Review – Hematite by Victoria Maderna and Federico Piatti

Digital Review Copy Details.

• Title: Hematite – Volume 1 – Serenade
• Author: Victoria Maderna and Federico Piatti
• Art: Victoria Maderna and Federico Piatti
• Genre: Graphic Novel, Vampire
• Source: NetGalley
• Publication Date: 23 June 2021
• Format: ebook

Hermatite is a graphic novel that introduces us to a city with Victorian light overtones and intriguingly where supernatural creatures coexist with human in a classist society. This is the background to the gothic tale of unrequited love of our heroine, a young vampire. Enthralled by Emile a human, Hermatite journal entries are sublime, evocative, showing the depth of her emotion, and her skill as a poet. It is raw and from the heart.

To round out the characters we have imperious parents, learned men and the set piece, the local school where the children – a band of misfits find themselves involved in “juvenile shenanigans”

I’ve left it to last but it by no means least: the illustrations are lush, apt, with a sepia tone overlay giving the city a mysterious vibe. The children are quirky and expressive, their personalities just jump off the page. The city, its building and people are wonderfully detailed.

Hermatite was a magical read, with all the classic vampire essentials, ending on a cliff hanger which leaves you quietly pacing, eager for the next instalment.

In a world where paranormal is the norm, the dead don’t stay dead, if you don’t want them to be.

Can’t wait for the next instalment.