Title: The Beauty, Volume 1
Author:
Jeremy Haun, Jason A Hurley
Contributors: John Rauch, Fonografiks
Genre:
Graphic Novels, Dystopian, Horror, Sci-Fi
Series: The Beauty (#1-6)
Release
Date: 16 March 2016
A
few starting notes:
I
received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley.
NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair
and honest reviews.
The cover attracted me to this - as I've said before, the cover is a showcase for a graphic novel: if the cover is poor, the general artwork standard will be poor.
And the cover of The Beauty, Volume 1... wow. So striking. So beautifully terrible, and terribly beautiful. I had to read it.
Premise:
There is a new STI sweeping through the population.
But this disease is one that people are purposely catching.
Why? Because this STI, quickly named 'The Beauty,' makes you slim, toned, and beautiful. Your hair is shiny, your features and skin are flawless.
But it's a disease. And there are always downsides.
Two detectives find themselves investigating the terrible truth of The Beauty - and being caught up in a web of anti-beauty terrorists, shady corporations, and corruption within government agencies.
Things are going to get dangerous.
Best
bits:
The plot and the premise are uber-interesting and uber-compelling - I read this in one sitting, because I had to know what happened next.
I also love the kind of critique it casts on our current society - this world is essentially our own. The only difference is The Beauty - and those who are infected, and are known as Beauties.
And, let's face it, if we woke up tomorrow and found out there was a sexually transmitted virus which could make us 'perfect' - could make us look like some airbrushed model? Well, there would be more than a few people lining up to get infected.
People place a huge amount of importance on looks - and if the side-effects weren't yet known? Well, just think about it. Think about how people would act.
The characters here are also well-thought-through, and you actually do care what happens to them - a sign of a good story if ever there was one.
Not
so great bits:
This is a graphic novel - it gets very graphic: in terms of sexual content, gore, and violence.
One or two panels actually freaked me out gore-wise - and I'm pretty unfreakable by this point.
I was also slightly disappointed in the artwork - don't get me wrong, it was serviceable, it did its job, it was effective. There was nothing wrong with the artwork...
It didn't wow me. I rarely thought it truly beautiful.
As my main reason for reading this book was the striking beauty of the cover, the fact that it didn't achieve that... wow... again, was a little bit of a let-down.
This was slightly alleviated by the cover gallery at the back - but these were thumbnails, not full-page prints - which would've been more awesome.
Verdict:
A really interesting and gripping book. I had some issues with it (ha, issues - comics... ok, I'll be quiet,) but those problems don't change the fact that I wanted to know what happened - and would like to read future instalments too.
Liked
this post? Try these:
- Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - The Private Eye Deluxe Edition by Vaughan, Martin, and Vicente
- Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Starve Vol 1 by Brian Wood
Oh wow this graphic novel has a very intriguing premise to it. I mean, making beauty a disease and also what people have to do to catch the disease... it's so interesting. What a way to get me hooked! I'm not sure I am that into the cover art but you've got me interested because of the premise now.
ReplyDeleteI know - it was really interesting/compelling! I really want to see how it carries on through the series. :)
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