Vampire The Masquerade: Winter’s Teeth Vol 1
This graphic novel was not what I was expecting, but in the best way possible. First of all, it is very difficult to find vampire content that isn’t hyper-sexualized, so that was a pleasant surprise. In fact, romance wasn’t even part of the storyline, which is a refreshing twist for the usually romance-heavy genre. Instead, the focus was on relationships, both personal and political.
I have always found vampire politics to be fascinating as authors have so much freedom to really be creative. Until now, I was completely unaware of this series, both the books and the games, so I have no prior knowledge as to how the world works and am, frankly, still a little clueless. But there is clearly a lot going on here - as there usually is in vampire worlds - and I could not put the book down. Following the different characters as they try to navigate this very complex and volatile political landscape - while also having to deal with the fact that they are vampires - was very engaging.
The characters themselves are all unique and well-fleshed out, which is quite a feat considering how small this volume really is. And their relationships! That is where this graphic novel truly shines. I was not at all expecting to find such complex and real relationships in a graphic novel about warring vampires, but I did, indeed, find them. In order to avoid spoilers, I won’t mention any specifics, but the bonds that are formed over the course of the story are truly heartwarming. And I loved learning the details of previously established relationships, as well. There are so many overlapping connections between all these characters that I cannot wait to see more of.
The art style was also great. Again, the characters were not over sexualized - a rare thing in the graphic novel/comic industry. The gore was also done very well and not in an overly-graphic way, either. I really liked the way the vampires were drawn when they went all ~vampirey~ (for lack of a better term). It added a cool layer of character and world building.
Overall, this graphic novel was 5 stars. I completely enjoyed the experience from the first page to the last. And was rather devastated when it ended. I could read so much more about these characters and this universe, and I fully intend to. If you haven’t read Vampire The Masquerade: Winter’s Teeth Vol 1 yet, I highly recommend you do. Especially if you like cool vampires with cool vampire powers.
