QUEEN

An illustrated exploration of the iconic British rockers.

In a tongue-in-cheek “Recipe for Queen,” this picture book describes its subject as “an intense, sophisticated dish with surprising ingredients.” Despite an equally startling formula, Romero Mariño’s account will leave readers who want it all from their band biographies yearning to break free. Though the narrative follows a roughly chronological sequence, it can’t seem to decide whether it’s focused on Freddie Mercury, who dominates its pages, or the entire band. An opening spread sharing key dates from Mercury’s life gives way to a timeline of the band’s career, then careens into a full 10 pages solely devoted to the legendary frontman. (Excepting the ethnically Parsi Mercury, all band members are white.) Brief profiles of each band member separate a section conveying their origin story from a capsule history of their early years. The text—an uncredited Google Translate–esque interpretation of a Spanish-language original—stumbles along, rife with passive voice, strange syntax, and awkward phrasing. Imagined scenes depicting key moments in Queen’s history suffer from stilted dialogue while pull quotes seem more filler than enticing highlight. The book concludes with the radio debut of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” but images ostensibly intended as appendices drag this chronicle beyond its obvious terminus. Despite it all, Castelló’s whimsical illustrations shine, offering die-hard fans a reason to keep themselves alive.

Less rhapsody than lost opportunity. Let this one bite the dust or risk going stone-cold crazy.