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The Lost Path
Three young boys set off from Camp Happiness, map in hand, determined to be the first to find the treasure before anyone else. But the shortcut they take leads to something far more spectacular and sinister! All manner of magical beasties live in these woods, and the kids find themselves caught between warring Forest Spirits. Will the three boys find their way out of trouble? Get your map and ready, set, go! Amélie Fléchais's incredible artwork combines the best of French illustration with manga influences. A spooky new fairytale, for fans of Over the Garden Wall.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published June 19, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
August 15, 2019
NOW AVAILABLE!!!
this isn’t nearly as good as The Little Red Wolf, but i read a digital arc through netgalley, and it’s possible that some of the things i didn’t love about it are just placeholder pages that are going to change between now and the release of the physical copy, so i’ll come back here in april with the answer to that puzzle.
if i’m judging this book on story or cohesion, it’s probably a 3. but in a book this pretty, i don’t always mind if the story's weak. and this one isn't terrible, it's just a little all over the place - there’s a framing tale,
and then the story of the boys entering the woods and getting lost during a treasure hunt
where they meet strange creatures who are in the middle of their own drama
it sounds pretty standard, but there’s a lot going on, and it’s not terribly well-explained. add to that the fact that the style of the artwork changes from fantasy
to a more realistic style
to this other slick-but-shallow style when the youngest boy is fantasizing that is by far the least interesting, visually.
but the biggest problem is that there are a lot of pages in black-and-white. and it’s not a case where the visual transitions are mirroring narrative transitions; there are some scenes that switch between color and black-and-white without a clear reason, which is what makes me think that this is an arc-only phenomenon. at least, i hope it is, because on some of the black-and-white pages it’s hard to tell what’s even going on
and when you get the treat of color pages like this
it’s hard to be as pleased with this bloodless image
so, we’ll see in april. and maybe, even if the colorless pages remain so, they will be more appealing in a book than on a computer screen. either way, i’m going to have this in my hands, because pretty pages are very pretty, and worth shelling out for.
plus, adorable porg-cousins!
oh, and i didn't notice the Over the Garden Wall namedrop in the synopsis until after i'd read it, but i definitely noted the similarities while i was reading it, and that little kid is very greglike. so fun.
[update] now that i am holding a physical copy, i can report that the pages that were black-and-white in the digital arc are, indeed, black-and-white in the finished book. it works a little better when you're actually holding it in your hands, but i still don't understand why it can't all be color. sadface. i will update the pictures in this review with shiny new photos from the actual book ASAP.
****************************************
3.5 rounded up because the parts i liked i really liked. full review with specific pros and cons coming asap.
come to my blog!
this isn’t nearly as good as The Little Red Wolf, but i read a digital arc through netgalley, and it’s possible that some of the things i didn’t love about it are just placeholder pages that are going to change between now and the release of the physical copy, so i’ll come back here in april with the answer to that puzzle.
if i’m judging this book on story or cohesion, it’s probably a 3. but in a book this pretty, i don’t always mind if the story's weak. and this one isn't terrible, it's just a little all over the place - there’s a framing tale,
and then the story of the boys entering the woods and getting lost during a treasure hunt
where they meet strange creatures who are in the middle of their own drama
it sounds pretty standard, but there’s a lot going on, and it’s not terribly well-explained. add to that the fact that the style of the artwork changes from fantasy
to a more realistic style
to this other slick-but-shallow style when the youngest boy is fantasizing that is by far the least interesting, visually.
but the biggest problem is that there are a lot of pages in black-and-white. and it’s not a case where the visual transitions are mirroring narrative transitions; there are some scenes that switch between color and black-and-white without a clear reason, which is what makes me think that this is an arc-only phenomenon. at least, i hope it is, because on some of the black-and-white pages it’s hard to tell what’s even going on
and when you get the treat of color pages like this
it’s hard to be as pleased with this bloodless image
so, we’ll see in april. and maybe, even if the colorless pages remain so, they will be more appealing in a book than on a computer screen. either way, i’m going to have this in my hands, because pretty pages are very pretty, and worth shelling out for.
plus, adorable porg-cousins!
oh, and i didn't notice the Over the Garden Wall namedrop in the synopsis until after i'd read it, but i definitely noted the similarities while i was reading it, and that little kid is very greglike. so fun.
