A sentimental mid-20th-century novel about child labor is given striking, graphic life by a modern illustrator. Set in the 19th century, the tale has all the characteristics of an industrial novel: sold to work as a chimney sweep in Milan, Giorgio endures frighteningly dangerous work, a master who is a drunken weakling, and a mistress who is a harridan. His twin consolations are a friendship he strikes up with his master’s invalid daughter and the brotherhood of his fellow chimney sweeps, with whom he escapes to Switzerland. The original story runs to some 500 pages, but illustrator Binder has drastically cut this, relying instead on dramatic black-and-white engravings to move the narrative along. Not so much a classic graphic novel, this offering instead relies on traditional text blocks accompanied by and interspersed with comic book–style panels. Their Gothic darkness complements the melodramatic text, depicting both horror and wonder with equally freighted emotion. In many cases, narrative gaps depend on intervening illustrations to advance the storyline, a device that, despite its innovation, is not always successful. Still: a haunting, praiseworthy effort that deserves recognition. (Fiction. 10-14)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2004
ISBN: 1-932425-04-7
Page Count: 144
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2004
A charming adaptation.
A miscommunication leaves Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert responsible for a plucky, effusive orphan girl instead of the boy they’d expected to help maintain their farm.
Retold in traditional manga format, with right-to-left panel orientation and detailed black-and-white linework, this adaptation is delightfully faithful to the source text. Larger panels establish the idyllic country landscape while subtle text boxes identify the setting—Prince Edward Island, Canada, in the 1870s. The book follows redheaded Anne Shirley from her arrival at Green Gables at 11 to her achievement of a college scholarship. In the intervening years, Anne finds stability, friendship, personal growth, and ambition in Avonlea and in the strict but well-intentioned Cuthbert siblings’ household. The familiar story is enhanced by the exciting new format and lush illustrations. A variety of panel layouts provides visual freshness, maintaining reader interest. Backmatter includes the floor plan of the Green Gables house, as well as interior and exterior views, and notes about research on the actual location. A description of the process of adapting the novel to this visual format indicates the care that was taken to highlight particular elements of the story as well as to remain faithful to the smallest details. Readers who find the original text challenging will welcome this as an aid to comprehension and Anne’s existing fans will savor a fresh perspective on their beloved story. All characters appear to be White.
A charming adaptation. (Graphic fiction. 12-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-947808-18-8
Page Count: 308
Publisher: Manga Classics
Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
A nifty concept that never really quite leaves the conceptual stage. (Graphic novel. 11-14)
This may be a book that’s better on the second reading.
In medias res is a dangerous trick to play on unsuspecting readers. In the first six pages of this graphic meta-goof on The Odyssey, our stick-figure hero, Zozimos, nearly drowns, gets lost in a jungle, is captured by golems and gets thrown in jail. The pace never really lets up over the 200 pages of the book, as he tries to find his way home to Sticatha. Readers may feel as though they’re flipping channels on a remote, and every channel is showing an action movie. There’s too much medias, too much res and not enough time spent developing the characters. Ford almost seems afraid to let them sit down and just talk. Some readers may need to page through the story a second time to realize that Zozimos is sort of charming, and a few turns of phrase are quite funny (“By Hades’ pajamas”). It would be easy, though, to get distracted by Zozimos’ many selfish actions and his refusal to listen to anyone else. Early in the book, King Marnox says, “The way I see it, everything that happened was your own fault for being a shortsighted jerk.” It’s hard to disagree. A few leisurely pauses here and there might have given readers more opportunity to sympathize with the main character.
A nifty concept that never really quite leaves the conceptual stage. (Graphic novel. 11-14)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-25426-0
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: July 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
