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Book Review: Extasia by Claire Legrand

Extasia by Claire Legrand

Extasia by Claire Legrand

Katherine Tegen Books, 2022

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062696632

Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, audiobook

( Bookshop.org |  Amazon.com )

 

Extasia is a fiercely feminist dark novel of a post-apocalyptic community drenched in patriarchy and cult-like violent misogyny straight from The Crucible and Year of the Witching. The dogma is that women were responsible for the destruction of the world and thus four young girls are honored with the “sacred duty” of becoming saints, scapegoats who once a month face brutal mob violence from the community in order to expiate their sins. A serial killer has been murdering men, and the upcoming sainthood of Amity Barrow is expected to bless the community and end the killing. When the murders continue, Amity and her sister saints realize they must find a way to either solve the murders or escape. Just as things seem desperate, she is transported with her sister saints to a secret world, Avazel, and invited to join a coven and learn to wield the magical, dark power of extasia to end the killings and realize her own strength… but there’s more going on under the surface than she knows.

 

Extasia is visceral, violent, and disturbing in its intensity, but Amity is not completely isolated. She develops imperfect but strong relationships with girls and women from her community and the coven that survive even significant disagreements. While it’s somewhat heavy-handed, Legrand has outdone herself in creating a dark, powerful, horror story made even more terrible by the foundation of lies, grisly violence, and hate on which human survival after the apocalypse has been built..Recommended for ages 16+

 

Contains: violence to and killing of animals, attempted rape, torture, gore, murder, body horror, violence, gaslighting, religious trauma.

 

Reviewed by Kirsten Kowalewski

Posted on March 7, 2022 by , Reply

Graphic Novel Review: Just Beyond: Monstrosity by R. L. Stine, illustrations by Irene Flores, inks by Joana Lafuente

cover art for Just Beyond Monstrosity by R.L. Stine  

Just Beyond: Monstrosity by R. L. Stine, illustrations by Irene Flores, inks by Joana Lafuente

BOOM! Studios, 2021

ISBN-13: 9781684156979

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition, comixology 

(Bookshop.org |  Amazon.com )



 


 


Ruthie and Ezra Dillon’s father Matthew and uncle Frankie have purchased the old Hollywood movie studio, Monstrosity, known for the best horror flicks of the 1950s. Matthew’s dream is to resurrect the defunct studio and produce modern horror movies with a nostalgic feel. While Poe, an elderly caretaker of the studio, takes the children on a tour of the grounds, the brothers bicker over the financials of running the business.


 


One of the former film directors eventually starts work on new films for Monstrosity, only to be thwarted at every turn. Matthew and Frankie hire on a new studio manager, Eve, to try to get things in order. During one of their excursions on the studio lot, Ruthie and Ezra discover the old animatronic Wolfescreem, as well as others around the place. When the story shows the tale of the creation and potential destruction of the Wolfenscreem automaton, things in the modern day start to get a little more interesting.


 


The story was great and, while it is meant for middle grade readers, adult readers may enjoy the story as well. The graphic novel is fast paced, and made for a good distraction. The artwork is well-done, and the creature designs are reminiscent of those from the classic creature features, but different enough to make them unique. Recommended.


 


 


Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

                        

    

        Posted on  March 2, 2022 by , 
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Graphic Novel Review: The EC Archives: Haunt of Fear, Volume 1 edited by Daniel Chabon

            

                    
 


EC Archives: Haunt of Fear, Volume 1


The EC Archives: The Haunt of Fear, Volume 1 edited by Daniel Chabon


Dark Horse Comics, 2021


ISBN-13: 9781506721200


Available: Paperback, Kindle edition, comiXology ( Bookshop.org )


Dark Horse’s reprints of EC Comics’ The Haunt of Fear allows readers who have never been exposed to these great comics experience horror comics from the 1950s which were originally published between May 1950 and April 1951. Volume one collects The Haunt of Fear #15-17 and #4-6. Contributors to the comics in volume 1 include Johnny Craig, Jack Davis, Al Feldstein, Gardner F. Fox, Bill Gaines, Harry Harrison, Graham Ingles, Jack Kamen, Ivan Klapper, Harvey Kurtzman, Ray Bradbury, and Wallace Wood. Grant Geissman introduces the collection with a brief history of the creation of EC Comics and how the company shifted its focus from educational comics and biblical stories to horror. The artwork in the volume have been digitally recolored using Marie Severin’s original style as a template. 


The numerous tales of terror in these pages are introduced by the Old Witch, the Vault-Keeper, or the Crypt-Keeper. Between the comics are some short one to two page stories of the macabre and various advertisements. Much of the content is dated, as would be expected in something seven decades old. Some of the storylines are very similar to old time radio shows of the era as well. I would recommend this to fans of classic horror comics. 


Recommended


Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

                        

    

        Posted on  February 23, 2022 by , 
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