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The Cutting Garden: A Graphic Novel
Not yet published
Expected 29 Sep 26A mysterious young girl seeks out a florist to deliver a painful truth that will forever change them both in this tender, gothic drama about our need for love and the creatures we become in its absence.
On a quiet street in early twentieth-century New Orleans, a florist works through the night to craft a floral arrangement for a peculiar customer—a precocious young girl named Adeil who pays the florist in stories. For every new flower the florist adds to the bouquet, Adeil offers another dissonant detail in her narrative: a chance meeting with a disillusioned jazz singer, a dilapidated family home, an idyllic life on the fringes of an imperfect world. As dawn approaches and the arrangement takes shape, the florist is left to piece together the final details of Adeil’s mysterious life and ponder what this means for her own story.
From Eisner Award-winning writer Darcy Van Poelgeest (Little Bird, Precious Metal) and rising-star watercolor artist Erin Connally comes The Cutting Garden, a gorgeously rendered meditation on companionship, family, and sacrifice.
On a quiet street in early twentieth-century New Orleans, a florist works through the night to craft a floral arrangement for a peculiar customer—a precocious young girl named Adeil who pays the florist in stories. For every new flower the florist adds to the bouquet, Adeil offers another dissonant detail in her narrative: a chance meeting with a disillusioned jazz singer, a dilapidated family home, an idyllic life on the fringes of an imperfect world. As dawn approaches and the arrangement takes shape, the florist is left to piece together the final details of Adeil’s mysterious life and ponder what this means for her own story.
From Eisner Award-winning writer Darcy Van Poelgeest (Little Bird, Precious Metal) and rising-star watercolor artist Erin Connally comes The Cutting Garden, a gorgeously rendered meditation on companionship, family, and sacrifice.
128 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 29, 2026
About the author
Darcy Van Poelgeest
36 books48 followersDarcy is a multi-award winning writer and director living in Vancouver, B.C. His film work has screened internationally at festivals, broadcast on TV, shown in galleries, and become a best seller on iTunes. His debut comic series LITTLE BIRD (2019) is out now from Image Comics & Glènat Editions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What an interesting graphic novel. There was a lot to love, yet unfortunately a few things that didn’t quite work out. Overall, I would say this is worth a read if you find yourself with access to a copy, though I probably wouldn’t recommend to the world that you need to go and seek one out for yourself.
The artwork style was incredible and very well done. This is a beautiful work. The story is interspersed with botanical drawings that were delightful and also worked to help with the overall mood and vibe. The story was interesting and the general atmosphere of the story was enthralling.
On the other hand the story was a little bit light, and there were some parts that were a little too confusing. Leaving some things unsaid and for the reader to piece together is a choice, and it can make a strong story, but it can also leave things feeling somewhat unfinished. This is probably my only main complaint, but its significant.
They also used cursive for the narrator voice which was an interesting choice I haven’t seen before. This led to some readability issues for me as I was reading a digital version and the cursive text isn’t that readable when its small.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
The artwork style was incredible and very well done. This is a beautiful work. The story is interspersed with botanical drawings that were delightful and also worked to help with the overall mood and vibe. The story was interesting and the general atmosphere of the story was enthralling.
On the other hand the story was a little bit light, and there were some parts that were a little too confusing. Leaving some things unsaid and for the reader to piece together is a choice, and it can make a strong story, but it can also leave things feeling somewhat unfinished. This is probably my only main complaint, but its significant.
They also used cursive for the narrator voice which was an interesting choice I haven’t seen before. This led to some readability issues for me as I was reading a digital version and the cursive text isn’t that readable when its small.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have to say, reading this novel felt like a very unique experience. And ofc, extra points because it releases on my birthday :D
First of all, is a graphic novel and the artwork is absolutely beautiful. The illustrations really set the tone and the cover alone already pulled me in immediately. I'm lowkey obsessed.
One detail I really loved was the use of cursive writing. It added such a nice, elegant touch and… I kind of miss seeing cursive like that nowadays.
Now, about the story: The concept itself is unique and a bit eerie, with the whole idea of a girl paying for flowers with pieces of her story. It gives the book a poetic, almost haunting vibe.
That said… I wish there was more.
The story felt a bit too short and I would’ve loved more depth and more time to really explore everything that was going on.
I also would have really enjoyed having a bit more information about the flowers themselves, maybe their meanings or symbolism, especially since they are important to the story.
Overall, a visually stunning and creative graphic novel that left me wanting more.
⭐ 3.5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Image Comics for the ARC.
First of all, is a graphic novel and the artwork is absolutely beautiful. The illustrations really set the tone and the cover alone already pulled me in immediately. I'm lowkey obsessed.
One detail I really loved was the use of cursive writing. It added such a nice, elegant touch and… I kind of miss seeing cursive like that nowadays.
Now, about the story: The concept itself is unique and a bit eerie, with the whole idea of a girl paying for flowers with pieces of her story. It gives the book a poetic, almost haunting vibe.
That said… I wish there was more.
The story felt a bit too short and I would’ve loved more depth and more time to really explore everything that was going on.
I also would have really enjoyed having a bit more information about the flowers themselves, maybe their meanings or symbolism, especially since they are important to the story.
Overall, a visually stunning and creative graphic novel that left me wanting more.
⭐ 3.5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Image Comics for the ARC.
February 27, 2026
I loved the blurb for this and was super excited to dive in. I didn’t know where this was going to go and was super interested.
Unfortunately, it just felt a little lacking to me. The characters felt a little flat and lacked depth. I story was interesting but it didn’t pull me in as much as I wished it did.
I was super excited for this but it didn’t feel as flushed out as I hoped for. I think maybe an extra 30 pages would make this amazing.
The art work is incredible though.
💕 Thank you for the arc 💕
Unfortunately, it just felt a little lacking to me. The characters felt a little flat and lacked depth. I story was interesting but it didn’t pull me in as much as I wished it did.
I was super excited for this but it didn’t feel as flushed out as I hoped for. I think maybe an extra 30 pages would make this amazing.
The art work is incredible though.
💕 Thank you for the arc 💕
2026
March 9, 2026📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics
March 4, 2026
Una giovane fiorista sta chiudendo il suo negozio quando una ragazzina, silenziosa e impassibile, le chiede un mazzo di fiori. Sarà troppo tardi l'indomani, dice - e mentre i fiori vengono scelti e composti dalle mani esperte della fioraia, le racconta una storia.
Una storia d'amore? Forse. Una storia di morte? Di sicuro.
Una storia sulla bellezza e la caducità, e su come tutto sia destinato a finire. Ma come solo dalla fine possa nascere altra bellezza.
Una fiaba mostruosa e raffinata, piena di sottintesi, in cui conta più il non detto di quello che viene messo sulla pagina, sia per quanto riguarda l'amore che per quanto riguarda l'orrore; con testi delicati e tavole di struggente, malinconica bellezza, da esplorare continuamente, da gustarsi particolare per particolare.
Unico difetto: il carattere poco leggibile, che costringe a risvegliarsi da quella che è quasi un'ipnosi per decifrare parole e frasi.
Per il resto, impeccabile.
Una storia d'amore? Forse. Una storia di morte? Di sicuro.
Una storia sulla bellezza e la caducità, e su come tutto sia destinato a finire. Ma come solo dalla fine possa nascere altra bellezza.
