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Messire Guillaume
William and the Lost Spirit
William, the grandson of an elderly feudal lord in the thirteenth century, cant accept the death of his father. He thinks his new stepfather, Brifaut, must be an evil schemer. As the family prepares to move to a new home, his sister, Helise, disappears. Helise believes their father is trapped between this world and the next and needs her help and has set out across a countryside swarming with supposed bandits. William doubts her, but when his stepfather calls off the search for her, William makes the difficult choice to leave his mother and sneak away to find his sister. He soon encounters Brifauts knights, who are pillaging villages so Brifaut can later rescue the peasants. William is saved from their clutches by Brabant, a wandering knight fallen into disrepute but loyal to Williams grandfather. Their journey becomes more and more strange and filled with magic, as they are joined by a mysterious nanny goat and an offbeat troubadour. Only when William is badly injured does he find a way between worlds. He encounters monsters (some friendly). He discovers three magic seeds, which each grow into a plant that will answer any question but withers away in seconds. He crosses the sea to the kingdom of the legendary Prester John. Eventually, he wakes beside his sister, and the two of them take on the ambitious Brifaut and discover the true murderer of their father. In the end, they must find their answers in the real world, though a world still tinged with a very medieval perspective that magic lies everywhere.
160 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
July 20, 2024
William and the Lost Spirit (2009) is a graphic novel translation by Anne and Owen Smith of Gwénaël de Bonneval's Mediaeval themed and set Messire Guillaume trilogy (which original French titles are Les contrées lointaines, Le pays de la vérité and Terre et mère and each being published separately, but yes, there is also an edition in French of all three books, titled L’esprit perdu), a tale very much and actually rather all encompassingly combining reality and fantasy (namely folklore and myth with Mediaeval French history), and with Matthieu Bonhomme's colourful artwork for William and the Lost Spirit (and also of course for the original French texts) reminding me both positively and negatively of traditional French comic books and especially of Jacques Martin's Roman themed Alix and the more modern in scope Lefranc series, positively with regard to aesthetic expressiveness and a very nice visual combination or reality and fantasy, but negatively for there being way way too much explicit and often rather gratuitous and grotesque visual violence depicted by Bonhomme, and so much so that I for one would just because of how graphically savage and brutal the illustrations are, only consider William and the Lost Spirit as suitable for readers above and beyond the age of fourteen or so (and that yes, I also do consider this to be very much the case for the above mentioned Jacques Martin's comic books as well, although admittedly, I did read many of Martin's graphic novels as a child in German translation, but that indeed, I also ended up with some very vivid nightmares from in particular the illustrated and much in one's proverbial face to to speak violence).
So in William and the Lost Spirit, William's father has died, his mother has remarried a power-hungry and unscrupulous man, and William’s sister Helise has disappeared as she has gone looking for their father (whom Helise insists is not dead but is instead lost in the world of spirits). And after William (against the explicit wishes of his mother and new stepfather) continues searching for the whereabouts of his sister (and by extension for his father’s ghost), he is joined by a knight and a troubadour on his journey to find the answers he desires and needs, but that as William's travels progress, the line between the real world and the world of fantasy becomes increasingly blurry, fuzzy and confusing with magic and increasingly strange creatures and entities inhabiting various scenes of William and the Lost Spirit, so that William encounters many other-worldly and fantastical characters and obstacles, such an overbearing king named Prester John who owns a magic gryphon, a civilisation of people with their faces on their chests, an endless desert-like hell, finally discovering his father in a pool’s reflection and with William and Helise ultimately discovering that their mother, in the form of a cat, accidentally but also on purpose killed their father and is as such pretty much equally an inherent danger to them as well.
