Next week, Graphic Universe will release “A House Divided: The Accursed Inheritance of Henrietta Achilles,” the first volume in a four part series by Haiko Hörnig and Marius Pawlitza. To celebrate the release, we’ve got both an exclusive first look at the book, as well as an essay from writer Hörnig about how Henrietta Achilles might do in social isolation.
Written by Haiko HörnigCover by Marius Pawlitza
Illustrated by Marius PawlitzaThe life of Henrietta Achilles is about to change. After years of living as an orphan, she receives a summons to the strange town of Malrenard. To her surprise, she’s the only living relative of Ornun Zol―a notorious wizard, now deceased, who leaves Henrietta with his house and everything in it.
With Ornun Zol gone, escaped creatures and misfired curses have been spilling out into Malrenard. If that’s not enough, Henrietta will discover countless squabbling squatters inside her uncle’s abode: soldiers, bandits, tiny monsters, and more. Then there’s the matter of the strange black cat following Henrietta around . . .
Six Activities To Do While Staying at Home (If You’re Henrietta Achilles, the Hero From the New Graphic Novel A House Divided) by Haiko Hörnig
You might be stuck at home self-isolating, but who said staying in needs to be boring? Definitely not Henrietta, the titular hero of the fantasy YA graphic novel “A House Divided: The Accursed Inheritance of Henrietta Achilles.”
After years of living as an orphan, Henrietta receives a summons to the strange town of Malrenard. To her surprise, she’s the only living relative of Ornun Zol―a notorious wizard, now deceased, who leaves Henrietta with his house and everything in it. As someone with tons of experience staying entertained at home, Henrietta is the perfect fictional character to give the rest of us some relatable, concrete advice on how to make your self-imposed quarantine in the mysterious castle gifted to you by a relative you’ve never met a little more lively.
Here are six super helpful tips from Henrietta on what to do when you’re stuck at home—though bear in mind that if you do not also live in the magical house of your recently deceased wizard uncle, you might have to adapt a few of these…
1) Find the lock for every key.
So you just got the keys to your new home, a gigantic, menacing tower with hundreds of staircases and oh so many doors just waiting to be opened. Why not make a game out of it and try to find the right lock for every key on your keychain? Fun! But take it from Henrietta: ust stay clear of every door in your ominous new home with some sort of skull sign, claw marks, or weird slime oozing out.
2) Bake a quiche.
While you’re stuck at home, why not make the most of it—and by “most of it,” I mean make quiche! (Don’t know how? There’s actually a real quiche recipe in the back of the graphic novel!) The delicious smell of freshly baked pastry will soon make your home feel much more home-y. Just be careful of the attention you will inevitably draw from the roving bandits that inhabit your sprawling mansion….
3) Try to survive the inevitable battle for said quiche that will devastate your living room.
Thought you could eat your quiche in peace and quiet? Think again! Your recently inherited wizard’s house is home to countless squabbling squatters who’d love to have a piece of your quiche-pie! Soon you’ll be drawn into a chaotic battle between bandits and soldiers fighting in your living room! As you dodge cannonballs and exploding pieces of furniture, you’ll be pondering universal questions like “Who are these people?” “Why are they brawling in my home?” and “Who’s going to clean up this mess?” Parents everywhere can relate!
4) Read a book.
So you narrowly escaped the battling brigands redecorating your place with knives and swords and exploding barrels of gunpowder. Well done! Time to barricade the door to your cavernous magical library, kick back, and relax! Cuddle up with a good book or a creepy scroll of cursed incantations, and be grateful your uncle was generous enough to leave you this castle in his will, despite the fact that you’ve never even heard of him before today!
5) Stop the kobold king from conquering the kitchen kingdom with his giant rat army.
By this point you might start feeling a bit lonely. Then you hear it: A knock on the door! Oh joy! Who might it be? Maybe a couple of friendly neighbors looking to borrow a cup of – OH NO, IT’S KOBOLDS ON GIANT RATS! KOBOLDS ON GIANT RATS ARMED WITH FORKS AND SPATULAS AND DID I MENTION THE GIANT RATS??? Trying to stop the kobold king from conquering the kitchen kingdom with his giant rat army will easily kill several hours of your day! You’re welcome.
6) Take a nice, long bath
What a day we had, huh? Time for some quality self-care! And what better place for that than a nice hot bath in the magical clawfoot tub in your recently deceased uncle’s bathroom! Fill the tub with clear water, throw in a few random potions like the bottle of Kraken’s tears your uncle never finished before his mysterious and untimely death, close your eyes, and just let all your worries be washed away! Also, ignore the ominous scratching claw noises coming from the window. I’m sure it’s nothing. Nothing at all. Ah, so relaxing! Scratch, scratch, scratch…
Thanks to Lerner/Graphic Universe for the preview and essay, and make sure to pick up the book next week!
