Scan barcode
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
gub_gub_gub's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ninolule's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
sleepingnerd's review against another edition
3.0
This book was... Ok? I had high expectations for it, and that's always a thing that can hinder more than help you. I love the art style and the allegorical, whimsical concept of the shadows. I also really enjoyed how you could really feel the emotions of the characters, specially the father – his love and helplessness was palpable.
The story, though, was just... ok. It didn't make me feel much, which was disappointing, since I expected this book to have me in tears. Maybe because it was a little too long, and the allegories got lost along the way. Perhaps if it was a bit more concise, or if it restricted itself to the more whimsical parts (like the father at end), it would have been better. In any way, it's still a good story and a solid read, and the art is amazingly beautiful and fluid, hence the three stars.
The story, though, was just... ok. It didn't make me feel much, which was disappointing, since I expected this book to have me in tears. Maybe because it was a little too long, and the allegories got lost along the way. Perhaps if it was a bit more concise, or if it restricted itself to the more whimsical parts (like the father at end), it would have been better. In any way, it's still a good story and a solid read, and the art is amazingly beautiful and fluid, hence the three stars.
thisisstephenbetts's review against another edition
3.0
Beautiful, allegorical fairytale. An idyllic family of three living in the woods, become aware that there are three shadows watching them, seemingly getting closer. The father attempts to protect his family from the mysterious trio, without knowing what they want or having any idea of what they will do next.
The book is beatifully drawn, with lots of controlled scribbly lines (a little reminiscent of a slightly lighter Mattotti), but Pedrosa varies his style to good effect. Some of the pages are really stunning.
Pedrosa is an animator for Disney, and it really shows - the images are really dynamic. Sometimes the characters themselves can be a little too cartoony, the expressions a little too exaggerated. It's not unattractive, but I found it a little jarring against the rest of the art. I got used to it though. Also, I found his pacing was a little erratic - the flow didn't seem to be quite right. I may be wrong, but I think this is not uncommon in animators coming to comics. I'm not sure what causes this feeling - it'd be a good area for more thought and analysis.
In the end, the story, while pleasant and enjoyable, feels a little slight, and maybe takes a little too long in the telling (certainly, it seemed to keep going longer than necessary). I would recommend this book on the strength of its art, and I hope that Pedrosa's comics chops improve. I'll keep an eye out for his other work.
The book is beatifully drawn, with lots of controlled scribbly lines (a little reminiscent of a slightly lighter Mattotti), but Pedrosa varies his style to good effect. Some of the pages are really stunning.
Pedrosa is an animator for Disney, and it really shows - the images are really dynamic. Sometimes the characters themselves can be a little too cartoony, the expressions a little too exaggerated. It's not unattractive, but I found it a little jarring against the rest of the art. I got used to it though. Also, I found his pacing was a little erratic - the flow didn't seem to be quite right. I may be wrong, but I think this is not uncommon in animators coming to comics. I'm not sure what causes this feeling - it'd be a good area for more thought and analysis.
In the end, the story, while pleasant and enjoyable, feels a little slight, and maybe takes a little too long in the telling (certainly, it seemed to keep going longer than necessary). I would recommend this book on the strength of its art, and I hope that Pedrosa's comics chops improve. I'll keep an eye out for his other work.
elyana's review against another edition
4.0
Une jolie fable signée Cyril Pedrosa.
Cela aurait pu être un coup de cœur si l'œuvre avait été un peu plus aboutie, mais tout de même une très belle histoire.
Cela aurait pu être un coup de cœur si l'œuvre avait été un peu plus aboutie, mais tout de même une très belle histoire.