Graphic Novel Review – ROL Vol 10: Deadly Ever After

From Goodreads:

Illustrations from a mysterious book of fairy tales drawn in the late 1800s are coming to life in the 21st Century and causing havoc. The illustrations were originally painted by a Victorian artist called Jeter Day who disappeared one night in an enchanted forest when he was spirited away by tree nymphs never to be seen again…

Now, with the enchantment accidentally broken by Olympia and Chelsea, daughters of the river goddess Mama Thames, Jeter, twisted by his time spent with the nymphs, has returned to our world bitter and resentful. It is a world he neither recognises nor likes. All he wants is his life returned to him and woe betide any man who stands in his way.

With Peter and Nightingale busy on another case, it falls to sisters Olympia and Chelsea with the help of the Foxes to stop Jeter and save the day.

Its always hard to review a series that has been going on so long especially one where I am in love with the world. I will always love the Rivers of London books and the Graphic novels are a great edition. This is volume 10 of a graphic novel series that also contains 10 novels and 3 novellas. It is not a good starting place if you don’t know the series. I would suggest starting with the novel Rivers of London.

What I really love about the Graphic novels is they allow us insight into the stories of various side characters, that we don’t get to explore in the novels or novella’s. This edition focused on Chelsea and Olympia. Peter and Nightingale don’t feature at all being tied up with a case (maybe we will read about that later?)It was great to see them out on their own, we haven’t had a chance to learn much about them in the books other than their proclivity for throwing underage, underground parties. I particularly liked the twisted fairy tale aspect. The mystery itself wasn’t too taxing but I liked that. It set the level for what Chelsea and Olympia are capable of and shows that Abigail is beginning to outshine them in her magic studies.

One thing I did find a little confusing was what age they were meant to be, I always thought they were in their early 20s but from the context in this particularly in their bedroom I am now thinking late teens? But there was also a point where Abigail felt older than them and she is in her mid-teens. I just felt that aspect of them was a little muddled.

Over all it was a fun little short story in the world of the folly, filled with all the same humour you have come to expect from the series and great artwork.