Now as a graphic novel, William and the Lost Spirit is both narrationally and illustratively multi-layered, and how Gwénaël de Bonneval's text (and of course also Anne and Owen Smith's translation) continuously straddle the line between the real and the fantastical spirit-world is definitely interesting and engaging, although also at times rather confusing and a trifle difficult to follow (but certainly enjoyable enough, thematically and contents-wise thought provoking and with the supplemental information provided by the Smiths at the back of William and the Lost Spirit definitely appreciated). However, I also cannot really say that I have personally speaking all that much enjoyed either my verbal or my visual time with William and the Lost Spirit. For aside from (and as already mentioned above) Matthieu Bonhomme's illustrations being often much too violent for me and rather visually wallowing in dark and cruel images, sorry, but all of the featured characters for William and the Lost Spirit, and main protagonist William included, they seem to lack narrational development, are more like paper thin allegories and because of this are most definitely a trifle negatively affecting my textual engagement and reading interest and therefore have me leaving William and the Lost Spirit somewhat bored, rather unsatisfied (and indeed, that my three star rating for William and the Lost Spirit is in fact and certainly rather generous on my part).
So in William and the Lost Spirit, William's father has died, his mother has remarried a power-hungry and unscrupulous man, and William’s sister Helise has disappeared as she has gone looking for their father (whom Helise insists is not dead but is instead lost in the world of spirits). And after William (against the explicit wishes of his mother and new stepfather) continues searching for the whereabouts of his sister (and by extension for his father’s ghost), he is joined by a knight and a troubadour on his journey to find the answers he desires and needs, but that as William's travels progress, the line between the real world and the world of fantasy becomes increasingly blurry, fuzzy and confusing with magic and increasingly strange creatures and entities inhabiting various scenes of William and the Lost Spirit, so that William encounters many other-worldly and fantastical characters and obstacles, such an overbearing king named Prester John who owns a magic gryphon, a civilisation of people with their faces on their chests, an endless desert-like hell, finally discovering his father in a pool’s reflection and with William and Helise ultimately discovering that their mother, in the form of a cat, accidentally but also on purpose killed their father and is as such pretty much equally an inherent danger to them as well.
Now as a graphic novel, William and the Lost Spirit is both narrationally and illustratively multi-layered, and how Gwénaël de Bonneval's text (and of course also Anne and Owen Smith's translation) continuously straddle the line between the real and the fantastical spirit-world is definitely interesting and engaging, although also at times rather confusing and a trifle difficult to follow (but certainly enjoyable enough, thematically and contents-wise thought provoking and with the supplemental information provided by the Smiths at the back of William and the Lost Spirit definitely appreciated). However, I also cannot really say that I have personally speaking all that much enjoyed either my verbal or my visual time with William and the Lost Spirit. For aside from (and as already mentioned above) Matthieu Bonhomme's illustrations being often much too violent for me and rather visually wallowing in dark and cruel images, sorry, but all of the featured characters for William and the Lost Spirit, and main protagonist William included, they seem to lack narrational development, are more like paper thin allegories and because of this are most definitely a trifle negatively affecting my textual engagement and reading interest and therefore have me leaving William and the Lost Spirit somewhat bored, rather unsatisfied (and indeed, that my three star rating for William and the Lost Spirit is in fact and certainly rather generous on my part).
October 28, 2013
This was a very different sort of graphic novel for me. Set in medieval France (I think), William and the Lost Spirit is a solidly medieval fantasy. By which I mean that it felt like something that a medieval writer could have come up with, at least in its details. It draws from fantasy elements that were popular in medieval France: Prester John, griffons, witches. And yet, it doesn't feel old. At least, the style of storytelling is quite modern. I liked that the ending was both satisfactory and open, that we got answers to the questions of the narrative without it feeling like a final stopping point for any of the characters. And I liked that the ending was more realistic than it might have otherwise been. Not all wrongs are righted in the way that we the readers (and some of the characters) hope that they might have been, but neither was I left with a sense of outrage at justice denied. The art works very well with the story, without taking it over. This is definitely an example of good writing and good art making a whole that is better than the sum of its parts.
April 22, 2013
I’m not entirely sure what to make of this graphic novel. At times it was strong; at times weak. Sometimes it was intriguing; other times dull.
