It's not that I didn't enjoy this Victorian demon-drama, but rather that I felt it too shaky. The plotting is a bit confusing, the story rather rote and predictable. BUT the imagery is *astounding* and super reminiscent of the spooky fun had by the makers of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE: there are ghosts, demons, shadows, spooks on every page, in just about every frame of this comic. Finding them was ultimately more fun than the linear progression of the story itself! So this is one to have a lovely look over, but maybe not the winner of the Hill House line.

This is a fun entry into the Hill House Comics line-- a creepy story that definitely feels very Gothic Victorian in its ideas, art style, and twists. Though the story felt like quite a few other Gothic stories, it was still a lot of fun and brought in some interesting elements that felt much more like the Satanic Panic of the 1970s and 80s.

The art was a bit underwhelming & it was not exactly my favorite period setting. The vibe of the story-the creepy spirits-were very interesting. I do wish they had been more nefarious & less prone to what seemed like just pranks. I just wasn't drawn into the characters, so it was hard to get invested in the story.

This was my least favorite of the Hill House Comics so far. I just wasn't as drawn into the story and didn't find it as scary, interesting, or action packed as the previous ones.

I was confused by the characters in this book, and it felt unresolved. Daphne was a confusing character, as she seemed to believe in some paranormal but not in others. I was sympathetic to her mother, yet it seemed that other characters were not. I also didn't have a sense of resolution in her father's circumstances of death.

Another solid title from Hill House Comics. Lots of familiar elements--bereaved widow taken advantage of by spiritualist, daughter who sees spirits and knows more than she can tell--in a solidly told tale by Laura Marks. The real winner here is the art by Kelley Jones. This is the best his art has looked in years, helped a great deal by the fact that he is inking himself. It gives the art a rougher, darker quality that many of his slicker inkers have missed out on. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book was ultimately a disappointment to me. The story was fairly generic and predictable. I do not know if this was meant to be the end of the series or if there will be more issues in the future, but the overall ending felt shallow.

While the monster designs are nice, most of the art work is rough. Too many shadows, especially on the character faces. Because of this, some characters look completely different between panels. This also makes the book look dark and muddy overall.

Overall, I would not recommend this book to someone I didn't know was already a huge fan of period horror pieces.

One of the best things about the Hill House Comics label is the sheer variety of horror its producing. There is truly something for every horror reader under this umbrella. Daphne Byrne wasn't quite my horror cup of tea, but I definitely know who I could recommend it to.

A historical fiction hearkening back to the spiritualism craze of the Victorian era, Daphne Byrne twists together a Rosemary's Baby-esque story featuring the titular character's mother and a more nebulous possession storyline with Daphne herself. My main critique of this book is that it feels like it could have been two complete volumes really focused on each of those stories; as it is, Daphne's story especially feels like it gets short shrift, and I couldn't always follow the leaps in logic necessary for it. The art excels in depicting the supernatural in an eerie, creepy way, but falls short when it comes to distinguishing character faces (I found the character visuals to be inconsistent enough that it was hard sometimes to pinpoint who was who).

Overall, Daphne Byrne strikes a lovely, spooky tone, while falling short on some of the details.

A 19th century Rosemary's Baby combined with a possession story. The story didn't quite come together. However, Kelley Jones's art is made for this kind of story.

not bad. i liked the story ok but personally not a fan of the art. the creepy sequences were well done but i did not enjoy how the humans were drawn - sloppy and unpleasant.

What an intriguing, gothic horror story. After the death of her father, Daphne Byrne must grow up quickly when her mother loses herself in the guidance of spiritualists and the family’s funds start to dry up. The girls at school think she’s weird and she feels alone, that is, until a demon shows up. “Brother” guides Dahpne through these abilities she has always shunned, assuring her she’s not going mad, and he encourages her to unleash what’s always been inside of her.

I read this one last week, an issue or two per night at the end of long, taxing days, and what a treat. I LOVE the Hill House Comics line, and I hope there will be more soon. Horror is one of my favorite (if not my favorite genre), and I love it when these elements pop up in well orchestrated comics.

