If things weren’t complicated enough in the Morning Glories universe, things get even wackier in Morning Glories Vol. 5: Tests. Compiling issues 26 through 29, very little time actually passes in the present day. However, Casey has lived out another lifetime, as the version of herself that traveled back in time has grown into an adult in the past while still trying to save her present-day self from the horrors of Morning Glories Academy. Meanwhile, present Jade is still in a stand-off with Iryna and adult Jade is trying to help present Hunter continue the mission.
If you’re having trouble following all that, you’re not alone. Time travel has always been a part of the series, but with it moving to the forefront in this manner, there are now variants of the same characters to follow through different events, that take place in different time periods, that all somehow tie together. On top of that, the story intentionally isn’t telling readers everything to keep the mystery alive while throwing even more twists along the way.
I usually walk away from a Morning Glories book with a sense of confusion, though this one left me scratching my head even more. Part of it comes from their decision to have Casey disguised as Ms. Daramount for most of this book. Because of how they’re drawn, it’s really hard to distinguish between the two, which made me think that somehow adult Casey had gone back to the present in disguise. After resolving that, I turned to the Morning Glories wiki to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Turns out, I didn’t, yet I’m still very much confused as to how this all comes together.
I get that the mystery of it all is part of the allure, but I’m starting to get concerned that the series is reaching the point of diminishing returns. With each passing issue, the holes are dug deeper while seemingly doing less to get out of it. It’s not too late to turn for the series to turn itself around, though my willingness to see Morning Glories follow through is definitely on the decline.
In Third Person 