What do you think?
Rate this book
Les Incidents de la Nuit #1.1-3
Incidents in the Night: Volume 1
In Incidents in the Night David B. sets out to explore the uncharted territories of overflowing and dusty shelves of Paris' legendary book shops. His journey quickly turns into an obsessive vision quest in pursuit of a mysterious nineteenth-century journal: Incidents In the Night. Mountains of books become sites of archeological digs as the author excavates layers of myth, fact and fiction in search of the elusive thread that links them all. Along the way he stumbles on fanatical Bonapartists, occult conspiracies and the angel of death. Incidents in the Night is an intricate, ever-expanding web of dream and reality exquisitely translated by Brian Evenson.
David B. is one of France's finest cartoonists and one of the co-founders of the legendary L'Association collective. He is the author a many books: The Armed Garden and Noctural Conspiracies, among many others. Epileptic was was awarded Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Scenario and the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Artist.
Brian Evenson is the author of ten books of fiction. He is the winner of the International Horror Guild Award, and the American Library Association's award for Best Horror Novel. He has translated work by Christian Gailly, Jean Frémon, Claro, Jacques Jouet, Eric Chevillard, Antoine Volodine, and others. He is the recipient of three O. Henry Prizes as well as an NEA fellowship. He lives and works in Providence, Rhode Island.
David B. is one of France's finest cartoonists and one of the co-founders of the legendary L'Association collective. He is the author a many books: The Armed Garden and Noctural Conspiracies, among many others. Epileptic was was awarded Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Scenario and the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Artist.
Brian Evenson is the author of ten books of fiction. He is the winner of the International Horror Guild Award, and the American Library Association's award for Best Horror Novel. He has translated work by Christian Gailly, Jean Frémon, Claro, Jacques Jouet, Eric Chevillard, Antoine Volodine, and others. He is the recipient of three O. Henry Prizes as well as an NEA fellowship. He lives and works in Providence, Rhode Island.
100 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
3 people are currently reading
534 people want to read
About the author
David B.
133 books204 followersPierre-François Beauchard, who uses the pen name David B., was one of the initiators of the French alternative editorial house L'Association, and is now well-known among the French comics audience. After his Applied Arts studies, David B. had his first publications in magazines such as Chic, Circus, Okapi and A Suivre. Among his early creations are 'Le Timbre Maudit', a story published in Okapi, and 'the mini-series 'Zèbre' in Chic. As a scenarist, he cooperated with Olivier Legan on 'Pas de Samba pour Capitaine Tonnerre', an album published by Glénat in 1985.
After he co-founded L'Association in 1990, he began using the pseudonym David B. and specialized in short black-and-white stories, detailing nightmarish dreams, collected in the album 'Le Cheval Blême' in 1992. As powerful as his dream imagery is in itself, it is amplified by his masterful use of black and white drawings. In the Association's magazine Lapin, he published series like 'Le Prophète Voilé', 'Le Jardin Armé' and 'Le Voyage de l'Est'. From 1996, Beauchard has concentrated on the autobiographical series 'L'Ascension du Haut-Mal', which earned him the highest praise from comics critics.
In addition to his work for L'Association, David B. cooperated with the publishing house Cornélius, where he published the quarterly comic book Le Nain Jaune from 1993 to 1994, as well as 'Les Quatre Savants' from 1996 to 1998. He was also present in the reviews Fusée and Le Cheval sans Tête (with 'Les Incidents de la Nuit'). Also present at Dargaud, he made 'Le Tengû Carré', an allegory of Japanese legends, and the scenarios of 'La Révolte d'Hop Frog' and 'Les Ogres', which were illustrated by Christophe Blain. For the publisher's collection Poisson Pilote, he made 'Urani - la Ville des Mauvais Rêves' (script by Joann Sfar) and 'Les Chercheurs de Trésor'.
After May 2000 David B's work would reach a wider public when his artwork was featured in the collection Aire Libre by the popular publisher Dupuis. After 'Le Capitaine Écarlate' (with artwork by Emmanuel Guibert) in 2000, David wrote and drew the album 'La Lecture des Ruines' in 2001. David B has also been active as an illustrator for Le Seuil, Automne 67, Albin Michel and Coconino Press.
