Title: Monstress Vol. 1: Awakening

Author: Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

Publisher: Image 2016

Genre: Comics

Pages: 192

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: New to Me; Graphic Novel; I Love Libraries

Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900's Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steampunk, MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both. Entertainment Weekly praised MONSTRESS as "one of Image Comics' most imaginative and daring new series" and dubbed it the "Best New Original Series" in their year-end "Best Comics of 2015" list. Collects MONSTRESS #1-6

Picked this one up from the library after hearing great things from other bloggers. I was very impressed by the story and the art. The cells are all very dark, but each one has such detail. I loved the look of the world as well as the costumes on the characters. The intricate costumes are amazing. Very well drawn! As for the storyline, I loved the twist on history and mythology. It took me a minute to get my bearings on time and and place, but it's not a negative. I just like to place all the stories I read in history. Maika is great main character with a mysterious past and motivations. I can't wait to find Volume 2 and continue the story.