MirrorMask

Helena has always dreamed of living a normal life. She has been raised in a company of circus performers. She is drawn into a magical world by a haunting tune. It seems the perfect escape from her odd life, until she realizes this world is even stranger than the life she has left behind. She discovers anything can happen in this world, including having her normal life stolen by someone who has escaped from this world. If Helena is to return to her life, she must first save this realm from the chaos that is engulfing it.

This graphic novel is based off the original story MirrorMask. This is an interesting example of the screenplay being written before any novel version of the story. It is important to keep that in mind while reading this book. I have not read the screenplay yet, but I have seen the movie. This is a short version of that tale, and I really enjoyed it. The artwork is beautiful and creepy. It really pulls you into this magical world.

In some ways, the story reminds me of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, only with a slightly older girl. If you like that story, you might appreciate MirrorMask. To fully understand the depth of the story you would probably want to see the movie or read the screenplay first. There are certain plot points that might not be as clear without having more information. On the whole, I think most people will be able to follow the basic plot line. Also, this shorter version would likely be better for a younger audience than the more detailed versions of the story. It does not get as dark as the film does.

I enjoyed the graphic novel, and it made me want to read the screenplay and see the movie again. If you are a fan of Neil Gaiman, I would recommend reading this book.