After he co-founded L'Association in 1990, he began using the pseudonym David B. and specialized in short black-and-white stories, detailing nightmarish dreams, collected in the album 'Le Cheval Blême' in 1992. As powerful as his dream imagery is in itself, it is amplified by his masterful use of black and white drawings. In the Association's magazine Lapin, he published series like 'Le Prophète Voilé', 'Le Jardin Armé' and 'Le Voyage de l'Est'. From 1996, Beauchard has concentrated on the autobiographical series 'L'Ascension du Haut-Mal', which earned him the highest praise from comics critics.
In addition to his work for L'Association, David B. cooperated with the publishing house Cornélius, where he published the quarterly comic book Le Nain Jaune from 1993 to 1994, as well as 'Les Quatre Savants' from 1996 to 1998. He was also present in the reviews Fusée and Le Cheval sans Tête (with 'Les Incidents de la Nuit'). Also present at Dargaud, he made 'Le Tengû Carré', an allegory of Japanese legends, and the scenarios of 'La Révolte d'Hop Frog' and 'Les Ogres', which were illustrated by Christophe Blain. For the publisher's collection Poisson Pilote, he made 'Urani - la Ville des Mauvais Rêves' (script by Joann Sfar) and 'Les Chercheurs de Trésor'.
After May 2000 David B's work would reach a wider public when his artwork was featured in the collection Aire Libre by the popular publisher Dupuis. After 'Le Capitaine Écarlate' (with artwork by Emmanuel Guibert) in 2000, David wrote and drew the album 'La Lecture des Ruines' in 2001. David B has also been active as an illustrator for Le Seuil, Automne 67, Albin Michel and Coconino Press.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
July 11, 2021
An obscure series of books called Incidents in the Night captures David B’s attention and his pursuit in collecting them sends him on a bizarre journey that involves bloodthirsty 19th century oiks, booksellers who dress up as yetis, immortality, and the Angel of Death itself. At the centre of it all? The mysterious Emile Travers and his insane plan to put Napoleon Bonaparte back on the throne!
David B doesn’t produce bad comics but he does occasionally put out some decidedly average ones, particularly when he’s doing another dream-like story, which is the case with Incidents in the Night, Book One.
The story is framed as a dream so almost everything that happens in the book follows dream-logic, aka pure random chaos. Which makes the narrative a bit scattershot and unfocused, as well as lightweight (ie. anything can happen and nothing really means anything), but at least makes for an unpredictable and imaginative story.
I enjoyed most everything about the strange figure of Travers and his bonkers backstory. It’s dark, it’s interesting, and I love the menacing design of the character and the occult weirdness around the letter “N”. The bibliophile in me liked how much of the story takes place inside bookshops though the idea of achieving immortality through books (that is, writing/publishing/reading them) is a banal one for David B to make.
If you’ve read the creator before, his art style here is unchanged from those other books. That is, it’s black and white, very thickly 2D and almost woodcut-like in appearance. It’s unusual but I like his art.
Some parts of the book are plain boring like Mister Lhom’s rambling story recounting the Biblical story of the flood that didn’t add anything and went on for too long. Ditto the odd tangent on extinct megafauna. Still, David B finds firm footing with the story towards the end of this volume, leaving readers with a tantalising cliffhanger for the second and final book.
It’s uneven with some parts dull and some parts compelling, but there’s enough creative and unique material in Incidents in the Night, Book One to make it worth checking out for fans of this creator.
David B doesn’t produce bad comics but he does occasionally put out some decidedly average ones, particularly when he’s doing another dream-like story, which is the case with Incidents in the Night, Book One.
The story is framed as a dream so almost everything that happens in the book follows dream-logic, aka pure random chaos. Which makes the narrative a bit scattershot and unfocused, as well as lightweight (ie. anything can happen and nothing really means anything), but at least makes for an unpredictable and imaginative story.
I enjoyed most everything about the strange figure of Travers and his bonkers backstory. It’s dark, it’s interesting, and I love the menacing design of the character and the occult weirdness around the letter “N”. The bibliophile in me liked how much of the story takes place inside bookshops though the idea of achieving immortality through books (that is, writing/publishing/reading them) is a banal one for David B to make.
If you’ve read the creator before, his art style here is unchanged from those other books. That is, it’s black and white, very thickly 2D and almost woodcut-like in appearance. It’s unusual but I like his art.
Some parts of the book are plain boring like Mister Lhom’s rambling story recounting the Biblical story of the flood that didn’t add anything and went on for too long. Ditto the odd tangent on extinct megafauna. Still, David B finds firm footing with the story towards the end of this volume, leaving readers with a tantalising cliffhanger for the second and final book.