[update] now that i am holding a physical copy, i can report that the pages that were black-and-white in the digital arc are, indeed, black-and-white in the finished book. it works a little better when you're actually holding it in your hands, but i still don't understand why it can't all be color. sadface. i will update the pictures in this review with shiny new photos from the actual book ASAP.
****************************************
3.5 rounded up because the parts i liked i really liked. full review with specific pros and cons coming asap.
come to my blog!
April 3, 2018
2.5 stars that are almost entirely for the beautiful illustrations.
The story itself was bizarre and incoherent.
Full RTC.
The story itself was bizarre and incoherent.
Full RTC.
January 20, 2020
A mostly incoherent story about 3 boys (girls? kids? Katamari Damacy? Couldn't really tell from the art) lost in the woods. The story was hard to follow and frequently switched both art styles and between color and black and white. The black and white panels were especially difficult to make out the detail of what was happening in the story. This one gets 2 raspberries from me.
July 31, 2018
The Lost Path
is about the adventure of three young kids: Elliot, Charlie, and Arthur. They got lost in the woods while they were trying to treasure hunt. Along the way, they meet some strange characters such as talking animals and monsters. The first part of the story is about the young couple in the past that got lost in the same forest, and the kids got entangled with the unfinished story of the couple while they were looking their way out.
Readers will never know what happened to the duel between the two characters near the end of the story; it is up to the reader’s imagination who might have won and if there will be finally a conclusion to the story of the couple in the beginning.
Although this graphic novel was labeled as a children’s fiction, this is more appropriate for older readers because young ones might get perplexed by the flow of the story. I assume that it will not be much appealing to kids because even though I’m way older for its target audience, I got confused on some parts especially near the end.
Readers will never know what happened to the duel between the two characters near the end of the story; it is up to the reader’s imagination who might have won and if there will be finally a conclusion to the story of the couple in the beginning.Although this graphic novel was labeled as a children’s fiction, this is more appropriate for older readers because young ones might get perplexed by the flow of the story. I assume that it will not be much appealing to kids because even though I’m way older for its target audience, I got confused on some parts especially near the end.
April 22, 2018
Provided to me by NetGalley in Exchange for an honest review
2.5 stars
I suppose Stranger Things ruins you for lesser things.
Lost Paths should work so well in theory. The artwork is stunning but quirky and features some beautiful creatures and an interesting bit of self-made mythology.
My problem is the poor way in which the children are portrayed and handled in this graphic novel. There is nothing wrong them, but not really much right either. They are all bossy and egotistical without the saving grace that a normal child would have. They have:
1) No charm or personality and
2) No interpersonal relationships with each other other than shouting and "I told you so".
To me, a graphic medium must be rated on both its art and content. In this case, the art saves the day. Lost Paths has some beautiful character and creature design.
I urge the authors to keep making this series. There is real potential here. Focus on developing the characters a bit more and making the plot less muddled and you'd have a great read.
2.5 stars
I suppose Stranger Things ruins you for lesser things.
Lost Paths should work so well in theory. The artwork is stunning but quirky and features some beautiful creatures and an interesting bit of self-made mythology.
My problem is the poor way in which the children are portrayed and handled in this graphic novel. There is nothing wrong them, but not really much right either. They are all bossy and egotistical without the saving grace that a normal child would have. They have:
1) No charm or personality and
2) No interpersonal relationships with each other other than shouting and "I told you so".
To me, a graphic medium must be rated on both its art and content. In this case, the art saves the day. Lost Paths has some beautiful character and creature design.
