Evermore

by Isobelle Carmody, Daniel Reed (Illustrator)

This is the post-apocalyptic fairy tale of Princess Rose, who dwells in a strange, complex walled Kingdom, the final outpost of a lost civilisation.

Ruled by a tyrannical and all powerful despot, the Kingdom of Evermore survives and sometimes thrives in an otherwise devastated world of deserts and ruins inhabited by the plague-ridden descendants of those who chose not to sleep away the poisoned eons that followed the end of the old world.

Growing up under the watchful eye of her stern but beloved nanny, Pilar, with the loving companionship of the bakers' son Quiet and the strange, enigmatic boy Enzo, Rose pursues two quests. One is to discover the origins of Evermore and the other is to understand the mysterious tragic death of her mother, a beautiful and gifted storyteller who began as a prisoner of the King before winning his heart and being made Queen of Evermore.

What Rose does not know is that the two quests are linked, and only by learning the truth about the past will she find the means and the courage to walk the difficult and dangerous path that will lead to the redemption of Evermore and a future where love and hope are possible.

Genres: Fantasy, Dystopia, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Post Apocalyptic, High Fantasy, Science Fiction

135 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2015

About the author

Isobelle Carmody began the first novel of her highly acclaimed Obernewtyn Chronicles while she was still in high school. The series has established her at the forefront of fantasy writing in Australia.

In addition to her young-adult novels, such as the Obernewtyn Chronicles and Alyzon Whitestarr, Isobelle's published works include several middle-grade fantasies. Her still-unfinished Gateway Trilogy has been favorably compared to The Wizard of Oz and the Chronicles of Narnia. The Little Fur quartet is an eco-fantasy starring a half-elf, half-troll heroine and is fully illustrated by the author herself.

Isobelle's most recent picture book, Magic Night, is a collaboration with illustrator Declan Lee. Originally published in Australia as The Wrong Thing, the book features an ordinary housecat who stumbles upon something otherworldly. Across all her writing, Isobelle shows a talent for balancing the mundane and the fantastic.

Isobelle was the guest of honor at the 2007 Australian National Science Fiction Convention. She has received numerous honors for her writing, including multiple Aurealis Awards and Children's Book Council of Australia Awards.

She currently divides her time between her home on the Great Ocean Road in Australia and her travels abroad with her partner and daughter.

Librarian's note: Penguin Australia is publishing the Obernewtyn Chronicles in six books, and The Stone Key is book five. In the United States and Canada this series is published by Random House in eight books; this Penguin Australia book is split into two parts and published as Wavesong (Book Five) and The Stone Key (Book Six).

Reviews

[Kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

It turns out a post-apocalyptic fairy tale was exactly what I felt like reading this evening!

This was beautiful and strange, short enough that I could read it in one sitting, but long enough for me to become completely immersed in the story. The art by Daniel Reed is gorgeous but grim.

We have a princess in a tower, wishing she could leave, go on an adventure - or at least be rescued by a prince! It's a gritty and distressing world she lives in, and while she is well-fed as those around her weaken and grow thin, she is not completely sheltered from danger. Her dead mothers' maid, Pillar, tells her, 'I have done my best to delay the moment the King will see you as a woman grown. Do nothing to hasten that moment.' Now, I'm not 100% sure if she is implying the King will himself take an... inappropriate interest in his daughter, or if she means he will just make her life a misery by keeping all suitors from her. Neither option is all that good.
So, Rose flees, and undertakes a long a perilous journey. which she is recounting to us thirty years later. Her history, and how she got to where she is, was a highly enjoyable read.

I will be interested to read more by Isobelle Carmody, and see more art by Daniel Reed.

[Mersini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isobelle Carmody likes her dystopian fiction. In this graphic novel we see the future as it might be, the world destroyed and a barren wasteland, except for a city named Evermore. Like all good fairy tales it has a king who consults a prophet. This King builds towers in Evermore, though he must seek materials from outside the city. On one of these ventures he finds a woman that he brings home and makes his wife. They have a daughter Rose, and this is mostly her story.

