This weekend I devoured several titles. I was finally in the mood to read and the goodies I found were easy enough to read, even if they had a lot going on. And in fact, most of them deserve a second read (at least) as there was a lot going on and things probably were missed. And The Night Eaters: Volume One: She Eats the Night was one of the most-going-onest graphic novels I have read.
This Marjorie M. Liu graphic novel is not for the weak of stomach and not the graphic novel to start your graphic novel reading journey. I gave this a 4 not so much because I LOVED it, but I see the potential to it and the way it does build was interesting. (Plus, I found out that Liu and Sana Takeda did Monstress, and I am a bit
biased as I think that was a good first volume, and it is terrible popular, so I’m going off that, too). However, I would have preferred the entire completed story and not just have read the first volume, but it does lend itself to both being the start of the story and a completed story. There are several “holes” that might be filled in later, and there are a few bumps in the flow of things as nothing is ever really “spelled out” just you go with the flow.
The dark humor and serious horror mix for a cozy family story that is illustrated by Takeda. The art is its own character and a supporter of the text. While we are watching a not-so-perfect Chinese American family (by the way of Hong Kong and the Kingdom of Hawaii) we get details from what is around them as much as what they say and do.
The story alternate chapters from Hong Kong in the late 1950s to mid-1960s, then Hawaii in the 1990s and New York today (covid is in play and that does play a small part). Book one feels like a build up to who the characters were and will be. At the end we learn a secret (that we realized was there, just not what exactly), but that just makes more answers. As said, there is a lot going on and not an easy read. And while teens (at least 14 and up) could read, I would not recommend as you really need to know your reader and what they can handle.
