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Metaphrog's Bluebeard
Award-winning duo Metaphrog transform the classic folktale into a feminist fairy tale, about the blossoming of a young child to womanhood striving for independence. Eve spends an idyllic childhood of long summer days with her sweetheart Tom, and together they dream of exploring the world. But that dream is soon shattered as she comes of age. The mysterious Bluebeard is looking for a new bride and has his sights set on Eve, and rumor has it that his former wives have all disappeared. What will Eve find in the castle beyond the enchanted forest? A forbidden chamber, a golden key and the most terrifying secret, take on a new life in this gothic graphic novel.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2020
1235 people want to read
About the author
Metaphrog
16 books35 followersMetaphrog are Franco-Scottish duo Sandra Marrs and John Chalmers, award-winning graphic novelists.
They are winners of The Sunday Herald Scottish Culture Awards 2016 for Best Visual Artist; Excelsior Award Junior 2018; SICBA Outstanding Achievement 2018 and multiple Eisner Awards nominees for their Louis graphic novels.
See also: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
They are winners of The Sunday Herald Scottish Culture Awards 2016 for Best Visual Artist; Excelsior Award Junior 2018; SICBA Outstanding Achievement 2018 and multiple Eisner Awards nominees for their Louis graphic novels.
See also: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
February 9, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this! If you don't know, Bluebeard is a classic horror story for Children, most people who read it nowadays find it cringy, I wrote a review about it here: Bluebeard review.
However, in this addition the authors changed it in a way that made it more acceptable by adding a feminist touch and making the heroine more in control of her life. I really enjoyed the graphics and how somehow everything was blue except for the heroine who's halo and hair was purple/pinkish!
Would I recommend this? I really don't know, something still feels missing; I know that the ending was changed a great way from the original, but I feel it was so fast and rushed in a way.
But to be completely honest, the story shows the heroine as a caring person, gentle to animals, brave, curious, smart, loves her family (especially her sister as she broke a curse by how much she loves her- which is the exact story of Frozen; when Elsa and Anna broke the curse by the power of their love). All of these aspect are great for children, so yeah, maybe it's a good book to read for children.
I really enjoyed this! If you don't know, Bluebeard is a classic horror story for Children, most people who read it nowadays find it cringy, I wrote a review about it here: Bluebeard review.
However, in this addition the authors changed it in a way that made it more acceptable by adding a feminist touch and making the heroine more in control of her life. I really enjoyed the graphics and how somehow everything was blue except for the heroine who's halo and hair was purple/pinkish!
Would I recommend this? I really don't know, something still feels missing; I know that the ending was changed a great way from the original, but I feel it was so fast and rushed in a way.
But to be completely honest, the story shows the heroine as a caring person, gentle to animals, brave, curious, smart, loves her family (especially her sister as she broke a curse by how much she loves her- which is the exact story of Frozen; when Elsa and Anna broke the curse by the power of their love). All of these aspect are great for children, so yeah, maybe it's a good book to read for children.
February 10, 2020
I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
This is an amazing graphic novel that I devoured over 2 days of reading. I couldn't pull myself away. The art work is beautiful and recapturing and the tale reminds me of frozen with the love the sisters have for each other.
A great read for children that is dark and gothic but not scarily so.
This is an amazing graphic novel that I devoured over 2 days of reading. I couldn't pull myself away. The art work is beautiful and recapturing and the tale reminds me of frozen with the love the sisters have for each other.
A great read for children that is dark and gothic but not scarily so.
February 16, 2020
This is a pretty decent fairy-tale retelling in a graphic novel format. Despite the fact that it takes on a fairly gruesome story, the illustrations keep the whole thing pretty tame, rendering it suitable for older kids as well as teens and adults.
Eve has lived her whole life in the shadow of Bluebeard's castle. When she turns eighteen, her father basically sells her to Bluebeard (nice) and she ends up married to a travelling salesman (I'm guessing) who's never home. Bluebeard gives his wife the house's keys, a tiny gold one included. This, of course, opens the door at the end of the gallery. And, of course, she's not supposed to open it. And, of course, she does. When Bluebeard finds out that Eve's discovered his secret, he gets nasty, necessitating a bit of self-defence.