Una fiaba mostruosa e raffinata, piena di sottintesi, in cui conta più il non detto di quello che viene messo sulla pagina, sia per quanto riguarda l'amore che per quanto riguarda l'orrore; con testi delicati e tavole di struggente, malinconica bellezza, da esplorare continuamente, da gustarsi particolare per particolare.
Unico difetto: il carattere poco leggibile, che costringe a risvegliarsi da quella che è quasi un'ipnosi per decifrare parole e frasi.
Per il resto, impeccabile.
May 10, 2026
I really enjoyed The Cutting Garden, especially the unique art style and the overall story. The atmosphere and visuals worked very well together, and it left a strong impression. I just wish it had been a little longer so there was more time to explore the characters and story in greater depth. At times the writing also felt a bit too poetic and ambiguous for me, but overall it was a memorable and beautifully done graphic novel.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this free arc.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this free arc.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
An understated and, for me, quite novel take on vampires and horror in comics. It's got that very gothic horror feel. Almost nothing is shown or even said of it, everything is in the tension and the imagined. It's a story about shared trauma and chosen family. But it's also a story about the darkness we keep to ourselves. It's a really beautiful tale, honestly, but the way it's told mostly through narration and with very few spoken words, makes it a little hard to latch onto. The artwork is pretty gorgeous and fits the tone of the book. I can definitely see this finding it's audience
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“The cutting garden” di Darcy Van Poelgeest è una delicatissima graphic novel, che richiama nei colori e nelle atmosfere delle tavole una fiaba, ambientata nella New Orleans dei primi anni del Novecento, dove l’aria umida sembra sospendere il tempo stesso.
La trama ruota attorno all’incontro tra una fioraia solitaria e una giovane ragazza misteriosa di nome Adeil, che si presenta nel negozio in circostanze insolite. La fioraia, avvezza alla quiete notturna del proprio mestiere, viene avvicinata da Adeil con una richiesta singolare: desidera una composizione floreale, ma non paga in denaro, bensì offre una storia per ogni fiore aggiunto al bouquet. La fioraia, mossa dalla curiosità, accetta questo scambio, e mentre il bouquet si arricchisce, altrettanto si infittisce la rete di associazioni e implicazioni contenute nel racconto di Adeil – dai ricordi di un incontro casuale con un cantante jazz disilluso, a evocazioni di una dimora familiare in rovina, a scorci di una vita idilliaca ma precaria vissuta ai margini.
La trama si svela lentamente, con l’alba che si avvicina (segno temporale e soglia simbolica), e quando la composizione è quasi ultimata, la fioraia tira le fila delle verità convergenti della vita di Adeil e vede le loro ripercussioni sua stessa esistenza ordinata e silenziosa.
L’architettura narrativa attinge a un ricco repertorio di temi che richiamano in qualche modo la tradizione del southern gothic, come la dimora familiare in decadenza, la bambina precoce e potenzialmente inaffidabile, la lavoratrice notturna vincolata alla propria routine, e la stessa New Orleans. Tuttavia, questi elementi sono ricollocati per rendere la trama più densa emotivamente, più profonda con simboli e richiami.
Lo stesso artificio delle storie in cambio di fiori richiama la fiaba e il folklore, che rivisto in chiave moderna si potrebbe anche interpretare come dare forma alla sofferenza attraverso il racconto, così da conferire significato alla propria esistenza.
La contrapposizione tra le protagoniste è ben studiata. Adeil è giovane ma sorprendentemente composta, la sua voce oscilla tra innocenza e consapevolezza, incarna la vulnerabilità e la resilienza. La fioraia, al contrario, è definita dalla routine, dalla taciturnità e dalla padronanza del lessico simbolico dei fiori, da una compostezza che però viene progressivamente destabilizzata dalle storie della ragazza. L’interazione tra le due fa porre domande profonde: che cosa significa ricevere la storia di un altro? Quale responsabilità comporta l’atto dell’ascolto?
Centrale per l’impatto dell’opera è lo stile visivo. Le illustrazioni ad acquerello creano un’atmosfera di morbidezza e fragilità, avvolgendo le tavole in una foschia onirica, e con la sua tendenza alla diffusione e alla trasparenza, mette in scena visivamente l’instabilità della memoria e della fragilità. I colori si fondono, i contorni si sfumano, le ombre si insinuano senza netta delimitazione: questo approccio pittorico rafforza l’atmosfera di decadenza resa mediante sottili gradazioni tonali, quali vernici scrostate suggerite da palette smorzate, giardini incolti evocati da delicati lavaggi di verde.
Il mondo naturale, e in particolare i fiori, è rappresentato con una cura quasi reverenziale. Ogni fiore porta con sé un valore simbolico, richiamando il linguaggio vittoriano dei fiori, e di conseguenza la realizzazione progressiva del bouquet invita il lettore a decifrare le risonanze emotive inscritte in ciascuna scelta botanica.
“The cutting garden” necessita di una lettura attenta che rispecchia il compito stesso della fioraia, ovvero cogliere i dettagli, le variazioni cromatiche, le rivelazioni graduali nel racconto di Adeil, l’eco simbolico di ciascun fiore per cogliere la pienezza del suo significato.
È una graphic novel delicata, effimera, eppure forte perché parla del coraggio silenzioso necessario per raccontare la propria storia e dell’altrettanto necessario coraggio di ascoltarla. Nel silenzio del negozio, tra petali e confessioni sussurrate, Van Poelgeest compone un inno alla fragile alchimia attraverso cui il dolore si trasforma in bellezza, cosicché anche i ricordi vengano strappati al terreno intricato del passato e disposti in trame che, pur temporanee, offrono la consolazione di una tenera rêverie goticheggiante.
La trama ruota attorno all’incontro tra una fioraia solitaria e una giovane ragazza misteriosa di nome Adeil, che si presenta nel negozio in circostanze insolite. La fioraia, avvezza alla quiete notturna del proprio mestiere, viene avvicinata da Adeil con una richiesta singolare: desidera una composizione floreale, ma non paga in denaro, bensì offre una storia per ogni fiore aggiunto al bouquet. La fioraia, mossa dalla curiosità, accetta questo scambio, e mentre il bouquet si arricchisce, altrettanto si infittisce la rete di associazioni e implicazioni contenute nel racconto di Adeil – dai ricordi di un incontro casuale con un cantante jazz disilluso, a evocazioni di una dimora familiare in rovina, a scorci di una vita idilliaca ma precaria vissuta ai margini.
La trama si svela lentamente, con l’alba che si avvicina (segno temporale e soglia simbolica), e quando la composizione è quasi ultimata, la fioraia tira le fila delle verità convergenti della vita di Adeil e vede le loro ripercussioni sua stessa esistenza ordinata e silenziosa.
L’architettura narrativa attinge a un ricco repertorio di temi che richiamano in qualche modo la tradizione del southern gothic, come la dimora familiare in decadenza, la bambina precoce e potenzialmente inaffidabile, la lavoratrice notturna vincolata alla propria routine, e la stessa New Orleans. Tuttavia, questi elementi sono ricollocati per rendere la trama più densa emotivamente, più profonda con simboli e richiami.
