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The Night Eaters #1
The Night Eaters, Vol. 1: She Eats the Night
The first volume in a new graphic novel horror trilogy from Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda—the creative team behind the New York Times bestselling series Monstress
Chinese American twins, Milly and Billy, are having a tough time. On top of the multiple failures in their personal and professional lives, they’re struggling to keep their restaurant afloat. Luckily their parents, Ipo and Keon, are in town for their annual visit. Having immigrated from Hong Kong before the twins were born, Ipo and Keon have supported their children through thick and thin and are ready to lend a hand—but they're starting to wonder, has their support made Milly and Billy incapable of standing on their own?
When Ipo forces them to help her clean up the house next door—a hellish and run-down ruin that was the scene of a grisly murder—the twins are in for a nasty surprise. A night of terror, gore, and supernatural mayhem reveals that there is much more to Ipo and her children than meets the eye.
Eisner Award–winning and bestselling author Marjorie Liu and illustrator Sana Takeda have crafted a wild and wicked tale that will leave readers hungry for more. She Eats the Night is the perfect start to The Night Eaters trilogy, which is a combination of Monsters by Barry Windsor-Smith and Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan.
Chinese American twins, Milly and Billy, are having a tough time. On top of the multiple failures in their personal and professional lives, they’re struggling to keep their restaurant afloat. Luckily their parents, Ipo and Keon, are in town for their annual visit. Having immigrated from Hong Kong before the twins were born, Ipo and Keon have supported their children through thick and thin and are ready to lend a hand—but they're starting to wonder, has their support made Milly and Billy incapable of standing on their own?
When Ipo forces them to help her clean up the house next door—a hellish and run-down ruin that was the scene of a grisly murder—the twins are in for a nasty surprise. A night of terror, gore, and supernatural mayhem reveals that there is much more to Ipo and her children than meets the eye.
Eisner Award–winning and bestselling author Marjorie Liu and illustrator Sana Takeda have crafted a wild and wicked tale that will leave readers hungry for more. She Eats the Night is the perfect start to The Night Eaters trilogy, which is a combination of Monsters by Barry Windsor-Smith and Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2022
About the author
Marjorie M. Liu
220 books4,230 followersNew York Times bestselling and award-winning writer Marjorie Liu is best known for her fiction and comic books. She teaches comic book writing at MIT, and she leads a class on Popular Fiction at the Voices of Our Nation (VONA) workshop.
Ms. Liu is a highly celebrated comic book writer. Her extensive work with Marvel includes the bestselling Dark Wolverine series, NYX: No Way Home, X-23, and Black Widow: The Name of the Rose. She received national media attention for Astonishing X-Men, which featured the gay wedding of X-Man Northstar and was subsequently nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for outstanding media images of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Ms. Liu also wrote the story for the animated film, Avengers Confidential: Black Widow and Punisher, which was produced by Marvel, Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Madhouse Inc.
Her newest work is MONSTRESS, an original, creator-owned comic book series with Japanese artist (and X-23 collaborator) Sana Takeda. Published by Image in Fall 2015, MONSTRESS is set in an alternate, matriarchal 1920’s Asia and follows a girl’s struggle to survive the trauma of war. With a cast of girls and monsters and set against a richly imagined aesthetic of art deco-inflected steam punk, MONSTRESS #1 debuted to critical praise. The Hollywood Reporter remarked that the longer than typical first issue was “world-building on a scale rare in mainstream comics.”
Ms. Liu is also the author of more than 19 novels, most notably the urban fantasy series, Hunter Kiss, and the paranormal romance series, Dirk & Steele. Her novels have also been bestsellers on USA Today, which described Liu “as imaginative as she is prolific.” Her critically praised fiction has twice received the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, for THE MORTAL BONE (Hunter Kiss #6), and TIGER EYE (Dirk & Steele #1). TIGER EYE was the basis for a bestselling paranormal romance video game called Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box.
Liu has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, MTV, and been profiled in the Wall Street Journal.com, Hollywood Reporter, and USA Today. She is a frequent lecturer and guest speaker, appearing on panels at San Diego Comic Con, the Tokyo Literary Festival, the New York Times Public Lecture series, Geeks Out; and the Asian American Writers Workshop. Her work has been published internationally, including Germany, France, Japan, Poland, and the United Kingdom.
Ms. Liu was born in Philadelphia, and has lived in numerous cities in the Midwest and Beijing. Prior to writing full-time, she was a lawyer. She currently resides in Boston.
Ms. Liu is a highly celebrated comic book writer. Her extensive work with Marvel includes the bestselling Dark Wolverine series, NYX: No Way Home, X-23, and Black Widow: The Name of the Rose. She received national media attention for Astonishing X-Men, which featured the gay wedding of X-Man Northstar and was subsequently nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for outstanding media images of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Ms. Liu also wrote the story for the animated film, Avengers Confidential: Black Widow and Punisher, which was produced by Marvel, Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Madhouse Inc.
Her newest work is MONSTRESS, an original, creator-owned comic book series with Japanese artist (and X-23 collaborator) Sana Takeda. Published by Image in Fall 2015, MONSTRESS is set in an alternate, matriarchal 1920’s Asia and follows a girl’s struggle to survive the trauma of war. With a cast of girls and monsters and set against a richly imagined aesthetic of art deco-inflected steam punk, MONSTRESS #1 debuted to critical praise. The Hollywood Reporter remarked that the longer than typical first issue was “world-building on a scale rare in mainstream comics.”
Ms. Liu is also the author of more than 19 novels, most notably the urban fantasy series, Hunter Kiss, and the paranormal romance series, Dirk & Steele. Her novels have also been bestsellers on USA Today, which described Liu “as imaginative as she is prolific.” Her critically praised fiction has twice received the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, for THE MORTAL BONE (Hunter Kiss #6), and TIGER EYE (Dirk & Steele #1). TIGER EYE was the basis for a bestselling paranormal romance video game called Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box.