My first impression upon finishing was actually, “Hmm…that didn’t seem typically ‘American.’” It didn’t read like most of the graphic novels that I’ve seen today. This is not necessarily a bad thing. But I couldn’t place just what it was that made it slightly unusual. Mythological aspect of the story seemed more ‘old-fashioned’ (and again, I don’t mean that in a bad way). It read like Edgar Rice Burroughs, or Robert E. Howard, or the Tales of King Arthur or Robin Hood, or … like something someone from France might write? Ok…so I didn’t immediately pick ‘French’ as the flavor for this book, but it didn’t surprise me to learn that the author and artist are French.
Let’s start with the art … it’s exactly right for a graphic novel. More than just comic book art, but not full-out paintings for each panel. The art tells a story … you could probably tell most of the tale without words, based on these visuals … and it’s never embarassing (please… there IS art in comic books and graphic novels that I find embarassingly bad). The story needs the art to become complete.
And so the story…. A simple journey. A boy in medieval England (?) decides to leave home to follow his sister, who doesn’t believe their father is actually dead, but trapped between the Earthly realm and another world. Along the way, the young boy encounters unusual characters and magical beasts. Unfortunately it too often feels like the boy is about to wake up from a dream, or he faces another unusual fantasy and you can’t help but wonder what the purpose of it is.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I stopped and started from the very beginning when the journey wasn’t making a lot of sense to me. it still didn’t make a lot of sense, but I did get to the decision that maybe that was okay.
The story needed the art to be complete. Without the art, purely as a story, this would have been too fantastical and childish to appeal to most. With the art, it became almost fun, but at the close of the back cover, I’m still left thinking I didn’t get much out of this, nor did I relish my time here.
My first impression upon finishing was actually, “Hmm…that didn’t seem typically ‘American.’” It didn’t read like most of the graphic novels that I’ve seen today. This is not necessarily a bad thing. But I couldn’t place just what it was that made it slightly unusual. Mythological aspect of the story seemed more ‘old-fashioned’ (and again, I don’t mean that in a bad way). It read like Edgar Rice Burroughs, or Robert E. Howard, or the Tales of King Arthur or Robin Hood, or … like something someone from France might write? Ok…so I didn’t immediately pick ‘French’ as the flavor for this book, but it didn’t surprise me to learn that the author and artist are French.
Let’s start with the art … it’s exactly right for a graphic novel. More than just comic book art, but not full-out paintings for each panel. The art tells a story … you could probably tell most of the tale without words, based on these visuals … and it’s never embarassing (please… there IS art in comic books and graphic novels that I find embarassingly bad). The story needs the art to become complete.
And so the story…. A simple journey. A boy in medieval England (?) decides to leave home to follow his sister, who doesn’t believe their father is actually dead, but trapped between the Earthly realm and another world. Along the way, the young boy encounters unusual characters and magical beasts. Unfortunately it too often feels like the boy is about to wake up from a dream, or he faces another unusual fantasy and you can’t help but wonder what the purpose of it is.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I stopped and started from the very beginning when the journey wasn’t making a lot of sense to me. it still didn’t make a lot of sense, but I did get to the decision that maybe that was okay.
The story needed the art to be complete. Without the art, purely as a story, this would have been too fantastical and childish to appeal to most. With the art, it became almost fun, but at the close of the back cover, I’m still left thinking I didn’t get much out of this, nor did I relish my time here.
August 1, 2014
Sigh.
There is so much to like about this.
Especially at first glance.
That cover is killer, and flipping the pages, I see unusual monsters, bright colors, and an accessible, though fantastic, world.
But I'm coming away from it with a feeling more of frustration than excitement.
BECAUSE there's so much going here, the problems are way more glaring.
Many of the unusual monsters have roots in actual legends of the past. We see Blemmyes (aka anthropophagi), a Gryphon, human-faced fish...
But the audience here is confusing. There's one page that features Hell, for example. And the primary villain wears priestly garments (he's Prester John). And there's no balking at blood during the violence.
All of which I might look past, if it weren't for the awkward dialog and basic characters. Maybe, hopefully, it was a translation issue, but the storytelling felt awkward and unrealistic.
Also, I'm having a hard time adoring a book featuring one more blonde white boy.