Lo stesso artificio delle storie in cambio di fiori richiama la fiaba e il folklore, che rivisto in chiave moderna si potrebbe anche interpretare come dare forma alla sofferenza attraverso il racconto, così da conferire significato alla propria esistenza.
La contrapposizione tra le protagoniste è ben studiata. Adeil è giovane ma sorprendentemente composta, la sua voce oscilla tra innocenza e consapevolezza, incarna la vulnerabilità e la resilienza. La fioraia, al contrario, è definita dalla routine, dalla taciturnità e dalla padronanza del lessico simbolico dei fiori, da una compostezza che però viene progressivamente destabilizzata dalle storie della ragazza. L’interazione tra le due fa porre domande profonde: che cosa significa ricevere la storia di un altro? Quale responsabilità comporta l’atto dell’ascolto?
Centrale per l’impatto dell’opera è lo stile visivo. Le illustrazioni ad acquerello creano un’atmosfera di morbidezza e fragilità, avvolgendo le tavole in una foschia onirica, e con la sua tendenza alla diffusione e alla trasparenza, mette in scena visivamente l’instabilità della memoria e della fragilità. I colori si fondono, i contorni si sfumano, le ombre si insinuano senza netta delimitazione: questo approccio pittorico rafforza l’atmosfera di decadenza resa mediante sottili gradazioni tonali, quali vernici scrostate suggerite da palette smorzate, giardini incolti evocati da delicati lavaggi di verde.
Il mondo naturale, e in particolare i fiori, è rappresentato con una cura quasi reverenziale. Ogni fiore porta con sé un valore simbolico, richiamando il linguaggio vittoriano dei fiori, e di conseguenza la realizzazione progressiva del bouquet invita il lettore a decifrare le risonanze emotive inscritte in ciascuna scelta botanica.
“The cutting garden” necessita di una lettura attenta che rispecchia il compito stesso della fioraia, ovvero cogliere i dettagli, le variazioni cromatiche, le rivelazioni graduali nel racconto di Adeil, l’eco simbolico di ciascun fiore per cogliere la pienezza del suo significato.
È una graphic novel delicata, effimera, eppure forte perché parla del coraggio silenzioso necessario per raccontare la propria storia e dell’altrettanto necessario coraggio di ascoltarla. Nel silenzio del negozio, tra petali e confessioni sussurrate, Van Poelgeest compone un inno alla fragile alchimia attraverso cui il dolore si trasforma in bellezza, cosicché anche i ricordi vengano strappati al terreno intricato del passato e disposti in trame che, pur temporanee, offrono la consolazione di una tenera rêverie goticheggiante.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy of this graphic novel for an honest review
At first when I saw this i was drew in by the cover because it has a botanical gothic beauty to it, as I went into the story i was then also drawn in by the lovely yet delicate looking art work that set the tone for the graphic novel.
This is a gothic story of the beauty of life, death & decay how it shifts and molds whatever life it touches for to see light you have to understand or walk hand in hand with darkness.
We follow the story of a young girl who walks into a flower shop & asks for a flower display to be made for a funeral at sunrise, & as payment thought it being made she shares a part of her story which as you follow it means a great deal to her bevause of the gentleness and way its portrayed.
As you read along with this young girl and woman you get the feeling that the girl is a vampire or something else, this leans into the dark & decaying beauty of the story as well as the woman who goes with her to live in the countryside is the light & the beauty of life & we see these both work side by side in a dance almost with the flow of the story.
We also see a bond between the two the young girl and woman giving off symbolism of a mother daughter dynamic and how delicate & fragile it is, it shows the importance of a parental figure to a child & how life's meanings are more fruitful, the longing we see as a theme throughout as well attaches you to the young girl
Now for me this story was too short but I honestly think that's one of the points to this story, giving u a peak into something showing showing how little or short a time something can have an impact to show that its the little moments that are beautiful & are remembered even in the darkest of times and its the fragile beauty of something so fleeting that when decay comes the memories make it worth while.
A sad poetic story really with quite a bit of hidden symbolism behind it, and reading this I can tell that love went into this story because love is one of the base lines as well.
This is not going to be for everyone and each person will come away with there own intrupitation of what this story says and means which I also think is beautiful.
At first when I saw this i was drew in by the cover because it has a botanical gothic beauty to it, as I went into the story i was then also drawn in by the lovely yet delicate looking art work that set the tone for the graphic novel.
This is a gothic story of the beauty of life, death & decay how it shifts and molds whatever life it touches for to see light you have to understand or walk hand in hand with darkness.
We follow the story of a young girl who walks into a flower shop & asks for a flower display to be made for a funeral at sunrise, & as payment thought it being made she shares a part of her story which as you follow it means a great deal to her bevause of the gentleness and way its portrayed.
As you read along with this young girl and woman you get the feeling that the girl is a vampire or something else, this leans into the dark & decaying beauty of the story as well as the woman who goes with her to live in the countryside is the light & the beauty of life & we see these both work side by side in a dance almost with the flow of the story.
We also see a bond between the two the young girl and woman giving off symbolism of a mother daughter dynamic and how delicate & fragile it is, it shows the importance of a parental figure to a child & how life's meanings are more fruitful, the longing we see as a theme throughout as well attaches you to the young girl
Now for me this story was too short but I honestly think that's one of the points to this story, giving u a peak into something showing showing how little or short a time something can have an impact to show that its the little moments that are beautiful & are remembered even in the darkest of times and its the fragile beauty of something so fleeting that when decay comes the memories make it worth while.
A sad poetic story really with quite a bit of hidden symbolism behind it, and reading this I can tell that love went into this story because love is one of the base lines as well.
This is not going to be for everyone and each person will come away with there own intrupitation of what this story says and means which I also think is beautiful.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I honestly don't know how to feel about this one, I don't really hate nor do I really like it. But I feel it lacks something and I'm fine with it not over explaning who Adeil is. I'll just give some examples. I guess, from the blurb alone:
(1) A tender, brutal love story about mothers and daughters - While both are there throughout the story, the relationship of a "daughter" (Adeil) to her mother (Josette) got a little bit overshadowed by the mystery who Adeil really is.
(2) For every new flower the florist adds to the bouquet, Adeil offers another dissonant detail in her story - I love this trope of exchanging a story for something. But it wasn't really shown this way. There's no interruption of story, whether it's the florist asking question regarding the story or any interruption in general. I honestly thought they're just there because it's a creative way to say it's the next chapter or there's a time jump of some kind.
I think the interruption of the story is one of the things I find lacking in this story. Some of parts of the story deserves some question to say the least, but the story is told interrupted.
Now for some non-blurb related:
I have something regarding narrative bubbles that could lead to spoilers, so I won't be talking about that. I'll say the identity of Adeil still leaves me puzzled, I don't what her motive is, but it seems she's just there for Josette. I think I wanted Adeil to be fleshed out just a little bit more.
I also want to talk a little bit about the art, since this is a graphic novel, But I like it that it's not your usual comic book art - it's not inked, just pencils and watercolor. I love the use of color like the having limited colors when portraying some distance between two characters. Since this one is deals about grief some of the pages feels monochromatic, almost, but with warm colors (red/orange) added in because of the light sources like candles or fireplace or because most of the pages took place in the dark/nighttime. It wasn't until later we see color on the pages again, the greens and the blues and daytime - when there's a feeling of hope again.