Liu has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, MTV, and been profiled in the Wall Street Journal.com, Hollywood Reporter, and USA Today. She is a frequent lecturer and guest speaker, appearing on panels at San Diego Comic Con, the Tokyo Literary Festival, the New York Times Public Lecture series, Geeks Out; and the Asian American Writers Workshop. Her work has been published internationally, including Germany, France, Japan, Poland, and the United Kingdom.
Ms. Liu was born in Philadelphia, and has lived in numerous cities in the Midwest and Beijing. Prior to writing full-time, she was a lawyer. She currently resides in Boston.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 641 reviews
February 16, 2023
Don’t mess with Mom
Relationships with your parents are always a perilous path of love shadowed by past hurts, expectations and generation conflict, but for Chinese American twins Milly and Billy their mother’s sense of tough love might be even more complication. The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night, which is a rather redundant subtitle, is the first volume in what will be a continuing horror graphic series from Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda (the pair also worked together on Monstress). And this is a sufficiently scary start. The art is rather striking, and the pacing is good, weaving past and present, though the need to hold off on some of the big reveals frustrates some of the storytelling. Mixing the haunted house narrative full of demons and dread with themes on immigrant family relations and the difficulties of COVID times, The Night Eaters is visually stunning and a fun, wild ride.
While this is just the first piece in a longer series to come, it stands alone pretty effectively. I really love Takeda’s artwork, which is rather dynamic in setting an eerie, moody tone that can abruptly dip into great monster scenes as well as being able to keep a good comical vibe with the ways shouted dialogue is presented in a near-anime style. It does, at times, feel like there was uncertainty how to fold the reveal into the story beyond the shock scene and could probably have benefitted with a bit more foreshadowing. Though that said the pace in this is quite nice and I enjoyed the way the demon story is so wrapped up in Liu’s commentary on immigrant mothers and Chinese culture. Ipo is a tough mom and I appreciated how there are moments when you question if she is good or evil--especially after digging up the skeleton of a giant demon.
There are some classic horror tropes here—such as digging into the history of a house and visiting an old person in a hospital to investigate further—that feel a bit cliched with the way they rush through it a bit. However, I did quite enjoy the way the story takes its time in the beginning, comfortably moving around COVID times with issues of masking and the uncertainty of restaurants being able to stay open or not. Ipo refusing to wear a mask (which will later make sense because…no disease is going to hurt Ipo) and people leaving bad YELP reviews all works as some comic relief but in a way that makes you go “oh yeah all that was very real.” It’s weird to see it already embodied like a period piece but it works.
So if you want some good demon ass-kicking, The Night Eaters is for you. And next time your parents ask you to do a task for them, you’ll be glad these aren’t your parents. Or jealous that they aren’t. I really loved the dad, honestly. And I can’t wait for volume 2.
3.5/5
December 21, 2023
At first, I thought the dialogue was stilted and the characters were strange. <--and not in a quirky, fun way. I just wasn't feeling the story at all.
However, it picked up midway through and by the end, I was completely hooked. I'm looking forward to volume 2.
The gist is that these twins run a restaurant/bakery thing together and it's struggling.
Their dad and mom live nearby and help them out financially from time to time.
While their Dad is this chill dude, their mom is this emotionally stunted, chain-smoking asshole, crazypants.
Now, the house across from theirs is WEIRD too. Like demon possessed or something.
And one day their mom just forces them to shut their shop down and "help" the house.
Up till now? The story was just stupid. I was not invested.
Once they go inside?
It gets better. Not better enough for me to keep reading the series, but better.
THEN you get the mom and dad's backstory.
And now I'm 100% into this thing.
Bring on the next volume!
However, it picked up midway through and by the end, I was completely hooked. I'm looking forward to volume 2.
The gist is that these twins run a restaurant/bakery thing together and it's struggling.
Their dad and mom live nearby and help them out financially from time to time.
While their Dad is this chill dude, their mom is this emotionally stunted, chain-smoking asshole, crazypants.
Now, the house across from theirs is WEIRD too. Like demon possessed or something.
And one day their mom just forces them to shut their shop down and "help" the house.
Up till now? The story was just stupid. I was not invested.
Once they go inside?
It gets better. Not better enough for me to keep reading the series, but better.
THEN you get the mom and dad's backstory.
And now I'm 100% into this thing.
Bring on the next volume!
March 4, 2024
WOW!! The duo of Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda is a real force of power! The storytelling coupled with the artwork is magical. I loved that I didn't really know anything going into this book so that everything unfolded naturally and unexpectedly.
What I thought was happening was so much more! Horror fans will enjoy the gruesome aspects and the supernatural elements, which I will not disclose...just in case others want to savor those reading discoveries.
I wasn't expecting to cry at the end, but this got me. I can't wait for book two. I think it's available on hoopla too. *highly recommend reading on hoopla's media reader--going panel by panel and seeing all the up-close details.
Oh yeah, CREEPY DOLLS! Ok, that's all I'm going to say. Oh wait, and the twins are hilarious. In fact, the whole family has their moments. Honor & horror--it doesn't get better
What I thought was happening was so much more! Horror fans will enjoy the gruesome aspects and the supernatural elements, which I will not disclose...just in case others want to savor those reading discoveries.
I wasn't expecting to cry at the end, but this got me. I can't wait for book two. I think it's available on hoopla too. *highly recommend reading on hoopla's media reader--going panel by panel and seeing all the up-close details.
Oh yeah, CREEPY DOLLS! Ok, that's all I'm going to say. Oh wait, and the twins are hilarious. In fact, the whole family has their moments. Honor & horror--it doesn't get better
November 18, 2022
A brother and sister set of Chinese American twins finds out why their immigrant mother has been so harsh and aloof their whole life -- and it's a doozy of a reason that gets the family caught up in a supernatural adventure in the haunted house next door.
