ebolton's Book Journey

As a former lawyer I usually avoid stories that involve lawyers (because they feel too much like being at work), but I'm so glad that I made an exception for RiotBones' new graphic novel, Strange Cases.

Jude Aguilar has been studying law overseas, but after the death of his mother he returns to Lazaro, his hometown inspired by a magical version of a 19-century Phillipines under Spanish colonial rule. Jude only intends to stay temporarily in Lazaro, to say goodbye his mother and wrap up some of the strange cases she'd been working on in her own legal practice.

Strange Cases tackles some heavy questions with nuance: What do you do when you've been trained to defend clients in a justice system that isn't actually just? What if the colonisers' law defines monstrosity in a way that conflicts with what you know to be right? We also have a beautiful exploration of what it means to confront and start to heal family trauma.

I adored the illustrations in this graphic novel. The colors and style feel cozy yet creepy at the same time, and I love the way RiotBones depicts the past. I also enjoyed the mix of case notes, newspaper clippings and legal documents that are used to introduce each new monstrous case that Jude takes on. Plus, there's magic and a queer love story on the side.

I'm looking forward to reading more from Riotbones in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing and RiotBones for an e-arc of this graphic novel.