Gosh reading this was a strange experience. I absolutely loved Strange the Dreamer, with its melodious, fantastical writing style, the mysterious world that teased so many hidden layers, characters with promising development and backgrounds. And that ending! It was one of the few endings I could remember genuinely  and frantically wondering how it could ever resolve. Well, after having read Muse of Nightmares, my reaction is just a simple...okay.

Imagine getting a present you really wanted. You've waited years for this moment, and you've been aching to get it, counting down the moments. And then you just suddenly get it. That's it, no fanfare, no buildup, just POP it's yours. While you're happy that you've got the thing, you wish there was some kind of event to go with it, something that solidified this moment as something monumental. That's what reading this book was like. I got what I wanted in some spectacular reveals about characters, the worldbuilding, the interconnectedness of Taylor's worlds, but the presentation didn't really make any of it special .

The first book had a fairy tale charm to its tone, with the writing weaving a truly enchanting story, but somehow that style didn't carry over into this installment. It seems blander in a way, more direct even though there are trances of that fantastical style left over, but not enough. I never felt a feeling of being swept away like I did in Strange, whether to do with the more serious nature of the plot or the agonizing attempts at comedic moments. 

That being said, it is a satisfying conclusion to this duology, giving a good balance of answering questions brought up in the first book as as well leaving a few bread crumbs for future stories. 

Absolutely loved the take on genderfluidity in this book, and really glad that we're starting to see more representation of it in general in YA fiction. The mechanics of the magic system is simple, as is most of the worldbuilding, but I think it fits the overall feel of the story. The characters arcs and dynamics take more of a front seat and that really isn't too terrible when our leads are engaging and interesting. There are some instances of certain plot threads being rushed or underdeveloped or really ones that could have used some more focus, but it didn't really dampen my experience as a whole. 

Definitely going to pick up the next book as soon as I'm able.

I think the fact that it almost took me a full month to read this 160 page novella should speak for how much I enjoyed this book in itself, but I find myself in a complex situation of liking a book in theory rather than execution. Also doesn't help the fact that I've been in a mean reading slump this month.

This book is perfect for those who like a bit of amorality to their protagonists who happen to be, you know, just a little f*cked up actually. Johann, a self proclaimed monster that can't die and has the playful, violent nature of a cat toying with a mouse and Florian, a dandy aristocrat who's looking to take revenge on a town that has been slowly rotting away for ages. Naturally there's a romance between the two, but it never really sat well with me that the majority of these interactions are Johann forcing himself onto a non-consenting Florian, who only stops Johann from going any further by doing magic. I know it's meant to play into Johann's villainous side as well as highlight a certain power dynamic, but there are other elements in the book that make that more clear. I'm not opposed to a romance between these two, I just thought it could have been handled a little better.

As for the rest of the story, I did like the character types, the dark, dingy dockside setting, the atmospheric writing, but it felt like something was missing that was keeping me from really falling in love with it. Maybe the length is a factor, maybe it does feel somewhat empty from time to time, maybe there were a few aspects I wish were explored a bit more. Whenever I put the book down, I never really felt a great rush to get back to it, which is hardly ever a good sign. 

Overall, I was expecting a bit more with it, but what I got was at least somewhat satisfactory.

A found family of cryptids is the best thing ever and I would like more of it please. 

I liked that even though we have a large main cast with about six kids, each of them has their shining moments and time to develop. There really is no picking a favorite out of them, as they're all lovable in their own ways. The art style is amazing and enhances every bit of the story.

The one thing that did sort of leave a bad taste in my mouth was Newt, who is attached to the whole antisemitic "alien reptilian race that secretly runs the government" conspiracy. It sucks because Newt is such a wonderful character and actually has a meaningful gender exploration arc that is done in a way kids can really understand. I just wish that maybe this would have been done with a different design/background in mind. 

Just saying this now, the book states it's for 13+ audiences but, considering how much nudity and SA there is, especially in the first couple of stories, I would wanna maybe hike that rating up to at least 16 or 17+. I already knew going in that Lupin has a tendency to be a bit of a perv (funny enough all the SA mostly occurs from the antagonists of a story rather than him), so the graphic stuff didn't throw me too much off. 

This is my first time having read anything from the Lupin manga series, after having watch Castle of Cagliostro and a fair bit of the second series, and, though some elements were definitely toned down when translating the character to screen, there's still that same spirit in these stories. Lupin is as cocky as ever and cooks up pretty ingenious schemes, leading to a lot of twists and turns. Each movie and TV series tends to treat this character differently across all its iterations, and it was neat to see the one they all derived from.

As for the actual look of the comic, while some pages look like they've been scanned for this edition pretty well, others look a bit dark and grainy at times. I don't know if that's a problem the pages initially had or some just went through the process better than others. Still, really love Monkey Punch's style and the little details he throws into his designs, my favorite being the noodly bow legs and fuzz on the hands/arms. 

Absolutely loved the focus and exploration of Angrboda as a character, a figure in Norse myth that is mostly defined by her relations to her connections to more famous names like Loki and her children Fenrir, Jormungand and Hel. Often when I read about Norse mythology, she is treated like a side story, an afterthought, a woman who's only notoriety comes from being "The Mother of Monsters." Naturally, maybe that means I need to expand my mythology literature, but still I really enjoyed reading this perspective. It slowed down a bit in the middle for me, to the point where I got a bit lost in just how much time is passing, but gradually it picks up the pace again soon after.