Okay, I'm going to start off by saying that I got a little lost at times and wasn't always sure about what was going on. I'll try to describe the story as best I can, but I could be wrong about a few things.

Azar is a city located at the foot of a volcano. The people of Azar used to perform rituals to appease the goddess of the volcano, but that didn't stop the volcano from occasionally erupting and destroying everything. Eventually the Cult of the Goddess left Azar and established a new home for themselves, the Golden Capitol. It's now many, many years later, and there's a rebel group called the Third Wave that's convinced that the Cult of the Goddess is keeping the goddess captive, and they want to free her.

Keegan is the goddess's daughter. She tries to help the rebels, but something goes wrong, her mother ends up dead, and Keegan becomes the new goddess. At that point, she becomes determined to go back to Azar, the home of her ancestors. However, the Cult of the Goddess isn't her only enemy. An emissary from the water goddess is after her, and there's a prophecy that Keegan's return to Azar will mean its destruction.

This was an ARC my mom picked up for me at a conference. As far as I can tell, this volume collects the entire series. It doesn't appear to be a spinoff of anything, although it kind of felt like it was, and I can't find anything about any sort of continuation, even though the ending leaves room for more story.

I didn't like the artwork at all, but Tamra Bonvillain's coloring helped paper over some of its shortcomings and almost make it pretty, at times. There was some really nice use of cool vs. warm colors.

The story was intriguing enough, but confusing and a bit choppy. I had thought the Cult of the Goddess would be important in some way, but after the confined goddess was dealt with, they might as well have been written out of the story. It felt like they had been, after Adria rescued Griffin. Who, by the way, was not worth any amount of Keegan and Adria's time and energy. I don't know what either of them saw in him. He was a quick way for the author to establish a basis for Adria and Keegan's more human rivalry before their goddess rivalry added fuel to the fire.

I don't know that this was necessarily bad, but it definitely could have been better. The story and characters just left me cold.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)

The Wayward series chronicles the adventures Rori when she goes to Japan to live her mother.  Rori’s parents are divorced, her father is Irish, and something has happened to drive her away from Ireland where she spent most of her life.  The culture shock she suffers is more “my Japanese isn’t all that good” which is a nice refreshing change.  She is of both and of neither culture.

                Rori soon finds that things in Japan are different.  She can see threads, and this leads her to meeting with Ayane, a cat girl (or cats who are a girl), and eventually Shirai and Niakido.  The four are teens who have a variety of unique powers, and they are being hunted by the Japanese powers of old, including Kitsune.  Rori’s mother is connected and in some way, and the first volume ends with an epic and from a story telling standing point, a very brave showdown. 

                The second and third volumes add more characters, including Ohara Emi and Inaba Kami (who is kitsune who is very cute but kick ass).  The team struggles with unfolding power, manipulation, and the question of what is right.

                Part of what makes Wayward so compelling is the very human nature of those who inhabit the story.  It isn’t just Rori and her companions, but their enemies as well – beings who are struggling just as much to keep alive.  Rori’s methods too are at times questionable.  One of the most heart wrenching sequences concerns Ohara who is trying to be both a dutiful daughter and a savior of society.

                In Wayward, Jim Zub and Co have presented not just a fable for modern society, but something more, something that examines not only multi-cultural issue but globalization    as well. 

                Seriously, you should read this.

Margaret Atwood’s Angel Catbird series is a graphic novel saga about a man who becomes an owl/cat/human hybrid.  He discovers that he isn’t the only such creature in the world.  Okay, he’s the only cat/owl but there are other half animals – in particular half cats.  There also is a coming war with a man who wants rats and half rats to rule the world.

                Vol1 of the series sets up the scene and ends with the half cats on the run.  The group includes the lovely Kate as well as Count Cataula.  Volumes 2 and 3 detail the rest of the story, the series also is an attempt to educate readers on cats and the impact cats can have on native birds. 

                The series succeeds because it is get B movie flair.  It desires to be more than what it is, and everyone involved in the creation of it seems to have given a sense of fun.  Quite frankly, my favorite characters are the two female rats who do not like the plans of the man who would be king of rats.  Their asides are well make milk snort out of your nose.

                The creative team manages to weave in a variety of references, not only to horror movies, but also to current events, in particular pay attention to the mice.  Atwood also weaves in ancient mythological figures and references.  While the series does place a few of its female characters in skimpy costumes, the women are take charge and get work done.  They all have agency.  Even the wives, who are far more interesting than Dracula’s brides.

                Great send up of horror movies, to be honest.

                With cats.

Even as they wrap up the first storyline quite nicely, and leave it open for storyline two.   That being said, this is a good weird.   Bizarre, but thoughtful and thought provoking.   Sometimes, though, I think it's just weird to be weird.   Because that's always a little fun, and I can't deny that I find it just as much fun as I imagine the creators are.  

I'm not even sure I can properly analyze or do a synopsis for this.   But at one point Robotman sees Jane, who doesn't remember him, and he doesn't notice she's running a cult for a while.   When he finally takes a look around he's like 'wait, is this a cult?   Are you running a cult?'

And let me say the reveal about Jane and what she's doing?   Was incredibly touching.  She keeps trying to tell Clliff, or, y'know, Robotman, that he never really accepted things about her - and he goes on to prove that he can't really wrap his mind around the thing she's telling him.   Running out of time, and exasperated, she tells him what's happened and how she's come to accept certain things about the way she is now.   And she finally flat out asks him if she'll accept him.  

There's what I saw, in my head, as a huge pause before he answers.   And I think that's super realistic, or read that way for me.   Sometimes I try to explain to people 'I've accepted this about myself, and I'm at peace with it,' but they keep trying to force another ending, another way of me being - a way I know would make me miserable, but would make them feel better for having found an answer that they think would work for me.   (And would seem to on the surface, but deep down?   Wouldn't work.)

Jane is quite clever and has found a way to make things work - a way that involves dropping a bomb on her and her cult, even while Cliff is talking to her in a train in her mind.   

I'm really appreciating a lot of what this series is doing, including a stark, sober, and touching look at mental health issues and how people around those who have them can really do harm while trying to do good.   Love, love, love.

This has a lot to it, it's just wrapped up in the oddest trappings possible.  I'm especially having a hard time grasping what's happening to Trainor, and I suspect the fact that I haven't read much Doom Patrol is a hindrance, as well.   Still, what little I've read off the internet about the earlier series seems to indicate this, much like Shade the Changing Girl, is a departure from the original: it's meant to be a new take that stays true to the roots and general feel of the original series. 

Don't read out of order, though, or else you will be super confused.   Some series, I feel, could summarize and don't in order to get you read in order.   I feel it's penalizing to those who jump on board later - and quite frankly a bad move as something coherent/summarizations would allow a broader readership if someone did manage to miss issue one.   It feels like a money grab to me.   Not summarizing Doom Patrol, or needing to read in order, doesn't feel like that in this one.   (And, yes, I have the same complaint for Suicide Squad which I like as much; they could easily summarize and don't.   Doom Patrol doesn't feel like a mad grab for money, while Suicide Squad feels more so like that.   Suicide Squad penalizes those who don't buy regularly, because they could easily summarize and don't; Doom Patrol doesn't as it couldn't easily summarize.   It's too bizarre to really grasp the whole thing in one page.   The story itself makes that impossible, so I don't feel like needing to read this in order is just for the money: there's simply no other way to tell this story, and to explain what's happened before.)

Love, love, love!