I couldn't get past the first two volumes of Monstress because there were so many dull words covering up some very nice art. So I had my doubts going into this book, but I was very pleasantly surprised to find myself quickly caught up in the domestic and paranormal aspects. There are no narration boxes, and the dialogue is lean and realistic. The art seems a bit cruder though, perhaps trying to convey the horror vibe.
I eagerly look forward to the next two volumes.
I couldn't get past the first two volumes of Monstress because there were so many dull words covering up some very nice art. So I had my doubts going into this book, but I was very pleasantly surprised to find myself quickly caught up in the domestic and paranormal aspects. There are no narration boxes, and the dialogue is lean and realistic. The art seems a bit cruder though, perhaps trying to convey the horror vibe.
I eagerly look forward to the next two volumes.
March 16, 2023
This was very well done, despite relying on the tired trope of "parents/guardians withhold obviously important secret identity from kids for no real reason."
The visuals of the vine-overgrown horror house were strong.
The visuals of the vine-overgrown horror house were strong.
January 27, 2023
After loving Monstress I was up for reading anything from this team and The Night Eaters did not disappoint. It's a horror graphic novel that certainly delivers on the horror elements, but also has a really interesting story. At its core, this is about the culture and generational divide between Chinese immigrant parents and their American born children. But with a creepy house, sentient dolls, and demons. It's smart, disturbing, and sometimes really funny. The modern timeline takes place during the height of the COVID pandemic, so there is also this subtle undercurrent of pointing to the anti-Asian racism that came with the pandemic and how it affected people. Overall, really loved this and look forward to the next installment!
November 22, 2023
5 freaking stars ⭐️…
Talk about a book that will be living rent free in my head for the next several days.
Holy Crap. I did not see any of these INSANE plot twists coming!!! 😱😱😱.
The twins, Milly and Billy, completely stole the spotlight and have stolen my heart. ♥️ ♥️♥️.
I mean, seriously…
This book was straight perfection. The right amount horror mixed with the right amount of humor. 🤭🤭🤭.
This book is also a prime example of not knowing what secrets your parents could be keeping from you out of fear that you might look at them differently and/or stop loving them. 🥰🥰🥰.
I will most definitely be hugging my parents A LOT this Thanksgiving weekend. ☺️☺️☺️. In the meantime, though, Book #2 here I come!!!
Talk about a book that will be living rent free in my head for the next several days.
Holy Crap. I did not see any of these INSANE plot twists coming!!! 😱😱😱.
The twins, Milly and Billy, completely stole the spotlight and have stolen my heart. ♥️ ♥️♥️.
I mean, seriously…
This book was straight perfection. The right amount horror mixed with the right amount of humor. 🤭🤭🤭.
This book is also a prime example of not knowing what secrets your parents could be keeping from you out of fear that you might look at them differently and/or stop loving them. 🥰🥰🥰.
I will most definitely be hugging my parents A LOT this Thanksgiving weekend. ☺️☺️☺️. In the meantime, though, Book #2 here I come!!!
January 17, 2023
4.0 Stars
This was a beautiful yet horrifying graphic novel. I loved that so much of the story revolved around themes of family and the complicated relationships between those members. There was a heavy focus on masking and pandemic discussions which may make this a polarizing book for some. I liked the artwork which was filled with dull colors that fit the tone of the story. The horror parts were definitely my favourite with some of the best illustrations.
This was a beautiful yet horrifying graphic novel. I loved that so much of the story revolved around themes of family and the complicated relationships between those members. There was a heavy focus on masking and pandemic discussions which may make this a polarizing book for some. I liked the artwork which was filled with dull colors that fit the tone of the story. The horror parts were definitely my favourite with some of the best illustrations.
January 28, 2023
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Intrigued by the title and cover of this latest graphic novel by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda, I decided to give it a shot despite not being a fan of ‘Monstress’. Sadly, it seems that this creative duo is just not for me. In She Eats the Night we follow twins and restaurant co-owners, Milly and Billy. In addition to the difficulties of keeping their business afloat they also have to contend themselves with their parents’ annual visit. Ipo and Keon, who left Hong Kong for America hoping that their children would ‘prosper’, wonder whether they have shielded them too much. While Keon is more of a laid-back kind of father figure, Ipo is shows little empathy or interest in her children, and most panels show her scowling or looking hard-edged (no doubt these are meant to make her look intriguing and badass but to me, it just made her overly callous and even difficult to take seriously). Ipo enlists Milly and Billy to clean up the house next door, which exudes bad vibes. Although this is listed as a horror, and there are some scenes that are meant to inspire fear/unease in readers, I just found the overall tone and direction of the story to be very corny. A lot of scenes and dialogues exist only to confuse us, readers, when it comes to Ipo and Keon’s motivations (what are they hiding? how do they know about this house? why are putting their children in danger?). I just wasn’t a fan of the parents or their dynamic. The twins were bland and mostly there to react to the weird things that are happening in their lives.
I am afraid that She Eats the Night was not the kind of horror graphic novel I was hoping it would be. The dialogues are clunky, the art style didn’t really grab me, and the story is trying too hard for this ambiguous vibe that ultimately comes across as trying too hard to be mysterious.
If this graphic novel is on your radar I recommend you check out more positive reviews.
Intrigued by the title and cover of this latest graphic novel by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda, I decided to give it a shot despite not being a fan of ‘Monstress’. Sadly, it seems that this creative duo is just not for me. In She Eats the Night we follow twins and restaurant co-owners, Milly and Billy. In addition to the difficulties of keeping their business afloat they also have to contend themselves with their parents’ annual visit. Ipo and Keon, who left Hong Kong for America hoping that their children would ‘prosper’, wonder whether they have shielded them too much. While Keon is more of a laid-back kind of father figure, Ipo is shows little empathy or interest in her children, and most panels show her scowling or looking hard-edged (no doubt these are meant to make her look intriguing and badass but to me, it just made her overly callous and even difficult to take seriously). Ipo enlists Milly and Billy to clean up the house next door, which exudes bad vibes. Although this is listed as a horror, and there are some scenes that are meant to inspire fear/unease in readers, I just found the overall tone and direction of the story to be very corny. A lot of scenes and dialogues exist only to confuse us, readers, when it comes to Ipo and Keon’s motivations (what are they hiding? how do they know about this house? why are putting their children in danger?). I just wasn’t a fan of the parents or their dynamic. The twins were bland and mostly there to react to the weird things that are happening in their lives.