The art is really cool, very moody, and I love the more horrific images. The alt covers in between each issue are stunning as well. The story is creepy and has some cool twists and turns. I love Daphne’s character development, and enjoyed seeing her transformation into someone who will stand up for herself. There are some cool, classic feminist themes as they relate to the horror genre, and I love a good period piece.

Overall, this was the perfect choice for me, and I can’t wait to read it again when it’s actually Fall outside. All things spooky. All the time, please.

I loved this! I thought it was great. The story was creepy, the artwork was great, overall I really enjoyed it. The subtle things added in the background of the panels was such a great touch. I tried to guess what was going on, but I didn't figure it out. The author did a great job of tying the story together, yet leaving it open. I would recommend this to other people.

I thought this was an interesting concept, but found it to be lacking overall. The artwork was not up the my preferred standards, at all. Characters would change their facial expressions so drastically that it was hard to follow who was who, even from one panel to the next. I hate to say it, but the artwork was oftentimes just plain bad, and at best mediocre.

1.5 rating

Definitely not for me. I was more interested in the description then the actual story itself. The art style wasn’t my favorite and the storyline didn’t always hold my attention either. Just didn’t hit the mark for me.

Kind of a mish-mash, storywise, with the tale of a young girl with a demonic friend intertwined with that of her mother, being taken advantage of a fake clairvoyant whose interests are considerably darker. Daphne is a teenager at a posh girls' school in New York in the late 1800s. Her circumstances are somewhat worse than those of her friends, since her father's unexpected death and her mother wasting her money on a psychic. Daphne discovers a friend that only she can see who helps her get revenge on the mean girls at school and sets out to try to free her mother from the clutches of the fake fortuneteller. The two stories never really work together or successfully combine. But it was great to have an entire series with Kelley Jones' artwork again. He was born to draw this sort of thing, with monsters and hallucinations and characters with their eyes bugging out. I might have given this 2 stars for the story, but Jones' work alone elevates this to a 3-star outing.

Meh. This was really convoluted and a bit boring, and the art was not my cup of tea. It was actually difficult to tell many of the characters apart because so many of their faces looked nearly identical and the details were so shadowy and minimal. I did like some of the imagery and the way there were hidden details in many of the panels (extra shadows on the sidewalk, etc.), but it didn't make up for how disinteresting I found the book as a whole, sadly.

First of all, that cover? Amazing. The creepiest cover I've seen in awhile. Second, the story itself disappointed me. It was left a little open ended and slightly confusing. I thought this had potential but it fell flat for me unfortunately. The art work was great though. Thank you for much for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy to review!

This was... ok? The plot was at least interesting enough for me to want to continue but I am personally not a fan of when supernatural things are left more open-ended, though I know that is a lot of people's preferred brand of horror.

The art style was either GREAT, or very much a miss. And in a lot of the art this 12-15 year old girl looked closer to like 25. Instead of being a girl that just had her first period. Which feels weird as there are some questionably sexualized moments and she is basically drawn with the proportions of a grown woman in some panels. In fact I thought she was much older until I saw her in comparison with her mother, where she is actually quite short.

I think this is like a 2.5 for me? I wouldn't read anything else set in this world and I can't really say I even cared about our MC that much as she is not given enough time to grow or at least show herself.

Thanks NetGalley and DC for letting me read this collection in exchange for my honest review. This was an intriguing start that left me wanting more. The story was good and I liked most of the art. The main character is what really grabbed me. I liked the outcast inadvertently making a connection to a devil concept. I really enjoyed the Victorian vibe as it brought history to life. I would definitely read more of this world and series.

This was an interesting start to the series. I found myself definitely interested in the plot and am curious how the story will continue. I am definitely digging the victiorian, satanists, and demons vibes, definitely giving me a Penny Dreadful vibe that I love. The art was a bit not my taste but the story made up for it. The gothic horror story is an interesting one and I would definitely recommend you check it out.
* Thank you Netgalley and DC Comics for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*