Deadly Ever After is Volume 10 in the Rivers of London graphic novel series by Ben Aaronovitch. As a huge fan of the Rivers of London series, I never say no when it comes to reading another entry into this fascinating world.
Title: Rivers of London: Deadly Ever After
Team: Created by Ben Aaronovitch; Written by Celeste Bronfman; Script Edited by Andrew Cartmel; Pencils by Jose Maria Beroy; Inks by David Cabeza; Colours by Jordi Escuin Llorach; Letters by Jim Campbell; Edited by David Leach
Series: Rivers of London graphic novels #10
First Published: January 24, 2023
Publisher: Titan Comics
Genres: urban fantasy
Acquired: from the publisher via Netgalley
*** Thank you to the publisher, Titan Books/Titan Comics, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review. ***
Illustrations from a mysterious book of fairy tales drawn in the late 1800s are coming to life in the 21st Century and causing havoc. The illustrations were originally painted by a Victorian artist called Jeter Day who disappeared one night in an enchanted forest when he was spirited away by tree nymphs never to be seen again…
Now, with the enchantment accidentally broken by Olympia and Chelsea, daughters of the river goddess Mama Thames, Jeter, twisted by his time spent with the nymphs, has returned to our world bitter and resentful. It is a world he neither recognises nor likes. All he wants is his life returned to him and woe betide any man who stands in his way.
With Peter and Nightingale busy on another case, it falls to sisters Olympia and Chelsea with the help of the Foxes to stop Jeter and save the day.
A great side adventure featuring Olympia and Chelsea
Fans of Aaronovitch’s main Rivers of London series (books and novellas) will have no trouble recognising the fun-loving, responsibility-avoiding Olympia and Chelsea, two of the many daughters of Mama Thames. In this adventure, they have found themselves at the heart of a series of fairy-tales gone wrong and while they want to avoid bringing attention to the fact that they are the main cause, they do agree that they need to fix things (without getting into too much trouble with Mama Thames or their sister, Beverly).
Unfortunately for them, Nightingale and Peter are both preoccupied so Olympia and Chelsea attempt to take things into their own hands. What follows is an interesting story of family, fairy tales, and, of course, supernatural spirits, both good and bad.
There are new characters introduced (although I doubt we’ll see most of them again in the future) and cameos by our favourite ROL characters but the bulk of the story is carried by Olympia and Chelsea.
A fun intermission between novels
I found it really interesting to spend time with Olympia and Chelsea who generally only show up in the novels briefly and are usually busy partying or lounging about. To see them take centre-stage and deal with a vengeful spirit on their own (with an assist from Beverly) was really interesting, even though I have to admit I missed the main characters.
I know that graphic novels are not for everyone but as a huge fan of the Rivers of London series, I pretty much will devour anything that adds to the ROL universe. The artwork is wonderful and engaging, with lots to look at visually, both in the main action and in the background.
I really enjoy the graphic novels because, while they can be read as standalones, I really don’t recommend it. I also HIGHLY recommend them to anyone who is an ROL fan. The graphic novels add so much backstory and character development to what the novels/novellas provide. They are a light-hearted way to learn more about the characters and often there are small inside jokes and visual gags in the background that add to the charm.