It’s uneven with some parts dull and some parts compelling, but there’s enough creative and unique material in Incidents in the Night, Book One to make it worth checking out for fans of this creator.
August 13, 2014
It's complicated.
I looked at Incidents in the Night: Volume 1 from afar and thought I liked what I saw. The book smiled at me, and I think it might have winked, too. But that might just have been the lighting in this dark place. I made my way closer, slowly, asking a few of my friends what they thought of it. It seems that a lot of people admired it, maybe even felt something much stronger than admiration. A few gave me dark looks, as if I was an idiot for asking, though I'm not sure whether these looks askance were meant to warn me or to show jealousy that I would dare approach such a prize. Finally, after some internal debate, I screwed up my courage and went in close.
Maybe it was the mole on the book's face, maybe a bit of a cold streak in its eyes, I don't know. Something just didn't set right with me. I could see how many would be fascinated by it, even physically attracted in a strong way. But my sense of . . . art, I think it was, yes, my sense of art prevented me from engaging in anything more than casual conversation. I just knew that if I got too involved, I would regret it. Yet still, still . . .
The dreamlike sense of something hidden just around the corner was titillating. And I appreciated the quirky sense of dress in the details, though the overall picture didn't really appeal to my sense of style. But again, there was something behind the eyes, something . . . hidden . . . maybe a slightly-veiled agenda, that bespoke danger.
We talked, we shared an uncomfortable laugh, we drank our drinks and looked around the room. I thanked it for its time, white-lied my way out of the conversation with an "it was nice to talk with you," and walked away. Just walked away.
I still just don't know . . .
It's complicated.
I looked at Incidents in the Night: Volume 1 from afar and thought I liked what I saw. The book smiled at me, and I think it might have winked, too. But that might just have been the lighting in this dark place. I made my way closer, slowly, asking a few of my friends what they thought of it. It seems that a lot of people admired it, maybe even felt something much stronger than admiration. A few gave me dark looks, as if I was an idiot for asking, though I'm not sure whether these looks askance were meant to warn me or to show jealousy that I would dare approach such a prize. Finally, after some internal debate, I screwed up my courage and went in close.
Maybe it was the mole on the book's face, maybe a bit of a cold streak in its eyes, I don't know. Something just didn't set right with me. I could see how many would be fascinated by it, even physically attracted in a strong way. But my sense of . . . art, I think it was, yes, my sense of art prevented me from engaging in anything more than casual conversation. I just knew that if I got too involved, I would regret it. Yet still, still . . .
The dreamlike sense of something hidden just around the corner was titillating. And I appreciated the quirky sense of dress in the details, though the overall picture didn't really appeal to my sense of style. But again, there was something behind the eyes, something . . . hidden . . . maybe a slightly-veiled agenda, that bespoke danger.
We talked, we shared an uncomfortable laugh, we drank our drinks and looked around the room. I thanked it for its time, white-lied my way out of the conversation with an "it was nice to talk with you," and walked away. Just walked away.
I still just don't know . . .
It's complicated.
September 23, 2013
When David B. goes on a quest to find a copy of "Incidents in the Night," he finds himself in a bookshop filled with mountains of books. He sleeps in the cavernous room along with other "explorers," all of whom are searching for special books. Occasionally, they must hide from the bookstore's owner. Inexplicably, he loves to barrel through the stacks dressed as a yeti and sometimes releases the hounds to prey upon the book lovers. After finding the book, David encounters its mysterious author, Emile Travers, who has escaped the Angel of Death six times. If he can evade the Reaper just once more, he will become immortal.
The artwork in this graphic novel has been lifted straight from a bibliophile's dream. In addition to the mountains of books, there are characters with books for heads and buildings that look like bookshelves. Characters jump in and out of books, and one even disguises himself as a letter of the alphabet to hide in a book. Throw in some mythology, Ice Age animals and Napoleon, and the first three-quarters of the book resound with pure magic.
The last quarter loses some wonder, however, as things become more rooted in reality. David meets a police commissioner and a comely journalist, and tries to solve a crime.
The ending is a massive cliffhanger, and it may be years before the next volume is released.
But, four-stars for the great, great beginning and the fantastical illustrations of books, books, glorious books.
The artwork in this graphic novel has been lifted straight from a bibliophile's dream. In addition to the mountains of books, there are characters with books for heads and buildings that look like bookshelves. Characters jump in and out of books, and one even disguises himself as a letter of the alphabet to hide in a book. Throw in some mythology, Ice Age animals and Napoleon, and the first three-quarters of the book resound with pure magic.
