The Deep Dark
Molly Knox Ostertag
Scholastic Graphix
Available June 4, 2024
Ages 14 and up

Everyone has secrets. Reserved high school senior Magdalena Herrera’s secret has teeth. Mags is tied to her hometown by her dark secret and a tragic accident, but she is dreaming of a new beginning when she reconnects with her childhood friend, creative and effervescent Nessa. The secret snake-like monster named Laura is caged in the basement because the monster once killed a boy when it escaped Mags’s house. No one must ever know that the murderous monster is still living in the basement. Nessa takes care of Mags after she passes out at a party and a romance quickly ensues between the two friends. Hiding the monster from Nessa, caring for her sick abuela, working long shifts at the diner, and having feelings of grief, loneliness, and guilt from the boy’s death are some of the troubles Mags shoulders.

Dynamically dark paneling, deliberate pacing, and potent dialogue between the characters will captivate teen and adult readers alike. In an intense scene, Mags passes out and believes that she is going to die. Nessa begs her to stay alive, and Mags replies: “For like the first time ever…I really want to” (p. 427). This powerful scene depicts an important message of love and acceptance of ourselves, even the parts we (or society) do not like. The wild creature in Mag’s basement is representative of the troubles in the lives of the many LGBTQ+ characters in this graphic novel. In the end, Mags allows the beast to live in the house with her rather than be caged in the basement—a symbol of Mags accepting who she is and no longer hiding. Grayscale illustrations illuminate Mags’s present, while flashbacks to her childhood burst with shades of pale blue, green, and orange matching the setting of the California desert. The illustration style is noteworthy as it changes from light lines and shading for the characters’ happy moments to dark lines and shading to portray their strong feelings and inner turmoil.