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davechua's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully illustrated graphic novel about a father's desperate attempt to save his child from fate. The story takes an unexpected turn midway, but is otherwise touching and quite riveting. Artwork is exceptional, with wonderful impressionistic linework. Captivating.
baasanka's review against another edition
4.0
You can always tell French comic artists apart from others, and it's such a nostalgic feeling of remembering the hot summer days of my childhood, endless French grammar classes, wasting the days away at my local library as a kid, thumbing through the comic books I could barely understand, sneaking into the foreign movies showings I might have been too young to attend..
zbidgel's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.75
hdbblog's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up on a whim, while wandering the library last week. There's nothing I love more than to peek at what they've added to the graphic novel section under "library favorites". Someone out there wanted me to read this, and I happily obliged! Especially once I opened it to take a cursory glance at the first page. Three Shadows both looked, and sounded, like something I needed to take home with me. So, I did.
This is the story of Joachim, an adorable bundle of excitement and youth. The reader is introduced to his little family unit and the safe haven they call home. Full of fish to catch, berries to pick, and any number of adventures a young boy might want to have. I took instantly to Joachim and his family. They were so happy. So very peaceful. Then, as the synopsis promised, the shadows appeared. Suddenly this little family was afraid, and on the brink of breaking. I can assure you, this isn't always the happiest of stories. It is, however, a beautiful one.
What sold me on this book, more than anything else, was the illustrations. Three Shadows is done in a style that is very sketch-book in nature. Stark white and black, but with so much movement that it's not hard at all to follow along. I actually appreciated the lack of color in these panels. It allowed me the opportunity to bring my own color to the story. To paint in the joy, the innocence, and even the heartbreak. It was a daring move on the part of the illustrator, since so many graphic novels are richly colored, but it is well suited to this particular story.
I can't say much more without spoiling anything. This is a story of love, loss, and the great lengths that people will go to in order to protect the ones that mean the most. I don't know what I was expecting when I first picked this up, but I can assure you that it lived up to whatever that was. This wasn't my favorite graphic novel of the year, but it's definitely up there. Recommended to all.
This is the story of Joachim, an adorable bundle of excitement and youth. The reader is introduced to his little family unit and the safe haven they call home. Full of fish to catch, berries to pick, and any number of adventures a young boy might want to have. I took instantly to Joachim and his family. They were so happy. So very peaceful. Then, as the synopsis promised, the shadows appeared. Suddenly this little family was afraid, and on the brink of breaking. I can assure you, this isn't always the happiest of stories. It is, however, a beautiful one.
What sold me on this book, more than anything else, was the illustrations. Three Shadows is done in a style that is very sketch-book in nature. Stark white and black, but with so much movement that it's not hard at all to follow along. I actually appreciated the lack of color in these panels. It allowed me the opportunity to bring my own color to the story. To paint in the joy, the innocence, and even the heartbreak. It was a daring move on the part of the illustrator, since so many graphic novels are richly colored, but it is well suited to this particular story.
I can't say much more without spoiling anything. This is a story of love, loss, and the great lengths that people will go to in order to protect the ones that mean the most. I don't know what I was expecting when I first picked this up, but I can assure you that it lived up to whatever that was. This wasn't my favorite graphic novel of the year, but it's definitely up there. Recommended to all.
erine's review against another edition
5.0
It's hard to critique something so personal. The jacket cover indicates that this was written after watching a friend deal with the death of a child. And the story is quite poignant - the parents desperately trying to learn what stalks their child, then just as desperately trying to elude the impending fate.
If I had one criticism, it would probably fall equally on the layout of the book and my own difficulty reading graphic novels - there were times when it was unclear to me who was speaking, who was thinking, and visually distinguishing between characters (particularly on the boat). Stylistically, I thought it was beautiful and could see the connection between the illustrations and the Disney animation the author's been involved in. The connections between text and characters could have been clearer, however.
Some nudity and swearing. Some violence. Anything remotely objectionable is completely overshadowed by the message and story, however. Plus - French.
If I had one criticism, it would probably fall equally on the layout of the book and my own difficulty reading graphic novels - there were times when it was unclear to me who was speaking, who was thinking, and visually distinguishing between characters (particularly on the boat). Stylistically, I thought it was beautiful and could see the connection between the illustrations and the Disney animation the author's been involved in. The connections between text and characters could have been clearer, however.
Some nudity and swearing. Some violence. Anything remotely objectionable is completely overshadowed by the message and story, however. Plus - French.
jrosenstein's review against another edition
3.0
Pedrosa's art is lovely and evocative with a pleasant folk art quality. The book is incredibly sad, however, and parents of young children should definitely not read it. It's about two parents who try to protect their son from death and in the end realize they have to let him go. Cheerful.
mmpickart's review against another edition
3.0
The illustrations in "Three Shadows" are black and white, and at first glance, they look to be simplistic sketches. However, as a person reads the book, one can see how the illustrations are reflective of the current mood and tension of the story. The sketches are actually ink drawings that are rather detailed upon closer inspection. The book could be considered either part of the fantasy or horror genre, depending on a person's interpretation of death personified. Although the book is not scary, it does have quite a bit of tension.
This book would appeal to people who already enjoy horror and fantasy, particularly supernatural stories. Although the book represents an easy-to-understand fable, I would not recommend this book to first-time graphic novel readers. There was very little dialog and narration, so a large part of the story was told through the illustrations. There were a couple scenes I had to read more than once to make sense of, and there is still one section in particular that I am not sure I completely understand. The book also contains some nudity; Louis and Lise swim and sleep in the nude, and in one scene, their son Joachim joins them in bed when he is frightened. There are also some brief scenes portraying a sex slave. Although none of the scenes are graphic or sexual in nature, some people may feel uncomfortable with this.
This book would appeal to people who already enjoy horror and fantasy, particularly supernatural stories. Although the book represents an easy-to-understand fable, I would not recommend this book to first-time graphic novel readers. There was very little dialog and narration, so a large part of the story was told through the illustrations. There were a couple scenes I had to read more than once to make sense of, and there is still one section in particular that I am not sure I completely understand. The book also contains some nudity; Louis and Lise swim and sleep in the nude, and in one scene, their son Joachim joins them in bed when he is frightened. There are also some brief scenes portraying a sex slave. Although none of the scenes are graphic or sexual in nature, some people may feel uncomfortable with this.
narrnaul's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Trafficking