I'm not exactly sure why this is called a "feminist fairy tale", other than the fact that Eve and her sister end up pushing the villain off a balcony. Having the main character sold off by her father doesn't seem very feminist to me.
The writing is mediocre, but since this is a graphic novel, the illustrations play a large role. I kind of liked them. They have a really unique look, and an interesting colour palette. The shapes that are used throughout clearly convey the goodness (or evilness) of the various characters. As I mentioned before, nothing gets too gory. Blood is suggested with judicious use of colour rather than actual gore. (I'm still wondering about that poor zombie who fell off the cliff, though. It was shown, but then never mentioned!)
This book will probably appeal to fans of fairy-tale retellings, especially if they also enjoy graphic novels. Those who are looking for a particularly feminist book, however, may want to look elsewhere.
Thank you to NetGalley and Papercutz for providing a digital ARC.
Eve has lived her whole life in the shadow of Bluebeard's castle. When she turns eighteen, her father basically sells her to Bluebeard (nice) and she ends up married to a travelling salesman (I'm guessing) who's never home. Bluebeard gives his wife the house's keys, a tiny gold one included. This, of course, opens the door at the end of the gallery. And, of course, she's not supposed to open it. And, of course, she does. When Bluebeard finds out that Eve's discovered his secret, he gets nasty, necessitating a bit of self-defence.
I'm not exactly sure why this is called a "feminist fairy tale", other than the fact that Eve and her sister end up pushing the villain off a balcony. Having the main character sold off by her father doesn't seem very feminist to me.
The writing is mediocre, but since this is a graphic novel, the illustrations play a large role. I kind of liked them. They have a really unique look, and an interesting colour palette. The shapes that are used throughout clearly convey the goodness (or evilness) of the various characters. As I mentioned before, nothing gets too gory. Blood is suggested with judicious use of colour rather than actual gore. (I'm still wondering about that poor zombie who fell off the cliff, though. It was shown, but then never mentioned!)
This book will probably appeal to fans of fairy-tale retellings, especially if they also enjoy graphic novels. Those who are looking for a particularly feminist book, however, may want to look elsewhere.
Thank you to NetGalley and Papercutz for providing a digital ARC.
February 3, 2020
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley.
Bluebeard is and is not a strange. A modern reader sees it as a warning tale for women but the whole “rein in one’s curiosity thing’ gets more than a raised eyebrow from today’s woman. I mean, she at least didn’t kill anyone. The Brothers Grimm are a bit better. But there is something about Bluebeard – the castle, the beard, Angela Carter’s short story. Who knows?
Metaphrog’s retelling, in graphic novel form, combines these various versions and presents something that is pretty darn good.
In this version of the story, the center, the part that holds is the love that the family has for each other, this is particularly true of the sisters. By filling in, or better answering questions versions, that the original versions raise, Metaphrog not only makes the story more engrossing but more modern. There are issues besides the question of curiosity vs feminism. There are also the issues of rich and poor that that are raised in the original but dealt with in passing.
The artwork is glorious. But the stand out winning aspect is the use of the name Eve for the heroine. It is reclaiming the story in so many different ways, moving it beyond the curiosity evil original and taking it further than Angela Carter’s “Bloody Chamber”.
Bluebeard is and is not a strange. A modern reader sees it as a warning tale for women but the whole “rein in one’s curiosity thing’ gets more than a raised eyebrow from today’s woman. I mean, she at least didn’t kill anyone. The Brothers Grimm are a bit better. But there is something about Bluebeard – the castle, the beard, Angela Carter’s short story. Who knows?
Metaphrog’s retelling, in graphic novel form, combines these various versions and presents something that is pretty darn good.