(1) A tender, brutal love story about mothers and daughters - While both are there throughout the story, the relationship of a "daughter" (Adeil) to her mother (Josette) got a little bit overshadowed by the mystery who Adeil really is.
(2) For every new flower the florist adds to the bouquet, Adeil offers another dissonant detail in her story - I love this trope of exchanging a story for something. But it wasn't really shown this way. There's no interruption of story, whether it's the florist asking question regarding the story or any interruption in general. I honestly thought they're just there because it's a creative way to say it's the next chapter or there's a time jump of some kind.
I think the interruption of the story is one of the things I find lacking in this story. Some of parts of the story deserves some question to say the least, but the story is told interrupted.
Now for some non-blurb related:
I have something regarding narrative bubbles that could lead to spoilers, so I won't be talking about that. I'll say the identity of Adeil still leaves me puzzled, I don't what her motive is, but it seems she's just there for Josette. I think I wanted Adeil to be fleshed out just a little bit more.
I also want to talk a little bit about the art, since this is a graphic novel, But I like it that it's not your usual comic book art - it's not inked, just pencils and watercolor. I love the use of color like the having limited colors when portraying some distance between two characters. Since this one is deals about grief some of the pages feels monochromatic, almost, but with warm colors (red/orange) added in because of the light sources like candles or fireplace or because most of the pages took place in the dark/nighttime. It wasn't until later we see color on the pages again, the greens and the blues and daytime - when there's a feeling of hope again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Before starting my review, I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishing house who granted me the digital ARC copy of 'The Cutting Garden'.
"But what is beauty, if not threatened by its own mortal brevity?"
I'm not sure I have the words to express how much I loved this graphic novel. I read it in less than an hour after receiving my ARC copy and I feel speechless.
The drawings are amazing. They reminded me of drafts that artists didn't have the chance to complete, some sketches with water paint. Watching those drawing made me feel so nostalgic.
"And so I give you this strange bouquet of words, in the hope that you too can cherish the decay of all things. A gift cursed with the soft, fragrant imperfections of a wayward secret."
Concerning the story itself, I can say that was sadly beautiful. Set in New Orleans, it starts with a story told in a flower shop.
Josette has lost her daughter and while walking in the streets she finds a girl with bloody lips. Adeil is the name of the strange girl and she has a proposal for Josette: leaving town together and go live in a house in the countryside.
Josette and Adeil find themselves in a world that is hurting them and with time they develop a mother-daughter relationship.
It's Adeil who tells the story to the girl in the flower shop after asking for some flowers for a funeral.
The writing style of the author is enchanting. For the whole time I felt like someone was singing a sad but beautiful lullaby. I literally couldn't put the down the graphic novel until the end. The atmosphere during the whole reading makes the reader feel homesick for something that it's not really there.
Not to forget the beautiful intersections with flowers and plants' drawings.
The only negative aspect? I would have loved some pages more.
Definitely recommended if you like graphic novels and also if you want to approach this world with something that still recalls the writing style of a literary novel. In addition, I loved the implication of Adeil's nature so that would also be a plus to readers who are searching for a reading with a hint of supernatural.
"But what is beauty, if not threatened by its own mortal brevity?"
I'm not sure I have the words to express how much I loved this graphic novel. I read it in less than an hour after receiving my ARC copy and I feel speechless.
The drawings are amazing. They reminded me of drafts that artists didn't have the chance to complete, some sketches with water paint. Watching those drawing made me feel so nostalgic.
"And so I give you this strange bouquet of words, in the hope that you too can cherish the decay of all things. A gift cursed with the soft, fragrant imperfections of a wayward secret."
Concerning the story itself, I can say that was sadly beautiful. Set in New Orleans, it starts with a story told in a flower shop.
Josette has lost her daughter and while walking in the streets she finds a girl with bloody lips. Adeil is the name of the strange girl and she has a proposal for Josette: leaving town together and go live in a house in the countryside.
Josette and Adeil find themselves in a world that is hurting them and with time they develop a mother-daughter relationship.
It's Adeil who tells the story to the girl in the flower shop after asking for some flowers for a funeral.
The writing style of the author is enchanting. For the whole time I felt like someone was singing a sad but beautiful lullaby. I literally couldn't put the down the graphic novel until the end. The atmosphere during the whole reading makes the reader feel homesick for something that it's not really there.
Not to forget the beautiful intersections with flowers and plants' drawings.
The only negative aspect? I would have loved some pages more.
Definitely recommended if you like graphic novels and also if you want to approach this world with something that still recalls the writing style of a literary novel. In addition, I loved the implication of Adeil's nature so that would also be a plus to readers who are searching for a reading with a hint of supernatural.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Absolutely gorgeous visuals. The art throughout this story is stunning, with beautiful use of colour to affect mood.
A mysterious girl, Adeil, tells a mysterious story to a florist who makes an arrangement for her. Chapters are separated by detailed illustrations of flowers and plants, and the whole thing does give a strong appreciation of the natural world, which quite appealed to me - especially when depicted so beautifully.
The story itself is too thin to really engage on a deeper level, but it's interesting enough to keep you hooked throughout. I think unfortunately it asks more questions than it answers, leading to a lack of satisfaction when the end comes around.
There are some really interesting threads to the story, so I would really have liked to know more. I think there's a lot of symbolism and analogy here that's simply lost in its attempts to be subtle. I love the gentle poetry of it, but it just seemed too convoluted to be able to try and tease out all the intricate meanings behind each sentence.
The watercolour art is beautiful, though, and honestly just taking in the pages was such a pleasure. I think if you took a panel from this featuring one of the women, and hung it in your house, it would be something you'd be constantly thinking about. This artwork really provokes thought, and I suppose the scarcity of the story sort of assists that.
So for me, it's a 3-star graphic novel that gets a bonus star simply for the artwork and how engaging I found it. I'll happily recommend this to graphic novel fans looking for something thought-provoking.
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
A mysterious girl, Adeil, tells a mysterious story to a florist who makes an arrangement for her. Chapters are separated by detailed illustrations of flowers and plants, and the whole thing does give a strong appreciation of the natural world, which quite appealed to me - especially when depicted so beautifully.
The story itself is too thin to really engage on a deeper level, but it's interesting enough to keep you hooked throughout. I think unfortunately it asks more questions than it answers, leading to a lack of satisfaction when the end comes around.
There are some really interesting threads to the story, so I would really have liked to know more. I think there's a lot of symbolism and analogy here that's simply lost in its attempts to be subtle. I love the gentle poetry of it, but it just seemed too convoluted to be able to try and tease out all the intricate meanings behind each sentence.
The watercolour art is beautiful, though, and honestly just taking in the pages was such a pleasure. I think if you took a panel from this featuring one of the women, and hung it in your house, it would be something you'd be constantly thinking about. This artwork really provokes thought, and I suppose the scarcity of the story sort of assists that.
So for me, it's a 3-star graphic novel that gets a bonus star simply for the artwork and how engaging I found it. I'll happily recommend this to graphic novel fans looking for something thought-provoking.
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to the e-ARC for review.
The Cutting Garden is an atmospheric story that is artistically written with a plot that feels like a fleeting dream in which you just woke up from and can’t quite decipher. The art is hazy and dream-like, really giving the reader the feeling of a dream they just can’t quite remember. The characters feel like ghosts and are very mysterious and feel like fragments of thought. The story does not have much of a plot and leaves the reader without much context or answers.