I am afraid that She Eats the Night was not the kind of horror graphic novel I was hoping it would be. The dialogues are clunky, the art style didn’t really grab me, and the story is trying too hard for this ambiguous vibe that ultimately comes across as trying too hard to be mysterious.
If this graphic novel is on your radar I recommend you check out more positive reviews.
April 10, 2023
Star Rating: —> 5 Stars
I’m trying to read my backlist tbr & I was too sick for a LONG TIME to read a long-ish graphic novel that I knew virtually nothing about except that I love this author/ artist duo … After reading just the first Chapter/ Vol in this book… where nothing really happened?
BOYYYYY DID THAT ESCALATE QUICKLY.
A beautifully drawn, unexpected AF, cosmic horror story!
I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL BOOK TWO? HOLY SHIT BOOK ONE WAS SO FREAKING GOOD. COSMIC HORROR/ GRAPHIC NOVEL LOVERS—LOOK NO FURTHER, THIS SERIES IS YOUR NEXT READ!
I’m trying to read my backlist tbr & I was too sick for a LONG TIME to read a long-ish graphic novel that I knew virtually nothing about except that I love this author/ artist duo … After reading just the first Chapter/ Vol in this book… where nothing really happened?
BOYYYYY DID THAT ESCALATE QUICKLY.
A beautifully drawn, unexpected AF, cosmic horror story!
I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL BOOK TWO? HOLY SHIT BOOK ONE WAS SO FREAKING GOOD. COSMIC HORROR/ GRAPHIC NOVEL LOVERS—LOOK NO FURTHER, THIS SERIES IS YOUR NEXT READ!
October 16, 2023
One of my favorite fantasy quotes is from my beloved Stephen King. I use it an awful, awful lot in my reviews but I promise you its apt in this case.
There are other worlds than these.
In our arrogance we glide through ours and so very many of us think "this is it! this is all there is!" We go about our daily lives never once even considering that just beyond where we can see, in the darkness where our puny, human eyes can't penetrate is a whole universe of...other.
Marjorie M. Liu and the absurdly talented Sana Takeda have been trafficking in that "other" for quite awhile now with their marvelous comic Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening but they've taken a (slight) detour from fantastasical horror with some...urban fantastical horror comedy? That feels like a lot of genres but then there's a hell of a lot going on here.
Milly and Billy are pretty average twenty somethings. They're Chinese American twins with an overbearing, frankly cold mother and an utterly adoring, utterly adorable father. Life hasn't quite worked out the way they'd planned. Milly dropped out of med school and can't seem to move on from her exboyfriend and Billy spends an obsessive amount of time shooting things on a computer but even in the midst of Covid they've managed to start an increasingly successful restaurant all on their own (with some occasional help from their parents who spend part of the year in Hong Kong and part of the year harassing/helping their kids).
All in all its not a bad life. They bicker a lot and their mother has this weird obsession with gardening and there's something mighty strange about the weird, abandoned house across the street but surely this entire story isn't about to go wildly off the rails into a mix of Lovecraftian horror and ancient Chinese mythology? Right?
That was a joke because it totally is.
The twins are in for wild revelations when they learn that their parents might not be, strictly speaking, human and not, strictly speaking, from our world. Which makes the twins...what exactly?
I simply loved this. Its wildly funny and has surprising emotional depth and, of course, its gorgeous to look at. Sana Takeda is surely one of the single most talented artists working in comics today. The gorgeous palette of muted earth tones and wild, flowing brush strokes she uses evoke the most gorgeous traditional Chinese painting while the hilarious emotional reactions of her characters and their comical asides come straight out of Fruits Basket, Vol. 1.
There's also way more of a concrete focus to this, something I often find very lacking in the gorgeous but occasionally meandering Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening. Despite all the demons, creepy dolls, and tentacles this is really a story about a family remembering how much they love each other and overcoming their fears about making mistakes so that they can really do what they want with the lives they've been given.
I'm longing for the next chapter of this trilogy already.
Re-read on October 2023 to prep for the sequel
There are other worlds than these.
In our arrogance we glide through ours and so very many of us think "this is it! this is all there is!" We go about our daily lives never once even considering that just beyond where we can see, in the darkness where our puny, human eyes can't penetrate is a whole universe of...other.
Marjorie M. Liu and the absurdly talented Sana Takeda have been trafficking in that "other" for quite awhile now with their marvelous comic Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening but they've taken a (slight) detour from fantastasical horror with some...urban fantastical horror comedy? That feels like a lot of genres but then there's a hell of a lot going on here.
Milly and Billy are pretty average twenty somethings. They're Chinese American twins with an overbearing, frankly cold mother and an utterly adoring, utterly adorable father. Life hasn't quite worked out the way they'd planned. Milly dropped out of med school and can't seem to move on from her exboyfriend and Billy spends an obsessive amount of time shooting things on a computer but even in the midst of Covid they've managed to start an increasingly successful restaurant all on their own (with some occasional help from their parents who spend part of the year in Hong Kong and part of the year harassing/helping their kids).
All in all its not a bad life. They bicker a lot and their mother has this weird obsession with gardening and there's something mighty strange about the weird, abandoned house across the street but surely this entire story isn't about to go wildly off the rails into a mix of Lovecraftian horror and ancient Chinese mythology? Right?
That was a joke because it totally is.