In this version of the story, the center, the part that holds is the love that the family has for each other, this is particularly true of the sisters. By filling in, or better answering questions versions, that the original versions raise, Metaphrog not only makes the story more engrossing but more modern. There are issues besides the question of curiosity vs feminism. There are also the issues of rich and poor that that are raised in the original but dealt with in passing.
The artwork is glorious. But the stand out winning aspect is the use of the name Eve for the heroine. It is reclaiming the story in so many different ways, moving it beyond the curiosity evil original and taking it further than Angela Carter’s “Bloody Chamber”.
September 6, 2021
Bluebeard was described as a "feminist fairy tale," so it's going to differ from the traditional in some way, right? But there was just no telling how it was going to differ, which meant that anything could happen, which made it rather more suspenseful than I had anticipated. Very atmospheric and creepy. Pretty, too. I'll be looking for more of their work.
Edited to add: oh, and Bluebeard made me think of Johnny Depp, which made it even creepier.
Library copy
Genre: Suspense
Edited to add: oh, and Bluebeard made me think of Johnny Depp, which made it even creepier.
Library copy
Genre: Suspense
February 11, 2023
The artwork was pretty overall but I would have actually liked more details. It looked more like a child's picture book in style. The story a simplified version that wasn't the best executed in my opinion but not per-say bad. Just mediocre. Maybe because this was once suppose to be a children's tale but way too adult content based? They did a good job toning it down from what I remember of the original tale. I wouldn't push the feminism point at all on this. It worked more like click-bait. It lured me in and, while it wasn't the men who saved the day, the girl still wasn't actually a strong person either. A coward until the last second, trying to wait on the men to save them...
February 26, 2020
ARC provided by NetGalley and Papercutz. All opinions are mine and freely given.
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02-26: Metaphrog (known collectively as Franco-Scottish graphic novelists Sandra Marrs and John Chalmers) will be releasing 'Metaphrog's Bluebeard' on May 5, 2020 through Papercutz -- a retelling of the French folktale with a feminist bent told through a unique art style that looks at times, almost as if it's discreetly stitched together. It's not.. of course. It's an illustrated comic, classified as children's fiction.
Whereas the original tale was an incredibly dark story about a wealthy nobleman who marries over and over, only to have each wife disappear and the experience of his newest wife as she attempts to avoid the same outcome that befell each of them.
Though this version makes no effort to extract that dark atmosphere, horrific things have certainly occurred in the nobleman's castle, there are some differences here and there as well. Otherworldly influence seems to abound throughout the story and the sisters are no mere damsels in distress.
All in all, if you're comfortable with the violence that is often present in a traditional folktale, this is a pretty good comic for a child that isn't easily upset. If your kids like dark stories like creepy pastas and games like Bendy, this might be the story for them.
Bear in mind, the unusually cutesy sort of.. paper doll art style really contrasts with the edginess of the story.. but it's still fun.
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May 7, 2020
A beautifully illustrated retelling of Bluebeard. Told from the perspective of Eve, Metaphrog have made this a feminist retelling by showing the patriarchal structures Eve is at the mercy of. She is strong and fully rounded character. I was gripped by the story, and loved the clever use of colour to distinguish between Eve's life, home and identity and the home and world of Bluebeard. If you like a good retelling, this is the graphic novel for you!
February 19, 2020
This book has beautiful artwork. It is this artwork that I believe makes this story stand apart from other retellings of Bluebeard. I love the quickness of fairy tales and the feminist twist put on this one makes me feel fulfilled to read.
I would recommend this graphic novel for anyone looking for an accessible way to read the story of Bluebeard's wife.
I would recommend this graphic novel for anyone looking for an accessible way to read the story of Bluebeard's wife.
April 7, 2020
Bluebeard by Metaphrog - OPTIONAL
Bluebeard by Metaphrog, 175 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Papercutz, 2020. $20.
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Life in the village requires hard work, but Eve and her family are happy. But then change comes: first with a huge storm, and then with an invitation from the wealthy and feared Bluebeard. How will Eve uncover the mysteries surrounding Bluebeard and escape his grasp?
