeals.

*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #7-8 ◦ Issues #9-10 ◦ Issues #11-12

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monstress returns with another great installment.

“Just because you are afraid you won't have anything tomorrow doesn't mean you shouldn't help people today.”

Monstress is the only one out of two graphic novels—the other is Elric adaptation by Julien Blondel—that I’m willing to continue until the end. I know it will still be a while until its completion but to me, the two volume in Monstress is already better than my entire experience with the six-volume I’ve read of Saga by Brian K. Vaughn. Not only I’m definitely rooting for this to win Goodreads Awards 2017, Monstress Volume 1 also just won the Hugo Award 2017 in the ‘Best graphic novel’ category, beating Saga and it’s definitely for a great reason.

I’ve stated this in my previous review, but Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda is truly one heck of a duo. The storyline is great, this time with more actions, character developments for Maika, and revelations for the Monstrum and the Old Gods. As usual, the artworks never failed to impress me. Without the artwork done by Sana Takeda, Monstress would be an ‘okay’ graphic novel at best. Here's an example of the gorgeous artwork



Once again, I highly recommend Monstress to every graphic novels reader, in my opinion, it's one of the greatest out there in the market right now.

[Caz (littlebookowl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 stars!

Really enjoying this series so far, and the illustrations are absolutely superb!

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent continuation from the previous volume from the brilliant Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda. The menagerie of cats, lions, foxes and shark humanoids reminded me of the art in Da qualche parte tra le ombre. The story is still a little convoluted but nonetheless fascinating and engaging. Will Maika come to terms with her dual nature? The Isle of Bones was gorgeously illustrated and I loved the storyline. Only downside is that we have to wait a few more months for Monstress, Vol. 3: HavenVol 3...

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The closest thing I've read to a true illustrated fantasy novel. The art and story combine with Manga and Lovecraftian influences for a unique experience. I'm not sure how a book can look both ethereally beautiful and gut-wrenchingly bloody and awful at the same time. Reading this often feels like the first time I read Sandman back in the day, like we're in on something uniquely special that no one else has discovered yet.

BTW, I love Kippa. At first, she comes across as this stupid little girl and then says something insightful or profound out of the blue. Everyone seems extremely annoyed by her, but then finds themselves looking after her.

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Updated review:

First of all, I have no idea what previously led me to give this 3.0 stars. Obviously, part of it was not rereading vol. 1 beforehand, so a lot of the details flew over my head (b/c crappy memory), but it was more than that, b/c I had tangible feelings of resentment over the "lesser quality" of this second volume.

*rolls eyes at self*

I still think vol. 1 was slightly better. The ending socked me in the FEELS in a way this one didn't, and (despite vol. 2's content) I connected more to the previous leg of Maika's journey, but overall . . . Definitely not a 3.0 star read.

SO.

Things that that happened that are concerning:

So many ways this could go:



Is this a promise like that crazy lady from KATE DANIELS where just b/c the original promise was made to an enemy doesn't necessarily mean it will pose a threat to the subject of the promise?

i.e. Cat will keep Maika safe even after Tuya is hellbent on her destruction?

But why would Tuya make Cat promise to keep Maika safe in the first place? SHE'S TRYING TO KILL HER. So is "keep safe" a euphemism for "kill if necessary"?

And if it wasn't enough that the Cumea, the old gods, the Dusk Court, and Psycho Aunt are all after Maika:



Bitches everywhere.

Questions:

1. Seal?



Would that be a seal to whatever prison is holding the old gods??

2. There's still so much about this relationship that we don't know:



Dammit, what promise?

3. And when Maika put the mask fragment to her face?



WTF was that?

4. Then there's (maybe) Maika's father:



So we know, at the very least, Maika has a half-sibling. BUT. If this is the other potential host that Monster God mentioned in vol. 1, then he or she would have to be a full-blooded sibling, which means also means they're older . . . And since Momma Wolf asked Crazy Fox about the prophecized descendant, if the answer was "the second child" in whatever union, then Big Sister has a lot of reason to harbor resentment given the glimpse we were given of her circumstances.

