Book Review | Such a Pretty Smile

Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester is a book that's can't be pegged into a single genre. It's part family drama, part psychological horror, part modern fairytale, and part crime thriller.

This is a layered, multi-faceted story, and likewise, we alternate between 3 main storylines:

- Over a decade ago, a serial killer aptly named The Cur was on the loose—known for tearing apart girls and leaving them with mysterious bite wounds. Now they appear to have returned and they’re on the kill again.

- Meanwhile, thirteen-year-old Lila begins to feel violent impulses and keeps seeing dogs following her. She believes it may be tied to whatever dark secrets her mother has been keeping from her, and she’s determined to get to the bottom of it.

- Her mother, Caroline, is an eccentric artist who crafts bizarre sculptures out of leaves and twigs. However, she’s haunted by her past, and upon hearing of The Cur’s return, her repressed memories have begun to resurface.

I may be biased here, but I absolutely loved the sheer amount of surreal, dream-like sequences in this book. There were some delightfully grotesque scenes that legitimately reminded me of the Nightmare Stag from Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal, so if you love trippy psychological horror, I think you’ll be content reading this one.

However, one aspect of the story did stick out like a sore thumb, and that is

Qualms aside though, Such a Pretty Smile is overall a wonderfully nightmarish allegory about growing up, family, and trauma.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details:

Publication Date : January 18, 2022

Publisher : St. Martins Books

IBSN : 1250274214

Pages : 320

Comments

Manga Review | Blue Period: Why We Create Art

Why do we create art? Is it so we can better understand the world, so we can connect with others, so we can feel alive, or so we can bring the wildest figments of our imagination to life? Well, depending on who you ask, the answer will vary, and Blue Period by Tsubasa Yamaguchi seeks to give various Art Club students answers to that question. The story follows Yatora, a high school student, but despite his perfect grades and having tons of friends, he still can’t shake the terrible emptiness he feels inside, until one day he walks by his school’s art room and a beautiful painting catches his eye and finally ignites a passion in him. He decides that he wants to pursue art and aims to be admitted into one of the most competitive art schools in Japan, and that road is a tough one. Now, it’s very rare for a story to resonate with me on a molecular level, but everyone once in a blue moon, a story comes along that’s so relatable, that it hits too close to home. With gut-wrenchi...

Manga Review and Translator Interview | Apple Children of Aeon Volume 1

Abandoned as a baby, Yukinojo can't help but feel adrift in life, so when an heiress to an Aomori apple farm proposes to him, he takes up her offer. However, after he feeds his newlywed wife an apple from a mysterious tree, she becomes irrevocably changed, and the two of them are left trying to deal with the aftermath. Apple Children of Aeon , Vol. 1 by Ai Tanaka is a surreal and contemplative slice-of-life manga that’s steeped in Shintoism and magical realism. I’ve got to say, this manga has such a wonderful sense of place, transporting readers to the idyllic Aomori countryside. I think it’s precisely because the setting and characters feel so grounded that the subtle fantastical elements woven into the story feel all the more believable. On top of that, the art style feels like you’re opening up an old illustrated folktale. It’s simple yet charming and atmospheric. Honestly, the artwork and covers are so gorgeous that I wish that Kodansha will eventually ...

My Most Anticipated Manga Releases of 2022

Another year, another batch of new manga releases. Here are the ones (as well as some older manga returning to print) that I'm most excited for in 2022! Wandance by Coffee The story centers around Kaboku, a studious high schooler who feels trapped by his parent’s expectations. However, one night, he sees a fellow schoolmate dancing and becomes captivated. He asks to join her hip hop team. He has a lot of work ahead and he’s not sure what the future holds. All he knows is that through dance, he finally feels free. It looks like Coffee’s artwork wonderfully captures the kinetic energy and the beauty of self-expression within dance, so I’m really looking forward to this one. Double Manga, Vol. 1 by Ayako Noda Takara is a natural genius at acting, but he’s a bit scatterbrained and needs his acting double, Yuujin, to help him focus and memorize lines. However, when he’s scouted for a television role, jealousy threatens t...

My Most Anticpated Manga Reads of 2021

2020 is coming to close, but a whole new year of manga releases is upon us! Get ready to gear up because here's a list of which titles I'm most excited for. My Dearest Self with Malice Aforethought by Shoto Ito This manga is a cerebral psychological thriller about a shy, awkward college student. However, he has gaps in his memory where it's like he's a completely different person. He wakes up with a girlfriend he can't recall getting, he apparently punched another student, and ... he might even be committing murder. If you enjoy cerebral psychological thrillers like Memento or enjoy the concept of the "dark passenger" from Dexter , this one just might be right up your alley too. Shino Can't Say Her Name by Shuzo Oshimi Shino can't say her name or words that start with vowels. This makes it difficult for her to communicate with others. However, her freshman year of high school, she finally befriends a tone-deaf girl who loves music, and tog...

whimsydearest

Search This Blog