Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda’s graphic novel series is a mind-blowing creation that takes place in a fantasy world like no other. A world that’s unbelievably complex, brutally unforgiving, and heartbreakingly beautiful all at once. Monstress: The Vow, the sixth volume in the series, continues the saga full of power struggles, hidden supernatural beings, betrayals, and horrors—where Maika Halfwolf, the protagonist, not only faces countless enemies, but can’t even trust her friends—or her own family. The only one she might be able to count on is the ancient, bloodthirsty entity lurking inside her.
Monstress Takes the Graphic Novel to a Whole New Level
The creators of Monstress, the Lennon and McCartney of the graphic novel world—Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda—have basically swept every major sci-fi and fantasy award with their joint masterpiece. And if they haven’t yet, they definitely will. Deservedly so.
The war between humans and Arcanics is being manipulated by otherworldly forces. Supernatural beings walk the earth, sometimes in their true forms, other times hiding behind masks—or in someone else’s skin—fighting each other for power. In this chaotic, utterly opaque, and constantly shifting web of alliances, Maika Halfwolf and her few remaining friends are just trying to stay alive.
All of this is delivered in panels that look like paintings.
If, while reading Monstress, you start thinking how amazing it would be to read this Game of Thrones-level intricate plot in book form, there’s really only one argument against it: in that case, you’d miss out on the stunning visuals created by Sana Takeda.
It’s usually a given that the book version of any story beats the movie or comic. Monstress might just be the one true exception. There’s simply no way your imagination could conjure up the same lush, painterly wonderland on its own.
The Vow Means Nothing
By Volume 6, it’s already crystal clear that in Monstress, even your best friend could turn out to be your worst enemy. Family included. And it’s not even that Liu’s story is packed with traitors—it’s just that there are so many conflicting agendas that they inevitably crash into each other.
And right in the tangled middle of all these conflicting interests is Maika, who everyone wants something from. Most of all, they want to get their hands on her. Or destroy her. Or steal her power. Or just eliminate her, you know, as a precaution—before she brings down the entire world. (And you can’t even say they’re being overly cautious—Maika is a walking neutron bomb – as evidenced by the city of Constantine, or rather, the ruins of the city of Constantine.)
Monstress keeps you in a constant state of uncertainty. As if the countless factions with differing goals weren’t enough, the shadows of long-dead, once-powerful characters—like the Shaman-Empress or Maika’s mother, Moriko—still linger and continue to shape the present.
The Vow doesn’t move the plot much further. The Federation keeps up the siege of Ravenna. The bond between Zinn and Maika deepens. And Kippa is—unsurprisingly—adorably cute. (One of the best moments is when the flesh-eating monster, as usual, pauses to marvel at just how cute she is.)
Oh, and the Wolf Queen? The one we once called both Grandma and the Big Bad Wolf? She’s now officially the John Wick of this graphic novel saga. (Though come to think of it, that label could easily apply to at least five other characters in The Vow.)
Monstress: This is a Cruel World
The Vow, the sixth volume of Monstress, actually opens with two separate standalone stories. One takes us into Maika’s past, the other into Kippa’s. In true Monstress fashion, Kippa’s flashback takes us to one of the very few idyllic moments of her short life—which just so happens to be set in a starving refugee camp. Surrounded by the impoverished, the hungry, the crippled, and those desperately yearning for affection.
But that’s exactly what Monstress is about. That total contrast. The beautiful exterior that hides rot and a ravenous thirst for power. A world that looks idyllic at first glance, but is filled with unfathomable evil.
But if we look at it strictly from Maika Halfwolf’s perspective, The Vow makes it painfully clear—again—that the worst betrayals usually come from those closest to you. Not that Maika hasn’t been used to it for a long time.
Rating: 8.7/10
Monstress, Volume 6: The Vow by Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda
176 pages, Paperback
Published in 2021 by Image Comics
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Reviews of other volumes in the series:
#1, Awakening
#2, The Blood