Simple story line that it is, Eve’s story was a nice read. The beginning felt choppy and somewhat pointless, maybe because the details shared felt unrelated to each other, but the second half was more engaging. Metaphrog breaks the stereotypes of typical fairy tales, encouraging readers to overcome their hardships -- with or without a knight in shining armor. I also enjoyed the unique illustration style; though I was not sure I liked it in the beginning, the style grew on me as I became entranced by all the strong colors.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...
Bluebeard by Metaphrog, 175 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Papercutz, 2020. $20.
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Life in the village requires hard work, but Eve and her family are happy. But then change comes: first with a huge storm, and then with an invitation from the wealthy and feared Bluebeard. How will Eve uncover the mysteries surrounding Bluebeard and escape his grasp?
Simple story line that it is, Eve’s story was a nice read. The beginning felt choppy and somewhat pointless, maybe because the details shared felt unrelated to each other, but the second half was more engaging. Metaphrog breaks the stereotypes of typical fairy tales, encouraging readers to overcome their hardships -- with or without a knight in shining armor. I also enjoyed the unique illustration style; though I was not sure I liked it in the beginning, the style grew on me as I became entranced by all the strong colors.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...
March 29, 2020
Hypnotic
The key here, for me, was the art. The first impression is that the drawing and coloring will be simple, basic, and rather bland. There are soft, simple lines, little inking, and broad, impressionistic swathes of pastel colors. Scenes are flat and two-dimensional. Characters aren't exactly cartoony, but they aren't especially expressive. Panels often look like illustrations from greeting cards.
But as you continue to read the whole effect becomes dreamy and increasingly unsettling. By the time we get to Bluebeard's castle the ominous overtones have begun to emerge, and the byplay between the heroine's innocence and Bluebeard's evil intentions creates an exquisite tension. The narrative remains bland and rather passive, but that actually contributes to the air of inevitable tragedy to which the art is building.
The actual story breaks no new ground, and this is essentially the standard Bluebeard story, with a slight twist ending. I think the claim of a "feminist" retelling is quite a stretch, but I guess there's no harm in that as long as you don't expect too much. This is not at all edgy, angry, or transgressive; in that regard this is still mild and unsurprising in terms of content and narrative.
So, if you're looking for a graphic novel version of some of the recent girrrl power fairy tale retellings, this probably isn't it. If you're interested in a sneaky, creepy example of sequential art storytelling, this could be an interesting choice.
(Please note that I had a chance to read a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
The key here, for me, was the art. The first impression is that the drawing and coloring will be simple, basic, and rather bland. There are soft, simple lines, little inking, and broad, impressionistic swathes of pastel colors. Scenes are flat and two-dimensional. Characters aren't exactly cartoony, but they aren't especially expressive. Panels often look like illustrations from greeting cards.
But as you continue to read the whole effect becomes dreamy and increasingly unsettling. By the time we get to Bluebeard's castle the ominous overtones have begun to emerge, and the byplay between the heroine's innocence and Bluebeard's evil intentions creates an exquisite tension. The narrative remains bland and rather passive, but that actually contributes to the air of inevitable tragedy to which the art is building.
The actual story breaks no new ground, and this is essentially the standard Bluebeard story, with a slight twist ending. I think the claim of a "feminist" retelling is quite a stretch, but I guess there's no harm in that as long as you don't expect too much. This is not at all edgy, angry, or transgressive; in that regard this is still mild and unsurprising in terms of content and narrative.
So, if you're looking for a graphic novel version of some of the recent girrrl power fairy tale retellings, this probably isn't it. If you're interested in a sneaky, creepy example of sequential art storytelling, this could be an interesting choice.
(Please note that I had a chance to read a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
September 18, 2020
This graphic novel is the retelling of a French folktale Barbe bleue. Bluebeard is the tale of a wealthy man who likes to marry a woman then the women seem to disappear then he is on the hunt for a new wife. When Bluebeard announces to his wife that he has been called away on urgent business he gives her the keys to the castle but forbids her from opening once chamber. Overcome with the desire to know what is in the forbidden room she opens the room to find and finds the former wives. The enchanted key she used to open the room turns red and Bluebeard knows she has violated his rules giving him just cause to kill her.
