A scientist attempts to bring her younger sister back to life with unexpected results in Talia Duttonโs M Is for Monster, a Frankenstein-inspired graphic novel about ghosts, identity, and family.
When Doctor Frances Aiโs younger sister Maura died in a tragic accident six months ago, Frances swore she would bring her back to life. However, the creature that rises from the slab is clearly not Maura. This girl, who chooses the name โM,โ doesnโt remember anything about Mauraโs life and just wants to be her own person.
However, Frances expects M to pursue the same path that Maura had been onโapplying to college to become a scientistโand continue the plans she and Maura shared. Hoping to trigger Mauraโs memories, Frances surrounds M with the trappings of Mauraโs past, but M wants nothing to do with Francesโs attempts to change her into something sheโs not. In order to face the future, both Frances and M need to learn to listen and let go of Maura once and for all.
Talia Duttonโs debut graphic novel, M Is for Monster, takes a hard look at what it means to live up to other peopleโs expectationsโas well as our own. It is one of the titles on our Surely list, which is dedicated to showcasing gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual creators and stories.