I urge the authors to keep making this series. There is real potential here. Focus on developing the characters a bit more and making the plot less muddled and you'd have a great read.
May 15, 2018
I picked up an ARC of this, because I enjoyed The Little Red Wolf (with some reservations for some kiddos), and liked the art.
Amelie Flechais is obviously a very talented artist. The cover for this one is gorgeous. The story, while not particularly original for a Children's story, sounds full of promise and potential for both interesting and imaginative story-telling and artwork. Kids lost in spooky woods also happens to be one of my favorite Children's story tropes.
Unfortunately this one just didn't work for me. The story, three boys taking a short-cut through the woods and getting lost, running into strange creatures and a few perils, lacked cohesiveness and coherent flow. I found it confusing, muddled and disjointed.
Things happen, and but aren't really fleshed out, then the story moves on. Leaving the reader to try to guess what's going on and try to fill in narrative gaps to try to make some logical sense of this story.
It also has a mix of both colored pictures and black and white pictures, and I was disappointed not all the pictures were in color. I found the complexity of the artwork (which is amazing) made it difficult to make out what was going on in the black and white pictures.
Some of the art I really liked:
Some of it I really didn't:
Overall I found this a disappointment, but I will certainly give this author and talented artist another look if another book is forthcoming.
I received a free, expiring, copy from Netgalley.
Amelie Flechais is obviously a very talented artist. The cover for this one is gorgeous. The story, while not particularly original for a Children's story, sounds full of promise and potential for both interesting and imaginative story-telling and artwork. Kids lost in spooky woods also happens to be one of my favorite Children's story tropes.
Unfortunately this one just didn't work for me. The story, three boys taking a short-cut through the woods and getting lost, running into strange creatures and a few perils, lacked cohesiveness and coherent flow. I found it confusing, muddled and disjointed.
Things happen, and but aren't really fleshed out, then the story moves on. Leaving the reader to try to guess what's going on and try to fill in narrative gaps to try to make some logical sense of this story.
It also has a mix of both colored pictures and black and white pictures, and I was disappointed not all the pictures were in color. I found the complexity of the artwork (which is amazing) made it difficult to make out what was going on in the black and white pictures.
Some of the art I really liked:
Some of it I really didn't:
Overall I found this a disappointment, but I will certainly give this author and talented artist another look if another book is forthcoming.
I received a free, expiring, copy from Netgalley.
February 24, 2018
I was sent this book as an advanced copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.
3.5 stars
This was a really cute story about three boys who get lost in a magical forest and meet all kinds of creatures in it.
I really like how every boy was given a distinct personality even though the graphic novel is only 100 pages long. I particularly loved the youngest boy, who thinks he's a robot. He was so cute and he alone makes this 100% worth reading.
Also, the art style is simply incredible. Some pages were fully colored and others were black and white. I don't know if in the final, published comic they will all be colored or not, but it worked well this way too, and I can only imagine how much more beautiful it would look if it was fully colored.
The story was cute but a little confusing at times, but I don't think it's too bad. The only thing I truly didn't like was the ableist and fatphobic comments that were repeatedly made. Remember these are children and this novel will end up in the hands of other children, and I don't like that they'll see the main characters argue and call each other ableist and fatphobic names. It would be nice if that was changed before the comic hits the shelves.
3.5 stars
This was a really cute story about three boys who get lost in a magical forest and meet all kinds of creatures in it.
I really like how every boy was given a distinct personality even though the graphic novel is only 100 pages long. I particularly loved the youngest boy, who thinks he's a robot. He was so cute and he alone makes this 100% worth reading.
Also, the art style is simply incredible. Some pages were fully colored and others were black and white. I don't know if in the final, published comic they will all be colored or not, but it worked well this way too, and I can only imagine how much more beautiful it would look if it was fully colored.