The art is gorgeous; they look like sketches with watercolours laid over them, which gives the book a texture rare in graphic novels. And it is the art that really gives a sense of the world, with vestiges of our time evident in the backgrounds.

There were times I thought the story chronology got a bit muddled because a time jump was not obvious enough. And I think it might've worked better in chronological order rather than relying on storytelling through memory and recollection, but that is also the nature of the book, and storytelling is an integral part. However, when you feel like you might've accidentally missed some bits, and have to check to make sure your copy isn't missing pages, then it's generally a sign that things could be better.

Overall, it's a very short read, and I wish there was more to it than there is.

[Clare Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Are we never to be free of stories."

2025 5★
I was a bit harsh when I first read this. I didn't remember any of the story, and I loved it on rereading. I thought the fairy tale retellings woven in amongst the story were clever and I didn't mid the full pages of text. They were the story Rose was writing on her very old school typewriter, after all.

And I loved that ending. Perhaps I'm a different person these days...

2018 3★
The illustration by Daniel Reed is spectacular, but the plot is just a collection of fairytale retellings woven together through Rose's life. The book started as a short story and I could tell. The full pages a text don't belong in a graphic novel, no matter how prettily they're decorated.

I could like a lot more, a wordless graphic novel following the same storyline - that would be absolutely spectacular! I do love that final double page spread - that has no words.

The post apocalyptic world is clever, but that ending is an anticlimax and a half.

[Britt Meter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book for only $2 and I loved the art-graphic novel, and the storyline was interesting. I loved the idea of taking a fairytale and a post apocalyptic world called Evermore, and the main characters Princess Rose, Quiet Tom and Broken Enzo trying to escape Evermore, what the king was hidding and what happened to Rose's mum. Overall I enjoyed it 4 stars.

[Matilda Bahadori · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, especially Reed's colour schemes, penned details and loose panel styles. I feel as if this will be a graphic novel I will revisit time and time again.

Plot-wise... As a previous reviewer mentioned, it was a little predictable, but nevertheless intriguing.

[Vic Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me cry…THAT LAST SCENE.


*update 2021*
I can tell why I really enjoyed this book. While I feel the time jump could have been handled better this is still fantastic. Awesome mix of dystopian, fairytale, horror, romance, and mystery

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am lo longer a princess waiting for a prince to come and rescue me. — Rose

This is subtitled a modern fairytale, that is apt. It follows all the familiar beats and stereotypes. As one would expect the protagonist Rose is a Princess. Her mother is dead, her father is largely absent, busy ruling his kingdom. Her best friend is Quiet Tom, 'a bakers lad' and a commoner. He fancies Rase and wants to become a knight so he can ask for her hand. Rose has spent most of her life living a tower with the maid her mother was given, Pilar and Enzo, who appears to act as a jester of a form. Unsurprisingly Enzo is much more than he appears. Roughly the quarter of the book is taken by Pilar telling Rose's Mother's story. She is a strong and fierce woman in her own right. It's not a long story or all that complicated but it does take some turns I didn't expect. There is darkness in the plot but the art is almost anything but.

What is usually white space in a graphic novel is a solid colour, varying colours. There is a lot of colours, the tone of the moment, of the scene, is almost marked by the colour used. The art is quite sketch-like in places but is definitely detailed in others. Enzo is a beautiful character is design is smart and he has a wonderful soul. I really didn't know what to make of Rose, I liked her well enough and I think she is well designed for Carmody's demographic but I found her a bit disappointing maybe. There were some very obvious Scheherazade references. The way the modern elements were bought was quite smart, it was in a way that I didn't see coming and changed the perspective a little. Reed's imagination of the knights was nice. I didn't love this but I didn't hate it. As a modern fairy tale is quite effective, using tech in a potentially realistic way. I quite liked Reed's art too and the colour choices.

