About the Book
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Authors:
- Nick Spencer
- Joe Eisma
Cover Story: Deceptive
BFF Charm: Nay
Talky Talk: Nonlinear
Arty Art: Goretastic
Bonus Factors: Boarding School, Mysterious Villains
Relationship Status: Call Me, Maybe?
Cover Story: Deceptive
Before I opened this book, I didn’t know anything about the series. Based on the cover art, I was expecting Boys Over Flowers. This is nothing like Boys Over Flowers. Technically, yes, this is a graphic novel about six ethnically diverse kids in school uniforms. But that doesn’t really give any indication of what’s inside.
The Deal
The very prestigious Morning Glory Academy has just accepted six new gifted students from around the world. These teens quickly discover that not all at the Academy is as it seems. As their lives become less like a John Hughes film and more like a slasher movie, the kids–and the readers–are left to wonder who or what is behind this school of horrors, and more importantly, why?
BFF Charm: Nay
Most of the new recruits at Morning Glory Academy seem like good eggs, if troubled, and probably need a good BFF. But it is not going to be me. First of all, these kids are fighting for their lives against an unknown enemy of seemingly limitless power. People in these kind of situations can do terrible things, even turn on the people they love. Second, all of them are way too smart for me. I can’t trust that kind of intelligence. As soon as I let my guard down, they might throw me under the bus as a pawn in their own quest for escape. Even Casey, who seems genuinely concerned for her fellow classmates, cannot be trusted. She is way too calculating to be as stupidly brave as she acts sometimes. I’d always be trying to figure out her angle and fearing that I would fall on the wrong side of her scheming.
I would like to give an extra special Hell Nah to Ike, who is a certifiable psychopath who may or may not have murdered his father. Or maybe he’ll turn out to be totally awesome as the series continues. I can’t trust anyone to be consistently good OR evil.
Swoonworthy Scale: 2
Adorkable Hunter totally has the hots for Casey, but because of their crazy circumstances and the complete inability for the characters to trust one another, nothing much progresses. YET.
Talky Talk: Nonlinear
This book is… confusing. I was so busy trying to figure out what the hell was going on that I didn’t pay much attention to the writing style. I feel like I’ll have to read this at least two more times before I get my timelines sorted. Even then, I will still have no idea what is happening with the plot.
Arty Art: Goretastic
I have read some pretty gruesome graphic novels before, but Eisma mess around. Within the first couple of pages, we get this delightful image:
Beyond that, it’s kind of your standard contemporary comic art. I could do without the teen girls being drawn like Victoria’s Secret models, but unfortunately, I’m too used to it to really care at this point.
Bonus Factor: Boarding School
Morning Glory Academy is a boarding school! Granted, it’s also an evil torture prison of unknown origin or purpose, but still! Everyone wanted to go to boarding school as a kid, right?
Bonus Factor: Mystery Villains
Evil is definitely afoot, but it’s not clear who is responsible, or to what end. Plus, there is that weird spectral dude who shows up periodically and sticks his fingers through people’s brains. Eventually, I’ll get tired of not knowing what’s going on all the time, but for now, it just makes me want to read more.
Relationship Status: Call Me, Maybe?
Book, I just met you, and this is crazy. And by this, I mean you. You’re completely batshit insane. No really, you should see a psychiatrist (or five), and also probably be heavily medicated. You seem highly unbalanced, and I can’t understand what you’re on about 90% of the time. But perversely, I can’t stop thinking about you, and not just because I’m kind of concerned that if we go on another date, you’ll crack open my skull and eat my brains. You intrigue me, book, and I find you strangely attractive. So against all better judgement, here’s my number. Call me, maybe?
FTC Full Disclosure: I received neither money nor cocktails for writing this review (dammit!). Morning Glories, Volume 1: For a Better Future is available now.