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT?? 😱

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

The second collection of MONSTRESS is centered around Maika Halfwolf retracing her mother's steps in an attempt to discover how to rid herself of the monster that lives inside of her.

Like that's going to be possible. *rolls eyes*



The journey is interesting despite its pointlessness. We learn much about Maika's family and meet her goddessfather, who is both a giant tiger and a pirate), and we see more of her glorious violence as third parties try to keep her from her goal.



BUT.

There was something missing from this volume . . . Maybe several somethings. The art, while still beautiful at times, was somehow less overall. The story, while informative, lacked the heart that had previously punched me in the feels.



Then there was the was the vulgarity for the sake of . . . I don't know . . . a splash of color? I'm not a prude, and I can even appreciate the creative use of four-letter words if it serves a purpose. But it didn't. And that's so boring.



I'm not ready to give up on MONSTRESS just yet though. We've already seen the greatness this team of author and artist are capable of, and the seeds planted for the future installments are promising--who is Maika's father, and how did I never think the ask about him before? Why is that adorable fox child compelled to follow after a girl who might devour her one day? And those cats . . . What is their endgame?

Questions, I have them, so eagerly await vol. 3, I will. Recommended. Ish.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I'm repeating myself when saying that I'm completely stunned, both by this graphic novel's story and the artwork. But it's true. The second volume is no different from the first - impeccable.

The young Halfwolf travels further to find out what all her mother's actions MEAN, what is living inside of her and why. She is, once again, accompanied by the little fox girl and Ren (the necromancer cat). But we are introduced to new players as well, some of which are characters from Maika's past and actually mean well.
I like how the author plays on the misconceptions of good and evil simply by showcasing characters and their actions - a very powerful way of showing, rather than just telling.


The star, however, is the art. Seriously, it's like nothing I've ever seen. Usually, black and dark brown tones interspersed with brilliant colours like turquoise, red or lilac; but sometimes also brighter scenes with pastel pinks and light blues or greens; or just light greys to showcase bleakness - all used in fantastically simple or crazy detailed images (it's a shame that my pictures aren't of better quality, especially of that red, sorry).




The covers to the respective issues are gorgeous as well:


And many of the topics addressed in this volume should strike a chord with many people because there are definite parallels to our history.

In general, one can say that the art is very Asian, with nods to Japanese Kaiju even. However, we even get a European classic element, the Ferryman:

Though, admittedly, he is a bit different in this story.
This showcases that both Marjorie Liu (the author) and Sana Takeda (the artist) have taken the best of all cultures and blended all the elements together perfectly. Seriously, though the story is fantastic, I will shamelessly admit that it's the art I'm most in love with. Nevertheless, my curiosity has spiked even more than after the first volume due to some developments here and I can't wait to know how the story will progress.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update 7/22/18: Eisner Awards 2018, just announced: Monstress took best continuing series, best publication for teens, best painter/multimedia artist (for Takeda), best cover artist (again, for Takeda) and best writer (for Liu). Reread for summer 2018 summer comics class and enjoying it more this time.

8/5/17: “Cats are the great mystery, born in that space where shadow meets light. . . that borderland of dreams and death, and death and life. No door is closed against us. No secret can defy us. We exist in every world, every universe, every possibility. We cannot be denied, not even by the dead. We are magnificent, Ren Mormorian. We are fucking glorious.”—Marjorie Liu

Liu, obviously a cat lover. This book may in part have been written for cat lovers; i.e., me, but in the way of novels, and knowing cats, not all the cats in this story are admirable. This work depicts in fact many animals—cats, foxes, tigers, humans, half humans. There’re so great a range of creatures and factions and ideas that I am not completely sure, two volumes in, what is going on, but the art from Sana Takeda is amazing and the central characters and the central quest are interesting.

The main story is, as I just said, a quest: Maika Halfwolf, is in search of her mother; traveling with Kippa, a little girl with a fox tail, and Captain Ren, a necromancer cat. Maika’s seeking her mother in order to expunge the monster inside her (Maika) that is literally eating her alive (or tearing her limb by limb). As I said, with a subtitle like "The Blood" and having read the bloody first volume, I was steeling myself for more blood, but this one actually focuses on blood connections, Maika and her mother, and also (maybe, maybe not) her father, a tiger pirate she meets at sea. Or is it her godfather?