Of particular appeal is the first couple of words of each storytelling (as opposed to conversing) page. They look like something out of an illuminated manuscript, rather than being a initiums, the formal term for just the first letter it is full words in wonderfully stylised and coloured lettering. The style is usually fairly consistent but the colour changes depending on the primary colour within the page.

A representative gif:

I'm never going to be able to resist a pun

[Nikki B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful illustrations!! Worth the read for the illustrations. But the story was disappointing. It had so much potential, the first half and world building was great, but the rest fell flat. In fact, it felt like all the good storytelling unravelled into nothing and made the rest pointless. The main character had no agency, she made no decisions for herself and she didn't seem to care about anyone else - she said she did, but that wasn't shown in her actions. I think it's even more disappointing because it started so good, to then not make use of that.

[Eleah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the blend of past and future. This is definitely what it says on the tin: "A Post-Apocalyptic Fairy Tale".
The nods to classic fairy tales were a nice touch; the golden ball from The Princess and the Frog, the never ending story told by Scheherazade,the glass coffin/wanting to kiss awake a sleeping person from Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, etc. Loved it.
All in all, it was an interesting new yet old fairy tale.

[Emily Rainsford · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

This story was very much told in fairytale fashion. The art was kind of dark and gritty - personally it wasn't really a fav style. The world building was interesting but I'd have liked more, and I think I felt the same about the story overall. The most interesting part happens off-page and then boom, everything's resolved. I find this quite often with graphic novels, but it just felt like a story with great potential that could have been developed to a deeper extent.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful, yet odd graphic novel, although what else can you expect from Isobelle Carmody? The illustrations are absolutely stunning, and I liked the way they worked with Carmody's text to create the story. This is definitely a book for older YA readers, and not for the faint of heart! An intriguing novel, that won't be everyone's cup of tea.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairytale retelling but dark and grungy in the best way. I really enjoyed the artstyle in this graphic novel, it really lent to the post-apocalyptic/dystopian setting of this story. A nice quick read, and an easy 'win' for the Goober Readathon for 2025 by the Bujo Buddies Bookclub - https://discord.com/events/1256756301...

[Kate (pooxs_insta) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unusual dystopian fiction, as it's merged with fairytale. I enjoyed the storytelling aspect and the journey, although I felt the ending was rather abrupt and contrived. But then that's generally the case with fairytales!

[Lissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not a fan of this book, it just didn’t do it for me. The story and art was *fine* but I just didn’t care. Also, I felt the ending was unlikely and the romance lacking. It wasn’t great but I hope other people can enjoy it.

[Isabelle Gorton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the first comic/illustrated books in which I have read. The plot was unique and the basis was a post-apocalyptic fairytale which had a refreshing twist.

It has definitely got me into thinking of reading more illustrative publications.

[E.K Earle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know why I waited so long to read this? It was such an intriguing story, and the way it was told was stunning. I want to know more about this future that may seem bleak, but has good in it amongst the rubble.

[Mender · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not a particularly exciting or interesting graphic novel. None of the characters really grab you enough to care about what's happening. It's all in past tense, so hard to feel anything for anyone when you already know how it turns out?

Yeah. Didn't work for me.

[Louie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The inclusion of the protagonist's love story just added that little sweetness to the depressing and apocalyptic themes of the novel. Though it's a cliché, it gave the necessary depth that makes it a good read. The illustrations are EMMACULATELY unique.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for the gorgeos illustration. 5 stars for the story., an original story using classic fairy tale tropes that western readers are all familiar with. So that's 10 stars. Is that too much?

[Sofia Gutkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is classic Isobelle Carmody and I love it.

[Lib Mouse · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've come to realise that Carmody finds it difficult to finish stories.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confusing at times, but a great concept

[Swimmy Boi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colours mean things.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book and an amazing plot would definitely recommend

[Umma · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan of a character born with an intellectual disability being repeatedly referred to as "Broken Enzo".

The art is pretty but the story is bad.

[Gerry Huntman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a bit remiss in reviewing Carmody and Reed's graphic novel, Evermore, as I have read it some time ago. Particularly because this book is a treasure.

