Paper Girls Volume 5 (Paper Girls, #5)

by Brian K. Vaughan

[Quirky Cat]

Paper Girls Vol. 5 continues the quest of our time-traveling paper girls. And before you forget, this is a series written by the infamous Brian K. Vaughan. So you should always go into each volume expecting to have your heart ripped open at least once. I know I always do. It’s safer that way.
Right from the start, Paper Girls has shown us what a series can do when it’s not afraid to take on the grittier side of time travel. This is not a polished and bubbly series. Instead, it shows us some of the darkest sides that can form when people begin messing with the timestream.
The other amazing element from this series has to be the main characters. Our Paper Girls are strong, independent, and oh so fierce. And while each one of them is a force of her own, there’s no doubt that these girls work wonderfully as a team.

Paper Girls Vol. 5 exceeded my expectations of the series. I’ve had several questions for a while now, and the series has finally gotten around to answering them. But things have not gone how I expected. And realistically, I should have known better. After all, this is Brian K. Vaughan’s writing we’re talking about. The man is a genius when it comes to subverting expectations.
I feel like each volume in this series has had me fall just a little bit more in love with the Paper Girls. They’re fantastic characters, both individually and as a group. And I love that each one of them seems to have their own subplot and reason to be feeling slightly tortured by what is happening to them. And yet…there’s still this sense of hope around them. I love it.
Was this volume worth the wait? Absolutely! Am I sad that there’s a bit of a wait before the next volume comes out? Also true. But I can deal. Though in all fairness, that ending was a bit mean. For those of us reading by the volume, at least.

As per usual, the artwork for this series is amazing. All credit goes to Cliff Chiang and Matthew Wilson for that. I love how bright and vibrant this series is. Seriously, just take a look at the covers for each issue and you’ve already got a good idea of what is in store.
There are some complicated theories and elements that had to be portrayed within these pages. Time travel is a complex subject, and not always the easiest thing to show. But this creative team managed to do exactly that. And they did it using their own styles. I love the surreal elements, as it really forces you to take a step back and think. I wish there was more like this out in the world.

Paper Girls Vol. 5 was another amazing volume in the series. My only regret is knowing that there’s only going to be one volume left to read. To be honest, I’m not really sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, I really want to see how it ends. And on the other hand, I’m simply not ready to say goodbye yet. Oh the life of a reader, right?

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