readingrobin's profile picture

readingrobin 's review for:

Third Shift Society: Volume 1 by Meredith Moriarty
2.0
adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thank you to Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group, WEBTOON Unscrolled, and NetGalley for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
 
Ellie is a bit down on her luck at the moment. With no job, no money, and almost no apartment, things are becoming desperate. That all changes when a mysterious pumpkin-headed man falls from the sky, entangled in a fierce battle with a raging hell beast. Not exactly something that happens every day, After suddenly manifesting psychic abilities, Ellie helps him fight off the creature, in return receiving an offer of a job as a paranormal investigator. Spooky shenanigans ensue along with a growing mystery that hides an unknown peril.
 
Unfortunately, I don't think I had as great of a time with this title as other readers. Many elements really felt flat to me: the story, the world, the colors, the characters. The action sequences were exciting at least, conveying a great amount of energy and tension. But I don't think the comic ever truly landed with me.
 
I think Ellie as a character had to do with a lot of it. She seems to fall into that character trope of "klutzy for the sake of being endearing/plot reasons," and doesn't really have much of a personality. Even when her powers manifest, there is no curiosity as to HOW she got those powers in the first place. She just seems to go along with everything and, while she does ask questions at times, they are so basic that they hardly flesh out the world for the reader. 
 
While it had engaging moments, the story never really had my full attention due to a somewhat disjointed pace and its penchant for just not fully explaining things at times. It may have some appeal for teen readers just getting into the paranormal genre through graphic novels, but I wonder if there are others that handle the concept better.