My Boyfriend Is a Monster: Wrapped Up in You

Wrapped Up in You is the sixth in the “My Boyfriend Is a Monster” series. I’ve previously written about most of the other volumes:

• Made for Each Other — Frankenstein’s Monster
• My Boyfriend Bites — Vampire
• Under His Spell — Faerie
• I Date Dead People — Ghost

As you might guess from Wrapped Up in You, the monster this time is Mummy. Only it’s not some grody guy in dirty linen, but a reincarnated Incan prince raised from the dead by a group of teenage witches.

While the story (written by Dan Jolley) here is similar to the other books in the series — girl discovers cool supernatural guy, and they fight evil together — I was most eager to see it because of the artist. I very much enjoyed Natalie Nourigat’s autobiographical comic Between Gears, and I was curious to see how she handled an exaggerated fictional story.

Her work serves the piece well. It’s not flashy, not calling attention to itself, but that’s what readers of this kind of work need. There’s a lot to keep track of with the story, so art that shows it without getting in the way is a virtue. Plus, Nourigat’s expressive character emotion is outstanding. The body language and movement of her figures grounds the story in reality. She handles the chase and action scenes with flair, and she strongly establishes the settings and backgrounds as well.

Staci is a normal girl, used to being ignored. Her best friend Faith is a fashion victim, someone who goes along with the crowd no matter how ridiculous. So when I tell you they end up at a seance, you won’t be surprised to learn that Faith thought this was a fun new experience while Staci reluctantly followed along. Her recommendation that they not mess around wasn’t listened to.

The mummy, now called Chuck, conveys various warnings about messing with unknown forces beyond human control. Staci’s friends might be in danger, they might become violent, Chuck risks using too much magic, and the world itself might tilt out of balance. No pressure! Especially when they realize he shouldn’t even be there, since he died hundreds of years ago.

Staci is a character a lot of young women will relate to, someone who feels alone. She has a good friend, but that friendship is at risk when the two girls find their interests moving in different directions. Without Faith, whom does Staci have to depend on? That makes her particularly susceptible to a new relationship … especially since the guy is gorgeous, mysterious, and literally magical.

Some readers will find this story familiar, whether they’re reminded of The Craft or that goofy episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Still, the same can be said about any romance — we like them because we know the cast, only with fresh details each time, and we know where they’re going. Staci gets a happy ending, and she gains some strength along the way by standing up for herself. Not a bad resolution. (The publisher provided a digital review copy.)