Now a Netflix original series! Named a "modern masterpiece" by The A.V. Club, Locke & Key tells a sprawling tale of magic and family, legacy and grief, good and evil. Acclaimed suspense novelist and New York Times best-selling author Joe Hill (The Fireman, Heart-Shaped Box) has created a gripping story of dark fantasy and wonder—with astounding artwork from Gabriel Rodriguez—that, like the doors of Keyhouse, will transform all who open it. The epic begins here: Welcome to Lovecraft.
Following their father's gruesome murder in a violent home invasion, the Locke children return to his childhood home of Keyhouse in secluded Lovecraft, Massachusetts. Their mother, Nina, is too trapped in her grief—and a wine bottle—to notice that all in Keyhouse is not what it seems: too many locked doors, too many unanswered questions. Older kids Tyler and Kinsey aren't much better. But not youngest son Bode, who quickly finds a new friend living in an empty well and a new toy, a key, that offers hours of spirited entertainment. But again, all at Keyhouse is not what it seems, and not all doors are meant to be opened. Soon, horrors old and new, real and imagined, will come ravening after the Lockes and the secrets their family holds.
Locke & Key, Vol. 1 features an introduction by Robert Crais, author of the bestselling Elvis Cole series of crime novels.
Summary: When their father gets shot down, Tyler, Kinsey and Bode move to Lovecraft with their mother. But in the house not everything is as it seems, and powerful enemies lurk in the shadows.
What I liked: - The narration of Welcome to Lovecraft was fantastic. Built from six chapters, the different chapters have different points of view, each of them unique and adding a new perspective to the story. It's the best I've seen in a graphic novel so far - It's creepy! Although we don't get into real scare territory, there are some pretty nail-biting moments in this book - All three of the kids and their mom as well have their own personalities, and it's great finding out about them in the course of the story - The plot unfolds in a steady manner that answers questions from earlier in the book, but also opens the door to many new ones that will get answered in the next instalments - Especially the first chapter of the book is heartbreaking. You really feel for these characters
What I didn't like: - The drawing style didn't always agree with me. I prefer cleaner lines rather than this almost caricature style of human faces - I wish we would see more of the house. I feel like so much of it is still unexplored - The beginning of the book was extremely strong, but I don't feel like the ending lived up to that. The climax was great, but the aftermath was a bit lifeless and only seemed meant to kick-start the second volume
Verdict: Great first volume in the Locke and Key series, with amazing narration and a refreshing cast of characters. My bar is very high now for the second book in the series.