The twins are in for wild revelations when they learn that their parents might not be, strictly speaking, human and not, strictly speaking, from our world. Which makes the twins...what exactly?
I simply loved this. Its wildly funny and has surprising emotional depth and, of course, its gorgeous to look at. Sana Takeda is surely one of the single most talented artists working in comics today. The gorgeous palette of muted earth tones and wild, flowing brush strokes she uses evoke the most gorgeous traditional Chinese painting while the hilarious emotional reactions of her characters and their comical asides come straight out of Fruits Basket, Vol. 1.
There's also way more of a concrete focus to this, something I often find very lacking in the gorgeous but occasionally meandering Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening. Despite all the demons, creepy dolls, and tentacles this is really a story about a family remembering how much they love each other and overcoming their fears about making mistakes so that they can really do what they want with the lives they've been given.
I'm longing for the next chapter of this trilogy already.
Re-read on October 2023 to prep for the sequel
October 10, 2022
This was unexpectedly hilarious and I loved it!!
July 14, 2023
I absolutely loved the art in this story, but unfortunately, the story just didn't click for me. I'm a huge Monstress fan, though, so I will just stick to that series for now
May 11, 2024
2024 .Second time reads better. I like to know more about the parents.
Esta nueva novela grafica del duo Liu & Takeda nos lleva por tropos entretenidos del horror y la familia, con ciertas dosis de humor negro y sitcom. Situada en norteamericana contemporánea durante el brote COVID, narra acerca de los mellizos de ascendencia china Milly y Billy conviviendo con su madre y su padre, trabajando en un restaurante, y a la vez sujetos a la critica de su madre , Ipo, que no parece contenta con su actitud ya que sus hijos no parecen captar sus enseñanzas de vida. Tal vez la tuvieron demasiado fácil, a diferencia de sus padres, aunque la actitud de su padre Keon es más reconciliartoria. Hay breves vistazos del pasado de sus padres además, antes que emigraran a Hawaii
La presencia de la casa del frente, con un jardín sobrecrecido y abandonado, que parece una casa embrujada y no puede venderse lleva a su madre a querer intervenir, y a ellos a darles una pequeña lección.
Hay cosas que ya veía venir desde el principio, pero el ritmo te lleva a querer desentrañar que pasara hasta el final.
El arte de Takeda brilla en las imagenes de horror en reminiscencia de Monstress.
Espero leer la próxima entrega.
-------------------------
This new graphic novel by the duo Liu & Takeda takes us through entertaining tropes of horror and family, with certain doses of black humor and sitcom. Set in contemporary North America during the COVID outbreak, it tells about twins of Chinese descent Milly and Billy living with their mother and father, working in a restaurant, and at the same time subject to criticism from their mother, Ipo, who does not seem happy with their attitude and how they do not seem to grasp their life lessons. Maybe they had it too easy, unlike her parents, although their father Keon's attitude is more reconciliatory. There are brief glimpses of her parents' past as well, before they emigrated to Hawaii
The presence of the house in front, with an overgrown and abandoned garden, which looks like a haunted house and cannot be sold, leads her mother to want to intervene, and to teach them a little lesson.
There are things that I already saw coming from the beginning, but the rhythm makes you want to unravel what happened until the end.
Takeda's art shines in the horror imagery reminiscent of Monstress.
I look forward to reading the next installment.
Esta nueva novela grafica del duo Liu & Takeda nos lleva por tropos entretenidos del horror y la familia, con ciertas dosis de humor negro y sitcom. Situada en norteamericana contemporánea durante el brote COVID, narra acerca de los mellizos de ascendencia china Milly y Billy conviviendo con su madre y su padre, trabajando en un restaurante, y a la vez sujetos a la critica de su madre , Ipo, que no parece contenta con su actitud ya que sus hijos no parecen captar sus enseñanzas de vida. Tal vez la tuvieron demasiado fácil, a diferencia de sus padres, aunque la actitud de su padre Keon es más reconciliartoria. Hay breves vistazos del pasado de sus padres además, antes que emigraran a Hawaii
La presencia de la casa del frente, con un jardín sobrecrecido y abandonado, que parece una casa embrujada y no puede venderse lleva a su madre a querer intervenir, y a ellos a darles una pequeña lección.
Hay cosas que ya veía venir desde el principio, pero el ritmo te lleva a querer desentrañar que pasara hasta el final.
El arte de Takeda brilla en las imagenes de horror en reminiscencia de Monstress.
Espero leer la próxima entrega.
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This new graphic novel by the duo Liu & Takeda takes us through entertaining tropes of horror and family, with certain doses of black humor and sitcom. Set in contemporary North America during the COVID outbreak, it tells about twins of Chinese descent Milly and Billy living with their mother and father, working in a restaurant, and at the same time subject to criticism from their mother, Ipo, who does not seem happy with their attitude and how they do not seem to grasp their life lessons. Maybe they had it too easy, unlike her parents, although their father Keon's attitude is more reconciliatory. There are brief glimpses of her parents' past as well, before they emigrated to Hawaii
The presence of the house in front, with an overgrown and abandoned garden, which looks like a haunted house and cannot be sold, leads her mother to want to intervene, and to teach them a little lesson.
There are things that I already saw coming from the beginning, but the rhythm makes you want to unravel what happened until the end.
Takeda's art shines in the horror imagery reminiscent of Monstress.
I look forward to reading the next installment.
January 15, 2023
4.5 Star
This was quite a romp and a nice aside from the creators who achieved acclaim from their massive Monstress series. If you are like me and expected something Monstress-esque you couldn't be further off. The Night Eaters is a comedic tale centered around a Chinese immigrant family living in the United States. There is a Supernatural catch that would be quite spoilery, but expect demons and tentacles monstrosities etc. Takeda's art sings a lovely tale with dense textures with a fantastic water coloured wash. It's a signature style you can spot from the first page.
Overall a great outing and am excited to explore the rest of the series.