The last quarter loses some wonder, however, as things become more rooted in reality. David meets a police commissioner and a comely journalist, and tries to solve a crime.
The ending is a massive cliffhanger, and it may be years before the next volume is released.
But, four-stars for the great, great beginning and the fantastical illustrations of books, books, glorious books.
October 13, 2015
Amazing artwork, as usual, from David B. It's a sort of fantasy about the uses of reading as one faces death, or contemplates death. One hears about how writing can be for a writer a way of taking a stand against mortality, but here David B. seems to talk of how reading can function this way for serious readers. So this story works like an allegory about reading, taking place in a bookstore with mountains of books…The tone is dark, almost on the edge of horror, or nightmare, at times, as we lose our way. So, we encounter scary spaces, which makes sense. David B has worked with another meticulous, even darker artists, such as horror and silent comic Thomas Ott (From Hellville), and you can see how it is they might influence each other.
June 23, 2015
Very strange and very good. David B. dreams of a series of books with the collective title, "Incidents in the Night." The next day, he begins searching the bookshops of Paris for them. And, in the cavernous shop run by Mr. Lhôm, he finds one ... There are occult conspiracies, Napoleonic history, yeti, and the Angel of Death in this book. In terms of comics, it recalls the works of Richard Sala and Kim Deitch. In literary terms, it's reminiscent of Borges. There are also references to some of David B.'s previous work such as "The Veiled Prophet." The book does end on a cliffhanger, and I plan to dive into Volume 2 as soon as I can. Fans of the bizarre and conspiracies should definitely check this out.
January 4, 2016
This book is a sweet treat, a savory tart offered up, but for a particular audience. Book lovers, bibliophiles, inveterate readers, compulsive browsers, book collectors: we know who were are, yes?Incidents in the Night is also a nice fantasy, but that's secondary.
Incidents in the Night is a very dreamlike tale about a Parisian book fanatic who stumbled onto a bizarre conspiracy of sorts. While browsing in an endless, jumbled store whose masses of books become walkable terrain, and where its very old owner likes to dress up as a yeti, David (yes, same name as the author) comes across a mysterious newspaper. Its masked editor is playing a desperate game with death, while also trying to resurrect Napoleon to rule the world.
To unfold this plot the graphic novel turns to dreams, visions, and surrealism, as David wanders into books themselves, tries to fight death, investigates weird clues, falls in with a vast police officer, discovers a prehistoric religion, and has a hint of love. It's like a Tim Powers novel but dreamed into being somewhere on the Left Bank.
Incidents in the Night traverses (a local pun there) this path by depicting and deploying books in all kinds of ways. Characters sleep under blankets of books, shelve books as altars to hideous gods, hide between pages, have body parts composed of books. On page 4 David B. lovingly depicts a seemingly random set of book covers, with careful hints to the subsequent story. Ah, it's splendid stuff for us, the people of the books.
As a text person I'm not too useful as a drawing critic, but I know what I like. Incidents in the Night is fascinating to look at, between very different characters and the German Expressionist illustrations of spaces.
Strong recommended.
Incidents in the Night is a very dreamlike tale about a Parisian book fanatic who stumbled onto a bizarre conspiracy of sorts. While browsing in an endless, jumbled store whose masses of books become walkable terrain, and where its very old owner likes to dress up as a yeti, David (yes, same name as the author) comes across a mysterious newspaper. Its masked editor is playing a desperate game with death, while also trying to resurrect Napoleon to rule the world.
To unfold this plot the graphic novel turns to dreams, visions, and surrealism, as David wanders into books themselves, tries to fight death, investigates weird clues, falls in with a vast police officer, discovers a prehistoric religion, and has a hint of love. It's like a Tim Powers novel but dreamed into being somewhere on the Left Bank.
Incidents in the Night traverses (a local pun there) this path by depicting and deploying books in all kinds of ways. Characters sleep under blankets of books, shelve books as altars to hideous gods, hide between pages, have body parts composed of books. On page 4 David B. lovingly depicts a seemingly random set of book covers, with careful hints to the subsequent story. Ah, it's splendid stuff for us, the people of the books.
As a text person I'm not too useful as a drawing critic, but I know what I like. Incidents in the Night is fascinating to look at, between very different characters and the German Expressionist illustrations of spaces.
Strong recommended.