I am not always an avid reader of fairy tale reboots for adults - probably because getting it right requires a great deal of skill by a writer, but if it is very well constructed, it is an absolute pleasure to read. This is the case with Evermore, and especially when it was wrapped in visual magic.

Evermore is a story written through the point of view of Princess Rose, a teenager confined to a keep by a ruthless King. The language is the English of the fairy tale, archaic in form. The clothing of the princess, and her limited companions are medieval in style, as is much of the architecture of the princess' home. And yet, from the very beginning, there is the sense of a post apocalyptic setting, and modern technologies are glimpsed or referenced. This is a mysterious juxtaposition, sitting elegantly on the pages, but at the same time forming an uneasiness in the narrative.

Without providing spoilers, Rose discovers her heritage is more complex than she had thought and with her growing conspicuous womanhood, will be the object of suitors' desires. She learns that it is unlikely she will be wed, but instead, suitors who will battle for her hand will all end in agonizing deaths. She needs to escape her nightmare world to where her mother had originated, across a desolate desert.

I simply can't say much more about the plot. It would be unfair to you, the reader.

It is my understanding that Evermore was a story that was written before it transformed into a graphic novel. And while there are a scattering of pages that contain reasonably long passages of text, compared to rich illustrations with quantities of text what readers are normally used to, it is not a downside to the work. The words are evocative, strong, and unmistakebly carries the protagonist's voice.

Daniel Reed's artistic skills do not expand Evermore's story - it compliments it. Aside from extraordinary quality of art in terms of rendered characters and depiction of the world settings, it is also fresh and artistic in terms of the way Carmody's words are woven among the frames. Colour and tone choice is generally dark and tending toward monochrome, adding to the atomosphere of bleakness of a post apocalyptic world, and depressed by tyranny. The words are typed with a derelict typewriter, which has forced the protagonist to add the 'f's by hand, as the f/F key is missing - the reader can't miss it, but instead of being a distraction, it anchors the reader deep into this world. Reed loves to skew images and text in odd, quirky angles, again adding to the uneasiness of Rose's predicament.

Evermore isn't a standard sized graphic novel; it is a sizeable 135 pages long. It is a fairy tale but it is fresh and atmospheric, and has a unique backdrop. The story is original, with a fantasy style, but ultimately driving into a science fiction conclusion. We don't have a helpless princess being rescued by a prince - instead we have a girl growing into a woman, and with the aid of the sacrifice of caring friends and drawing from her mother's strength of character, a heroine who withstands the greatest of tests, without the need to resort to violence. We have tragedy and palpable evil depicted, but at the same time we have triumph of love and devotion. The conclusion isn't a classical fairytale ending, as Carmody realistically depicts the price that sacrifice and suffering must reap. And yet the story's ending is still a fairy tale.

It boggles my mind that Evermore hasn't been shortlisted in the Aurealis Awards as I am sure it will linger longer in the minds of its readers than the majority of graphic novels produces in Australia in 2015. I'm still scratching my head.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Billed as a "post-apocalyptic fairy tale", this graphic novel never really reached the heights that I perhaps anticipated. The narrative seemed heavy-handed and the pictures and layout didn't evoke sympathy with the plight of the characters. It seemed to want to be a story of worth and offer something profound - sadly this quest was not realised.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was given to me by a friend and every time I pick it up and read the inscription a smile comes to my face so maybe I'm biased about this book.

I love the dark imagery and the even darker fairy story. I love that Evermore links to some other Isobelle books thematically. I love that this tale is a graphic novel (it couldn't be anything else). I love how Isobelle isn't afraid (like the best YA writers) to introduce children and young adults to difficult and sometimes frightening and disturbing concepts.

4.5/5 stars

[Jayne-louise Pritchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a magical journey full of stunning, unexpected imagery... Isobelle Carmody's writing style perfectly fits with the beautiful illustrations of Daniel Reed. It's a story told within a story told at different time points within the life of a princess. I would absolutely love to see both the Queen's and Tom's stories told in the same way!