The story was cute but a little confusing at times, but I don't think it's too bad. The only thing I truly didn't like was the ableist and fatphobic comments that were repeatedly made. Remember these are children and this novel will end up in the hands of other children, and I don't like that they'll see the main characters argue and call each other ableist and fatphobic names. It would be nice if that was changed before the comic hits the shelves.
April 24, 2018
Check out more graphic novel reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Map in hand, 3 friends set off to find treasure before the others at camp. Their shortcut takes them through woods with sinister magical beasts and warring Forest Spirits.
The art mesmerized me from page one! I was a little doubtful about reading this at first. I didn't understand the point... but the art quickly won me over as did the boys! And this is an adventure I would want to go on if I were traipsing around in a forest looking for treasure.
The thing is that I LOVED the boys... Each one was so different but they each had their own peculiarities specific to them. The littler kid's imagination was massive, he was fighting invaders left and right. The leader boy was such a braggert, lol. And the pudgy one with the hat he cared about so much was about fed up. It made a lovely dynamic!
The plot is sort of loose but also focused at the same time?! Yeah, so I guess what I'm saying is that at first I was just enjoying the walk and getting to know the boys... Stuff happened but it was mysterious and you just had to go with it... then later as you are starting to make sense of it all the tension ratcheted up!
The pleasure is this story is the meandering exploration. There are ideas hinted at through a story told to us in the beginning and by the end we sort of understand... I just felt the story was charming and magical and artistic and I want to visit is a novel or if I'm wishing big, I'd love to travel this forest for myself and see all the magical things too!
I really think this story needs a sequel... like magic pulls the boys out of camp and back into the world of the forest!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tension
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Art
BOTTOM LINE: Magical exploration by three boys that you wish you could follow...
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. This has not influenced my opinion.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my manga and graphic novel reviews below under: What is a manga?
August 27, 2018
The Lost Path is a cute, fantastical graphic novel - it's funny, charming, easy to read, and the art is simply gorgeous.
The story is fascinating: three boys get lost in the woods during a treasure hunt and are trying to find their way home. Along the way, they meet a wide-range of magical creatures and eventually the queen of the forest, who seems to be in the middle of a coup.
As I read an ARC, a majority of the pages were in black and white with the occasional colour page - if it had been in full colour, I probably would have given the novel the full 5 stars, because the colour just really enhanced the story. It was truly magical with the coloured pages.
The lost boys were adorable, especially the youngest one. He really made me laugh as he acts like a little robot.
The story was confusing at times, but it gave me very Over the Garden Wall vibes so I acclimated quickly to the weird plot.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of the graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
The story is fascinating: three boys get lost in the woods during a treasure hunt and are trying to find their way home. Along the way, they meet a wide-range of magical creatures and eventually the queen of the forest, who seems to be in the middle of a coup.
As I read an ARC, a majority of the pages were in black and white with the occasional colour page - if it had been in full colour, I probably would have given the novel the full 5 stars, because the colour just really enhanced the story. It was truly magical with the coloured pages.
The lost boys were adorable, especially the youngest one. He really made me laugh as he acts like a little robot.
The story was confusing at times, but it gave me very Over the Garden Wall vibes so I acclimated quickly to the weird plot.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of the graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley
I just did not like this anywhere near as much as The Little Red Wolf. I didn't feel like the world was very well explained. The story just kind of jumped all over the place and we met so many woodland creatures but there was never really any explanation for who most of them were or what their role was overall. Also I didn't really like how the art changed every few pages. I understand that it was supposed to represent the different character POVs and moods, but it was still incredibly distracting in my opinion and also led to much of the book to be just plain black and white illustrations. This COULD be because the book is an ARC but I don't think so because sometimes part of the page would be colored and the rest wouldn't be, so it seemed like a specific style choice.
I just did not like this anywhere near as much as The Little Red Wolf. I didn't feel like the world was very well explained. The story just kind of jumped all over the place and we met so many woodland creatures but there was never really any explanation for who most of them were or what their role was overall. Also I didn't really like how the art changed every few pages. I understand that it was supposed to represent the different character POVs and moods, but it was still incredibly distracting in my opinion and also led to much of the book to be just plain black and white illustrations. This COULD be because the book is an ARC but I don't think so because sometimes part of the page would be colored and the rest wouldn't be, so it seemed like a specific style choice.
