Lady Mechanika: The Tablet of Destinies, Vol. 2 (Graphic Novel Review)

I received a free copy of this book, thanks to Benitez Productions and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion in any way.

Book Blurb:
After a young friend shows up unexpectedly on her doorstep, Lady Mechanika immediately drops everything to come to her aid. They embark on a globe-spanning trek filled with ancient artifacts, secret societies, and scientific curiosities, but Lady Mechanika is eventually confronted with an impossible decision: the life of her friend, or the fate of all humankind.
Set in a fictionalized steampunk Victorian England, a time when magic and superstition clashed with new scientific discoveries and inventions, Lady Mechanika chronicles a young woman’s obsessive search for her identity after a mad scientist’s horrific experiments left her with mechanical limbs and no memory of her past.
This volume collects the entire second Lady Mechanika story, The Tablet of Destinies, along with a gorgeous cover art gallery.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Author/Illustrator: M. M. Chen, Joe Benitez, Martin Montiel, Mike Garcia

Tags: Adult Fiction, Steampunk, Heroine, Adventure, Archaeology, Historical, Identity

My Thoughts:

Murder, mystery, intrigue and a kick-ass heroine, this was an adventurous tale with high-stakes. It dealt briefly on Lady Mechanika’s journey to self-discovery and being different, while also touching on topics like sexism, morality and prejudice. Woven in with fantasy, ancient artifacts and girl-power, this is one steampunk story chock-full of strange ingredients!

And the illustrations? Exquisitely detailed! I cannot imagine just how much work must have gone into creating this piece of art.

My only complaint is the portrayal of all adult females as voluptuous beauties. Even the old lady had seemingly pert chests. And why would an independent woman like Mechanika wear corsets? It’s impractical and uncomfortable, especially for someone who fights enemies on a regular basis. Fan-service? And do I have a dirty mind? Because I’m pretty sure I saw the outline of her *ehm* in one frame. I mean, was that necessary??

Either way, reading Vol.2 has made me want to check out the other ones! Also, it reminds me of Lara Croft.

P.S. Just saw that they have coloring books for this!

Sneak Peek:

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