Tuesday, March 6, 2018

The Dream of the Butterfly (Volume 1) by Richard Marazano



Imagine a manga version of Alice in Wonderland where the heroine, "Tutu," encounters a strange world of talking creatures. Tutu doesn't know how she got to this strange land nor how to get home. What she does know is that this land of perpetual winter is ruled by a mysterious emperor who watches Tutu's every move and friends have been hard to come by.

From the first installment, I'm not sure if Marazano's tale is allegory, political commentary, pure fantasy or some combination of some of those elements. It is highly imaginative and the graphic panels offer much to examine and discover throughout the book.

This graphic novel is an intriguing start to a fantasy tale with a feisty heroine caught in a world full of mystery and danger.  The artwork is a visual treat and the characters and setting very imaginative. Be warned that Volume 1 raises a lot of questions that do not really get answered. Characters are introduced but not fully fleshed out. Readers experience the fear and danger right along with Tutu and will be anxiously awaiting the second volume in the series.  Hopefully future volumes will fill in more of Tutu's back story and offer an explanation about the setting of this fantastical tale!

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Dream of the Butterfly, Volume 1 from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was received.

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