February 18, 2021
Both the art and the narrative elements had a lot of potential, but the story becomes increasingly surreal (in a way that feels confused rather than inspired) and by the end I felt frustrated.
Would recommend Fléchais The Little Red Wolf for both illustrations and story.
Would recommend Fléchais The Little Red Wolf for both illustrations and story.
February 5, 2018
It's challenging to pinpoint exactly why I didn’t like The Lost Path. There was nothing especially bad about it, but certainly nothing specifically great either. Half the art was beautiful, half of it was bland, and the story was, unfortunately, particularly unoriginal. Amélie Fléchaisis definitely a talented artist, but I felt, overall, that her style was inconsistent.
Stylistically I think that The Lost Path was written in the wrong format. It began with a gorgeously illustrated introductory story but quickly became a graphic novel. Because of that, the beautiful, artistic illustrations that you saw on the cover and the beginning of the book gave way to black and white line drawings that did absolutely nothing to keep my interest (although I do hold out hope that this was simply due to the fact that I had an ARC and not a finished product). I feel like it would have been served better had it been an illustrated story rather than a graphic novel. There would have been more scope for magic and description, which could have been accentuated by a full illustration in Amélie Fléchais’ inimitable style. As it was, the first quarter of The Lost Path was clichéd imagery and dialogue. The whole book is only 103 pages long, and yet it took me nearly two weeks to get through. I kept opening it up, getting immediately bored and wandering away to do something else for a few days.
The characters aren’t very well developed. Amélie Fléchais has tried to write a world of mystery and magic, focusing on the feeling evoked through her art, rather than giving any real life to her characters. The plot is simple, so the characters really needed some depth to be able to carry it. The creatures that they meet in the forest didn’t feel developed either, and I really just got the impression that Fléchais shoehorned them in to have the opportunity to draw a neat monster. They feature in a series of events that have been and gone before the reader has even turned the page.
The prose is messy and didn’t tie together in any coherent fashion. This was not helped by the fact that the art style changes from page to page. Most of the time this makes sense, as the art mirrors the theme of the boys’ fantasies, but on other pages, there wasn’t any real reason that I could see for the change. For a graphic novel, this was a poor stylistic choice, as the reader relies so heavily on visual cues to help move along the plotline. Again, there is a possibility that this is due to the fact that I was reading an ARC. The finished product may do away with some of these inconsistencies; however, I can only review what I had. And what I had made very little sense.
As an artist, Amélie Fléchais is five stars, but unfortunately, The Lost Path is not an art book. It’s a children’s story. If you want to buy a book for the pretty pictures, then this one is definitely worth your while. If you want a story that combines with art to create a magical world that children and adults alike will love? I think you might be out of luck with this one.
Stylistically I think that The Lost Path was written in the wrong format. It began with a gorgeously illustrated introductory story but quickly became a graphic novel. Because of that, the beautiful, artistic illustrations that you saw on the cover and the beginning of the book gave way to black and white line drawings that did absolutely nothing to keep my interest (although I do hold out hope that this was simply due to the fact that I had an ARC and not a finished product). I feel like it would have been served better had it been an illustrated story rather than a graphic novel. There would have been more scope for magic and description, which could have been accentuated by a full illustration in Amélie Fléchais’ inimitable style. As it was, the first quarter of The Lost Path was clichéd imagery and dialogue. The whole book is only 103 pages long, and yet it took me nearly two weeks to get through. I kept opening it up, getting immediately bored and wandering away to do something else for a few days.
