Review: Monstress Vol. 2- The Blood

Quick Summary

Pros: The deep lore behind this book is more interesting than ever. The storyline balances exposition with action very well. Depictions of childhood are emotional and relatable. The visuals are beautiful and incredibly imaginative.

Cons: There are still portions of the book which can be very confusing.

Overall: Maika Halfwolf’s epic journey of self discovery only gets better in this immensely entertaining comic. Here readers will see a new stage in the saga, where our heroes constantly jump from one perilous situation to another. All the while, questions are being answered while even more are being raised in a balance. If you liked the first volume in this series, you will love the second one as well.

Story

Going into this book, I was concerned that Monstress Vol. 2: The Blood would not live up to the high expectations I had after reading the first volume. After reading this book, I realize there was absolutely no reason for concern.

Monstress Vol. 2: The Blood by Marjorie Liu, continues the high fantasy adventure of Maika Halfwolf by delving into her personal history and her strange connection to the old gods of this strange land. This already gripping story is enhanced by a well structured narrative that deftly switches between exposition and high intensity situations. Plus, everything readers loved in the previous volume returns in an even more meaningful fashion.

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The book starts with a brief time jump, picking up with Maika’s adventures shortly after her arrival in the city of Thyria. Here she begins a new mission and enlists the help of an old family friend. All of this leads her on a new mission, to explore a nearby island her mother had once visited and discover what she did there.

Coming from the climactic battle at the conclusion of the previous volume, the more relaxed tone of this book’s first half is a pleasant change of pace. It focuses on lore and history and allows readers to become reinvested in the saga of this series. The only downside is that readers are not eased into this lore; it is all thrown at them at once. However, this is certainly a blessing and a curse, as it makes discovering additional details more rewarding and gives additional value to rereads (something we also praised in our review of the first volume).

The boat ride over to this mysterious island is where the relaxed nature of the book shifts over to one of gripping tension. Almost immediately upon boarding the ship, it is revealed that there are enemies among the crew, some of whom are assassins ready to kill Maika. By setting life threatening danger in such a confined space, Liu creates a situation that is ripe for suspense. Every moment aboard the boat, readers are left to wonder when tragedy will strike. Even after the assassins are dispatched, the uncertainty and danger sparked by their presence remains and gives some added thrill to the narrative as a whole.

Liu keeps up this tension as Maika and company reach their island destination. Here a pervasive sense of unease is amplified by Takeda’s eerie artwork, as the story reaches a climax. This part of the book is about half deep exposition and half energetic action. This unique pairing allows for a host of questions to be answered and all new questions to be asked, all while an intense battle keeps readers entertained. All of this, and a few tantalizing hints for the future, make for a bombastic ending that perfectly tops off an already great volume.

In addition to a killer storyline, this volume also continues the series’ devotion to deep and meaningful themes. While racism, war, and the struggle between good and evil are still present here, the main focus in this volume is on familial relationships. Maika’s current treatment of Kippa directly mirrors her mother’s own harsh parenting style. It shows how negative actions in the past can beget negative consequences in the future, even across generations. It is also easily relatable, as I imagine most readers will see pieces of their own development in Maika’s past.

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Art

In Monstress Vol. 2: The Blood, Sana Takeda gives another stunning example of why this is one of the most visually impressive comic series out there. Every page in this book is gorgeous and presents this unique world at its absolute finest. Wonderfully imaginative character designs deepen readers’ interest in the current situation while meticulously detailed landscapes and background help further the already impressive worldbuilding. The book excels in terms of structure as well, with panels that direct readers’ attention right where it needs to be at the moment. This is a good looking book in an already good looking series.

Specifically in this volume, Takeda’s artwork noticeably helps to further character development and depiction. Small and almost imperceptible shifts in facial expression or body language can give an immediate sense of what the character is feeling at that moment. Most of the time, this allows readers to understand the character better and thus connect with them easier. Other times, Takeda will inundate a character with these visual cues and give readers an early indication as to what they are going to do next. Either way, it enhances the book as a whole and gives another dimension to what the text is already saying.

Continuity

Monstress Vol. 2: The Blood is published by Image Comics, a creator owned publishing company who’s titles do not often crossover with each other. Thus, this title, like many other Image Comics, maintains its own continuity. This means that all you have to do to understand this volume is read Monstress Vol. 1: Awakening (Review).

The story here continues in Monstress Vol. 3: Haven (Review).