I Hate Fairyland Vol. 1

by Skottie Young

[Quirky Cat]

Summary:

It’s a tale as old as time - a young girl accidentally finds a portal to fairyland and falls through head first. At first, little Gert’s dream came true - minus the falling and grievous injury part.

Unfortunately, what was meant to be a quick adventure through fairyland has gone on far too long. Now, all Gert wants is to find a way to get out of here and go home. She doesn’t even care what the price is at this point.

Writing:

I have been meaning to read I Hate Fairyland for (checks notes) eight years!?! How did that happen? Anyway, I’m super late to the scene but better late than never, right? I Hate Fairyland Vol. 1 is an instant chaotic mess, and I loved every second of it.

I love the totally different take on fairyland here. Yes, it’s still a magical world full of mystical creatures, but they can also get into mayhem, as Gert quickly finds out. This isn’t the first time I’ve read a fairy story where the human got the short end of the stick, but I appreciate that the story is vastly different even here. For one thing, while Gert’s adventure is dark and gory, it also has plenty of humor. It’s not all sadness and death.

Well, not Gert’s death, at least. Her quest has taken a violent edge, and it’s easy to see why so many readers have loved this series. It’s quirky, hilarious, and not afraid to take risks. The overarching story is always present, but each volume reads more like an episodic format.

I picked I Hate Fairyland Vol. 1 and 2 from the library, so I am lucky enough to dive right into the next volume after this.

Art:

Picture Candyland but with a lot more blood and mucus, and you’ll have a solid idea of how I Hate Fairyland Vol. 1 feels. I love Skottie Young’s jarring combination of bright/happy colors and gory events. It’s alarming, but intentionally so.

This series perfectly blends styles and expectations. But the details are what really sell the world (aside from the colors). Yes, that sometimes adds to the goriness, but again, that’s the point.

Highlights:
Chaotic Characters
Fairy Tale Setting Gone Wrong
Sarcasm and Snark

Trigger Warnings:
Graphic Violence & Gore

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