The characters aren’t very well developed. Amélie Fléchais has tried to write a world of mystery and magic, focusing on the feeling evoked through her art, rather than giving any real life to her characters. The plot is simple, so the characters really needed some depth to be able to carry it. The creatures that they meet in the forest didn’t feel developed either, and I really just got the impression that Fléchais shoehorned them in to have the opportunity to draw a neat monster. They feature in a series of events that have been and gone before the reader has even turned the page.
The prose is messy and didn’t tie together in any coherent fashion. This was not helped by the fact that the art style changes from page to page. Most of the time this makes sense, as the art mirrors the theme of the boys’ fantasies, but on other pages, there wasn’t any real reason that I could see for the change. For a graphic novel, this was a poor stylistic choice, as the reader relies so heavily on visual cues to help move along the plotline. Again, there is a possibility that this is due to the fact that I was reading an ARC. The finished product may do away with some of these inconsistencies; however, I can only review what I had. And what I had made very little sense.
As an artist, Amélie Fléchais is five stars, but unfortunately, The Lost Path is not an art book. It’s a children’s story. If you want to buy a book for the pretty pictures, then this one is definitely worth your while. If you want a story that combines with art to create a magical world that children and adults alike will love? I think you might be out of luck with this one.
February 10, 2018
***Note: I received e-ARC via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to publisher and NetGalley. ***
The Lost path is graphic illustrated novel about three boys who travels through the magical forest with the help of map to find the treasure and get lost at the end. Book was very imaginative with beautiful arts and illustrations.
I loved that cover. Art and pictures. They were so beautiful and definitely unique. I haven’t seen such gorgeous illustrations in any picture book. I like the alternate black and white and coloring art separating the third youngest boy’s imaginations and it was good because if it wasn’t in colors I would get confused with what it has to do with story. But there were colored pictures in the beginning as well so not all colored illustrations were imagination that might be confusing. It was creepy with weird forest creatures and spirits which made book intriguing. I wanted to see what was going on in the book and how it was going to end.
Characters were okay. Boy with the map kept boasting throughout the book about how good he was in this or that activities and with the map but he managed to get lost with his friends in this weird forest that kind of showed not to be boastful or it might have terrible consequences.
Book had a great potential but here ends all the good things.
why not 5 stars-
I had some problems with the story:
First it was very confusing. I felt like few things were not explained properly. I got what the hat was and that weird creature was its protector and all. But that plot by other forest creatures and then war between forest spirits was confusing. What happened in the house was also weird and I had to reread those parts. It felt not developed properly, I couldn’t find a connection between all this.
It’s not at all like Little Red Wolf in which there was lesson and learning and so greatly explained story with twist. Here I couldn’t get any lesson from the story except that I have said above about boasting. Characters didn’t develop and some pictures were confusing. Transition from black and white to color picture was so sudden.
If it will be rewritten with proper narration, I don’t care how long it will be but if it’s done then I’m in for this story otherwise I it’s not that good and it didn’t live up to my expectations.
Overall, it was just okay. Definitely awesome illustration, loved the art and it will look beautiful in paper, no doubt for that, but major drawback was story.
The Lost path is graphic illustrated novel about three boys who travels through the magical forest with the help of map to find the treasure and get lost at the end. Book was very imaginative with beautiful arts and illustrations.
I loved that cover. Art and pictures. They were so beautiful and definitely unique. I haven’t seen such gorgeous illustrations in any picture book. I like the alternate black and white and coloring art separating the third youngest boy’s imaginations and it was good because if it wasn’t in colors I would get confused with what it has to do with story. But there were colored pictures in the beginning as well so not all colored illustrations were imagination that might be confusing. It was creepy with weird forest creatures and spirits which made book intriguing. I wanted to see what was going on in the book and how it was going to end.
Characters were okay. Boy with the map kept boasting throughout the book about how good he was in this or that activities and with the map but he managed to get lost with his friends in this weird forest that kind of showed not to be boastful or it might have terrible consequences.