This was quite a romp and a nice aside from the creators who achieved acclaim from their massive Monstress series. If you are like me and expected something Monstress-esque you couldn't be further off. The Night Eaters is a comedic tale centered around a Chinese immigrant family living in the United States. There is a Supernatural catch that would be quite spoilery, but expect demons and tentacles monstrosities etc. Takeda's art sings a lovely tale with dense textures with a fantastic water coloured wash. It's a signature style you can spot from the first page.
Overall a great outing and am excited to explore the rest of the series.
January 17, 2023
Ooh, what a fun story. Part 2 isn't until the fall but I'll definitely check it out. Lot of gore, lore, and great comedic dialogue at times. I've largely been avoiding media that acknowledges covid, and it is mentioned a fair amount in the first 50 or so pages here, with characters masked in many panels and discussing it. But it was bearable. Otherwise a very intriguing horror and urban fantasy story with cool demon lore and unique art.
December 8, 2022
After loving the volumes of Monstress I have read so far, I knew that I needed to pick up whatever graphic novel series Marjorie Liu put out next. And let me say, I am absolutely LOVING The Night Eaters just as much as Monstress!
If you are looking for a true horror novel, you need to pick this one up. Lately, I've felt a little let down with graphic novels or comics that are labeled as horror. The Nigh Eaters is disturbing, graphic horror. Yet, it also has an interesting story! Liu is a fabulous story teller, and it definitely shows in this first volume. She is able to create layered, interesting characters in such a short amount of time. No one else has accomplished that for me in the graphic novel medium other than Joe Hill with his Locke and Key series.
I will admit that at first I really didn't like the art style. The colors are not vivid, and the lines are not always clean. But.. I have to admit that it really did go perfectly with the atmosphere and tone of the story. By the end of the novel, I was on board with the artwork style.
I will most definitely be continuing on in this series. If you enjoyed Monstress, if you are ok with some graphic horror scenes and if you love layered characters with interesting backstories, you need to pick up this series.
If you are looking for a true horror novel, you need to pick this one up. Lately, I've felt a little let down with graphic novels or comics that are labeled as horror. The Nigh Eaters is disturbing, graphic horror. Yet, it also has an interesting story! Liu is a fabulous story teller, and it definitely shows in this first volume. She is able to create layered, interesting characters in such a short amount of time. No one else has accomplished that for me in the graphic novel medium other than Joe Hill with his Locke and Key series.
I will admit that at first I really didn't like the art style. The colors are not vivid, and the lines are not always clean. But.. I have to admit that it really did go perfectly with the atmosphere and tone of the story. By the end of the novel, I was on board with the artwork style.
I will most definitely be continuing on in this series. If you enjoyed Monstress, if you are ok with some graphic horror scenes and if you love layered characters with interesting backstories, you need to pick up this series.
October 10, 2023
'Well, there goes my vow of nonviolence. My therapist is going to be pissed.'
I went into this not knowing what to expect only that it'll be a perfect atmospheric read for October and it was, but sadly, the execution is where it ended up whelming me. The story just took entirely too long to get to the big reveal and so I spent most of the volume being hella confused as to why Ipo was acting like she was and that definitely dampened my reading experience. Could be better on the reread, who can say but at least the way this volume ended left me excited for volume 2.
The Night Eaters is about Ipo and Keon and their twins, Milly and Billy. The twins live and have a sufficiently successful restaurant in the US so Ipo and Keon spend half a year with them and the other in Hong Kong. But things start to change for this seemingly typical Chinese-American family when, much to their dismay and unpreparedness, the twins' aloof and distant mom decides to finally open up to them.
My favorite scene was definitely when they randomly started having a family argument in the restaurant and the customers got too into it. The argument itself was too relatable as an Asian myself LOL, but I especially loved the random characters having the little 'Who would want a mother like that?' and 'Interesting question. FYI: I'm breaking up with you.' exchange.
There were also other funny moments like the fact that Ipo does in fact think horror movies are comedies and her being able to talk to every living thing made for some interesting scenes re: 'I think Mom and that orchid need some privacy.'
The whole premise about being less scared of unfamiliar things and then dropping the twins face first into it all was a little too harsh for my liking. But then I was kinda meh about the siblings at first because yeah, they were too soft but they ended up surprising me especially Milly. Also, their sibling arguments got a little too relatable at times, heh.
However, except for the epilogue, all the flashbacks didn't really provide much insight into the present story. Plus, I still don't understand the gardening part of it all as the ending seemed to signal there's more to it than just well, gardening.
The art is gorgeously unique as can be expected from the Lui-Takeda duo. I loved the creepy dolls and the gory visual details were all so well done. It's a very easy 10/10 when it comes to the art, really.
I went into this not knowing what to expect only that it'll be a perfect atmospheric read for October and it was, but sadly, the execution is where it ended up whelming me. The story just took entirely too long to get to the big reveal and so I spent most of the volume being hella confused as to why Ipo was acting like she was and that definitely dampened my reading experience. Could be better on the reread, who can say but at least the way this volume ended left me excited for volume 2.
The Night Eaters is about Ipo and Keon and their twins, Milly and Billy. The twins live and have a sufficiently successful restaurant in the US so Ipo and Keon spend half a year with them and the other in Hong Kong. But things start to change for this seemingly typical Chinese-American family when, much to their dismay and unpreparedness, the twins' aloof and distant mom decides to finally open up to them.
My favorite scene was definitely when they randomly started having a family argument in the restaurant and the customers got too into it. The argument itself was too relatable as an Asian myself LOL, but I especially loved the random characters having the little 'Who would want a mother like that?' and 'Interesting question. FYI: I'm breaking up with you.' exchange.
There were also other funny moments like the fact that Ipo does in fact think horror movies are comedies and her being able to talk to every living thing made for some interesting scenes re: 'I think Mom and that orchid need some privacy.'
