Dark spaces: Wildfire by scott snyder

Illustrated by Hayden Sherman

Five women from an inmate-staffed fire crew in California are battling the latest blaze in the drought-stricken state. One of the inmates on the line realizes she knows the forest they're in, and tells the rest of her line-mates that her previous partner, the one who set her up to go to jail, has a mansion in a few valleys over. She tempts the crew with promises of it being abandoned because of the fire, but even more so with the promise of tons of cryptocurrency that she knows how to steal. With it, the five could set themselves up, disappear, and get back to the lives they had before being arrested. It seems like an easy heist and fast ticket out of their current problem, but just like the many stages of a wildfire, much of it goes wrong.

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This story has twists and turns, and it's as unpredictable as a wildfire can be. There were some definite surprising moments of the story that I didn't really see coming, so that was refreshing. I also appreciated the flashbacks and character development we got throughout the story. It wasn't all crammed together, but it also had purpose for existing - like something triggering memories unbidden or someone finally breaking down and sharing their crime with the women they spend the most time with. 

​Sherman's paneling throughout the story is very unique and intriguing. There are a couple of 2-page splashes that are innovative and intricate - I can only imagine how long they took to illustrate! I also loved the vivid coloring and the way Sherman depicted fire in the illustrations. This was certainly a beautiful book to read!​

There is a bit of cussing and violence, including blood and death on the page, so this would be better suited for older readers.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 11-Adult

This review was made possible with a digital reader copy from the publisher through Edelweiss.

Publisher: IDW
Publication Date: May 9, 2023
ISBN: 9781684059614 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 9/10, Suitability: High School, Suitability: Adult, Comicbooks, Action Adventure, Mystery, ​IDW