This kind of story is usually not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed this as a piece of art. Reading it felt like I had a little daydream and wrote it down, maybe to add onto later, or maybe to leave as a little snippet of a story.
The readability (like mentioned in other reviews) was a bit difficult, but I think reading a print version would probably be better. (Ex: small text, cursive text)
If you are into dreamy and mysterious stories with stunning, unique and visually appealing art with not much of a plot or explanation, this is for you. If you like to interpret stories in your own way and come up with your own theories, this book is for you. If you want a linear plot with an established timeline and well-defined characters, this book is not for you.
Overall, this book is completely up to the readers’ preference. For the reasons listed above I could see this book being an easy hit or miss for a lot of people. For me, it was somewhere in the middle. I can appreciate the art and the flowery words and the symbolism, but also crave more plot and more well-defined characters.
The Cutting Garden is an atmospheric story that is artistically written with a plot that feels like a fleeting dream in which you just woke up from and can’t quite decipher. The art is hazy and dream-like, really giving the reader the feeling of a dream they just can’t quite remember. The characters feel like ghosts and are very mysterious and feel like fragments of thought. The story does not have much of a plot and leaves the reader without much context or answers.
This kind of story is usually not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed this as a piece of art. Reading it felt like I had a little daydream and wrote it down, maybe to add onto later, or maybe to leave as a little snippet of a story.
The readability (like mentioned in other reviews) was a bit difficult, but I think reading a print version would probably be better. (Ex: small text, cursive text)
If you are into dreamy and mysterious stories with stunning, unique and visually appealing art with not much of a plot or explanation, this is for you. If you like to interpret stories in your own way and come up with your own theories, this book is for you. If you want a linear plot with an established timeline and well-defined characters, this book is not for you.
Overall, this book is completely up to the readers’ preference. For the reasons listed above I could see this book being an easy hit or miss for a lot of people. For me, it was somewhere in the middle. I can appreciate the art and the flowery words and the symbolism, but also crave more plot and more well-defined characters.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Cutting Garden by Darcy Van Poelgeest, Erin Connally & Aditya Bidikar is a graphic novel that I discovered on NetGalley. The stunning cover and interesting title immediately drew my attention. I requested the eARC without reading the description because sometimes, I like taking risks like that. So far, I’ve only regretted it twice that I can think of in recent times. Lucky for me, I got approved.
So, did the book live up to my expectations?
Stunning Watercolour Artwork
I’ll admit, I didn’t know what exactly to expect from this graphic novel. The cover illustration alone was intriguing enough, promising an aesthetic visual journey into something poetic and moving. And honestly, it was. The illustrations were by far my favourite part of the graphic novel. The minimalist watercolour style with its brilliant use of light and shadows to create contrasts brilliantly set a haunting atmosphere. Each panel is a meditative watercolour painting that you can sit down and admire for a long time.
I especially loved how each chapter is bookended with illustration figures of different flowers, which—in my interpretation—all form part of the bouquet that the florist makes. As the seasons change, so does the colour palette, reflecting both the demanding nature of the characters’ setting, as well as their inner emotional states. Overall, my admiration for the artwork is the primary reason for my rating of this book. From the art perspective, it was absolutely stunning.
Objective, even the story itself is quite moving. The only issue was that it didn’t move me as much as I expected it to.
Continue reading on my blog…
So, did the book live up to my expectations?
Stunning Watercolour Artwork
I’ll admit, I didn’t know what exactly to expect from this graphic novel. The cover illustration alone was intriguing enough, promising an aesthetic visual journey into something poetic and moving. And honestly, it was. The illustrations were by far my favourite part of the graphic novel. The minimalist watercolour style with its brilliant use of light and shadows to create contrasts brilliantly set a haunting atmosphere. Each panel is a meditative watercolour painting that you can sit down and admire for a long time.
I especially loved how each chapter is bookended with illustration figures of different flowers, which—in my interpretation—all form part of the bouquet that the florist makes. As the seasons change, so does the colour palette, reflecting both the demanding nature of the characters’ setting, as well as their inner emotional states. Overall, my admiration for the artwork is the primary reason for my rating of this book. From the art perspective, it was absolutely stunning.
Objective, even the story itself is quite moving. The only issue was that it didn’t move me as much as I expected it to.
Continue reading on my blog…
March 13, 2026
The Cutting Garden is a beautiful story about relationships between mothers and daughters and how there is beauty in the fragility of life. As a huge fan of horror stories, I appreciate how subtle this gothic tale is presented. Not everything is spelled out and I must admit it took me two readings to fully understand what was being presented. I appreciated that complexity in a time when some stories are overexplained.
Without going into spoilers, Darcy Van Poelgeest prose is as flowery and beautiful as is the dreamlike artwork by Erin Connally. I've read from others that the cursive writing was a detriment, but I found it to be fitting given the time period, and since it was used to distinguish the narrative. While cursive can be difficult at times to read in this day and age, I felt the letterer, Aditya Bidikar, did an excellent job.
The art is fantastic. With it's clean pencil lines painted with watercolor on top, it reminds of the art from fellow comic book artist Colleen Doran. With this being such a strong female centric story, I'm happy that Darcy paired with a female artist to give it that Feminine touch.
While there is some death involved, there is nothing overly graphic and it's all off screen (off panel?) so this graphic novel is also accessible to a wider audience who may be put off by such things. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Cutting Garden" and highly recommend it to those who like to read dark stories that may require some thought.
Without going into spoilers, Darcy Van Poelgeest prose is as flowery and beautiful as is the dreamlike artwork by Erin Connally. I've read from others that the cursive writing was a detriment, but I found it to be fitting given the time period, and since it was used to distinguish the narrative. While cursive can be difficult at times to read in this day and age, I felt the letterer, Aditya Bidikar, did an excellent job.
The art is fantastic. With it's clean pencil lines painted with watercolor on top, it reminds of the art from fellow comic book artist Colleen Doran. With this being such a strong female centric story, I'm happy that Darcy paired with a female artist to give it that Feminine touch.
While there is some death involved, there is nothing overly graphic and it's all off screen (off panel?) so this graphic novel is also accessible to a wider audience who may be put off by such things. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Cutting Garden" and highly recommend it to those who like to read dark stories that may require some thought.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Reading The Cutting Garden for me is like floating through gothic version of Monet's art. The ephemeral feelings conveyed by the panels, illustrations, and all kinds of text fonts are blanketed with soft, charming colors with eerieness underneath. In terms of plot and conflict, this story doesn't have something explosive and strong, and if any—for example the mystery of who Adeil is actually—it would lead you to loose conclusion rather than neatly tied ending. The characters are limited and sometimes thinly described, like people in impressionist paintings.
I love these kinds of stories. Because sometimes what I need is not always roller coaster and bright-as-sun clarity, but morning haze, calm rivers, flower petals dancing in the mist. And since this is a graphic novel, I couldn't separate the elements to make out the story; it has to be experienced as a whole. The cursive or sans serif font, the transition between warm and cool colors, and the choice of panel placement speak different purposes. But they all fall under the same umbrella of family, grief, mother, and life. It's the tender coolness of raindrops on your cheek, a warm and fragrant floral tea, the hard black steel of ornate gate of an old building and the decaying rust that envelops it. While an addition of depth in the meaning of each flower could be nice, I still enjoyed this as is.
