Devil on Her Shoulder

 

Devil on Her Shoulder (Volume 1: The Bruja Is Missing!)
By Cédric Mayen, Art by Sandra Cardona

ISBN: 9791032812310
49 Pages
Available on Kindle & Comixology

Synopsis:

Hell and damnation! The Bruja is missing! When the most powerful witch alive disappears without a trace, Norah, her 17-year-old niece, decides to investigate. But upon entering her aunt's manor, she interrupts a summoning ritual and finds herself face to face with the devil... Or half of him, anyway, as he has been cut in two and is now stuck in a pentagram. Unable to return to Hell without Norah's help, Lucifer agrees to assist her in finding the Bruja—a devilish task when you're the most feared and hated being on the planet!

My Thoughts:

For starters, I just have to say that the art in Devil on Her Shoulder is stunning. The artist is extremely talented and the pictures are colorful, creative, and downright beautiful. The imagery used is mature but at the same time somewhat cutesy. It has a little bit of a Hayao Miyazaki Spirited Away vibe. But at the same time, the demons kind of make me think of  Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas.

The text style compliments the art very well. My only complaint was that it was a bit difficult to read on my tablet screen, but that could merely be the limitations of the Net Galley app and my device, which has a narrow 7 inch screen. In print format or on a large screen Kindle or a full computer screen, I doubt it would be as much of an issue.

The characters have moments where they are most serious, but also share a good deal of sarcasm and witty banter, which delivers quite a few laughs. The lead characters are all quite likeable. Yes, even the devil! The situation he has found himself in, while serious, is also pretty comical and his semi-frequent shapeshifting is fun. (Even if his Ryan Gosling isn't quite convincing...)

The overall story is original, clever, and inviting. Once I started reading Devil on Her Shoulder, I did not want to put it down and I was sad when I came to the end - which was a total cliffhanger! I can't wait for volume two to be released. I will absolutely be following this series.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of Devil on Her Shoulder from NetGalley and publisher EuropeComics in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Parent's Guide:

Devil on Her Shoulder is a relatively easy read, and with the lead character being a teen I feel like it is relatable to younger teen readers. Obviously, it discusses heaven and hell and has a great deal to do with fictionalized witchcraft, so if those things are an issue than that is something to consider. But there are no images that are risqué, gruesome, or severely off-putting. I think this is a great option for teens.