Book had a great potential but here ends all the good things.
why not 5 stars-
I had some problems with the story:
First it was very confusing. I felt like few things were not explained properly. I got what the hat was and that weird creature was its protector and all. But that plot by other forest creatures and then war between forest spirits was confusing. What happened in the house was also weird and I had to reread those parts. It felt not developed properly, I couldn’t find a connection between all this.
It’s not at all like Little Red Wolf in which there was lesson and learning and so greatly explained story with twist. Here I couldn’t get any lesson from the story except that I have said above about boasting. Characters didn’t develop and some pictures were confusing. Transition from black and white to color picture was so sudden.
If it will be rewritten with proper narration, I don’t care how long it will be but if it’s done then I’m in for this story otherwise I it’s not that good and it didn’t live up to my expectations.
Overall, it was just okay. Definitely awesome illustration, loved the art and it will look beautiful in paper, no doubt for that, but major drawback was story.
March 27, 2018
Three young campers wander off into the woods and stumble on a cursed mansion and many a peculiar creature (I especially liked the fox looking for his bicycle). The drawing style is reminiscent of manga/Miyazaki in places, with some particularly splendid full-color illustrations. However, as other early reviewers have noted, there are also lots of pages in black and white that look sketchy, as if they are only temporary placeholders and need to be filled in properly. This really detracts from the quality of the whole, and is a shame. Still, I think younger readers new to graphic novels would absolutely love this.
My favorite line: “Sure, let’s follow the moccasin-wearing owl into a cave. That’s a great idea.”
My favorite line: “Sure, let’s follow the moccasin-wearing owl into a cave. That’s a great idea.”
February 18, 2021
Re-read 2021
I decided to give it another go and see how I feel about it the second time around. Although I do appreciate the story more I still found myself struggling to follow and understand what was actually happening. I wished there was more information on the forest and on the duel the woman and the man were having and how did it ended which we are not told about. The illustrations are still fantastic.
Thanks!! Now let us move to the actual review shall we?
As you could see the art here is SUPERB the colours are AGHHHH they are just what I would expect them to be and I am a sucker for pastel like colours or whatever you call them.
*It reminds me a bit of the art of Genevieve colour wise I mean.
She is an amazing Canadian (if I am not wrong) illustrator.
I loved it and would definitely be checking the rest of the other graphic novels Amélie has published. I am obsessed with her art
(walks away like nothing happened >.>)
Ok enough about the art part, now the plot itself really did remind me of Over the Garden Wall, which is one of my all time fave cartoons, of course both The Lost Path and OTGW are totally different they just have similar vibes to them, mysterious and dark but yet whimsical and magical.
I did enjoy the story, however I felt it was lacking something and I am not sure what exactly. Therefore, at times I found myself confused on how we get to that certain point, or what happened and why it happened. I am trying not to spoil anything here...
But other than that it was refreshing, fast paced read that is suitable for all big and smol people :)
As I said great art and mesmerizing colours ^^
Disclaimer: This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions on it are my own.
I decided to give it another go and see how I feel about it the second time around. Although I do appreciate the story more I still found myself struggling to follow and understand what was actually happening. I wished there was more information on the forest and on the duel the woman and the man were having and how did it ended which we are not told about. The illustrations are still fantastic.
Thanks!! Now let us move to the actual review shall we?
As you could see the art here is SUPERB the colours are AGHHHH they are just what I would expect them to be and I am a sucker for pastel like colours or whatever you call them.
*It reminds me a bit of the art of Genevieve colour wise I mean.
She is an amazing Canadian (if I am not wrong) illustrator.
I loved it and would definitely be checking the rest of the other graphic novels Amélie has published. I am obsessed with her art
Ok enough about the art part, now the plot itself really did remind me of Over the Garden Wall, which is one of my all time fave cartoons, of course both The Lost Path and OTGW are totally different they just have similar vibes to them, mysterious and dark but yet whimsical and magical.
I did enjoy the story, however I felt it was lacking something and I am not sure what exactly. Therefore, at times I found myself confused on how we get to that certain point, or what happened and why it happened. I am trying not to spoil anything here...
