Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft (Locke & Key, #1)

by Joe Hill

[leahrosereads]

Re-read 2019
What can I add to my reviews that hasn't already been said (by me). Unfortunately, not much. I was feeling slumpish so I curled up with an old favorite and still loved it. Although, it's only been a year, so I wasn't thinking I changed so dramatically to think this fantastic world would somehow suck.

Top notch story and the third time (I think, I didn't even read my old reviews) that I'm going to recommend it, if you haven't read it yet.

Read it!

Re-read 2018
I stand by my review other than all the spoilers in it. Sorry about that. Here's the non spoilery part. I don't recommend reading past the 2014 stamp of this review:

I loved the characters. They felt so real, and in 150ish pages, I was absolutely invested in the Locke family.

My absolute favorite character is Bode. I just loved his adventurous nature and childlike wonders. He’s brave because he is, and if Echo is ultimately defeated, I think it will be Bode that is the reason for it. He’s just an outstanding character.


The plot, while spooky and of course, supernatural in its essence, was phenomenal. I loved how Joe Hill incorporated the keys that we know about, while hinting at the others. I just want to know what all the keys do.


And then, the fanfuckingtastic artwork. I, just, no real words for it. It’s beautiful and terrifying, and Gabriel Rodriguez brought Joe Hill’s terrors to life. Fucking amazing.


To any of my friends or anyone who reads this review, if you want to try a graphic novel, try this one. The story is riveting and the artwork is extraordinary.




6/4 - 6/8 2014
This was a re-read for me, as I’ve finally made the time to read the series, and I wanted to read all of the volumes consecutively, and HOLY CRAP, I forgot how much I absolutely loved this. Why didn’t I continue reading back when I initially read Vol. 1? Well, because they weren’t available at my local library. No other reason, and I’m kicking myself for not just buying what was available then.

WARNING - there will probably be spoilers in this review, so in a nutshell my thoughts are - excellent, excellent first volume. You should read this! And then the next, and then the next one, and then the next one...well you get the picture. If you don’t mind spoilers, read below, if you do, but want to still read this, well, I’m sorry, but I did warn you.



Volume 1 - Welcome to Lovecraft introduces the reader to a family having just gone through a horrific tragedy of losing a loving husband and father to a psychopathic teen. The Lockes - Momma Locke (Nina), eldest son (Tyler) middle child and only girl (Kinsey) and young Bode pick up the remnants of their old lives and move to Lovecraft, Massachusetts to the Keyhouse Manor. It is the house of the deceased father, Rendell, and it is there that the family’s troubles continue.

Sam, the psychopathic teen that killed Rendell, follows the Lockes after communicating with, well another psychopath (Lady in the Well a/k/a Echo). You see, Sam is after keys at the Keyhouse. I know, crazy right? Keyhouse Manor...has keys in it. However, these aren’t just any old keys. Nope, these keys are special, damn special actually, and it is why Echo wants them. But their hidden, and that’s why she needs Sam.


Back to the Lockes. While dealing with the death of their father, the kids all handle the situation in different ways. Tyler gets angry. Kinsey tries to disappear into the background, and Bode, well he’s Bode and he decides to fantasize and explore Keyhouse Manor. He’s also the one that finds the first key and becomes friends with Echo. It’s really a one sided friendship, because as I stated, she’s a psycho.

More crazy ensues when Sam gets to Keyhouse Manor, but the Lockes overcome, and Sam meets his demise. However, Echo gets a couple of keys during the process and also escapes the well.


Luckily, the Locke kids are kind of sort of figuring out what they’re up against, and they realize that they can’t allow Echo to get the one key she really wants, the Omega Key.


And that’s Volume 1.


I loved the characters. They felt so real, and in 150ish pages, I was absolutely invested in the Locke family. I hope by Volume 6, they defeat the big bad and survive, but this is Volume 1, and I just don’t know how it ends (and I wouldn’t spoil that for you even if I did).

My absolute favorite character is Bode. I just loved his adventurous nature and childlike wonders. He’s brave because he is, and if Echo is ultimately defeated, I think it will be Bode that is the reason for it. He’s just an outstanding character.


The plot, while spooky and of course, supernatural in its essence, was phenomenal. I loved how Joe Hill incorporated the keys that we know about, while hinting at the others. I just want to know what all the keys do.


And then, the fanfuckingtastic artwork. I, just, no real words for it. It’s beautiful and terrifying, and Gabriel Rodriguez brought Joe Hill’s terrors to life. Fucking amazing.


To any of my friends or anyone who reads this review, if you want to try a graphic novel, try this one. The story is riveting and the artwork is extraordinary.