English
12+
Tropes
Breaking the Fourth Wall
Gothic Romance Stories
Sci-Fi
Heroines
Shaenon K. Garrity & Christopher Baldwin
summary
I love a good self-aware book, and Willoweep (a graphic novel) has this in spades. It begins with our main character dramatically reading her book report, much to her stern teacher’s dismay. She’s ordered to explore different genres (or you know, complete the actual assignment) and a walk home in the rain changes everything for our heroine Haley.
The tropes of gothic romance novels poke fun at themselves and then put a new twist on them by including multiple universes, pithy comments, and sci-fi. When Haley finds herself inside one of the stories she so dearly loves, will she be able to help? Or will her insistence to identify which character is which trope derail the entire mission of Willoweep Manor?
This book is the perfect way to kick off spooky season (which in all honesty is all year round in our house) because it’s not too scary and contains a whole lot of butt-kicking. Willoweep is out now, and it’s delightful.
This graphic novel was kindly sent by Simon & Schuster, but all opinions are my own!
Shaenon K. Garrity
Shaenon is a writer, artist, and editor specializing in comics and pop culture. As an editor, she has over a decade of experience working with comic books. As a freelance writer, she’s written extensively on comics, animation, and other popular arts. Shaenon has advised companies on comics publishing and spearheaded their entry into the field. Shaenon’s own comics and fiction have won awards and critical acclaim.
Christopher Baldwin
Christopher Baldwin was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts. He was a regular contributor to MAD Magazine for over a decade, and has drawn acclaimed webcomics including Bruno, Little Dee, and Spacetrawler. He has work exhibited or archived in the Roswell Museum and Art Center, the National Academy of Science, the Nevada Museum of Art, and the Cartoon Art Museum. He splits his time between Olympia, Washington, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.