Whoa, folks... Evil in Me really scratched the itch; totally quieted the horde in my head and took me on an extremely enjoyable, batshit crazy, folklore-infused journey of Demons & Serial Killers & Punk Rock (Oh My!). Brom nails the tone, delivering a grotesquely creative tale of possession that embraces the chaos and humor without ever ignoring the heavier themes.
I purposely went into this one completely blind. Because of that, it honestly took me a little while longer than it might've otherwise to fully get into the first act (though that opening chapter was brutal). And I maybe would've liked a little more closure at the very end. But ultimately, Evil in Me is right up my alley; a wildly bizarre, high-concept ride full of rebellious punk rock attitude, horrifying possession, and monstrous mayhem.
Brom creates some nightmarishly weird characters. And as always, his artwork is stunning, making his characters work all the more effectivelyâLord Sheelbeth is terrifying; Vutto is awesome. The storylineâwhich finds a troubled punk rocker possessed by an ancient ring, and the hellish demons that live within, fighting for freedom the only way she knows how, through musicâworks wonders, expertly blending its folkloric inspirations with the original narrative. Brom wholly understands Ruby, her struggle, and the soul-saving power of music, which in turn makes us wholly believe in the magic Ruby must make in order to free herself from these horrors.
And the way Brom implements the in-your-face power of punk rock (including original songs written for the book, and performed by The Maxines) and an oddball serial killer subplot to tie the narrative threads together and build toward a truly unpredictable and thematically affecting finale only makes it all feel even more tailor-made for me. What a wonderfully weird ride.
I purposely went into this one completely blind. Because of that, it honestly took me a little while longer than it might've otherwise to fully get into the first act (though that opening chapter was brutal). And I maybe would've liked a little more closure at the very end. But ultimately, Evil in Me is right up my alley; a wildly bizarre, high-concept ride full of rebellious punk rock attitude, horrifying possession, and monstrous mayhem.
Brom creates some nightmarishly weird characters. And as always, his artwork is stunning, making his characters work all the more effectivelyâLord Sheelbeth is terrifying; Vutto is awesome. The storylineâwhich finds a troubled punk rocker possessed by an ancient ring, and the hellish demons that live within, fighting for freedom the only way she knows how, through musicâworks wonders, expertly blending its folkloric inspirations with the original narrative. Brom wholly understands Ruby, her struggle, and the soul-saving power of music, which in turn makes us wholly believe in the magic Ruby must make in order to free herself from these horrors.
And the way Brom implements the in-your-face power of punk rock (including original songs written for the book, and performed by The Maxines) and an oddball serial killer subplot to tie the narrative threads together and build toward a truly unpredictable and thematically affecting finale only makes it all feel even more tailor-made for me. What a wonderfully weird ride.