What a hauntingly beautiful piece.
I love these kinds of stories. Because sometimes what I need is not always roller coaster and bright-as-sun clarity, but morning haze, calm rivers, flower petals dancing in the mist. And since this is a graphic novel, I couldn't separate the elements to make out the story; it has to be experienced as a whole. The cursive or sans serif font, the transition between warm and cool colors, and the choice of panel placement speak different purposes. But they all fall under the same umbrella of family, grief, mother, and life. It's the tender coolness of raindrops on your cheek, a warm and fragrant floral tea, the hard black steel of ornate gate of an old building and the decaying rust that envelops it. While an addition of depth in the meaning of each flower could be nice, I still enjoyed this as is.
What a hauntingly beautiful piece.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"I think men decide what's best for themselves, and women have grown accustomed to letting them"
The cutting garden is an absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking comic that I simply couldn't let down. I was first attracted by the splendid cover and was absolutely glad to have been approved for an ARC. And then I opened it, and it felt like releasing a breath I wasn't aware I was holding. And then like, spending the entire reading holding it again.
The atmosphere was gorgeous in this, with dark vibes that leave you a little bit lost and require you to pay lots of attention to the details. The way the plot is constructed works marvellously; it makes us dive deep into the story, intrigued by those characters and the tale that is being told.
My favourite part of this was, however, the art. It is simply breathtaking; that's the only word adapted to it. The watercolour style is magnificent and fits the vibes of the story perfectly, as well as the horror elements.
In the end, this is a splendidly illustrated comic with a splendid story, and I will definitely not forget about it. It was gorgeous and deeply memorable! I am infinitely grateful to Image Comics and Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC. This beautiful book releases on September 29th, but you can already preorder it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.5 stars TL;DR - I never fully got invested in this, but I can absolutely appreciate the gorgeous art style and the creativity behind the concept. This one just may not have been for me.
My Thoughts:
Okay, let me start by saying that I’ve read a very small handful of graphic novels in my life, so maybe I’m just not going into this with the right expectations. But for me, this felt like it never fully delivered on the potential of its concept.
I think there was a really interesting idea here, but everything stayed so surface level that I never became emotionally invested. I didn’t feel like I got enough depth from the story, the characters, or even the horror elements for any of it to really land. I was never unsettled or chilled by it, though I could see glimpses of where those moments could have come through.
That said, the imagery was stunning. The art style was genuinely beautiful, and I do think there was a lot of creativity behind the concept itself. I can absolutely appreciate the craftsmanship and effort that went into this, even if it ultimately didn’t connect with me personally.
This honestly may just be a case of me not being the right audience for this particular story, and I hope it finds readers who will fully appreciate what it’s trying to do.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book
My Thoughts:
Okay, let me start by saying that I’ve read a very small handful of graphic novels in my life, so maybe I’m just not going into this with the right expectations. But for me, this felt like it never fully delivered on the potential of its concept.
I think there was a really interesting idea here, but everything stayed so surface level that I never became emotionally invested. I didn’t feel like I got enough depth from the story, the characters, or even the horror elements for any of it to really land. I was never unsettled or chilled by it, though I could see glimpses of where those moments could have come through.
That said, the imagery was stunning. The art style was genuinely beautiful, and I do think there was a lot of creativity behind the concept itself. I can absolutely appreciate the craftsmanship and effort that went into this, even if it ultimately didn’t connect with me personally.
This honestly may just be a case of me not being the right audience for this particular story, and I hope it finds readers who will fully appreciate what it’s trying to do.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
At first glance, one would think this was going to be a very haunting and ominous story with a beautiful art style that would make it even more captivating. However, the story didn't turn out like that, and I'm not sure if I'm disappointed or still satisfied, considering the story still ended up quite interesting.
The build-up for the story is somewhat slowburn that I was expecting some kind of eerie and horror-ish plot twist on Adeil's character. I was wondering if she was a vampire? A Ghoul? Her character was captivating, and at the same time, something that was left highlighted yet vague or was left to be freely interpreted by the readers, especially at the end.
The story, although not, was what I was initially expecting was still intriguing. I was compelled by its melancholy and haunting like mood that felt like something really bad was about to happen. Josette and Adeil's dynamics were magnetic in the sense that they were in a trance like scene, and at the same time, grief and dread like emotions are so glaring.
I would say I would have enjoyed it more if the story offered a more in-depth exploration of Adeil's character along the way, especially after they fell out.
Thank you, Image Comics, for the arc via Netgalley. 3.5⭐️.
The build-up for the story is somewhat slowburn that I was expecting some kind of eerie and horror-ish plot twist on Adeil's character. I was wondering if she was a vampire? A Ghoul? Her character was captivating, and at the same time, something that was left highlighted yet vague or was left to be freely interpreted by the readers, especially at the end.
The story, although not, was what I was initially expecting was still intriguing. I was compelled by its melancholy and haunting like mood that felt like something really bad was about to happen. Josette and Adeil's dynamics were magnetic in the sense that they were in a trance like scene, and at the same time, grief and dread like emotions are so glaring.
I would say I would have enjoyed it more if the story offered a more in-depth exploration of Adeil's character along the way, especially after they fell out.
Thank you, Image Comics, for the arc via Netgalley. 3.5⭐️.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Cutting Garden is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel.
To start with the points I appreciated and enjoyed, the artwork was gorgeous, I especially enjoyed the different figures and the illustrations of flowers. I was hooked onto the relationship with our characters, finding a thrill in the mystery of who really is Adeil.
However, I feel as though this story would have benefited being longer, events happened along the story line, and weren’t as explored enough as they could have been, answers are vague, which could have occasionally worked. Although I felt as though every plot point was given no answer, it is up to the readers interpretation, which took away from the impact of the story. The font used for the narrator is unique, I believe on paperback, would work really well, however, due to me having access through a NetGalley digital copy, I struggled to read it, this is no fault to the author or illustrator.
Overall this story is a 3.5⭐ for me, I loved the artwork and general story line, I would have just appreciated more depth and exploration into the story line.
Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for allowing me to read and enjoy this advance copy <3
To start with the points I appreciated and enjoyed, the artwork was gorgeous, I especially enjoyed the different figures and the illustrations of flowers. I was hooked onto the relationship with our characters, finding a thrill in the mystery of who really is Adeil.
However, I feel as though this story would have benefited being longer, events happened along the story line, and weren’t as explored enough as they could have been, answers are vague, which could have occasionally worked. Although I felt as though every plot point was given no answer, it is up to the readers interpretation, which took away from the impact of the story. The font used for the narrator is unique, I believe on paperback, would work really well, however, due to me having access through a NetGalley digital copy, I struggled to read it, this is no fault to the author or illustrator.
Overall this story is a 3.5⭐ for me, I loved the artwork and general story line, I would have just appreciated more depth and exploration into the story line.
Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for allowing me to read and enjoy this advance copy <3
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 STARS
rounded up to 4, bcuz Goodreads
this was beautiful, yet eerie and haunting. i didn't know where the story was going, but i still wanted to see. the illustrations added to the mystery with the way some pages were colorfully stunning to just dark and ominous, even with the darkness just lingering around the edges. it truly helped set the tone for how the reader should feel, creating this uncertainty and uneasiness in what might happen.
i think readers will find many ways to define what the young girl symbolizes. as creepy as she was from the beginning and to how horrifying she was at the end, it felt like she was a metaphor for how precious time is. like how some people waste so much time trying to figure out what they want out of life and miss out on the things that matter; blinded by the simpler things, refusing to see reality for what it is... it's scary, ugly, messy, etc. but if you just choose to nurture it instead of fear it, what might blossom? that's one of my takes on it. but i liked it!
shout out to the author and publisher for allowing me the privilege of reading this graphic novel in advanced via NetGalley. i leave this review of my own volition. all thoughts and opinions are mine.
rounded up to 4, bcuz Goodreads
this was beautiful, yet eerie and haunting. i didn't know where the story was going, but i still wanted to see. the illustrations added to the mystery with the way some pages were colorfully stunning to just dark and ominous, even with the darkness just lingering around the edges. it truly helped set the tone for how the reader should feel, creating this uncertainty and uneasiness in what might happen.
i think readers will find many ways to define what the young girl symbolizes. as creepy as she was from the beginning and to how horrifying she was at the end, it felt like she was a metaphor for how precious time is. like how some people waste so much time trying to figure out what they want out of life and miss out on the things that matter; blinded by the simpler things, refusing to see reality for what it is... it's scary, ugly, messy, etc. but if you just choose to nurture it instead of fear it, what might blossom? that's one of my takes on it. but i liked it!
shout out to the author and publisher for allowing me the privilege of reading this graphic novel in advanced via NetGalley. i leave this review of my own volition. all thoughts and opinions are mine.
Read
March 8, 2026After a chance encounter, a woman and girl leave the strains of life in New Orleans behind for a house in the country, which they make into a home and where they settle into a sort of idyll, at least until the stasis buckles. The word is never used, but minimal effort is made to conceal that the girl is something already associated with New Orleans, what with her never coming out by day, and remaining a girl. But it's not meant to be a twist; the point is the seductive watercolour dream of it all, more Hanging Rock than Anne Rice, with the pressed flowers that intersperse the chapters not just beautifully rendered, but a metaphor I don't think I've seen before for what's lost by being taken out of the cycle of life, change, and even decay. The script is minimal to a degree some seem to find frustrating, though given the clarity of the art and the dreamlike mood, it worked for me. I particularly liked that when it does get into more detail, it's mostly about plants, such as the difference between "the long bluestem grass bowed to the wind in great waves of reverence" and the very different grass that makes for "fidgety velvet razors".
(Netgalley ARC)
(Netgalley ARC)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you to the publisher & netgalley for allowing me to read this graphic novel in exchange for a honest review.
i love the style & colors in this work. i haven’t seen a graphic novel use watercolor plus cursive for it’s narrative text. it is a very beautiful work of art & i feel that it fits the story being told. in the summary of this work, it stated that for each part of adeil’s story the florist added another flower to the bouquet. after finishing the story, i didn’t really feel like we (the readers) didn’t really get to see that, but then i remembered that there was diagrams of plants in between each section of the story. i do believe that it was pretty but i wish it was broken up a bit more. i would’ve loved to see more dialogue or imagery of the florist & adeil while the florist was adding the flowers to really see the bouquet come together. i also liked how the story didn’t tell you everything & you had to piece it together on your own, but i felt as if the mystery surrounding adeil & who (or what) she is really overshadowed josette’s story. i will be pondering & wondering what truly transpired just as the florist did.
i love the style & colors in this work. i haven’t seen a graphic novel use watercolor plus cursive for it’s narrative text. it is a very beautiful work of art & i feel that it fits the story being told. in the summary of this work, it stated that for each part of adeil’s story the florist added another flower to the bouquet. after finishing the story, i didn’t really feel like we (the readers) didn’t really get to see that, but then i remembered that there was diagrams of plants in between each section of the story. i do believe that it was pretty but i wish it was broken up a bit more. i would’ve loved to see more dialogue or imagery of the florist & adeil while the florist was adding the flowers to really see the bouquet come together. i also liked how the story didn’t tell you everything & you had to piece it together on your own, but i felt as if the mystery surrounding adeil & who (or what) she is really overshadowed josette’s story. i will be pondering & wondering what truly transpired just as the florist did.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Net Galley for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Cutting Garden is a haunting and visually striking graphic novel that blends mystery, emotion, and symbolism. I really enjoyed reading it, especially the way the story pulls readers into a quiet but unsettling world where grief and memory intertwine, creating a sense of tension that lingers throughout. The artwork plays a huge role in shaping the mood—soft yet eerie illustrations mirror the protagonist’s inner struggles and make even simple moments feel heavy with meaning. I did struggle being able to read the cursive in some parts because it was so small. I found myself having to zoom in quite frequently.
What makes this novel stand out is how it trusts the reader to interpret what’s happening rather than spelling everything out. While this made the story more engaging and personal, I was also left a little confused by the ending and unsure about some of its meaning.
Overall, The Cutting Garden is a compelling read for anyone who enjoys atmospheric storytelling and deeper emotional layers in graphic novels.
The Cutting Garden is a haunting and visually striking graphic novel that blends mystery, emotion, and symbolism. I really enjoyed reading it, especially the way the story pulls readers into a quiet but unsettling world where grief and memory intertwine, creating a sense of tension that lingers throughout. The artwork plays a huge role in shaping the mood—soft yet eerie illustrations mirror the protagonist’s inner struggles and make even simple moments feel heavy with meaning. I did struggle being able to read the cursive in some parts because it was so small. I found myself having to zoom in quite frequently.
What makes this novel stand out is how it trusts the reader to interpret what’s happening rather than spelling everything out. While this made the story more engaging and personal, I was also left a little confused by the ending and unsure about some of its meaning.
Overall, The Cutting Garden is a compelling read for anyone who enjoys atmospheric storytelling and deeper emotional layers in graphic novels.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a beautifully executed graphic novel, made entirely using watercolors. The botanical illustrations made to separate chapters were truly gorgeous and gave the illustrator a way to express their personal artistic expression, with masterful works often featuring detailed, lush depictions that showcased the illustrator's skill. The story was also eerie, mystical and vague, we meet a limited amount of characters, which is ideal for such a short book, as it gives us a more detailed outlook on our main characters, but I still felt as more parts could have been explained. Aside from that the idea is sweet and I can understand the atmosphere that the author was going for.
It explores the delicate relationship between mothers and daughters and about how we often try to find solace in one another, involving active connection, shared vulnerability, presence to alleviate pain and seeking to be what the other needs. An issue I had was with the cursive writing, while I agree that it looks lovely, it was difficult to read on screen.
Overall, this is worth a read for the art alone. Thank you NetGallery, Darcy Van Poelgeest and the publisher Image Comics for providing me an ARC!
It explores the delicate relationship between mothers and daughters and about how we often try to find solace in one another, involving active connection, shared vulnerability, presence to alleviate pain and seeking to be what the other needs. An issue I had was with the cursive writing, while I agree that it looks lovely, it was difficult to read on screen.
Overall, this is worth a read for the art alone. Thank you NetGallery, Darcy Van Poelgeest and the publisher Image Comics for providing me an ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First, the artwork was absolutely stunning and it is what drew me to request this ARC from Netgalley.
