The Monster Sisters and the Mystery of the Unlocked Cave

Young sisters Enid Jupiter and Lyra Gotham are a powerful, kick-butt sleuthing duo who are out to solve mysteries surrounding the hundreds of giant monsters that have suddenly emerged from beneath lakes, malls, historical landmarks, and the sea to overrun their city. Along with some help from the Provincial Archives and a local rare book shop, the two use their interests and “training” in the fields of architecture, gymnastics, and local/folkloric history to swing around on their retractable vines and find clues. The two lead characters are based on the author’s own daughters, and their sibling dynamic rings true. Each is unique and with her own strengths (Enid has a kung-fu grasp and useful leadership skills, Lyra is a genius born with an extra chakra), yet, working together as a team, the sisters support each other and work in tandem for the sheer fun and challenge of it.

This graphic novel is a fun, promising first book in what is to be a series by cartoonist and comic-book creator Gareth Gaudin of Victoria, British Columbia. The author sets the story in his home town, and the book is, therefore, particularly location-specific with references made to streets, monuments, and even actual small businesses (like the oft-visited Argosy Book Store). Throughout, Gaudin also touches on Canada’s colonial history; on the first page before the title page, the sisters are shown swinging on their vines and Lyra tells the reader, “This comic book was written and drawn on unceded Lekwungen territory”.

The Monster Sisters and the Mystery of the Unlocked Cave is narrated by a cute comic character called “Perogy Cat” (one of the author’s creations from his previous work) who breaks the fourth wall and addresses the reader directly about such matters as copyright issues (he wanted to include the lyrics to a Neil Young song but couldn’t), the pacing of the story (“I know these girls have been doing a LOT of swinging on vines…to ease your potential boredom with that, here’s a short history of vines“), and the occasional recap (“The story so far… with your host, The Perogy Cat”). While ostensibly published for children, I suspect many adults may enjoy this aspect of the book more than their kids. At times, Gaudin’s language can be quite verbose, and the author’s references and some vocabulary may be above some kids’ heads. There is also a section of the book that invites the reader to participate in the sisters’ mystery-solving antics. Enid and Lyra come across a message encrypted in Morse Code, and Perogy Cat provides a decoder but, otherwise, never reveals its meaning, thereby leaving it to readers to figure out the message themselves.

There are scenes “narrated” by Enid’s journal entries which appear in a different type face from the other narration (all the text is hand-drawn). Gaudin’s also intermittently employing a rhyming scheme for plot interludes that seem to be from another narrator altogether creates a folkloric feel to the storytelling that technically suits the themes, but which, nevertheless, seems abrupt and somewhat forced: “The city still stands but is soon to be rubble. Victoria, I fear, is in terrible trouble. Like a cauldron, the Pacific continues to bubble. The Monster Sisters better fix this on the double.” Ultimately the voices are not very unified, and the story can sometimes come off as contrived.

There is a note at the beginning of The Monster Sisters and the Mystery of the Unlocked Cave that mentions the book was originally published serially, and this unfortunately is evident in the pacing of the book. There are recaps where there need not be (it’s a quick read with lots of fast-paced action, and the characters talk about their predicament and their plans often). The final chapter is rushed, with the Perogy Cat telling readers what the sisters are up to rather than readers seeing the action for themselves, and then the story ends abruptly as if the author ran out of time. Nothing really gets wrapped up, nor is there a clear indication that the answers are to be found in the forthcoming second issue. Still, I enjoyed the characters’ personalities enough that I would seek out the second issue just to see what they get up to.

Though the final book will be in colour, the advanced reader copy that I received is in black and white. The drawings are done in a sketchy style, the characters rendered as cartoony while the buildings are drawn in a more realistic, detailed way.