'Muted: Volume 2' - what a wonderful and wonderfully dark sequel to the first volume of the webtoon series - both published physically in the same year - that explores further and delves deeper into the trauma and psychological issues of Camille, as well as a few other characters.
I adore the characters now more than ever, too. Camille still has her head on her shoulders and isn't turning towards the dark side, at least intentionally, thank goddesses, and you'll be rooting for her (and her roots!) the whole way.
Poor Camille, and her poor cousin Avaline...
Dendro the plant demon is so cute! I didn't think much of her in the previous volume, but here she really shines and entices, and is enchantingly, excitingly developed. How she's grown! Into herself, the story, and other witches' lives.
It is here where I am starting to see the 'polyamorous sapphic romance' that 'Muted' has been labelled as, and what the blurb of the first volume says. And I'm rooting for that, too! I get it, and so far I am behind it. The poly relationship between Camille, Nyra and Dendro - nothing could be more adorable and precious, honestly.
The worldbuilding - and its epic fantasy world aspect - of 'Muted' is receiving extra exploration and development. Though with that said, I'd say the only real flaw of 'Volume 2' is its sole focus on Camille's Severin witch family, lead by her evil matriarch aunt Athalie. The other witch families don't appear, except for Nyra Dupre, and a couple of her cousins who appear for two pages at the beginning and whom I've already forgotten about. Any other witch family members only appear in a single flashback spot. How disappointing - I miss Harriet, Rowena, Jazmin, and Jaquille and the other Leroux fam! Then there's the villain witch/demon from the Eloi family, who I won't reveal more of due to spoilers. Hera and Hel, even Silvia of the Severins, who plays a vital role in the first volume and is crucial to Camille's life, isn't in the second much. Neither are any witch familiars.
There are not many characters present in 'Volume 2', which can be a good thing, as it leaves room for the main cast to be focused on and developed freely. However, if it is at the expense of the side characters, it can, ironically, make the worldbuilding feel small and limited. It is a downside towards creating a fantasy world and have it revolve around the main characters and their point of view and problems.
But the 'Muted' series so far is a beautiful and excellent witchy and sapphic work of art. And once again, almost no male characters.
How 'Muted' deals with trauma and abuse, and especially abusive family dynamics, is bravely, harrowingly, and sensitively executed, and is as much vital representation as everything else in the series. It says what needs to be said about abusive people and systems, and how they operate like a mechanism that is broken but stubbornly persists, damning the health and safety of everyone involved - physically, emotionally and mentally. It can be a source of comfort to some readers, for awareness, reassurance and support. It offers therapeutical advice. It is a supernatural story that is glaringly, painfully human and realistic, with realistic scenarios.
'Muted: Volume 2' certainly reinvigorated my faith in humanity, and assured me that I am not, in fact, insane for wanting to remain a decent, caring, kind, loving, and good person; no matter that we are all currently paying the price for apathy, rights and freedoms taken for granted, reactionary politics reinstating bigotry all across the board, capitalism, and governments' and corporations' many, many abuses of power, and are thus suffering in the hell that is the 2020s.
For all the darkness in 'Muted', it helps my depression somewhat in knowing there are still good people in the world. Like its author, Miranda Mundt.
May light drive away every darkness, shadow and evil known to humankind yet.
Link to my 'Muted: Volume 1' review.
Final Score: 4/5
'Muted: Volume 2' certainly reinvigorated my faith in humanity, and assured me that I am not, in fact, insane for wanting to remain a decent, caring, kind, loving, and good person; no matter that we are all currently paying the price for apathy, rights and freedoms taken for granted, reactionary politics reinstating bigotry all across the board, capitalism, and governments' and corporations' many, many abuses of power, and are thus suffering in the hell that is the 2020s.
For all the darkness in 'Muted', it helps my depression somewhat in knowing there are still good people in the world. Like its author, Miranda Mundt.
May light drive away every darkness, shadow and evil known to humankind yet.
Link to my 'Muted: Volume 1' review.
Final Score: 4/5
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