The colors in the illustrations are interesting. All aspects of the good life are light and whimsical but when the illustrations have to due with the evil Bluebeard they are dark with sharp lines. This book does not shy away from the violence that is present in traditional folktales. I would only recommend to children who are not easily upset and like creepy stories. The violent scenes in the book include a two-page spread of women hanging in a room and a violent exchange on a balcony with one person falling to their death. The pages with the hanging women read “The floor was covered in clotted blood. Attached to the walls were Bluebeard's wives, hanging there before me.” Overall a good story however this is for an older audience.
The colors in the illustrations are interesting. All aspects of the good life are light and whimsical but when the illustrations have to due with the evil Bluebeard they are dark with sharp lines. This book does not shy away from the violence that is present in traditional folktales. I would only recommend to children who are not easily upset and like creepy stories. The violent scenes in the book include a two-page spread of women hanging in a room and a violent exchange on a balcony with one person falling to their death. The pages with the hanging women read “The floor was covered in clotted blood. Attached to the walls were Bluebeard's wives, hanging there before me.” Overall a good story however this is for an older audience.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2022
Gothic graphic novel treatment of the Bluebeard folktale as told by Metaphrog, the award-winning Franco-Scottish graphic novelists Sandra Marrs and John Chalmers. This is the third of a series of feminist folktale retellings.
Childhood friends Eve and Tom had assumed that one day they would be married to each other, until the day that Bluebeard set his sights on Eve with the intention of making him his newest bride. After their wedding, he whisks her off to his castle where she is isolated from her friends and family. A month after their marriage, he leaves on urgent business and gives her free run of and keys to the house. She is told not to use the golden key to open the door to one room...
Metaphrog has set this French folktale on its side by empowering Eve to escape Bluebeard using her own wits and strength. It has a very European feeling to the text, which reads quickly enough. The illustrations are stylized and dark, with liberal use of blues, browns, purples, and dark pinks in frames black borders. This adds some fantasy to the story, taking away from the graphic horror of the tale, thus making it appropriate to hand to younger readers.
Appropriate for inclusion in fractured fairy tale collections, feminist collections, and fans of Bluebeard.
Recommended for grades 6-10.
Childhood friends Eve and Tom had assumed that one day they would be married to each other, until the day that Bluebeard set his sights on Eve with the intention of making him his newest bride. After their wedding, he whisks her off to his castle where she is isolated from her friends and family. A month after their marriage, he leaves on urgent business and gives her free run of and keys to the house. She is told not to use the golden key to open the door to one room...
Metaphrog has set this French folktale on its side by empowering Eve to escape Bluebeard using her own wits and strength. It has a very European feeling to the text, which reads quickly enough. The illustrations are stylized and dark, with liberal use of blues, browns, purples, and dark pinks in frames black borders. This adds some fantasy to the story, taking away from the graphic horror of the tale, thus making it appropriate to hand to younger readers.
Appropriate for inclusion in fractured fairy tale collections, feminist collections, and fans of Bluebeard.
Recommended for grades 6-10.
March 26, 2020
This is a colourful telling of the story of Bluebeard. Bluebeard is actually quite a dark folktale with murder and missing wives. This version is told in graphic format which is beautifully illustrated.
The artwork gives the story a kind of haunting yet beautiful feel and the characters come to life on the page. We are drawn into the simple life in a small village with families, love and friendship. Bluebeard's castle is something mysterious in the distance, a dark spot on the horizon.
Then the crops are ruined and the villagers begin to starve. Bluebeard saves the villages but exacts a high cost. Our heroine does not give up even when her life changes so drastically and the story ends in a way that leaves us with hope, love and life.
The most enjoyable aspect of this story is the exquisite artwork. The colours just leap from the page and they give the story life. I also liked the diversity and the heroism of the characters and the wonder of good defeating evil depicted in such gorgeous colours.
This is a familiar story told in a new and beautiful way.
Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
The artwork gives the story a kind of haunting yet beautiful feel and the characters come to life on the page. We are drawn into the simple life in a small village with families, love and friendship. Bluebeard's castle is something mysterious in the distance, a dark spot on the horizon.
Then the crops are ruined and the villagers begin to starve. Bluebeard saves the villages but exacts a high cost. Our heroine does not give up even when her life changes so drastically and the story ends in a way that leaves us with hope, love and life.
The most enjoyable aspect of this story is the exquisite artwork. The colours just leap from the page and they give the story life. I also liked the diversity and the heroism of the characters and the wonder of good defeating evil depicted in such gorgeous colours.
This is a familiar story told in a new and beautiful way.
Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
February 25, 2020
Never let it be said that I do not love a good fairy tale retelling. I *love* them. I love the creativity the authors have in taking a time-tested tale and twisting it so it's something completely new. It's exciting, it's refreshing, it's my JAM baby.
However. There are exceptions to this rule. Particularly when the retelling is poorly executed. Enter Metaphrog's Bluebeard.
***Spoilers coming***
My contention with this work is not in the artwork or the extra gothic elements. In fact, the artwork is stunning and I really enjoyed the extra spook-factor. My problem is that Metaphrog BARELY changes the story. They claim this is a feminist retelling but it isn't. There are maybe 4 panels in the book where the "retelling" actually happens and it falls completely flat. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled the girl saves herself in this story but it's not enough to say it's a true retelling. If the author's had simply pushed the narrative more to the point where the girl knew all along that she was going to save herself and didn't even bother waiting for the men to come, that would have been something. As it stands, the tale is virtually the same as the original save for who kills Bluebeard. And as that moment is over within a blink of an eye, there is 0 time for the reader to bask in the triumph of the gesture. In fact, the gesture is done so quickly that the reader doesn't really feel as if there IS any triumph. It's more of a "Ok that's over with. Moving on." Where's the girl power? Where's the sense of thrill of saving yourself and being your own hero? You won't find it here and that makes this work a huge disappointment.
However. There are exceptions to this rule. Particularly when the retelling is poorly executed. Enter Metaphrog's Bluebeard.
***Spoilers coming***
My contention with this work is not in the artwork or the extra gothic elements. In fact, the artwork is stunning and I really enjoyed the extra spook-factor. My problem is that Metaphrog BARELY changes the story. They claim this is a feminist retelling but it isn't. There are maybe 4 panels in the book where the "retelling" actually happens and it falls completely flat. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled the girl saves herself in this story but it's not enough to say it's a true retelling. If the author's had simply pushed the narrative more to the point where the girl knew all along that she was going to save herself and didn't even bother waiting for the men to come, that would have been something. As it stands, the tale is virtually the same as the original save for who kills Bluebeard. And as that moment is over within a blink of an eye, there is 0 time for the reader to bask in the triumph of the gesture. In fact, the gesture is done so quickly that the reader doesn't really feel as if there IS any triumph. It's more of a "Ok that's over with. Moving on." Where's the girl power? Where's the sense of thrill of saving yourself and being your own hero? You won't find it here and that makes this work a huge disappointment.
May 10, 2020
'Metaphrog's Bluebeard' by artistic duo Metaphrog is a variant of the classic fairytale.
Eve lives in a village with her family and her sweetheart Tom. Looming over the village is the creepy castle owned by the mysterious Bluebeard. It is rumored that he has married many women, but no one knows what happened to them. When tragedy hits Eve's village, she is forced in to marriage with Bluebeard and starts to unravel his secrets.
I love the Metaphrog works I've read, and their nice illustrations style. The story works well here and I don't mind the revisions. The art has details that surprised me throughout.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Papercutz and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Eve lives in a village with her family and her sweetheart Tom. Looming over the village is the creepy castle owned by the mysterious Bluebeard. It is rumored that he has married many women, but no one knows what happened to them. When tragedy hits Eve's village, she is forced in to marriage with Bluebeard and starts to unravel his secrets.
