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Les Pistes invisibles
« En vingt-cinq ans, je n'ai été vu de personne. J'ai vécu caché dans cette forêt, mais pas comme un homme des bois. » Un homme délaisse sa vie du jour au lendemain. Sans préméditation, il s'enfonce dans une forêt pour y disparaître. Il y restera 25 ans, vivant de ce que lui offre la nature et de menus larcins dans les cabanes avoisinantes. À rebours de la conventionnelle aventure épique en milieu naturel, il fait l'étrange récit introspectif de son invisibilisation. Sa confession, rythmée de paysages tantôt naturalistes, tantôt mentaux, dessine des pistes et un portrait invisibles à ceux qui le traquent mais qui transparaîtra au fil des cases. Xavier Mussat poursuit son travail sur l'exercice de la mémoire. Il s'inspire de l'histoire vraie de l'Américain Christopher Knight, qui n'adressa la parole à aucun être humain pendant près de trois décennies. Il détaille la découverte du monde sauvage et incarne la voix de cet homme qui a choisi de s'effacer aux autres. " Un livre magnifique entre passé et futur. Figuration et abstraction." Libération
- GenresBande Dessinée
176 pages, Hardcover
Published January 11, 2023
1 person is currently reading
17 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 25, 2025
In Les pistes invisibles (invisible tracks), Xavier Mussat was inspired by the story of Christopher Knight, who disappeared for 27 years in the forests of Maine between 1986 and 2013, without human contact, living off nature and stealing from lakeside cabins. He makes him the imaginary narrator of his own story.
His attraction to the forest, his senses heightened by the impression of silence, his hunger, the need to steal what he needs to survive in the few second homes he comes across on his way.
A path he wants to be as discreet as possible, going so far as to invent new ways of walking and moving... creating invisible trails so as not to be spotted. On the lookout for every moment, every place, he'll discover the ideal place to set up camp.
It's a beautiful work, not only for its content on the theme of voluntary disappearance, but also for its form. Xavier Mussat's drawing is a two-color process, with blue and orange superimposed on each other, and the third color made by superposition. The squares sometimes illustrate, others appeal to our senses, others are more dreamlike and symbolic. It's very immersive and introspective.
His attraction to the forest, his senses heightened by the impression of silence, his hunger, the need to steal what he needs to survive in the few second homes he comes across on his way.
A path he wants to be as discreet as possible, going so far as to invent new ways of walking and moving... creating invisible trails so as not to be spotted. On the lookout for every moment, every place, he'll discover the ideal place to set up camp.
It's a beautiful work, not only for its content on the theme of voluntary disappearance, but also for its form. Xavier Mussat's drawing is a two-color process, with blue and orange superimposed on each other, and the third color made by superposition. The squares sometimes illustrate, others appeal to our senses, others are more dreamlike and symbolic. It's very immersive and introspective.
June 19, 2023
N'hésitez pas à me demander pour une critique en français. Je suis juste paresseuse ce soir!
4.5*+ Loosely based on the story of Christopher Knight, a man who disappeared into the woods for 27 years, but for whatever reason the publisher chose not to include that information on the back or in the introduction, so i spent the first part of the book being quite confused. Part of me thinks I'm nuts for 5* rating a book that disorientated, frustrated and annoyed me, but then again, this was the point/the path?
This is a graphic novel that you need to take your time with. If you don't, you're likely to give it 3* or less. It actually forced me, or reminded me, to slow down. Allowing myself just to read what I could. This may seem obvious but when your TBR pile is as towering as mine is right now, it's good to be reminded that the journey is what it's all about!
Note that the color choice and style might not be up to everyone's tastes. The garish orange & blue combo is aggressive, overwhelming and yet my eyes adapted to it. Again this book is more than just a story, it's an experience. It really grew on me!
+I've now added Stranger in the woods (Chris Knight's story) to my TBR
4.5*+ Loosely based on the story of Christopher Knight, a man who disappeared into the woods for 27 years, but for whatever reason the publisher chose not to include that information on the back or in the introduction, so i spent the first part of the book being quite confused. Part of me thinks I'm nuts for 5* rating a book that disorientated, frustrated and annoyed me, but then again, this was the point/the path?
This is a graphic novel that you need to take your time with. If you don't, you're likely to give it 3* or less. It actually forced me, or reminded me, to slow down. Allowing myself just to read what I could. This may seem obvious but when your TBR pile is as towering as mine is right now, it's good to be reminded that the journey is what it's all about!
Note that the color choice and style might not be up to everyone's tastes. The garish orange & blue combo is aggressive, overwhelming and yet my eyes adapted to it. Again this book is more than just a story, it's an experience. It really grew on me!
+I've now added Stranger in the woods (Chris Knight's story) to my TBR
February 19, 2024
Les visuels sont magnifiques, l'histoire fait réfléchir et elle est clairement recherchée. Il y a une métaphore avec l'espace basée sur une réelle théorie ce que j'ai bien aimé!
Alerte divulgateurs ;)
J'aime que le personnage réalise à la fin que ses actions ont eu des conséquences: "Mes intrusions chez eux m'offriront pendant vingt...cinq ans les moyens de mon effacement." "Mais cette paix gagnée leur coûtera leur propre tranquillité d'esprit" "Je les visiterai sans malveillance portant.".
Cela fait aussi réfléchir à comment l'humain peut vivre dans la nature en pleine liberté sans perturber les moeurs de la société en place et si cette vie nous fait perdre ou gagner une partie de notre humanité.
Bref, plein de piste de réflexion avec des pages que j'afficherais pour décorer mon salon!
Alerte divulgateurs ;)
J'aime que le personnage réalise à la fin que ses actions ont eu des conséquences: "Mes intrusions chez eux m'offriront pendant vingt...cinq ans les moyens de mon effacement." "Mais cette paix gagnée leur coûtera leur propre tranquillité d'esprit" "Je les visiterai sans malveillance portant.".
Cela fait aussi réfléchir à comment l'humain peut vivre dans la nature en pleine liberté sans perturber les moeurs de la société en place et si cette vie nous fait perdre ou gagner une partie de notre humanité.
Bref, plein de piste de réflexion avec des pages que j'afficherais pour décorer mon salon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2023
Un parti pris artistique intéressant, avec une intrigue forte. Manque peut être l'avis de l'auteur au final.
August 1, 2023
J'ai adoré les dessins!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews