Book Review: I Hate Fairyland – Volume 3: Good Girl by Skottie Young

Image Description: At the top of the page is the title in rainbow text. The background is an army of big-eyed fairytale creatures and big-eyed plants (such as sunflowers and giant toadstool-mushrooms). The army appears to be following Gertrude (who is hovering in the air with her arms outstretched), she’s smiling, and her eyes are enormous. There is also a giant rainbow displayed in the background directly behind her.

Title: I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 3: Good Girl (Book #3 of the I Hate Fairyland series)
Creator: Skottie Young
Social Media: Goodreads
Publisher: Image Comics Inc.
Format and Price: Paperback from my local library
Stars: 3 stars out of 5

About The Creator:
Skottie Young has been an illustrator and cartoonist for over ten years working for entertainment and publishing companies such as Marvel, Warner Bros., Image, Upper Deck, Mattel, and many more. He is currently illustrating the New York Times Best Selling and Eisner Award Nominated adaptions of L. Frank Baum’s Oz novels with writer Eric Shanower. The series has gained acclaim from both fans and critics. Skottie currently lives in Illinois with his family, Casey, Baxter and their Saint Bernard, Emma.

About The Book:
Gert finally realizes that being such a murderous maniac might be the reason she’s not been able to find her way out of the candy-coated world of Fairyland that has been her nightmare for over forty years. She sets off on a new quest to redeem herself and tries to earn her way back home with good deeds and kindness and love and whatever other mushy, touchy-feely things she can manage. The epic and hilarious fantasy quest continues from fan favourite cartoonist SKOTTIE YOUNG. Collecting issues 11 through 15

General Observations:
~Character Backstory – Larry: In one of the issues, the reader gets to find out more about Larry, Gertrude’s Fly Guide through Fairyland. It turns out that Larry was/is Ace at all things Guide and the reader is treated to a dream-spot.

The dream-spot shows Larry contemplating what direction his life may have taken if he had never met Gertrude. In true Dystopic Fairyland-style, it turns out that his life would have been pretty bad either way, however, I like to think Larry was probably better off with Gertrude.

~Character Development – Gertrude:
As mentioned in the Blurb, in this volume, Gertrude tries to be a better person and, in typical Dystopian-Fairyland style, she manages to do just as much (if not more) damage trying to do good than if she just resigned herself to villainy. Eventually, Gertrude obtains the Balls of Redemption, and the change is dramatic.

No more fighting, no more drinking, essentially Gertrude acting the exact opposite of how she normally behaves. It’s distressing enough that Larry keeps trying to distract her from her quest, which makes sense given Larry has been doing this quest for 27 years, and it would be understandable he would be distressed at it suddenly all coming to an end.

~Unintentionally Sympathetic: The I Hate Fairyland series is intentionally grotesque, Gertrude is supposed to be sociopathic, the humour is supposed to fall under the category of Black Comedy, however, it’s important to remember that Gertrude never asked for this.

That all she’s ever wanted was to go home. Everything Gertrude’s ever done in Fairyland is with that goal in mind. So, for me, the ending of this volume is a little sad. To come so close and yet so far is painful to watch.

All in all, this volume shows some much-needed character and plot development for Gertrude and Larry, I don’t know how it’s all going to end, but hopefully, I’ll find out in the final volume, Volume 4.

Available For Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository