Creative Staff:
Story: Lavir Tidhar
Art and Colors: Paul McCaffrey
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Editor: David Leach
What They Say:
“Women are never to be entirely trusted – not the best of them.” – Arthur Conan Doyle.
It’s 1902. Wounded in the Boer War, Jane Eyre returns to a London transmogrified by emerging modernity. An old friend, the glamorous inventor Lady Havisham, introduces her to the American adventuress Irene Adler, and the two seek lodging together. But Adler is engaged in a brutal secret war against a mortal enemy of the British Empire: Ayesh. She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, who seeks revenge against the colonisers who destroyed her country.
As Queen Victoria holds on to her throne with the help of experimental new medicine, Adler and Ayesha both fight for the secret weapon developed by the scientist Madame Curie. And as Ayesha and her amazons (not to mention her pet assassin Carmilla) take over the London underworld, Adler must form a team of determined women to stop them – before the Empire is destroyed.
From World Fantasy Award winning author Lavie Tidhar (The Violent Century, Central Station) and artist Paul McCaffrey (Anno Dracula) comes a pulse-pounding, gorgeously-illustrated graphic novel of Victorian menace, excitement and humour in Tidhar’s inimitable style.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
One of the most famous fictional detectives in history, Sherlock Holmes has a huge resume in crime-solving. But behind the man, there is a woman who is capable of so much more. Irene Adler has been a footnote in his path but Adler is one of the few capable of besting Sherlock. The world is her playground and it’s exciting to see her spirit well and thriving in this new journey. She doesn’t look for trouble but it’s always around the corner for her. Paul McCaffrey has so many eyecatching designs for Adler’s outfits. Every time she appears, she has a new look that suits the occasion.
The supporting cast could have had more focus to develop. This is Adler’s story but there a plethora of characters that could shine brilliantly. Each of them had a special trait that could have been used to further develop this world. It seemed as though Jane Eyre was going to have a bigger role but she is diminished as time passes on. She was introduced from the start as a war nurse but this wasn’t thoroughly used as the story progressed. The same can be said for the scientist Madame Curie. It feels like this is the first step into a new world rather than a self-contained story.
Sherlock Holmes is nowhere to be found and that’s for good riddance for now. Two’s company and three is a crowd. Sherlock Holmes is preceded by his legacy. He doesn’t need to fit into the story at this point. Professor Moriarty points out the perfect excuse for not having to deal with his detective skills. Speaking about Professor Moriarty, there could have been more work to focus on his status as a menacing figure. He could have served as the heinous person known but it shafted pretty early.
The villains could use some work to be seen as menacing. They just appear and are expected to be taken as the most dangerous threat in existence. Part of that does feel earned but it’s taken away by some unfortunate decisions. A moniker like She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed is a bit outdated and needs to be earned. Ayesha, an Amazonian Queen who lost her land to the British plots her revenge. But at every turn, the moniker loses power as she doesn’t make a strong case why she is the powerful villain. She wants to get revenge on England for conquering her land. She has a wonderful masterplan but it doesn’t have the build-up to make it horrifying. It just dropped on the reader’s laps and expects them to go with it.
In Summary:
Adler’s marvelous adventure provides a wonderful take on historical fiction. The fictional characters from various forms of literature and historical figures are breathtakingly brought to life in this greater-than-life journey. Some more so than others but they still have the potential to advance in the future. This graphic novel has its roots in detective fiction but this story is better seen as an adventure and can change direction if the setting calls for it. The one thing lacking is a villain to carry this book to the end. I’m excited to see where the story goes from here. It was a rough landing but the groundwork has been laid out.
Grade: B
Age Rating: 17+
Released By: Titan Comics
Release Date: March 30, 2021
MSRP: $16.99