One of the attractions here is that there are almost all women characters, and all conceived by women creators, I might add, which is one of the glories of comics these days. This second volume, in the way of second volumes, gives us a lot of backstory on the Monstrum and their relationship with the Empress and Maika's family.

The vibe of this work at a glance is dark and mysterious, intricate and lovely with some little manga-esque cute characters like Kippa and lovely Maika with her flowing perfect hair. Then, at a closer glance, it is all these things, yes, but also violent, even gory. The story and art are a unique blend of gorgeous beauty and violence. There’s also a sort of surprising (because it is such pretty fantasy, on the surface?) amount of profanity, but this is part of the uniqueness and edginess of the series (and I’ve also been reading Bukowski’s fiction, so I am not offended, just noting). It's this unexpected blend of pretty and violent, profane and sweet, that is the unique attraction of this series.

The best thing about this series is Sana Takeda's gorgeous design work. Look closely at the backgrounds and they often feature interesting details. The demons of The Isle of Bones feels just as realistically scary as Maika looks gorgeous and Kippa seems adorable.

If you enjoy magic, fantasy, half-humans, anthropomorphic animals, war, and a little horror, check out this particularly strong series.

[Wren (fablesandwren) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess this is just way over my head. The art is phenomenal and the world seems legitmately awesome; but I just don’t know what the heck is going on the majority of the time and I am just looking at all the pretty pictures.



Oh well, to each their own. I’m just going to go read things that make me smile and cry all at once and not make me feel like an idiot.

[Sean Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is still gorgeous, the plot is still creepily intriguing if occasionally brain-befuddling, and the characterization still ranges from compelling to someone-shove-fifty-pounds-of-catnip-in-that-overly-garrulous-cat’s-mouth-to-shut-him-the-hell-up-before-I-decide-it’s-time-make-a-new-tennis-racket.

Add it all up and I’m game for more.

[Bentley ★ Bookbastion.net · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I was rating this on artistic style alone, this would get all the stars.

Seriously, the illustrations in this are jaw-dropping and gorgeous, and should be enough for anyone to give this series a chance. The story elements are only slightly less impressive when placed in comparison.

Clearly, the world-building and history of the land/lore is on point in this series, but I think the one thing that's weighing it down is the tendency to try and accomplish too much too quickly. The story often flits from set piece to set piece, in an attempt to fill the reader in on this complex historical event, and then that one, before flitting back to a flashback of certain character's childhoods or important conversations we weren't privy to, before jumping ahead and introducing a character we've never seen before.

You almost need to read this with a Wiki open to fully appreciate all of the elements that have been crafted and laid within the story movement. It's not necessarily a bad thing - and I certainly think that future re-reads would allow readers to glean even more from the story. But for someone like me who picked this up on a whim, I'd like the story to feel a bit more tightly defined.

I'm invested now though, and I'll definitely be picking up the next edition when it's available!

4/5 stars

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of people have raved about Monstress and I am no exception. From the brilliantly detailed and gorgeous artwork to the dark tale of a demon finding its way out of a girl who was born to carry it and destroy the world, I'm lost in my absolute-favorite iteration of dark fantasy.

My only complaint is that I can't keep reading this forever. I want to jump ahead in the future and have in my hands 10 or 20 full volumes and not just two. I want to savor them and gush over them.

You know, gush like I do about Naruto, which has a very similar epic story, or the rich external worldbuilding and lush detail of Berserk. Or the jaw-dropping monstrous quality of Hellsing. I want to place this comic up there with all the greats, to have it sit on a throne as their equals. :)

That being said, Halfwolf is freaking awesome. The demon within her is shaping up in a really fantastic rounded fashion, too. And we have pirates! Haunted islands! Corrupting magics! And enough imagination on every single page to choke an ox. The density and the smooth inclusion of it all is enough to make me cry.

So again, I want a ton of volumes! This is like reading only book one of the Wheel of Time and knowing you might have 14 enormous tomes to look forward to but you're going to have to wait a decade or two to read them.

