My Aunt Is a Monster by Reimena Yee

 
My Aunt Is a Monster by Reimena Yee
My Rating: ★★★★★

Safia has always had big dreams and loving parents, but everything comes crashing down when her parents perish in a fire. Now she’s living with her distant aunt, a retired adventurer, near an area that a monster is rumored to live, she gets a taste of that life by proxy. So when Walteranne Whimsy needs to come out of retirement and go on one last adventure, of course Safia is ready to head out and experience the adventures she thought she’d only ever go on through audiobooks. Once out and gaining the experiences of her dreams, she learns that the monster of the hill she’s heard about is none other than her own dear Aunty Whimsy!

I checked out a different book that I enjoyed from Reimena Yee, so when I saw this was available, I knew I had to pick it up. We follow Safia shortly after her parents perish in a terrible fire. She’s always dreamed of adventure, but she thinks she can only experience them with her audiobooks because she’s blind. However, when she finds herself living with her aunt, she learns that’s not the case. We get to follow Safia on her very first adventure where she’s thrilled to experience the world with a side of the supernatural.

Along the way, we see Safia get close to her aunt, Walteranne Whimsy. Now, Aunty Whimsy has been living in seclusion ever since she was cursed on what she thought was her final great adventure! However, Safia doesn’t know this until later since her aunt said she’s disfigured. I love that, together, they learn that they are capable of so much more than the world makes them believe.

One of the things I love about this book is that Safia is blind, but that it’s not presented in a negative way. I also love that Safia is a fully developed character rather than having her blindness being all that she is like many forms of media do. She’s curious, adventurous, caring, and thoughtful. She also makes friends easily, whether it’s with a ghost who lives on her aunt’s property or a self-conscious person on a boat. Safia also has dreams, and one of them is being a writer, which is why she’s so excited about going on her very first adventure. Now she can write a book about it!

We also have Aunty Whimsy, who brings a fantasy aspect to the table. She’s been cursed and lives in seclusion because she knows people will judge her based on her appearance. She fears how people will react when they see her, so she retired and let the world think that she disappeared on the very trip that led to her curse. I love the relationship that Aunty Whimsy has with Safia as well as Cathryn, who was once Aunty Whimsy’s nanny! The three of them are such wonderful characters in addition to making a great trio.

All in all, this is an absolutely wonderful book. Of course, the artwork is absolutely stunning, and I loved getting a glimpse at some of the concept art at the end of the book. However, the main draw is Safia and Aunty Whimsy’s stories as well as the friendships between the different characters. I’m excited to see what Reimena Yee publishes next!