Ruse, Volume 2: The Silent Partner by Mark Waid

Ruse, Vol. 2: The Silent Partner by Mark Waid

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Ruse is a graphic novel series that is perfect for readers who love the Victorian-set adventure vibe. There is a paranormal element that felt very light in this volume, but it's there for readers who like a bit of the weird (admittedly myself).  For readers who can't get enough of the sometimes obnoxious Sherlock Holmesian character, Simon is going to appeal. At the same time, with this edition, we see more vulnerability and the less confident person beneath the know-it-all exterior.  Emma's loyalty to the often maddening Simon is much like Watson.  It serves to make you like Simon more because you feel that if Emma likes him, then there must be something to like/love about him.  Emma is definitely long-suffering.  Simon gets her into many a dangerous situation, and he isn't very nice to her.  Much like Watson is treated by Sherlock.  The arch-nemesis adds a twist that reminds the reader of Moriarty, but takes the character in a much more interesting direction, although I admit I am rather tired of that character.  At the end of this volume, the author teases at a game-changer, so we'll see what happens next.

The chapters in this volume have some interesting story-arcs, especially the small village that our two leads end up staying in.  That was really kind of cool.  Not what I expected at all.  The other stories tie closer together to the overarching theme of this volume, and they bring to mind the high adventure classics of Victorian literature in a very pleasing fashion.

The art is well-done, but as I said for the previous volume, I find the panel progression confusing. Instead of moving left to right down the page, they often go willy-nilly from page to page and often across the page. I find myself having to backtrack and catch the flow of the story, especially last night, when my brain was fried. That is the major detractor for this series.

Ruse is a graphic novel series that I count as a major find, as such a huge fan of Victorian genre literature, and know-it-all sleuths and their long-suffering companions. The action is really good and it keeps me guessing what will happen next. I'm excited to keep reading this series.



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