Graphic Novel Review: My Aunt Is A Monster by Reimena Yee

Posted on November 7, 2024 at 5:19 am by Gene Ambaum

Safia lost her parents in a horrible fire. She’s never met the distant aunt, Hakim Whimsy, who she is taken to live with; Whimsy’s house is on a hill and it’s rumored a monster lives there. And that’s kinda true. Miss Cathryn welcomes her, and then Whimsy introduces herself. It’s clear she’s the monster, but Safia doesn’t notice because she’s blind. Safia is excited to learn that Whimsy was once an adventurer, and she’s made to feel at home in a house full of wonders. But Whimsy tells Safia that she was disfigured in an accident, and asks her not to tell anyone. (In fact, folks aren’t sure what happened to the adventurer Hakim Whimsy and her assistant Cathryn Blanca; folks think they’re lost, or maybe dead.)

It’s not too long before they’re off having one last adventure, though, and this takes up most of the book. It involves saboteurs, Whimsy’s rival, a hidden archeological site, magic, and Whimsy trying to conceal her appearance (which appears doomed to fail at some point). Plus Safia makes a friend, which is a rough adventure of its own.