Book: Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 by David Petersen

Published July 2009 by Archaia Studios Press|192 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: Mouse Guard #2

Genre: Graphic Novel

In the Winter of 1152, the Guard face a food and supply shortage threatening the lives of many through a cold and icy season. Saxon, Kenzie, Lieam, and Sadie, led by Celanawe, traverse the snow-blanketed territories acting as diplomats to improve relations between the mouse cities and the Guard. This is a winter not every Guard may survive. Collects the second Eisner-Award winning Mouse Guard series with an all-new epilogue and bonus content.

Have you read Mouse Guard?  Because if you haven’t, you really, really need to!  Graphic novels of the non-manga variety are books I don’t read (except for Mouse Guard and my failed attempt at reading Fun Home), but I can’t help but love Mouse Guard.

Winter 1152 is the 2nd book, and it’s such a hard winter for these warrior mice.  I felt for them, trying to survive in this world, and I love these very honorable mice.  There is something very adorable about the mouse cities, and the mice, and I just love it.

I loved the story, and seeing the bats and the weasel underworld and the treachery.  There were songs scattered throughout the book which was nice to see, because we get to see their songs, but I wasn’t completely enthused about it either.

Something I really like about Mouse Guard is how great it is for all ages.  The library had it shelved in the children’s section, which I think is pretty awesome.  But it’s also awesome how great of a story it is for everyone!

I really liked the Winter setting for this book and it really went well with the story- it really makes what is going on feel really important.  You can really feel the harshness and bleakness of a very snowy winter.  Petersen captured winter so well!

And I just love the artwork.  I’m really used to black-and-white for manga, and I’m always impressed with that, but something about the color really adds to the story.  I can’t imagine it being drawn in black-and-white, and I feel like the artwork is even better than the artwork in Fall 1152 (and I really loved the artwork in Fall 1152).

The bonus content, with maps and extra information about the different uniforms and jobs these mice have really add to the mythology/world-building of the Mouse Guard universe.  It really makes me feel like there’s a lot more story to tell in this world.

5 stars.  Winter 1152 is such a great continuation of Fall 1152, and I love the art and the story.