Locke & Key Vol 3 by Joe HIll

Vol 3, Crown of Shadows, illustrated by Gabriel Rodríguez
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In this volume, we see some of the consequences of Kinsey not having any fear. Two fellow students tell her they’ve seen her dad's name on the wall in the Drowning Cave, and she doesn’t hesitate to follow them and plunge into the freezing water to find the inscription. Meanwhile, Zack/Dodge continues his search for the key to the Black Door. He tries to enlist the help of Sam the Lesser’s spirit, still stuck on the grounds without a body. Zack finds the Shadow Key instead and wrecks havoc on the kids, who are home alone. We also see the increasing alcohol consumption of Nina, and how each of her kids deal with her alcoholism.

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I’m astonished by just how much gets accomplished on even one page of this story. This book is only 152 pages long and each one is packed full of content, story development, and magic. There are several pages in a row of a fight scene, and they are beautifully drawn and colored. The fight sequence is easy to follow, which is not always the case for comics.  I am excited every time someone finds a new key because I'm so intrigued by what they can do.  These keys don't have ordinary magical powers.  Who ever thought of a key that leads you to a room where you can control shadows? The ingenuity of this world is always striking and interesting.

This title is for older teen audiences and above.  There is liberal use of the "f' word, violence with some blood shed, and a lot of alcohol through Nina's arc.  

Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability Level: Grades 11-12

Reviews of previous volumes in this series: vol 1, vol 2

Tags: Rating: 10/10, High School, Comicbooks, Horror, Magic