The whole premise about being less scared of unfamiliar things and then dropping the twins face first into it all was a little too harsh for my liking. But then I was kinda meh about the siblings at first because yeah, they were too soft but they ended up surprising me especially Milly. Also, their sibling arguments got a little too relatable at times, heh.
However, except for the epilogue, all the flashbacks didn't really provide much insight into the present story. Plus, I still don't understand the gardening part of it all as the ending seemed to signal there's more to it than just well, gardening.
The art is gorgeously unique as can be expected from the Lui-Takeda duo. I loved the creepy dolls and the gory visual details were all so well done. It's a very easy 10/10 when it comes to the art, really.
February 2, 2023
Two twins in their early twenties seem aimless. When their strange mother goes to the house across the way, seemingly haunted and dilapidated, the kids are brought into a world of dark mystery at the same time as the parents story is doled out incrementally.
This is probably, what, dark fantasy, with mythological overtones. Near the end it really picks up, but the first three issues are very plodding. A lot of attention is paid to cultivating the initial mysteries around the house and the enigma that is their mother, primarily. And the later works pretty well, since that arc parallels a universal kind of parenthood of a distant mother. Without that through line this would be semi-boring.
It does finally reveal enough that I’d probably pick up the next volume from the library when it drops, but think the pacing issues would have bugged me even more, had I purchased it myself.
This is probably, what, dark fantasy, with mythological overtones. Near the end it really picks up, but the first three issues are very plodding. A lot of attention is paid to cultivating the initial mysteries around the house and the enigma that is their mother, primarily. And the later works pretty well, since that arc parallels a universal kind of parenthood of a distant mother. Without that through line this would be semi-boring.
It does finally reveal enough that I’d probably pick up the next volume from the library when it drops, but think the pacing issues would have bugged me even more, had I purchased it myself.
February 17, 2023
Strange, unexpected, brilliant. Funny, too. I will keep reading M.L. & S.T. comics for ever.
August 16, 2023
4.5 ⭐️The dialogue is great and message succinct, but it drags a bit in the start. Lingering it the «what is going on?» feeling a little too long for my taste. But still, a nearly perfect read!
October 24, 2022
Despite the incredibly redundant subheader (from the marketing department that brought you The Invisible Man: The Man Who Was Invisible, and Watchmen: Men Who Watch), this is a perfect union of Marjorie's writing and Sana's art.
If you're a fan of Monstress, imagine if the story were modernized and easier to follow. There is still mystery around why the main character is raising her children a particular way, but it's a pleasant mystery not a confounding one.
The modernization is a Huge Help. I loved volume one of Monstress but I struggle to sit down and read large sections of it because I'm rarely engaged by the characters. It seems like there's a distance between the writer and the characters that I can't bridge as a reader. I keep buying the books because the art is so gorgeous.
I do not have that struggle with this book. I find all the characters identifiable. And while, with their other series, I'm intrigued to see where the story is going because I'm hoping it will be more penetrable, here I just want to read more because the story is So Fascinating.
If you like spooky stories (I'm loathe to call it horror because modern horror tends to just be gorey slasher comics, and this is more of a supernatural thriller), this book might be your jam.
If you're a fan of Monstress, imagine if the story were modernized and easier to follow. There is still mystery around why the main character is raising her children a particular way, but it's a pleasant mystery not a confounding one.
The modernization is a Huge Help. I loved volume one of Monstress but I struggle to sit down and read large sections of it because I'm rarely engaged by the characters. It seems like there's a distance between the writer and the characters that I can't bridge as a reader. I keep buying the books because the art is so gorgeous.
I do not have that struggle with this book. I find all the characters identifiable. And while, with their other series, I'm intrigued to see where the story is going because I'm hoping it will be more penetrable, here I just want to read more because the story is So Fascinating.
If you like spooky stories (I'm loathe to call it horror because modern horror tends to just be gorey slasher comics, and this is more of a supernatural thriller), this book might be your jam.
August 2, 2023
Gorgeously horrifying!!!
The Night Eaters tells the story of a very.. unconventional family & the abandoned house across the street. When the family heads inside to investigate, they learn this house has a hell of a lot more going on than they expected.
The art in this book is beautiful and depicts scenes with a lot of chaotic movement so well. I often think graphic novels don't cover enough plot to feel complete, but SO much happened in this story and I really enjoyed the flashbacks at the start of each chapter.
I did not at all expect this book to be funny but omg how Billy made me laugh! The relationships and banter between the characters was a lot of fun and extremely relateable.
I am ready for book 2! Many thanks to the publisher for my gifted copy.
The Night Eaters tells the story of a very.. unconventional family & the abandoned house across the street. When the family heads inside to investigate, they learn this house has a hell of a lot more going on than they expected.
The art in this book is beautiful and depicts scenes with a lot of chaotic movement so well. I often think graphic novels don't cover enough plot to feel complete, but SO much happened in this story and I really enjoyed the flashbacks at the start of each chapter.
I did not at all expect this book to be funny but omg how Billy made me laugh! The relationships and banter between the characters was a lot of fun and extremely relateable.
I am ready for book 2! Many thanks to the publisher for my gifted copy.
April 10, 2023
Milly and Billy have a cool father and their mother?
She's a piece of work.
In a COVID Nervous Hawaii.....Milly and Billy's mother not so gently gets them to glimpse into her reality..
There's blood....talking to demons and those creepy nearly identical dolls that maybe can communicate.
She's a piece of work.
In a COVID Nervous Hawaii.....Milly and Billy's mother not so gently gets them to glimpse into her reality..
There's blood....talking to demons and those creepy nearly identical dolls that maybe can communicate.
December 8, 2024
3.5 pretty good! though I was expecting something more scary. Not as dark as Monstress, this is more on the fun (but still bloody) side. Let's see if the next volume is as good.
