A review by vigil
Oksi by Mari Ahokoivu

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

this could be confusing to anyone not familiar with finnish mythology like myself, but i was able to keep up adeptly enough. the art is obviously beautiful, continuing the story on in place where other graphic novel’s would’ve used words. i think oksi reached its most impressive moment when it combined the two, sliding seamlessly between art, and the written word. there are some awkward moments in the narrative, but that is often a given. all translations fail, but this one, all in all, seemed pretty solid. 

the art style is really the shining star here, and i think i would’ve been completely fine having a book with no text, just the illustrations. it totally set the atmosphere and the tone for the setting of oksi, one that is grounded heavily in a darkly whimsical forest. 

take note of “darkly whimsical” for your own sake. this book took a 180 on me when i least expected it.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings