A teenage girl finds out there are real monsters living in her town
Gone are the times when girls would be just damsels in distress in horror stories. Some could say it all changed with Ripley in Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986) or with Buffy Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) – and we are talking about the TV show here, not about the cringe-inducing movie. But, anyway, strong and smart girls fighting monsters, ghosts, and demons are nothing new and there is nothing wrong with this when the stories are good enough.
The most recent example of this trend (and of a good story) is The Terrifying Tales of Vivian Vance, by Josh Ulrich. Vivian, a teenager living in the small town of Pensmouth, dreams of being a private investigator since her father, a policeman, was injured on the line of duty years ago and forcibly retired. Vivian spends her days trying to excel at school and doing small jobs as an amateur detective for her schoolmates, like finding lost objects.
In one of these jobs, Vivian not only befriends some orphan boys that live in the worst part of town, but also finds out why so many people seem to disappear in that neighbourhood. They were devoured by hideous monsters that make themselves look like normal citizens. This reveals that an old legend of the town, about some people that discovered an ancient power in the city and made a pact with it, is true.
Now, with the help of her new and brave friends, Vivian will try to uncover the truth and expose the monsters… which don’t like the idea much and turn the tables on Vivian, making her their new target.
It is a fun graphic novel, with echoes of It, Stranger Things, The Goonies, a little Scooby Doo and a generous pint of Lovecraft. It is a product for young adults, sure, but works well for older fans of the horror genre. The suspenseful moments do a good job of enthralling the reader, there is some humour and even some violence, not all of it against the monsters.
I have no idea how well received it was, but I would gladly come back for more Vivian Vance adventures.
The Terrifying Tales of Vivian Vance (2024, Putnam)
By Josh Ulrich
264 pages
Rating: 7 nerds (out of 10) 😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