There is so much to like about this.
Especially at first glance.
That cover is killer, and flipping the pages, I see unusual monsters, bright colors, and an accessible, though fantastic, world.
But I'm coming away from it with a feeling more of frustration than excitement.
BECAUSE there's so much going here, the problems are way more glaring.
Many of the unusual monsters have roots in actual legends of the past. We see Blemmyes (aka anthropophagi), a Gryphon, human-faced fish...
But the audience here is confusing. There's one page that features Hell, for example. And the primary villain wears priestly garments (he's Prester John). And there's no balking at blood during the violence.
All of which I might look past, if it weren't for the awkward dialog and basic characters. Maybe, hopefully, it was a translation issue, but the storytelling felt awkward and unrealistic.
Also, I'm having a hard time adoring a book featuring one more blonde white boy.
October 9, 2019
Ok read, ended oddly. Actually it just ended, abruptly...🤔
September 3, 2013
I originally saw this on NetGalley for review and wanted to read it, but missed the chance to get a review copy. Then I saw it at the library and decided to pick it up. It is a very well done young adult graphic novel with decent artwork and an excellent fantasy story.
William, his sister, and his mother are being forced to relocate to their stepfather’s (Brifaut’s) house after the death of William’s father and the remarriage of his mother. Then William’s sister, Helise, disappears. Helise believes that their father lives and goes off searching for him. William ends up going on a journey to find Helise and their father. What follows is an adventure and dream-like journey in which William explores many truths behind death and betrayal.
The place this graphic novel really shines is the story it portrays. This is an excellently done, well thought-out, and magical story. It is also fairly complex with layers and layers of intrigue, deceit and betrayal.
William is an admirable character who wants to do what is right. He is accompanied on his journey by two more questionable characters, a self-proclaimed knight and a strange troubadour. Things get even odder when a goat joins their party and William is grievously injured.
After William is injured things get very surreal; he journeys to a different realm with some fantastical and crazy creatures. There is a lot of adventuring and a lot of allegory going on here.
The artwork is decently done. While I didn’t find it to be all that artistic or beautiful, it does a good job of showing the story in a way that is easy to follow. It was never confusing, and the art is very detailed and interesting. Again, I just didn’t find it particularly stunning.
I was a bit surprised to find this book in the juvenile section of the library. I think it would be appropriate for young adult and older, but there are some parts in here that are a bit mature for middle grade readers. At one point the knight and troubadour get in a bit of an argument about who will get to the spend the night in William’s aunt’s bed. Also at one point William wakes up to find the knight and his Aunt in a compromising position of sorts (not sure if younger kids will realize what is going on here, but I certainly had no doubts). So yeah, just be aware of those things.
Also younger readers might not be able to follow all of the double-crossing, deceit, and the dream-like allegories that are going on throughout this novel.
Overall this was a well done fantasy graphic novel. I enjoyed reading it a lot; it is an excellently done and complex story. The artwork is adequate and easy to follow, it’s just not all that stunning or spectacular. It is in full color which was nice. William is an admirable character, but the characters around him are all more shades of grey. I would recommend to those who enjoy fantasy graphic novels.
William, his sister, and his mother are being forced to relocate to their stepfather’s (Brifaut’s) house after the death of William’s father and the remarriage of his mother. Then William’s sister, Helise, disappears. Helise believes that their father lives and goes off searching for him. William ends up going on a journey to find Helise and their father. What follows is an adventure and dream-like journey in which William explores many truths behind death and betrayal.
The place this graphic novel really shines is the story it portrays. This is an excellently done, well thought-out, and magical story. It is also fairly complex with layers and layers of intrigue, deceit and betrayal.
William is an admirable character who wants to do what is right. He is accompanied on his journey by two more questionable characters, a self-proclaimed knight and a strange troubadour. Things get even odder when a goat joins their party and William is grievously injured.
After William is injured things get very surreal; he journeys to a different realm with some fantastical and crazy creatures. There is a lot of adventuring and a lot of allegory going on here.
The artwork is decently done. While I didn’t find it to be all that artistic or beautiful, it does a good job of showing the story in a way that is easy to follow. It was never confusing, and the art is very detailed and interesting. Again, I just didn’t find it particularly stunning.
I was a bit surprised to find this book in the juvenile section of the library. I think it would be appropriate for young adult and older, but there are some parts in here that are a bit mature for middle grade readers. At one point the knight and troubadour get in a bit of an argument about who will get to the spend the night in William’s aunt’s bed. Also at one point William wakes up to find the knight and his Aunt in a compromising position of sorts (not sure if younger kids will realize what is going on here, but I certainly had no doubts). So yeah, just be aware of those things.
Also younger readers might not be able to follow all of the double-crossing, deceit, and the dream-like allegories that are going on throughout this novel.
Overall this was a well done fantasy graphic novel. I enjoyed reading it a lot; it is an excellently done and complex story. The artwork is adequate and easy to follow, it’s just not all that stunning or spectacular. It is in full color which was nice. William is an admirable character, but the characters around him are all more shades of grey. I would recommend to those who enjoy fantasy graphic novels.
September 26, 2016
I like his family some monster and animals really reason no there? Just no reason talk from plants nice be have kind of plants!
November 14, 2022
This English translation of a French graphic novel is a version of the hero quest adventure. The local lord, William's father, has died and his sister has disappeared when whe went searching for her father who she insisted was not dead. Also his mother has married the man he thinks killed his father. So he sneaks past his step-father's guards and goes on a quest to find his sister and his father's spirit. Along the way three companions join him: a goat, A mysterious kight, and a troubador. Together they travel from a magical version of Medieval France into stange lands with unusual creatures and people. Beautifully illustrated, this is a delightful story that I found enjoyable to read.
January 8, 2017
After her father's death and mother's remarriage, Helise disappears, claiming that her father isn't really dead after all. She leaves behind her younger brother William, who decides to follow her and find out if what she said about their father is true. The art is colorful, the mythical creatures are well-drawn and introduced, the story is interesting, and the ending fair and realistic for the story...but it's missing a certain depth that leaves me -- and perhaps other readers -- feeling a bit at a loss.
November 2, 2019
I wanted more from the story. The art was gorgeous and the story was fiiiine, but nothing too exciting. It would’ve been nice to have some more people of color in it. I think people have an idealized version of the Middle Ages which neglects the people of color that live in that time. Besides, the comic has magical elements so adding diversity would... not be true? Lol ok.
Overall, a fun read and nice journey to go on.
Overall, a fun read and nice journey to go on.
November 9, 2022
I didn't finish this because I didn't care about the characters or whether they found their dead dad. The MC didn't seem very emotional about it, either. It felt very flat. Also, the art and layout was dull and the book was very wordy -- I'm not sure why it was a graphic novel and not a regular prose story.
August 26, 2019
I liked that this story does use lesser known mythological creatures like the Blemmyes and the Manticore. But I am not to okay with the decision to reveal that the magic and the mythical creatures were just part of a dream.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2025
A pleasant surprise!
I picked WILLIAM up at a book sale because the cover was dramatic and colorful, and inside I found a well-told and exciting adventure, well told. This is a fine translation of a French original: only on rare occasions does it feel that some subtlety has gone missing.
I picked WILLIAM up at a book sale because the cover was dramatic and colorful, and inside I found a well-told and exciting adventure, well told. This is a fine translation of a French original: only on rare occasions does it feel that some subtlety has gone missing.
December 29, 2017
Strange story wrap-up; nice that it wasn't a simple solution. Imaginative and enjoyable fantasy story with an awakening-to-the-complexities of adulthood undercurrent.
January 1, 2019
Loved the art -- the fantastic creatures and the historical details made it a lot of fun to read. The storyline was easy to follow. Warning: Quite a bit of bloodshed.
December 7, 2022
I enjoyed it but it definitely ended very abruptly and lots of stuff felt unresolved
December 21, 2022
Well that was...chaotic.
June 13, 2024
LOVED THIS!! First read it in 6th grade and I fell in love
December 3, 2017
Gewn de Bonneval's "William and the Lost Spirit" is an amazingly well done fantasy fiction, graphic novel about a boy, William, and his journey to find the lost spirit of his father. When his father mysteriously dies, William's sister, Helise, goes missing. Before she disappears, William talks to Helise and she explains that she can still feel the strong presence of their father, and is not convinced that he is completely dead. The whole town is in shambles after Helise disappears and William is determined to find his sister. He starts his journey at his aunt Ysane's house, where he talks to her about what has happened with Helise, and gets a good nights sleep before leaving the next day with his "protector" Brabant, Ysane's friend Counterpane, and a goat who finds him to guide him on his journey. He embarks on a mission that takes him through many different worlds of which he did not know existed and many of which are dangerous. In the midst of his journey, he falls defeated after a battle with a lion creature only to wake pass out, and wake up in his Aunt Ysane's house. This time his sister is here, and it becomes clear that she was the goat who guided through his journey to clarity. He knew at this point that his father was alive, and him and Helise work to find and recover his body. In the twist ending, they discover who killed their father, and realize that his spirit had been hovering between two different worlds: the living world and the dead world. This is why they were still able to feel a connection with their father, even after he was dead, and in the end, they are finally able to help him exit the living world completely, and enter the dead world wholly, peacefully.
I loved this book! The illustrations were absolutely amazing, and while fantasy that combines different worlds and strange creatures often is not my favorite genre, I found this to be captivating and inviting story for all readers. It touches on the hardships of having to let go of a lost one, but emphasizes the importance of letting their spirit live peacefully after death. William is so young, yet so brave and his sister represents a strong and independent young woman who makes her own decisions and takes charge of her life, despite the trouble it brings her and the danger it often puts her in. Together, this brother and sister combo portray a sibling bond that is impenetrable and in turn, incredible. This book was entertaining, creative, and Bonneval's illustrations truly brought the entire text together in a story that I won't forget. I got to step of our the realm of reality, and into a world of illusion and creation to take a spiritual journey with William and Helise, and I loved every second of it.
I loved this book! The illustrations were absolutely amazing, and while fantasy that combines different worlds and strange creatures often is not my favorite genre, I found this to be captivating and inviting story for all readers. It touches on the hardships of having to let go of a lost one, but emphasizes the importance of letting their spirit live peacefully after death. William is so young, yet so brave and his sister represents a strong and independent young woman who makes her own decisions and takes charge of her life, despite the trouble it brings her and the danger it often puts her in. Together, this brother and sister combo portray a sibling bond that is impenetrable and in turn, incredible. This book was entertaining, creative, and Bonneval's illustrations truly brought the entire text together in a story that I won't forget. I got to step of our the realm of reality, and into a world of illusion and creation to take a spiritual journey with William and Helise, and I loved every second of it.
April 30, 2013
This graphic novel is a fantasy adventure set in medieval France, and far away lands.
William sets out to find his sister, Helise, who has run away from home in order to find her father. Helise cannot believe that her father is dead.
The art comprises large patches of colour outlined in black with line details and shading. Buff stone walls contrast with grey dirt and light brown or orange foliage. Dramatic contrast is sometimes conveyed by lighting with strong sunlight versus murky shadows (a bluish palette).
Faces are expressive without being cartoonish. Close-ups look odd, at first, with skin instead of white in the eye. Action scenes are lively.
This English translation (the original is written in French) is serviceable but wordy in places. You don't need to know medieval words or phrases to read it but there is a glossary of roles and ranks.
There are discussion questions at the end. The discussions section describes the story in a fictional interpretation.
The story can be read as a reification of medieval beliefs and values (e.g. the Truth part features a tour of medieval myths). What they believed: we see, in the windows which divide the pages.
It is interesting that the conservative, misogynistic story is followed by an end section (amongst others) with discussion questions for the reader about gender roles. Although the gender roles section is starkly focused on the differences between genders in the story (so conceivably it could be a parody and the story could be unironic), I take it seriously, implying a satirical or critical element to the story (e.g. the unconscious magical means of assassination is incredibly absurd raising doubt about the guilt of the assassin; nobles are selfish and violent) - the section questions if the story should be taken at face value.
I read an advance review copy thanks to the publisher.
William sets out to find his sister, Helise, who has run away from home in order to find her father. Helise cannot believe that her father is dead.
The art comprises large patches of colour outlined in black with line details and shading. Buff stone walls contrast with grey dirt and light brown or orange foliage. Dramatic contrast is sometimes conveyed by lighting with strong sunlight versus murky shadows (a bluish palette).
Faces are expressive without being cartoonish. Close-ups look odd, at first, with skin instead of white in the eye. Action scenes are lively.
This English translation (the original is written in French) is serviceable but wordy in places. You don't need to know medieval words or phrases to read it but there is a glossary of roles and ranks.
There are discussion questions at the end. The discussions section describes the story in a fictional interpretation.
The story can be read as a reification of medieval beliefs and values (e.g. the Truth part features a tour of medieval myths). What they believed: we see, in the windows which divide the pages.
It is interesting that the conservative, misogynistic story is followed by an end section (amongst others) with discussion questions for the reader about gender roles. Although the gender roles section is starkly focused on the differences between genders in the story (so conceivably it could be a parody and the story could be unironic), I take it seriously, implying a satirical or critical element to the story (e.g. the unconscious magical means of assassination is incredibly absurd raising doubt about the guilt of the assassin; nobles are selfish and violent) - the section questions if the story should be taken at face value.
I read an advance review copy thanks to the publisher.
December 17, 2013
I found this because it was the only other book in my library system written by one of the authors of Last Days of an Immortal, which was a pretty awesome book. I liked this as well, though it took a bit more to get into it. The story is a bit choppy in parts and there are things that I would have liked to be more clearly explained, but overall it does a good job of evoking a realistic medieval setting and blending in myths and legends of the time (Prester John and fantastical creatures like the blemmyes) in an appropriate way. It is a good example of how to do historical fantasy, and so reminds me a bit of Something Red though the mystical here is less overt and could arguably be regarded as dreams or visions rather than true magic.
However, I don't really get the discussion questions at the end evidently added by the translators. They seem a bit odd, and almost heavy-handed.
However, I don't really get the discussion questions at the end evidently added by the translators. They seem a bit odd, and almost heavy-handed.
April 4, 2013
From French creators Gwen De Bonneval and Matthieu Bonhomme comes an unusual story told fantastically in a graphic novel format. The story is set in the Middle Ages and features much of the imagery from that era.
Young William has recently lost his father and his sister. He sets out on a quest to find them, or find what happened to them. Along the way, he is aided by a mercenary knight, a troubador and a goat. There are magical seeds and stones, and a middle section which features imagery reminiscent of the great classic writers of fantasy like Burroughs and Baum. The artwork is beautiful and the story is far from predictable.
It's a classic adventure tale with some truly excellent art and unforgettable characters. Recommended for fans of Tin Tin and other graphic adventure stories.
Young William has recently lost his father and his sister. He sets out on a quest to find them, or find what happened to them. Along the way, he is aided by a mercenary knight, a troubador and a goat. There are magical seeds and stones, and a middle section which features imagery reminiscent of the great classic writers of fantasy like Burroughs and Baum. The artwork is beautiful and the story is far from predictable.
It's a classic adventure tale with some truly excellent art and unforgettable characters. Recommended for fans of Tin Tin and other graphic adventure stories.
June 19, 2013
In this beautiful graphic novel, William must set out to find his missing father and his sister that has gone searching for him. In a dreamlike world, everything has its own special sense of logic, but William pushes on, making friends and enemies along the way. Magic, strange creatures, and evil step-fathers glitter this growing-up tale.
Even though this book is listed at JF, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a gorgeous, easy read. The diologue leaves much to the imagination, at at times I found myself pretty confused with what was going on. This just made me read it again and again! There is definitely as much said in the illustrations and the gaps you have to fill in youself than what is written in words!
Even though this book is listed at JF, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a gorgeous, easy read. The diologue leaves much to the imagination, at at times I found myself pretty confused with what was going on. This just made me read it again and again! There is definitely as much said in the illustrations and the gaps you have to fill in youself than what is written in words!
April 16, 2013
I bought William and the Lost Spirit without having heard anything about it because the illustrations are fantastic. The story is at times a bit rushed (I liked the slow steady development of the first bok the best) and many plot elements are left unresolved. At the end of the book there are several pages of discussion questions and insights into gender and authority that make me think the book was intended for group reading and classroom use. The great drawings from Matthieu Bonhomme really make this book worthwhile, and the un-american pacing and conflict resolution is refreshing. (if you like foreign films I think you're likely to enjoy this)
November 25, 2019
Edit 11/24/2019: I kept this book on my shelf because I couldn’t part with it and eventually decided to read it again. The art was as beautiful as I remember, and the translation from French was particularly good. I think there’s a lot I missed on my first reading. I still feel that the final third of the book has some weaknesses, but the story works better on more levels than I initially realized.
Original Review: Beautifully illustrated, but the narrative falls apart in the final third of the book. This was especially disappointing because the book begins with such a wonderful and unique blend of magical-historical realism.
Original Review: Beautifully illustrated, but the narrative falls apart in the final third of the book. This was especially disappointing because the book begins with such a wonderful and unique blend of magical-historical realism.
April 1, 2012
Historia iniciática situada en una Europa Medieval salpicada de toques fantásticos.
La parte gráfica es excelente: dibujos llenos de detalles con trazos de simple lápiz. La historia en cambio no me ha acabado de convencer. La parte de magia o mejor dicho, onírica, no me encaja en el conjunto. Además el desarrollo del final parece muy rápido a la vez que da la sensación de que faltan explicaciones.
Está bien para leerlo si tenéis la oportunidad de buscarlo en la biblioteca, pero no creo que valga la pena comprarlo. Eso sí, la edición de Norma Editorial es impecable.
La parte gráfica es excelente: dibujos llenos de detalles con trazos de simple lápiz. La historia en cambio no me ha acabado de convencer. La parte de magia o mejor dicho, onírica, no me encaja en el conjunto. Además el desarrollo del final parece muy rápido a la vez que da la sensación de que faltan explicaciones.
Está bien para leerlo si tenéis la oportunidad de buscarlo en la biblioteca, pero no creo que valga la pena comprarlo. Eso sí, la edición de Norma Editorial es impecable.
March 14, 2013
William's sister is missing, gone in search of their father who is supposed to be dead. Their mother has remarried a powerful, yet seemingly unsavory character. William leaves the village to search for his sister and must travel through dangerous forests and into magical lands, befriending monsters with no heads, and escaping dog faced men. The fantastical adventure story kept me intrigued until the very end but the final ending on the last page left me unsatisfied. The illustrations in this book are definitely worth checking out.
May 13, 2013
Graphic novel translation into English from French of “Messire Guillame, l'esprit perdu.” This is the 3-part story of William who goes off to look for his sister, Helise. Although everyone realizes that their father is dead, Helise refuses to accept it and disappears to look for him. William faces many dangers in order to find his sister and travels to lands real and surreal to find her. The tale is a bit complex and may be better for more accomplished readers. Illustrations are clear and add much to the story.
August 5, 2013
3 1/2 stars. First the positives. This is a gorgeous graphic novel, filled with action and adventure. In spite of the fantasy elements, there is an air of realism here; a peek at life in the Middle Ages. I really liked the back matter, which elevated the book into a learning experience. And the story was interesting and held my attention. But I'm not sure who the audience is here. The book is too young for young adults, and too violent for younger children. And the story progression was so jerky and disjointed at times that I thought I'd missed a page...or a chapter.
August 4, 2013
Although this title fell flat, it was still and interesting story. What I appreciated most about this fantastical tale for middle grades set in the middle ages it the information provided in the back. There is an explanation of the roles that each characters title would have given them and some very serious discussion questions about gender roles and religion.
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