October 5, 2024
He really dances around with the rules and reaches of his plot but does so with panache. His supporting cast is interesting especially the adorable and wise treasure named Mr. Lhôm who's often disguised and in a trance. David's wing-mentor has him in thrall as a constant consultant- he's both sherpa and Yeti within the wilds of the most superlatively conceived library my eyes've scryed. He entreats interest complete -even beats- the same wha's-is-naim in Neil's gaim.
His stroke is only about half as squibbly as "Black Paths" and the boundary lines were regularly swallowed in pure black. It functions well enough for the story even though he had innumerable opportunity to put the widespread elaborate bookscapes in three dimensions.
His stroke is only about half as squibbly as "Black Paths" and the boundary lines were regularly swallowed in pure black. It functions well enough for the story even though he had innumerable opportunity to put the widespread elaborate bookscapes in three dimensions.
September 27, 2020
This is a bit of a surrealist mystery with a message (to both the reader & the writer) of books being used to reach immortality. As a surreal tale, it is no surprise that it is a little strange to follow. The end gets a bit more concrete & ends on a cliffhanger. Bibliophiles will probably enjoy the artwork & the deeper message of the storyline.
A note from translator Brian Evenson at the end of the book...
A note from translator Brian Evenson at the end of the book...
"... What makes books quintessentially what they are is the promise that hides in their pages. The sense that we can metaphorically -- or even, with holy books, for "real" -- escape death through them, as authors and as readers. Even if they don't believe that books really will save them from death, writers still hold tight to the belief of living on after our deaths if their books are still read. What we want ultimately as humans is not to be forgotten. ..."
October 21, 2012
I read this graphic novel while we were in France two months ago. I randomly found it in the comic book shop. It was full of monsters and started off about a man who was book shopping in Paris and came across the mysterious books of Les Incidents de la Nuit and then had to go and search the other bookshops of Paris for the first volume. Definitely a great start. The book was really interesting and full of strange theories and ideas and I really liked it. The art wasn't beautiful but the style really suited the subject matter and I enjoyed it lots. I will definitely have to read it again and find more books by this author.
March 9, 2014
Book blurb: David B. understands that subconsciously we search books for magics that will help us avoid being confronted by our own mortality, and he has made this the conscious subject of Incidents in the Night.
This graphic novel starts with a man dreaming. He dreams about finding a particular series of books, and when he awakes, he wanders the Paris bookstores in search of said books. History, mythology, literature, and a murder mystery all play a role in how this story unfolds. I loved the black and white illustrations, but found myself confused at various times in the story. Maybe something is lost in the translation?
This graphic novel starts with a man dreaming. He dreams about finding a particular series of books, and when he awakes, he wanders the Paris bookstores in search of said books. History, mythology, literature, and a murder mystery all play a role in how this story unfolds. I loved the black and white illustrations, but found myself confused at various times in the story. Maybe something is lost in the translation?
August 6, 2013
This is a highly intriguing new work from the amazing David B, likely the greatest comic artist currently working in the medium. This is very much an initial installment, and the complex plot line is left dangling in an indeterminate place, but the "story so far" is rich, literary, and beautifully drawn in David B's distinctive black-and-white style. There's a mystery at the heart of Incidents in the Night, and while that mystery is unresolved in volume 1, it's more than intriguing enough to bring this reader back for volume 2.
August 3, 2013
One of the bleakest books I've ever read was David B's The Littlest Pirate King, and it is a children's book! This latest book interweaves so many fantastic elements, including a magical bookstore, angry gods, the author himself, and French politics, that it is easy to get lost along the way, but the message of literature being a path to immortality is phenomenal.
August 10, 2013
David B.'s undeniably one of the greatest comics practitioners now living, but Incidents in the Night so far doesn't quite measure up to the bar set by Epileptic and The Armed Garden. The art is as fine as that in those books, but the storytelling is sketchy, the characters not nearly as compelling as the drawings that depict them.
November 11, 2012
Si on a croisé Gérard de Nerval avec Alan Moore, je crois que c'est le livre que cette chimère écrirait.
August 15, 2013
Pleasingly imaginative and fantastical exploration of the world of books with brilliant art.
August 15, 2013
AMAZING. The only downside was realizing this is just part 1.
September 8, 2013
I am totally smitten with this book. Years ago I used to be in the theater, and I had actor's dreams. Now I'm a librarian, and I have dreams like this. Yummy, and a bibliophile's delight.
September 1, 2014
This one was a strange one but I'm hooked enough to see where it's going from here.
