7 September 2011–My Boyfriend is a Monster #4: Under His Spell

Written by Marie Croall; Illustrated by Hyeondo Park ISBN: 978-0-76137-076-5 Graphic Universe, September 2011 $9.95

Summary  Bethany Farmer is your average high school girl, who is only interested in her sport of choice (soccer), coffee, making sure her homework is done, coffee, staying single, and coffee. However, when a foreign exchange student appears shows up at her school, Bethany is knocked for a loop. Allein has it all, good looks, impeccable manners, (if the rumors are true), royal blood, and a cadre of eye-rolling pickup lines that are goofy, yet sweet. Allein isn’t all that he’s cracked up to be however. Claiming to be from a foreign country still doesn’t explain how he knows nothing about coffee or soccer, but Bethany is willing to overlook these oddities. Swept off her feet by this handsome stranger, Bethany’s world is completely flipped upside down when Allein’s savage cousins show up, intent on making sure that Allein doesn’t make it back to take the throne.

Analysis There has long been a love affair with the supernatural, from Bram Stoker’s Dracula to Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga, men and women falling in love with super natural entities is a common theme. The My Boyfriend’s a Monster series continues on in this vein, with this entry involving the fey folk. The story itself is nothing new, and the conventions stay close to agreed upon convention (elves cannot touch cold iron), but the story just seems flat and uninspired. The artwork, while at times is quite vibrant (especially when Bethany visits Allein’s home), feels flat and uninspired, with overtones of Superhero Anatomy mixed in (where the human body bends or moves in ways that are improbable at best, and impossible at worst). My biggest complaint is with Allein and Co.’s teeth. Elves have traditionally been presented as elegant, refined, and the epitome of high class. Allein and his race all look like descendants of land based sharks, and personally, if I were Bethany, I would think long and hard before putting my face anywhere near Allein’s for fear of him trying to nibble my lips off.

Final Thoughts  While I’m not a huge fan of contemporary fantasy/romance situations, I still feel that this is a decent book that Stephanie Meyers fans will appreciate and enjoy. It also works as a solid introduction to this type of genre for younger ladies who are wanting check out this type of story. Not a personal favorite of mine, but there is a definite market out there for this type of story, and is worth looking at for a library collection. On a side note, here’s a second review from a different point of view: http://klearsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/08/under-his-spell.html (This is from August 16th 2011)