Review by C.J. Bunce
In Miranda Mundt’s first volume of Muted (reviewed here), teen and young adult readers met Camille, a witch whose mother and twin sister were killed in a fire. She met her first major right of passage–a ritual–which she failed. She was to re-create a sigil symbol drawing in blood. Separated from the cousin she has been raised with for the past 13 years, left to return to a home she barely remembers, part of Camille’s struggles included a vile aunt, Athalie, who prevents her from binding with her familiar, a spunky redheaded woodpecker named Toben. But the building tension and stakes for Camille in the first volume were nothing compared to what faces Camille in Volume 2, now available at comic shops everywhere and here at Amazon.
Camille’s journey is now a freefall. She is a boiling pot ready to explode. For her in her magical realm, that means her anger manifests in physical, supernatural ways. At the same time she endangers Dendro, a plant demon she has summoned who has her complete attention and support. Horrified with what she has done, she is merely adding problem after problem to her situation.
Her cousin beckons her home, as her aunt has promised Camille to a chosen husband. This is the stuff of classic fairy tales, but that redheaded beauty isn’t like the girl of The Little Mermaid, more like the star of Brave. Moreso Miranda Mundt as writer and artist summons the look and feel of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, its simplicity, its starkness, and its contrast of the beauty of Aurora with the horror of Maleficent. It’s as if a Disney princess that was only a Disney princess was finally given her voice. Did she want to be kissed by a prince in her sleep? Was she even into the prince at all?
Camille’s journey is dark and bleak–she is not supported by her family and her cousin now appears to be under the glamour of Aunt Athalie. No matter what Camille tries she cannot convince Avaline to come with her, to free her from her aunt. Mundt wisely includes a trigger warning at the front of her books–this may help someone similarly trying to maneuver family conflicts and looming despair, while some readers may find this the opposite of what they need. Enter Nyra, who like Dendro, is that loyal friend eager to help.
This is that second act begging for a third act to pull Camille out of her darkness and ahead into something better.
This second volume includes episodes 28-50 of the Webtoon series, and an exclusive bonus chapter recounting Dendro’s backstory leading up to her first encounter with Camille.
Unlike the other webcomics reviewed here at borg (including Suitor Armor, Castle Swimmer, and Nothing Special), this story reveals a dark, heavy drama that packs an emotional punch.
My only note to the author would be that irises do not grow from the teardrop shaped bulbs that you see with tulips and daffodils, as she drew on one page. They actually grow from rhizomes, long potato-like structures that look nothing like bulbs.
For older teen and young adult readers who are fans of witch tales and coming of age stories, check out Muted Volume 1 here and Muted Volume 2 here, published by Ten Speed Graphic, available now here at Amazon.
