Book Review | The Low, Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado

The Low, Low Woods is a horror graphic novel by Carmen Maria Machado

 

When your memories are stolen, what would you give to remember? Follow El and Vee as they search for answers to the questions everyone else forgot.

Shudder-to-Think, Pennsylvania, is plagued by a mysterious illness that eats away at the memories of those affected by it. El and Octavia are two best friends who find themselves the newest victims of this disease after waking up in a movie theater with no memory of the past few hours.

As El and Vee dive deeper into the mystery behind their lost memories, they realize the stories of their town hold more dark truth than they could've imagined. It's up to El and Vee to keep their town from falling apart...to keep the world safe from Shudder-to-Think's monsters.

Collects issues # 1-6.

It's been a while since I've been sucked into a graphic novel. I've read a few lately that just didn't work for me. The Low, Low Woods has reminded me how much I enjoy reading comics.

The Low, Low Woods isn't perfect. It's strange (in both good and bad ways), and it's meta enough to mention deus ex machina. But the strong female characters, friendship, and really great body horror have me recommending that you pick it up next time you are looking for a good horror graphic novel.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
4/5 stars 

Book Review | The Stonekeeper (Amulet #1) by Kazu Kibuishi

The Stonekeeper is the first graphic novel in the Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi.

Graphic novel star Kazu Kibuishi creates a world of terrible, man-eating demons, a mechanical rabbit, a giant robot---and two ordinary children on a life-or-death mission.

After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.

Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves.

I picked this up at the library for my son. I started reading it for curiosity's sake and knew right away I would be finishing the entire book before passing it on to him.

The Stonekeeper does a great job at gripping you emotionally from the get go. We are immediately dealt the "death of a parent" card followed by the hardships a family faces in the wake of tragedy.

Due to the financial burden of losing their dad, Em's family moves into an old abandon house that once belonged to her grandfather.

They, of course, happen upon a magic amulet as one does in old family homes.

Em's mom gets kidnapped into another realm so Em and her brother Navin set off to save her.

The graphics in The Stonekeeper are fantastic.

I wound up returning this to the library without passing it on to my son. I love my entertainment to be really dark, but he does not. This definitely wouldn't have been his cup of tea. I, on the other hand, have already picked up the second and third volumes of this series.

7/10: Recommended Read