I love the Metaphrog works I've read, and their nice illustrations style. The story works well here and I don't mind the revisions. The art has details that surprised me throughout.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Papercutz and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
July 11, 2020
This had a lot of adventure in it! I loved that it was a graphic novel! It really allowed the story to be depicted very well! I think that it was a very easy read and that kids my age would enjoy this one. I loved how how it felt like a fairytale. It was well paced and the artwork was great!! Especially the cover I really loved that. I am addicted to keys just like my mom. So the key on the cover really made me want to read this one. I want to read more of these soon!! ~Review via Annie *(9 year old)
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July 10, 2020This was a really dark, but super cool fairy tale. The mysterious Bluebeard lives in a castle on the other side of a magical forest that no one has been able to get past. There are rumors that he has had many wives, but they all have gone missing. When Bluebeard makes an appearance in town, he arranges to marry one of the young girls. She is whisked away to his castle and discovers his dark secret.
March 24, 2020
A good read!
This rewriting including a little freshness to the original story, much darker and tragic.
The illustrations were pretty, but it was especially the colors that marked me, and the decorations, very well chosen compared to the written word.
In short, a nice rewrite for older children who love dark stories! ^^
This rewriting including a little freshness to the original story, much darker and tragic.
The illustrations were pretty, but it was especially the colors that marked me, and the decorations, very well chosen compared to the written word.
In short, a nice rewrite for older children who love dark stories! ^^
August 5, 2020
The illustrations are very moody and lovely but this fairy tale retelling just felt vaguely lackluster to me. Maybe it's the weird feminist labeling (with only very minor edits to the story), maybe it's the long introduction that does little for the characters or plot, either way this one just didn't click for me.
November 11, 2020
I enjoyed this gothic children’s graphic novel that added a bit of horror without overdoing it. I think parts might be a bit too scary depending on the kid which is why I lowered my rating. Definitely a unique storyline with fantastic illustrations. Check this out if you’re a fan of magical, gothic graphic novels!
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July 31, 2024It's fine. The art is interesting? There are a lot of deliberate choices being made that aren't for me but it's clear that they're deliberate choices and I respect that.
Give this one to tweens in that 5th - 8th range. I don't think it's a must-have, but it's on Comics Plus and it's good to know about.
Give this one to tweens in that 5th - 8th range. I don't think it's a must-have, but it's on Comics Plus and it's good to know about.
July 6, 2020
I got some serious Johnny Depp vibes off this Bluebeard character. What an interesting story. The illustrations were gorgeous and rich, and really propelled the story forward. It was fast paced and mysterious. And somewhat disturbing, like most fairy tales are!
August 2, 2020
3.5 Stars
A classic tale painted in beautiful colors. I didn’t find this retelling to be very unique from others, and the illustration style wasn’t my personal cup of tea, but it was still enjoyable and atmospheric. I think children who like horror will especially like it!
A classic tale painted in beautiful colors. I didn’t find this retelling to be very unique from others, and the illustration style wasn’t my personal cup of tea, but it was still enjoyable and atmospheric. I think children who like horror will especially like it!
January 28, 2021
I don't know the fairy-tale Bluebeard so this was a new tale for me. The book is a thing of beauty. The illustrations are stunning and unique. I didn't expect the story to be so gruesome, but I enjoyed the telling of the tale,
March 7, 2020
What an immensely original and beautiful style for a book! I would be glad to add a hard copy of this to my collection.
March 7, 2020
The story was OK, wasn't really a fan of the art.
August 7, 2020
Gorgeous artwork and creepy story. Really nicely done.
October 9, 2020
Loved the art - all lavender and pink and blue - so pretty. And a fun feminist twist at the end. I would read more from Metaphrog,
November 19, 2020
I really enjoyed this. Beautiful art and a great story.
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