Labyryinth: Coronation I by Simon Spurrier, Daniel Bayliss, and Dan Jackson: a review

I’ve always loved Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. It’s one of those films that I find myself going back to over and over again. It’s a comfort movie, you might say. So, when I saw this and its two sequels in the library, I was honestly elated.

            Labyrinth: Coronation I by Simon Spurrier, Daniel Bayliss, and Dan Jackson is a prequel to the 1986 film that explores the origins of the Goblin King, Jareth. 18^th Century Venice serves as the backdrop to a tale that begins to uncover the mysteries of the labyrinth itself.

            This is everything I hoped for. It matches the mix of whimsy and light terror that the original film brought about so well. The story is told from the point of view of the adult Jareth, this part taking place at the same time as the film. To calm the baby Toby, he tells the story of how he came to be in the position he is now in. These scenes serve as the light relief, and I really enjoyed how Jareth being an unreliable narrator is brought attention to.

            I do think I’ll be borrowing this again at some point. In fact, I can see this being one of those books that constantly ends up coming home with me.

            I’m really looking forward to reading the other two books in this series because this was so much fun. If you like the film, you’ll love this. It handles the tone perfectly, and the art is honestly so stunning.