The balance of text to images was really good and the images helped to tell the story with the lighting and color palettes went a long way to help give atmosphere and mood. I really liked the plot idea, a girl meets a woman and the two run away to live a new life. The girl, in the narrative, tells about how she wants to just be a girl with her mother. Little things are revealed throughout the telling of the story and the building of a bouquet. An air of mystery is still left on the history of the girl, Adeil, the images filling in a bit where the narrative stops and leading you in a specific direction.
I can be either way on an ambiguous ending, but I think this one just needed a little bit more. A couple more pages to help guide the reader a bit. The story had a bit to say about love and loss and relationships but none of it lingered long enough to feel impactful, when I could tell it was heading that way.
All of that being said, I would recommend this. It is a bit eerie, feels a little southern gothic, and the illustrations are so stunning.
The balance of text to images was really good and the images helped to tell the story with the lighting and color palettes went a long way to help give atmosphere and mood. I really liked the plot idea, a girl meets a woman and the two run away to live a new life. The girl, in the narrative, tells about how she wants to just be a girl with her mother. Little things are revealed throughout the telling of the story and the building of a bouquet. An air of mystery is still left on the history of the girl, Adeil, the images filling in a bit where the narrative stops and leading you in a specific direction.
I can be either way on an ambiguous ending, but I think this one just needed a little bit more. A couple more pages to help guide the reader a bit. The story had a bit to say about love and loss and relationships but none of it lingered long enough to feel impactful, when I could tell it was heading that way.
All of that being said, I would recommend this. It is a bit eerie, feels a little southern gothic, and the illustrations are so stunning.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Image Comics for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My honest review is that I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel. The story itself is haunting and the artwork is gorgeous. It's done in watercolor so it feels like a dream, or a memory.
This story is full of mystery and it does not end with giving us readers all of the answers. We're left to connect dots on our own or be comfortable with ambiguity. I enjoy books like this. I don't want anything spoon-fed to me and this definitely doesn't. I'm left with a lot of questions, which means I'll be pondering this for a long time. Just when I thought I had something figured out, I realized I had looked the wrong way.
To me, this is a story of creating a life, even if the hand we're dealt is less than wonderful. It's about finding connection. I'll be thinking about this one for awhile.
I want to emphasize again how beautiful the artwork is, including the interlude of various plants and flowers. This was lovely.
My honest review is that I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel. The story itself is haunting and the artwork is gorgeous. It's done in watercolor so it feels like a dream, or a memory.
This story is full of mystery and it does not end with giving us readers all of the answers. We're left to connect dots on our own or be comfortable with ambiguity. I enjoy books like this. I don't want anything spoon-fed to me and this definitely doesn't. I'm left with a lot of questions, which means I'll be pondering this for a long time. Just when I thought I had something figured out, I realized I had looked the wrong way.
To me, this is a story of creating a life, even if the hand we're dealt is less than wonderful. It's about finding connection. I'll be thinking about this one for awhile.
I want to emphasize again how beautiful the artwork is, including the interlude of various plants and flowers. This was lovely.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The things that I loved about this story:
The premise - that each part of the story was told along with each flower added to the bouquet.
The atmosphere - the gentle, creeping horror of the situation
The illustrations - the style of illustration, the use of colours and space
Unfortunately, I felt as though I was reading snippets of a larger story, this may have been because the story lacked a lot of dialogue, which is a driving force of a graphic novel. As a result, I found it hard to keep track of what was reality and also to connect to the characters fully. Being an e-book, some of the layout was hindered, we were viewing pages one at a time rather than side-by-side as a spread, which took away from the impact of the art.
I also noticed that some of the bouquet flower illustrations were cut off the edge of the page.
I absolutely will be looking into the author's other work and any future work, because this had a lot of heart and potential.
I kindly received a copy to review through NetGalley.
The premise - that each part of the story was told along with each flower added to the bouquet.
The atmosphere - the gentle, creeping horror of the situation
The illustrations - the style of illustration, the use of colours and space
Unfortunately, I felt as though I was reading snippets of a larger story, this may have been because the story lacked a lot of dialogue, which is a driving force of a graphic novel. As a result, I found it hard to keep track of what was reality and also to connect to the characters fully. Being an e-book, some of the layout was hindered, we were viewing pages one at a time rather than side-by-side as a spread, which took away from the impact of the art.
I also noticed that some of the bouquet flower illustrations were cut off the edge of the page.
I absolutely will be looking into the author's other work and any future work, because this had a lot of heart and potential.
I kindly received a copy to review through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The watercolor artwork is pretty and soft. The limited hard edges with the slight blurriness really gave the entire book a dreamlike quality. I especially loved the use of color. Many pages are built around a single pair of complementary colors, often blue and orange, which added to the surreal, hazy mood. The best artwork are the pages with sunsets/sunrises.
A lot of things are purposely left unexplained and open to interpretation. I ended up restarting at the 21% mark as I was confused as to why Josette moved with Adeil to the farmhouse. But that ambiguity appears to be deliberate. Throughout the book, here were my different theories.
- Josette is dead and the farmhouse was heaven.
- Adele’s is Josette’s child
- Adeil is a vampire, and actually, this book is a horror book where Josette needs to escape.
At the end of the book, my final thought was “I don’t get it”. I’m of the opinion that readers don’t need to be hand held by the author, but if there’s a deeper symbolism, I’m not getting it.
A lot of things are purposely left unexplained and open to interpretation. I ended up restarting at the 21% mark as I was confused as to why Josette moved with Adeil to the farmhouse. But that ambiguity appears to be deliberate. Throughout the book, here were my different theories.
- Josette is dead and the farmhouse was heaven.
- Adele’s is Josette’s child
- Adeil is a vampire, and actually, this book is a horror book where Josette needs to escape.
At the end of the book, my final thought was “I don’t get it”. I’m of the opinion that readers don’t need to be hand held by the author, but if there’s a deeper symbolism, I’m not getting it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.00/5.00
Firstly, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a very visually lovely read. The watercolors were definitely my favorite part and I enjoyed the details and care taken using this medium. It also really helped convey a dreamy state and set the tone with the more diluted color palette for certain scenes. I also loved the cuts to the different flowers and plants acting as scene spacers. I looked up the symbolism for some of the flowers and plants and thought it was a nice way to represent the next 'chapter' of the story.
For me, the story needed more space to breathe. I think having some extra pages to flesh out the characters and story would have helped make it a lot more memorable and engaging. I also read this on my phone, so the cursive font was hard to read at such small scale. This probably won't be an issue for print or on a laptop with a larger view surface, but slightly larger font may have helped make it easier to read on mobile.
Firstly, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a very visually lovely read. The watercolors were definitely my favorite part and I enjoyed the details and care taken using this medium. It also really helped convey a dreamy state and set the tone with the more diluted color palette for certain scenes. I also loved the cuts to the different flowers and plants acting as scene spacers. I looked up the symbolism for some of the flowers and plants and thought it was a nice way to represent the next 'chapter' of the story.
For me, the story needed more space to breathe. I think having some extra pages to flesh out the characters and story would have helped make it a lot more memorable and engaging. I also read this on my phone, so the cursive font was hard to read at such small scale. This probably won't be an issue for print or on a laptop with a larger view surface, but slightly larger font may have helped make it easier to read on mobile.
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