Attention bookworms and fans of Nimona and Paper Girls: The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor is for you. The graphic novel from writer Shaenon K. Garrity and illustrator Christopher Baldwin focuses on a teenager who lands in a new universe and immediately has to save said universe. Pretty rude. Haley, the bookworm protagonist, loves Gothic romance novels. I relate to that. But then things change one night when Haley rescues a stranger drowning in a river. This heroic act somehow transports her to Willowweep, an eerie Gothic manor.
Simon & Schuster
Willowweep has all the usual Gothic manor hallmarks. It’s a sweeping manor with an intimidating housekeeper. A ghost haunts the halls. And let’s not forget the three brooding brothers. Haley could absolutely complete a Bingo card (we don’t even want to think about the prize would be for winning that round of Bingo). But of course, not all is what it seems.
The manor sits inside a pocket universe. An all-consuming evil threatens Willowweep and our world too. Haley must jump right in and play the heroine. We have an exclusive preview from The Dire Days of Willowweep from the beginning of the second chapter. You’ll get a feel for the book’s humor, and you’ll learn about something ominous happening in the manor.
Simon & Schuster
Haley and Montague’s banter is A+, plus the art really helps you get inside their heads. You know things are going well when the protagonist ends up in catacombs full of skulls. And then a pamphlet about “Getting to Know Your Gasket Universe.” I’m sorry, what?! We need to read the rest of this graphic novel stat to find out what happens next.
The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor arrives on shelves on July 20. You can place a pre-order now.
Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of A Kid’s Guide to Fandom, available now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
