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goldandsalt's review
5.0
This is really really lovely. And while it isn't the best thing I've ever read ever (she kind of admits herself that the dog, Bodi, is the center for this work and she's right and he's perfect), I can't give it any less than five stars because Marian Churchland and Hchom are so dear to my heart. Her work puts me in a tender, taking-care-of-my-deepest-nerdiest-self place and I love her for that.
stacyannemarie's review against another edition
5.0
Gorgeous storytelling with such evocative images. The story is such a thoughtful and revealing twist on Beauty and the Beast, bringing all the elements of that tale that stay in our imagination while creating something entirely new. The characters are nuanced and circle one another with masterful precision and tension, and the story progresses with such wonderful moments of intimacy, like with the dog, the takeout, etc. I love how Churchland has mapped this story onto Vancouver and ground the fabulous speculative elements with a setting so textured. Looking forward to whatever she does next.
rkitzmann's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this-much more than I thought I would. It's lyrical, and a little sad, and a little ambiguous. I like that-sometimes a story ends with out bows on everything and that's fine.
The art is lovely, the story is lovely. Ideally, I would give this 3.5 stars, but since I can't I'm going to err on the higher side.
The art is lovely, the story is lovely. Ideally, I would give this 3.5 stars, but since I can't I'm going to err on the higher side.
spiringempress's review against another edition
3.0
Mainly, I was interested in reading this graphic novel because I had recently read Marian Churchland's other work,[b:From Under Mountains|30220906|From Under Mountains|Claire Gibson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465607683s/30220906.jpg|50674412], and wanted to see how the two compared. This one is entirely different. It follows Colette, an artist, who has been commissioned to finish a slab of carrara marble for a mysterious benefactor known as the Beast. Her task is simple: create a portrait of the Beast but this proves to be quite challenging. Not only is she expected to live in the house until the work is completed, but the owner, Roz, and the benefactor, don't really offer an explanation for anything.
Every night, Colette works on the marble and the Beast visits. On the first night, he tells her the story behind the marble and doesn't beat around the bush. The marble belonged to his master, who lived in the 16th-century, and lost a bid to win the slab of marble that would become David. Obsessed with carrara, he spends his life trying to find his own and when he finally acquires one, his sister begins to work on it instead. He dies unaccomplished and unknown. The beast somehow gains possession of the marble and has been looking for an artist to finish it. It's also hinted that he had a relationship with the sister at one point. So, Colette finishes the marble, goes home, sees her ex boyfriend and then decides that she needs to return to the Beast.
The graphic novel ends here and while it's more polished than From Under the Mountains, I still feel that the story ends on a cliffhanger and doesn't offer an explanation for anything. However, the artwork is wonderful. The panels alternate between sepia and indigo tones to indicate night and day, which is a nice choice. I also just love her art style overall, which is naturalistic in a simple way.
Every night, Colette works on the marble and the Beast visits. On the first night, he tells her the story behind the marble and doesn't beat around the bush. The marble belonged to his master, who lived in the 16th-century, and lost a bid to win the slab of marble that would become David. Obsessed with carrara, he spends his life trying to find his own and when he finally acquires one, his sister begins to work on it instead. He dies unaccomplished and unknown. The beast somehow gains possession of the marble and has been looking for an artist to finish it. It's also hinted that he had a relationship with the sister at one point. So, Colette finishes the marble, goes home, sees her ex boyfriend and then decides that she needs to return to the Beast.
The graphic novel ends here and while it's more polished than From Under the Mountains, I still feel that the story ends on a cliffhanger and doesn't offer an explanation for anything. However, the artwork is wonderful. The panels alternate between sepia and indigo tones to indicate night and day, which is a nice choice. I also just love her art style overall, which is naturalistic in a simple way.
emready's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0