DARK SWAN STORM BORN ISSUE #2 BY RICHELLE MEAD:GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW

Richelle Mead
Dark Swan Storm Born Issue #2

Review brought to you by OBS staff member Dawn

Eugenie awakens to a change in the temperature with Kiyo next to her in bed.
He is aware that something supernatural is in the room with them. It’s an Ice Elemental, a creature made of sharp ice crystals.

Eugenie’s fighting tools are in her purse across the room, but before she can get to them Kiyo springs into action. Eugenie is shocked at how quickly he moves and realizes he is not human.

The Ice Elemental, a gentry as well, knows her name. She tries to keep him talking while he admits everyone in the Otherworld wants her.

Kiyo grabs a lamp, trying to hurt the creature but Eugenie uses magick to banish him to the Otherworld. She then turns her attention to Kiyo – he moved faster than any human could and she wants answers. Eugenie is suspicious and questions him with the intent of protecting herself. Kiyo jumps out the window and Eugenie knows a human could not have survived the fall.

The next day Eugenie’s job is to get rid of a female genie in a bathroom. “Like calls to like” says the Genie and Eugenie has no idea what she means but she knows the genie fears her.

Eugenie has strong feelings for Kiyo, she can’t stop thinking about him despite knowing he is not human.

Eugenie stops by to visit her parents for advice but she quarrels with her step-father, Roland, over her decision to go after the girl Jasmine. Eugenie knows she cannot leave Jasmine in the Otherworld. When Eugenie leaves her parents’ home, a fox sits nearby and watches her…..

Review:

The fashionable clothing is great, it makes the series more fun for women. And Kiyo is hot (and buff), another plus for girls who want to read the series in Graphic Novel form.

Men should like the series as well due to the action, fighting and different supernatural beings. I think it successfully appeals to both sexes.

The artist was clever in covering the important bits (if you know what I mean) during the fight with the Ice Elemental. First the blanket, then a purse which made me laugh.

It follows, almost exactly, the book. I enjoy seeing images to go along with text I previously imagined.

I like that the first 2 in the series have not been over done. It’s just the right amount of action, dialogue and pictures to keep your attention. The specific details, like Eugenie’s tattoo, make it authentic to the book.

Eugenie’s facial expression, when she feels betrayed by Kiyo, is so detailed that her feelings ooze off the page. I couldn’t help but feel the hurt/pain with her.

I’m looking forward to the next installment. Thanks Sea Lion!