*cry* Not again.

:) But I can and will love what I have now! Vol 2 is up for '18 Hugo nom.
On the strength of the artwork alone, I would name it the winner. But we're also concerned with emotional impact, great story, and all the other things that we would call "brilliant". It's very close for me. I'd place it a close second below Saga. :)

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot get over the graphics in these books! So amazing!

[HaMiT · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is possible to drown in information... and die for lack of wisdom.

[Caro the Helmet Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sana Takeda, you're a GOD. The graphic part of this series is so absolutely gorgeous that it works like a portal to another world. At some point while reading you feel like you're immersed into Maika's world, which is beautiful, wild, unpredictable and cruel. One feels like participating in this wicked fairy tale. So fantastic and so real at the same time.

That's why phrases like "are you fucking insane?" or many other f-bombs author likes to insert here and there feel so unnatural and out of place and they violently drag me back to my everyday city street or "Sopranos". Not like I'm some bigot who never drops those bombs, I do a lot, actually, but couldn't the author try to be at least creative with it? Because this is just too primitive. For my tastes at least. Hence one star off.

[may ➹ · Rating 4 out of 5]

it’s that time of year to cram in books for my Goodreads challenge!! 👍🏼👍🏼

“what do I have to give up of myself to be worthy of your ghost?”

[Jade Ratley · Rating 3 out of 5]

6.29 on CAWPILE

[Elle (ellexamines on TT & Substack) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything I have came from years of ruthless murder. Am I safe? No. But I love. I am loyal. And that is my redemption.

Yet again, the art style murders me.

And the plot has gotten even more complicated, although with less focus on Sophia and the humans. Maika is on the run in Thyria after destroying Constantine, looking for the people on the back of her photograph: her old nursemaid Catriona and an unknown child. For some reason, she's also attempting to visit the hidden islands, a site that can only be accessed with a god's bone she's found hidden in her mother's old hideout. She's assisted by a new tiger general, Seizi, who knew Maika as a child, and Syryssa, his captain. Meanwhile, Ren's struggling with his loyalty. He may have betrayed Maika and Kippa to the dawn court, but he also promised Maika's friend Tuya he'd take care of them. But all this gets even harder when the Maika's demon hunters are taken into account. And back at the wolf-ruled Dawn Court, Moriko's sister is hunting Maika and searching for the mask.

Some really interesting mythology was revealed here too. Here's a recap for anyone who has read this volume: (spoilers ahead!!) Thyria is ruled by the Wave Empress' appointees, the pirate queens. We know that long ago, the Cumaea invaded Thyria by air and were destroyed by a typhoon. We also know that the gods of the shadow planes are real; they've just given up their power to avoid killing. The Shaman-Empress was the one who forged the mask and tied the oldest god to herself as her slave. The Blood Fox is still alive on bone island. We also know now of the drug Dreamtar, popular among arcanics after the war. We've also found out that Tuya is secretly the Baroness of the Last Dusk, acting as an envoy for the dusk court.

Mariko did what all mothers do when they want control; she had a daughter.

I'm really interested in Maika's mother; I'm hoping we'll learn more about her soon. There's so much I'm confused about and so much I'm excited about. I can't wait for volume three.

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[Acqua · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars.

This was even better than the first one. Mostly because we start to get some answers - some of them surprising, some of them I saw coming - but also because we get more insight in some of the side characters that were just named in the first volume.
Now I can say with certainty that Moriko Halfwolf is just as scary as her daughter and she doesn't even need a kaiju inside to be like that, for example. Also, this volume introduced some new characters that have a lot of potential (like Syryssa, she's... wow. So beautiful. Queer lady pirates of color.)

The art is just as gorgeous, of course, and we get to see new settings, which was just what I wanted. I mean, most of this graphic novel is set on a ship, and there are pirates. We get to know more about the ancient gods, their history, and what exactly is going on with Maika's monster, and we get to do that in a ghost-city built between the bones of something enormous. Beautifully creepy and atmospheric.
I don't know if there was less body horror or if I just got used to it, but this book affected me less than the first one did, which I appreciated. More pretty and creepy, less graphic gore, thank you (not that I never like that! It's just that the first book had so much of it - it almost started to feel unnecessary).

