MERCY THOMPSON: HOMECOMING

Author: Patricia Briggs ISBN: 9780345509888 8/2009 GRAPHIC NOVEL Publisher: DEL REY

Mercy Thompson is a walker, a magical being with the power to transform into a coyote. She lives on the fine line dividing the everyday world from a darker dimension, observing the supernatural community while standing apart. When Mercy travels to the Tri-Cities of Washington for a job interview, she quickly finds herself smack-dab in the middle of a gang war between rival packs of werewolves. And as if fangs and fur weren’t bad enough, Mercy must deal with the scariest creature of all: her mother, who is convinced that Mercy is making a mess of her life and determined to set her daughter on the right course.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Maybe if I had read some of the previous novels by Ms. Briggs featuring Mercy Thompson I could give this book a more positive review. Yes, the painted artwork and illustrations are beautiful to look at, and the action flows fast and furious. But much of the time I felt lost and confused, especially when one part of the story would jump into another—I didn't know if I was viewing flashbacks; reading a time-travel; or if it involved something from a previous Mercy Thompson story. With no background whatsoever on Mercy's character, just what the heck was I missing? And a story that doesn't stand well on its own won't rank very high with this reviewer.

However, while I didn't find MERCY THOMPSON: HOMECOMING to be exactly my cup of tea, this comic-book styled graphic novel about werewolves, vampires, and a kick butt heroine who can turn herself into a coyote is definitely impressive to look at, although a wee bit pricey. Fans of Patricia Briggs and graphic novels will probably find this hardcover much more satisfying and to their tastes than I did.

Nancy Davis