October 22, 2023
Enjoyed this just as much as I had the first time. Loved the relationship dynamics this time around and how the gap between the generations, based on different experiences in the youth of the parents can create distance and misunderstanding. This dynamic was very well illustrated. So much of the story is revealed in the art and in the personality’s of the parents who I loved.
I loved this!! Not as complicated as the Monstress series which definitely adds to the enjoyment. Accessible but still a layered story with the complexities and dynamics of family. Ipo, the mother, is a total badass and I absolutely loved her. Having grown up with a tough, critical mother, and appreciating what that does to one’s psyche, Ipo could give lessons to my mother. She definitely was next league and probably not going to be winning any mother of the year awards. Still loved her character! I liked how The Nighteaters explored this while telling a story set in a truly creepy, next level haunted house. Excited to read the next instalment this fall.
I loved this!! Not as complicated as the Monstress series which definitely adds to the enjoyment. Accessible but still a layered story with the complexities and dynamics of family. Ipo, the mother, is a total badass and I absolutely loved her. Having grown up with a tough, critical mother, and appreciating what that does to one’s psyche, Ipo could give lessons to my mother. She definitely was next league and probably not going to be winning any mother of the year awards. Still loved her character! I liked how The Nighteaters explored this while telling a story set in a truly creepy, next level haunted house. Excited to read the next instalment this fall.
December 9, 2022
3.5 stars
Kinda funny at parts, kinda spooky at others. May or may not be interested enough to see where it goes. I don't care a whole lot for the characters.
Kinda funny at parts, kinda spooky at others. May or may not be interested enough to see where it goes. I don't care a whole lot for the characters.
January 12, 2023
“It is dangerous not to care for the small things that need you.”
Milly and Billy, Chinese-American twins living in New York City, are experiencing the financial blows of the pandemic at their restaurant. On top of that, their stern mother Ipo is making them spend time tending to the terrifying and abandoned house across the street. What first appears to be a lesson in discipline soon becomes a nightmare as Milly and Billy learn there is more to their parents than meets the eye.
Welcome to 2023, the year of the graphic novel. I love graphic novels, and haven’t been reading anywhere near enough of them, so this is my first attempt to remedy that this year.
The art in this is UNREAL, and did an excellent job of using the colouring to differentiate between the parts of the story being told in the present human realm, the present demon realm, Hong Kong in the 1950s and Hawaii in the 1970s-90s. The fact that all of those are possible settings in this graphic novel should be enough to convince you to read it.
Also, despite being a horror, She Eats the Night was also genuinely funny. The relationship between Milly and Billy and their parents is equally chucklesome and painfully relatable. Also for those of y’all that like a grumpy sunshine dynamic, Milly and Billy’s parents are THAT.
At its core, this is also a story about immigrant identity, told through a supernatural lens. If you have ever struggled with your cultural identity or cultural disconnect from your wider family, I am sure that the story of Milly and Billy will resonate with you.
I cannot wait for the next volume.
The Playlist Eaters:
- Family Line // Conan Gray
- Hunger // Florence + the Machine
- Sleepy Hollow // Su Lee
Ipo breaking my heart:
“I was afraid that what came from me would be more powerful than your father’s kindness.”
Milly and Billy, Chinese-American twins living in New York City, are experiencing the financial blows of the pandemic at their restaurant. On top of that, their stern mother Ipo is making them spend time tending to the terrifying and abandoned house across the street. What first appears to be a lesson in discipline soon becomes a nightmare as Milly and Billy learn there is more to their parents than meets the eye.
Welcome to 2023, the year of the graphic novel. I love graphic novels, and haven’t been reading anywhere near enough of them, so this is my first attempt to remedy that this year.
The art in this is UNREAL, and did an excellent job of using the colouring to differentiate between the parts of the story being told in the present human realm, the present demon realm, Hong Kong in the 1950s and Hawaii in the 1970s-90s. The fact that all of those are possible settings in this graphic novel should be enough to convince you to read it.
Also, despite being a horror, She Eats the Night was also genuinely funny. The relationship between Milly and Billy and their parents is equally chucklesome and painfully relatable. Also for those of y’all that like a grumpy sunshine dynamic, Milly and Billy’s parents are THAT.
At its core, this is also a story about immigrant identity, told through a supernatural lens. If you have ever struggled with your cultural identity or cultural disconnect from your wider family, I am sure that the story of Milly and Billy will resonate with you.
I cannot wait for the next volume.
The Playlist Eaters:
- Family Line // Conan Gray
- Hunger // Florence + the Machine
- Sleepy Hollow // Su Lee
Ipo breaking my heart:
“I was afraid that what came from me would be more powerful than your father’s kindness.”
August 6, 2024
Monstress monster duo Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda team for a three volume series about the perils of family. Oh, and demons. Can't forget the demons.
There's joy in these pages. I can't really explain it, but even when poor put-upon twins Milly and Billy are up to their literal eyeballs with demons, there's so much fun to be had. Their mother is a delight, their father is a perfect counterpoint to her grumpiness, and the peeling back of the layers of the family history as the book goes just reveals hidden depths to everyone involved.
And of course, Sana Takeda draws the hell out of the book, because she's incapable of doing anything else. The monsters are monstering, the jokes are joking, and the main characters are expressive as hell. There's not a bad page to look at.
I'm glad I've got the second book ready to go, and not long to wait for the third.
There's joy in these pages. I can't really explain it, but even when poor put-upon twins Milly and Billy are up to their literal eyeballs with demons, there's so much fun to be had. Their mother is a delight, their father is a perfect counterpoint to her grumpiness, and the peeling back of the layers of the family history as the book goes just reveals hidden depths to everyone involved.
And of course, Sana Takeda draws the hell out of the book, because she's incapable of doing anything else. The monsters are monstering, the jokes are joking, and the main characters are expressive as hell. There's not a bad page to look at.
I'm glad I've got the second book ready to go, and not long to wait for the third.
February 22, 2023
Wow. Ich glaub, richtige Worte werde ich erst im Lesemonat finden.
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