I have only two small complaints:

• The first book introduced the world, the history and mysteries, and this gave many much-needed answer and raised some new questions, so I can't say it was useless (not at all!). But it didn't have anything to do with what I thought was the main plotline - the one about the war between arcanics and witches - and we didn't get anything new about the characters who are alive in the mainland (I really need to know what's going on with the Cumaea, Lady Atena and Lady Sophia)

• after the ending of the first book, I had hoped to get more about Tuya. I got a surprising revelation, yes, and that panel with Tuya is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, but I want to know more about her and her relationship with Maika.

Anyway the main reasons I'm reading this series are the art and the steampunk aesthetic (also, the casual diversity and many queer leads help) and if that and mythology are things that you like, you should definitely try this.

[Kitty G Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a long-awaited sequel for me as I adored the first volume in this world, and the second one was also brilliant. I feel like a lot of the unanswered questions raised by Vol. 1 get some expansion in this volume and although we're still left wondering a lot by the end, I feel more satisfied with the story too.

The artwork of this is BEAUTIFUL. No other way to put it. I just love the details that are so intricate and well-considered from the amazing architecture and landscapes through to the small characters who roam in the back-ground and flesh out the world. All brilliant, and definitely my favourite series in terms of art.

In the end I gave this a solid 4.5*s and would throughly recommend the series. I fully intend to keep reading it too :)

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars
This was a solid second volume. I shouldn't have waited so long to read it. This one leaned heavily into the horror elements which I enjoyed. The artwork is beautiful.

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vol. 1: Awakening ★★★★★
Vol. 2: The Blood ★★★★★
Vol. 3: Haven ★★★★★

What a beautiful, fantastic continuation of the series. I love how well-developed the world and lore in Monstress is, and I might have enjoyed The Blood even more than Awakening, if only because it featured less child torture/death (which is just a personal trigger of mine that I had to fight past to enjoy Vol. 1).

While there's less death of innocents in this volume, there's definitely still a ton of bloodshed, and we meet a lot of really cool new characters, with my favorite being the Shark-Arcanic named Old Tooth. I still loved spending time with the little fox and Ren (even if his motives are... questionable at times), and really enjoyed the backstory we got on Maiko and her mother, as well as the gods (who I find simultaneously fascinating and terrifying).

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full (mini) review now posted!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I enjoyed this installment even more than the first! It still provided the gorgeous artwork I had come to expect from the first installment, but I was more invested in the plot. Kippa, or Little Fox, remains my favorite character. She is adorable and loyal and intelligent and just the sweetest little thing ever. She far too precious for the world in which she lives. I love the character development of our Halfwolf heroine, and the deep questions about her purpose that she is trying to answer.

Also, PIRATES!! Love me some pirates. I was pleasantly surprised to find pirates in this series.

Thus far, Monstress is an enjoyable if very dark series, and I can’t speak highly enough about the quality of the art.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this even more than the first one - while still dark, it had that comedic relief with Maika's adorable sidekicks, Kippa and Ren.

This issue takes us across some new destinations, including a pirate ship, the isle of ghosts, with all sorts of sirens and sea creatures and ghostly mirages.

There's also a back story about Maika's mother and her past which she sets out to discover. I loved discovering more about the relationship between them both.

The art style continues to be beautiful, detailed and haunting - only to be brought to life with the number of beasts and exotic destinations that there are. For fantastic Asian #ownvoices rep, along with a disabled protoganist, look no further than this series.

Check out Happy Indulgence Books for more reviews!

[Allison Hurd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gotdamn, this story is SO GOOD!

CONTENT WARNINGS (just a list of topics): body horror, including eyes, PTSD, child abuse, torture

I think the only downside, aside from how dark it is, is that I'd left it too long and forgotten some of the worldbuilding details. I was able to piece it together, but it took me a minute.

Other than that, the art, layout, themes, dialogue, character development...just stunning. That's the only word I have for it.