Muted Vol 1 - Review

Author: Miranda Mundt

Genre: Horror / Graphic Novel

Format: Paperback

Pages: 320

You know those books that never leave you alone? You see them once and have some benign thought about them. Like you like the cover, or that sounds like something you might like. So you keep meaning to do more research on it, or add that to my Goodreads or Library TBR. Then you start seeing it everywhere, and every time you keep saying, Oh yeah, this book. Know that feeling?

That was this book for me. I saw it during a random Instagram scroll that I didn't save quickly enough, because I'm still not very tech-savvy. Every single time I popped onto Netgalley, it was one of the books they kept telling me I wanted to read. While not incorrect, I don't have a great way to read comics and similar materials through them. My black and white Kindle makes them no fun, and reading on my computer is a guaranteed chance I'll get distracted (some goes for my phone).

So I waited for it to get published because I was certain I was going to like this one, adore it even. I mean, based on the cover alone, I was here for it. Could have gone to Webtoons and devoured so much of this the second I saw it on NetGalley? Yes, but see the above commit on distracted reading.

This was so worth the wait, though. Not only is the comic visually stunning, but it is also that. The entire book is done in full color, bright and bold. Miranda Mundt didn't just write the story; they also drew every single frame, colored them all, edited them all, and I'm sure the list goes on. On top of writing the entire story first on Webtoons through installments, and then editing that to fill a now two-volume (and more to come) series. Honestly, as someone with zero artistic ability in their own body, hearing them talk about their process was amazing. 

I also loved how the color scheme changes depending on who's in each panel. Some characters get a more dark vibe than others. I also really enjoy this style of art. It's drawn more in the new age kind of way, which makes me sound so old. But it's the style I'm seeing out of a lot of newer graphic novels and even animated series. It's a bolder and brighter, thicker line.  I really enjoy it, I think it fits with the story itself and allows for a lot of little details. So you're not just reading the words on the page, but letting the panels tell a piece of that story as well. 

As for that story itself, I love it. It's definitely a storyline you could see getting picked up for live live-action version. It's related in a lot of ways to the themes themselves. The magic structure and community of the magic users are well thought out, and you get a taste of both in this first volume. You also get a feel for three of the families in this community, with a bit of a whisper of a fourth. So it feels like a solid community, and it makes it easier to fall into the story itself with such a strong foundation. 

I really enjoyed Camille, our main character, as well. She's a well-rounded character who is easy to like and adore. I think there's a great number of readers that can see pieces of themselves in Camille's story. I honestly feel all the characters in these books are great in those aspects. Athalie, the matriarch for their family, is easily the worst character in this book, not because she's poorly written. Oh no, no, because she's so easy to hate. I spent three hundred pages wanting to slap her. Someone needs to slap Athalie in this series at some point. Nothing would bring me more joy. 

But, back to Camille, she could have easily been a Mary Sue character. One whose powers are amazing, and she can solve any puzzle, and her trauma is just something she brushes right off. I'm so glad that's not what happened. I'm also so grateful she's not one of the woe is me main characters that cannot really stand on their own feet because there's nothing good and every happens to me. I cannot thank Miranda Mundt for either of those things happening. Because yes, horrid things have happened to Camille, unfair things have happened to her, and are happening to her. Yes, she's feeling those things, dealing with those things, but she's also growing from them. You see it a little bit in this first volume, the strength she's taking from all this trauma. She's a strong main character. She has flaws because she has feelings. After all, we've seen her stumble.

She's not perfect. I like that. She's still a Chosen One character. She's destined for something great, I'm sure, but I like her because she's real. 

As for the ending of this book, it's a solid volume one ending. I feel like I have a solid understanding of Camille's world. I don't understand the magic completely yet, but I think that's the point. While quite a few questions did get answered in this volume, secrets were shared. I was also left with more questions. One of which I think I have figured out, though it's a minor thing in the grand scheme of the story. So the ending makes you excited for the second volume. What's going to happen, what's going to go wrong, all those sort of great not-so-cliffhanger, cliffhangers. 

Which is fine because not only is volume two out now, but I have a copy! Now to just find the time to read it without being bothered...

As I've mentioned, Muted is a Webtoons comic. Mirande Mundt has another series also on Webtoons. Which means if you call this link here, you can see more content and stuff if that's your thing! They also have their own website where you can see other projects and whatnot their working on here!

HAPPY READING!!