January 10, 2019
Though the drawing is impeccable (like David B's other work I recently read 'Hasib and the Queen of Serpents') and the story is surrealist and unique this book just did not capture my attention the way 'Hasib' did. It's not the lack of color (I love black and white, traditional pen and ink) and it's not the premise of the story (a man becomes obsessed with a book series 'Incidents in the night' and it's mysterious creator who is running from death by hiding in other books)....I don't know what about this piece didn't enthrall me - try it for yourself and see what you think! I am also going to read the sequel, to compare and to see if the protagonist (also called David B, though he has four forms, paper David B, Skeleton David B, and Shadow David B in addition to his human self) did, in fact, perish!
June 16, 2021
It's very French.
September 19, 2013
Told in stark black and white images this is a story of books and readers and what they need/want from one another.
The translator had this to say about this intriguing graphic novel.
“David B. understands that subconsciously we search books for magics that will help us avoid being confronted by our own mortality, and he has made this the conscious subject of Incidents in the Night.”
David B has written a dark, terrifying and strangely compelling tale with a cliff hanger at the end that leaves us eagerly awaiting the next installment, Eyes of the Bridges.
The translator had this to say about this intriguing graphic novel.
“David B. understands that subconsciously we search books for magics that will help us avoid being confronted by our own mortality, and he has made this the conscious subject of Incidents in the Night.”
David B has written a dark, terrifying and strangely compelling tale with a cliff hanger at the end that leaves us eagerly awaiting the next installment, Eyes of the Bridges.
October 1, 2013
Wow, different. I was assuming the meandering, dream-like narrative style I've come to expect from David B., but this is quite different from the other things I've read. This book is one of his most surrealistic, and the open-endedness of the narrative accentuates this tone. When will the next volume come out? How long will we have to wait?
September 11, 2014
Exciting and weird and quite wonderful.
July 20, 2015
I LOVE everything this guys does
because he is a brilliant story teller,
whose stories are rich and surreal,
and he is a Superb illustrator!
because he is a brilliant story teller,
whose stories are rich and surreal,
and he is a Superb illustrator!
September 21, 2020
"What we want ultimately as humans is not to be forgotten."
May 23, 2017
Incidents in the Night, Book One: 1 (English Edition -- a bizarre tale that starts off magically tingling my loves of adventure, books, bookstores, history and mythology (with a particularly nice section on Mesopotamian religion), but fizzles out 2/3 of the way through into uninteresting characters, confusing plot, and perhaps something lost in translation.
The book store tours are so lovely, dark and magical, they immediately make me smile.
This edition features an interesting Afterword by one of the translators, Brian Evenson. Brian summarizes aspects of Incidents in case you missed them, and compares its quests and adventures to our search for immortality through books and the printed word, whether it be getting your name out there to outlast your body, or the glimmer of hope that some hidden, dusty book, somewhere, will hold the key to eternal life or afterlife.
3.7 Stars
May 20, 2017
I picked this up thinking it was a sequel of sorts to Epileptic (it is published in two volumes and the man on volume two's cover looks like the brother from Epileptic). Instead it turns out to be a surreal journey through books, esoterica, French history, and various mythologies. Rather entertaining.
September 9, 2018
3.5 stars
The art is the real stand-out here. Wacky and surreal. Parts of the story were charming and whimsical whilst others were dark and violent. I wanted to give it a higher rating just based on the art alone, but the story felt a bit haphazard at times. I feel that the plot could have had cleaner transitions but maybe the original pacing was lost a bit in translation.
The art is the real stand-out here. Wacky and surreal. Parts of the story were charming and whimsical whilst others were dark and violent. I wanted to give it a higher rating just based on the art alone, but the story felt a bit haphazard at times. I feel that the plot could have had cleaner transitions but maybe the original pacing was lost a bit in translation.
May 15, 2019
Exactly my shit. Secret histories, fantastical whimsy, and yet strangely grounded in how it actually feels to be a person wandering around with a head full of questions and ideas and dreams. Reminded me a lot of Borges, and of Calvino's IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT A TRAVELLER.
As always, I just adore his artwork.
As always, I just adore his artwork.
May 14, 2025
Such a fan of David B ever since I read Epileptic years ago. His love of pulp adventure and the occult, of world history, philosophy, and confessional writing, all coallesces in this stunningly illustrated yarn. And his words are just as well crafted as his drawings.
I'll definitely be reading the sequel.
I'll definitely be reading the sequel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews