The River

by Alessandro Sanna, Michael Reynolds (Translator)

Surprising, original, and gorgeous, The River is a book about the seasons and the different kinds of experiences and stories that each season brings. Consisting almost entirely of images, The River presents each of the four seasons as its own chapter and story. A few sentences at the start of each chapter set the stage and provide clues for following each story. Beginning in autumn and ending in summer, The River is about our connection to place, as well as about the connections between geography, setting, and the stories we tell. The River is also about the flow of time, which flows like the river, and carries us.

Alessandro Sanna and his work are renowned throughout Italy and this book, which will fascinate young and old alike, demonstrates why.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Picture Books, Art, Comics, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Childrens

110 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Born in 1975, Alessandro Sanna's work is well-known throughout Italy. He has earned wide recognition across Europe as an illustrator and author, and his work has appeared in the New York Times Book Review and the New Yorker. He is a prolific and popular creator of illustrated books for children and readers of all ages and has received many awards and had many exhibitions. He lives and works in Mantua, Italy.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of art with a short paragraph setting up the pictures for each season. There are 4 parts. Each season is about the life of the River Po in Italian and what it's like to live on this river.

This isn't so much a story as it is a work of art. The artwork is gorgeous and beautiful. He captures the stunning beauty of the river in panels per page.

If you want to study something beautiful, this is a good place to come to.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alessandro Sanna is the award-winning painter and illustrator of more than 40 books, and this is the first one produced in English. There's only four poems, one for each season, and is otherwise wordless, with many watercolor paintings for each season. Gorgeous paintings, lovingly reproduced. It's not really a children's book, it's really an "all ages" book, but gets put in the children's section because it's a picture book.

Sanna's watercolors depict the area where he lives near the Po River in the lowlands of northeastern Italy. As he says in his afterword, "I paint like a blind man, not wasting time with details but rather searching for the living impulse. To paint the river I had to become the river."

And: "I have devoted years to this journey, cultivating shreds of what I have seen, searching endlessly through time for buried marvels and artifacts. Four seasons and four delicate stories run slowly along the banks of the river. This is my vision of life on the Po."

Gorgeous, affecting book. The threads of the stories of which he speaks may not be that obvious to younger readers, but as he says, it's about the living impulse of what we see.

[Kitty G Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up today after having seen it a few times in my local graphic novel shop and I have to say it's magnificent. This is a translated story told nearly entirely through imagery which details the changes of season for one town near to the river. The story is divided into 4 sections, each one representative of a season, and they all start with one or two sentences talking about what the change in season brings. We then go entirely to pictures for the actual stories and we get to follow tiny silhouetted characters against stunning backdrops as they show us samples of their lives by the River.

This was truly so beautiful, and I have to say that the elements of watercolour and ink were blended to give an expert appeal, be able to show soft light shifts, and make the reflection of the river stand out too. The command that Alessandro Sanna clearly has over his medium is incredible, and as an artist myself I admire his genuine talent for blending and composition which comes through splendidly.

The stories themselves are fairly simple but if you look closely you'll spot small creatures and birds appearing near to the river-edge too. These animals really are part of the spirit of the river and seeing their comings and goings was also wonderful.

Finally I want to say that there are two seasons within this where the colour scheme worked particularly beautifully for my own tastes and that is Autumn and Winter. Whilst I still loved the tones of Spring and Summer I felt that the darker tones of these two were more in line with what I like. However, I think my favourite narrative was Spring as it follows a story of a carnival and two young lovers.

Overall an excellent and beautiful read, 4*s and I would highly recommend if you appreciate artwork.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vibrant portrait of life, both in the individual experience, and in our connection to the larger world! The river is the source, the beginning of every journey. Those that inhabit its banks live according to its whims, for its mood swings from violent to benevolent depending on the season. Each section is dedicated to a part of the year, with a story that is centralized around it.

The artist prepares us for his watercolour visions by explaining his mindset and inspiration in a brief poem. His mastery with colour gives such depth that the soul of every scene is laid bare. Each page brims with unimaginable hues that describe the tone better than any words. First, the time of floods, Autumn in all its variety. Next, barren Winter descends, as colour slowly bleaches out. A dramatic shift occurs as Spring arrives. The sun paints the sky in wondrous hues, as everyone celebrates the exuberance of youth. Spring's magical display becomes Summer's set of extremes. This final proclamation of life in all its glory, comes in the form of a magnificent tiger, now free, and the man who is inspired by him.

Each page contains four borderless, rectangular panels. The artist utilizes the "horizontal" to the fullest with his lines of people, plants, or animals. Not only does this display the interconnectedness between all, but it pulls the eye along with the story's movement. Like the river, life flows ever onwards. To fully enjoy this title, "read" it slowly. Its art-driven narrative will submerge you in the sensations of a breathtaking world.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is made of stunningly gorgeous illustrations, but I just didn't quite get the story. It follows the Po River (in Italy) through the four seasons and different things that happen, but I was thrown off by some of the elements that were happening. I was entranced by the beauty and peacefulness evoked by the artwork, and turned the pages just to soak up more of it. There were several frames that I would love to blow up on canvas to decorate my home, but as a whole story it isn't something I would add to my classroom library.

[Cheryl]

I don't get it. I couldn't find any real story (or four?), just some 'notes' towards possible stories.... And the art is lovely in its way, but there are thousands of (tens of thousands, hundreds of...?) images published online by unknown artists that are also gorgeous and evocative and 'worth a thousand words.' Autumn looked particularly creepy to me with that long line of ppl just looming; dunno what that was about.

Anyway, I probably would have gotten more out of it if I'd read the note at the end first, if I'd known what 'terms' to 'meet' the art on.

Not for those of us who have difficulty appreciating wordless books or graphic novels, or who have expectations of the setting (art fits better in galleries...).

[Vít Kotačka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nádherná kniha! Pomalá, meditativní, čistě grafická.

Spíš než komiks, je to takové akvarelové foto-album, časosběrný počin - žádný text (vyjma kratičkého odstavce v úvodu každé kapitoly), konstantně čtyři horizontální pole na stránku, velký formát. Všechno akvarel...

Kniha zachycuje jeden rok, rozdělený ročními obdobími, života u řeky. Řeky, která může být krutá (záplavy), romantickou scenérií (milenecká dostaveníčka, svatba), či dopravní komunikací (cesta ze školy). Každá roční doba má svoji barevnou paletu a je fascinující, jak může být akvarel expresivní a výrazově přesný.

Jak není v knize žádný text, jsou příběhy - podobně jako akvarely - spíše tušené a dotvářené fantazií. Chce to počkat si na správné rozpoložení, pak přijde sváteční zážitek.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous watercolor scenes tell four tales of the seasons.

The poems express changing emotions as well as environmental conditions, and the small vistas depict actions of a silhouetted community along with a quiet desperation.

I liked this book, but I did not really understand what message the author was trying to convey.

Perhaps the words were lost somewhat in the poems' translations, or perhaps given more time to pore over the images, I would have comprehended more of the meaning.

But with a quick reading, I felt as if I missed something. I liked it, but could not love it.

[Nelliamoci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Viaggiare, spesso, è anche tornare e vedere lo stesso luogo a intervalli regolari, studiando ogni minimo cambiamento, mese dopo mese, un po’ come Alessandro Sanna in Fiume Lento – Un Viaggio lungo il Po, un albo grande e immersivo, senza parole, dove gli acquarelli giocano a dipingere cieli e paesaggi nuovi che si alternano sotto le stelle di stagioni che non possono che continuare a tornare.

https://justanotherpoint.wordpress.co...

[Jim Shaner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel was a nice collection of art, a series of watercolor paintings that, in sequence, tell many stories along the river. The book takes the reader through a range of emotions in the countryside of northern Italy; all the while fostering appreciation for the author's eye, as Sanna uses brilliant color to enlighten. An enjoyable trek, guided by a talented illustrator.

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exception piece of art discovering the changing seasons along the Po River in Italy. Simply stunning.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful!!!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book based on the changes along a river over the course of a year starting in autumn and ending in the summer. The author doesn't use any words or monologue and simply allows the reader (viewer?) to formulate the story from the artwork itself. Speaking of which, the artwork is stunning and captures the feel of the river and the inhabitants who live on and beside the river, making the need for words mute.

[Katherine Cowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was shelved as a graphic novel, but to me it was actually a ballet of paintings about a river, told through the lens of four seasons. It's organized by season, and has a bit of a story for each season, which is told in several sentences at the start of each chapter, just as you might have a short plot description in a ballet program. The art is stimulating and beautiful, and I'm so glad I stumbled across this work by an Italian artist.

[Emilia P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh Italy so lovely etc etc etc. The seasons pass and time marches on on the river, with floods and fires, celebration and sadness. It's beautiful and a bit haunting, but...that's all. Totally pleasant, but in a gentle unassuming way that did not stick with me.

[Anna Mischka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knížka, kterou můžete kdykoliv vzít do rukou a potěšit oko i duši. Poetické, něžné akvarelové ilustrace seskládané do němých příběhů, které píšou čtyři roční období, počasí, řeka, stromy, zvířata, lidi... Krásné to bylo.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous. I want to cover my walls with his artwork. I think this will probably find more of an audience with adults than children.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

[Gv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful and poetic. I love it. (Landscapes! Watercolours! Skies! What could possibly be better?)

[Octavi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es espectacular. No hay diálogos ni falta que le hace. Es impresionante y no lo digo porque sí. Si podeis haceros con una copia, disfrutaréis cada viñeta.

[Abby Monhollen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is absolutely stunning.

[Andy Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so beautiful and amazing!

[Demeter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prekrásne.

[plachá srnka · Rating 5 out of 5]

veľká nádhera.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very pretty. I think its a good fit for adults as well as children. There are very few words, just a few verses to introduce each season. Imagery is gorgeous.

[Zezee · Rating 4 out of 5]

As posted on Zezee with Books.

Quick summary:

The River is an illustrated book by Italian painter and illustrator Alessandro Sanna about a town situated by a river. The story is told almost entirely without words, and the book is separated into four parts, one for each season, that all begin with a short paragraph about how the season affects the river or the town and what is included in that section (I realized this last part after completing the book).

My thoughts and the Art style:

The River is a sweet story. To tell the story of the town and the river, Sanna has us focus on a character, a man, to see how the seasons and the river affect his life.

The story is easy to follow since Sanna uses long panels throughout the book to make the progress of the story clear and the changes in a scene due to the weather easy to comprehend.

However, I think rather than the story, the book’s emphasis is on the artwork, which was done using watercolor, and Sanna’s skill as an artist. The illustrations are spectacular and became even more amazing to me when I read the Afterword, in which Sanna said that he tried to paint these captured moments without first drafting them with a pencil or knowing if he’ll find the right tone or color when creating them.

Though the style isn’t one I usually favor, I do love Sanna’s work here. The illustrations focus on lights and shadows. Though images have a definite shape, not much detail is given to them, so people, animals, and other objects are drawn as silhouettes. The exceptions are the figures in the last part, which have some defining details.

My favorite thing about Sanna’s work, and the first thing to catch my attention, are the colors and mixture of colors, which not only communicate what sort of season or weather Sanna is trying to depict, but also the mood, the emotions, he wants us to associate with them.

I love the entire book because of the masterful use of colors throughout, but my favorite parts were Autumn and Winter, which were illustrated using darker colors to fit the usual tones of those seasons. Autumn was filled with browns, deep, dark purples, and a bit of cream, while Winter was a bit lighter, because of snow, and was a mixture of browns, purples, cream, and white with a shock of pink and hint of blue.

The Spring and Summer sections mirrored the seasons they’re named for by containing brighter, more festive colors. The story also became lighter here as well, a turn from its serious tone in the darker, colder, more turbulent seasons.

Spring and Summer weren’t favorites the first time I read the book (I reread it almost immediately upon completing it) and I think that’s because of the dark, sullen mood I was in while I read, which made me connect more with the Autumn and Winter colors. However, the next day when I picked up the book, I appreciated the Spring and Summer sections more as my mood lightened.

The colors used for Spring are like the soft, new blossoms we see on trees whenever that season rolls around: light pinks, baby blues, and white. Everything is fuzzy and new. Sanna begins with these colors and steadily increases their vibrancy until we get to Summer and the colors begin to pulse with their intensity. The story’s plot rockets in these sections, drawing more interest from the reader as the colors beguile their eyes. I could hardly look away from the book on my second read, so entranced was I by the colors and my new appreciation of the story.

I picked up this book by random at the library because it was on display and didn’t expect to like it so much, or to write such a long review of it, lol!

Overall: ★★★★☆

I gave it 4 stars though the story itself didn’t interest me much. The artwork overpowered it.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travel through four seasons along the Po River in this breathtakingly beautiful book. Made almost entirely of watercolor images shown as either full-page or a series of panels, this book asks readers to pay close attention to the images and discover the story told there. Each season starts with a brief paragraph that offers clues to what is going to happen. Autumn is a season of floods. Winter is described as warm, which will surprise many young readers as will the newborn calf. Spring is music and white clouds. Summer is dry and hot. Each of those seasons is brought to life with the watercolor images with palettes that change through the seasons, purples in autumn, blues in winter, gold in summer. Each more beautiful than the last, so that you just want to begin it again when it ends.

This is the first book by Sanna to be printed in the United States, but he is well known in his native Italy. He has created a book here that is artistic and wildly lovely. Told primarily through his art, the storylines are consistently seasonal, intense and surprising. The use of the river as a symbol for the passage of time works perfectly here. The changing colors also serve to remind readers that time is passing, change is constant and the world is gorgeous.

One big question with this book is what age it is appropriate for. With its minimal words, it might be expected to be perfect for small children, but thanks to its artistic approach, I believe the audience is quite a bit older. Children who enjoy art will be able to appreciate it in elementary school. Yet the audience I see really loving this book are middle and high school teens who will delight in the watercolors, the surprises and a picture book that suits them well.

Beautiful, moving and vast, this nearly wordless picture book will be enjoyed by elementary aged children through adults.

[Vincent Desjardins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This almost wordless picture book is absolutely stunning. In "The River," author/illustrator Alessandro Sanna gives us a look at four seasons along Italy's Po River. Each season is given its own section, beginning with a brief synopsis of the story that is to follow. From that point on, each season's story is told in a wordless sequence of watercolor paintings. There are hundreds of paintings in the book, each one an exquisite mini-masterpiece. The book begins in Fall with a story about a flood and the townspeople who gather to fortify the river banks and rescue those stranded by the rising waters. Winter is a tale of fog and snow and the birth of a calf, while Spring is celebrated with a story of a romance and a wedding celebration under a sky sparkling with fireworks. Summer tells the tale of a roaming tiger, escaped from a traveling circus, who becomes the model for a painter's latest masterwork. Most of the paintings in the book are done in a narrow horizontal format, suggesting a wide horizon, each one like an individual frame taken from a widescreen movie. There are so many beautiful details in these paintings, that kids should have fun studying them over and over and making up additional stories of their own.

[Matt Graupman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s appropriate that Alessandro Sanna’s graphic novel/picture book/art book “The River,” a semi-fictional collection of illustrated vignettes about life on the Po River in his native Italy, is rendered with watercolors. What better way to convey the gentle beauty of his beloved homeland than with paints that have the same lush, fluid qualities? And with no words in it other than a few poetic lines before each story, “The River” relies almost completely on its artwork to do the heavy lifting, plot-wise. It’s a good thing that Sanna’s illustrations are exquisite. His panels are somewhat repetitive but only because he’s so focused on the subtleties of nature; with a few simple brushstrokes - and a masterful eye for color - he’s able to evoke a wide variety of plants, animals, and scenes, all with a perfect blend of grace and energy. Folksy, dreamy, and enchanting, “The River” seems too beautiful to be real but someday I’d love to travel to the Po River and find out for sure.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I am no authority on graphic novels, much less on "‘Nuff Said" (silent) comics. Shocking, right? All I can offer this book in terms of a review is that the art work is stunning. I am so happy that artists like Alessandro Sanna exist in our world, masters who are so skilled & clearly so passionate about their work (the sheer art in The River is evidently full of love & tenderness toward its subject matter), and the world simply needs more of that skilled love.

Everyone will say that this book is beautiful, and it is. It's achingly beautiful. If you ever come across The River, just let yourself get lost in its panels & experience a world that exists, truly exists, in our world. May you be so lucky to come across something like the river/The River.