But other than that it was refreshing, fast paced read that is suitable for all big and smol people :)
As I said great art and mesmerizing colours ^^
Disclaimer: This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions on it are my own.
March 27, 2018
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
I just had to have this one as I loved the author’s first book: The Little Red Wolf. Sadly, in the end I can tell that this wasn’t my kind of book, and that I also wish I hadn’t requested it. :(
The story starts off pretty well, about a forest, a cursed forest. About a couple who live there, about how the woman saw what the forest really was and tried to run, only to…. But then the story of the kids start, and well… I lost my interest there.
Not only because of the absurd, weird, WTF did just happen story, but also because the characters just annoyed me to no end. Especially the little brother who brought them all in this poopy mess because of how he acted and what he did. This is not the first time I have seen this trope (I would call it that) happen, and I would rather see it disappear entirely. Or maybe at least have the brother show remorse, instead of just blatantly go through with life like he didn’t just do a crappy thing. :\
It also doesn’t help that the art is switching between black/white and colour all the time. Pick one, but seeing it switch over all the time didn’t help for me. I am sure it serves some greater meaning and it was meant for something, but I didn’t see anything.
As I said earlier, the story was just over the top weird. Sometimes absurd or weirdness works, but in this one I just was scratching my head and wondering if it would get any weirder (hint: Yes it does).
The ending was pretty decent, I am happy for the guys.
The art style (either black/white or colour) was pretty decent, sure, it was also a bit weird (it reminded me of Ghibli at times).
But yeah, all in all, I had expectations and hopes and I didn’t see them get fulfilled. :(
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I just had to have this one as I loved the author’s first book: The Little Red Wolf. Sadly, in the end I can tell that this wasn’t my kind of book, and that I also wish I hadn’t requested it. :(
The story starts off pretty well, about a forest, a cursed forest. About a couple who live there, about how the woman saw what the forest really was and tried to run, only to…. But then the story of the kids start, and well… I lost my interest there.
Not only because of the absurd, weird, WTF did just happen story, but also because the characters just annoyed me to no end. Especially the little brother who brought them all in this poopy mess because of how he acted and what he did. This is not the first time I have seen this trope (I would call it that) happen, and I would rather see it disappear entirely. Or maybe at least have the brother show remorse, instead of just blatantly go through with life like he didn’t just do a crappy thing. :\
It also doesn’t help that the art is switching between black/white and colour all the time. Pick one, but seeing it switch over all the time didn’t help for me. I am sure it serves some greater meaning and it was meant for something, but I didn’t see anything.
As I said earlier, the story was just over the top weird. Sometimes absurd or weirdness works, but in this one I just was scratching my head and wondering if it would get any weirder (hint: Yes it does).
The ending was pretty decent, I am happy for the guys.
The art style (either black/white or colour) was pretty decent, sure, it was also a bit weird (it reminded me of Ghibli at times).
But yeah, all in all, I had expectations and hopes and I didn’t see them get fulfilled. :(
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
March 3, 2018
In a mysterious forest that lures in lost travelers and is far, far away from the world of man, a young couple follows strange smoke clouds that lead them deeper and deeper into the forest. This place seems haunted with it’s roots enclosing things, evil shadows dancing and eyes watching. The woods are inflicting their prey, both await a different fate as they seem to go mad and devoid from what the forest takes from them.
Three young boys set out with a map in hand to find a treasure in the same forest. Questioning their path with it’s tall and changing landscapes, they keep on going. Deeper and deeper they go and the woods seem to swallow and cave them in.
Through imaginations and play they keep on distracting themselves and move on good natured till they start to run into mythical creatures.
And this is where their adventure takes a scary and dark enchanted turn for the worse. They are lost and need help. Will they be able to sever from the magical forest and get away?
***
This graphic fairy tale like novel has some gorgeous intricate drawings in it. It is visually so enticing, you want to stare at it and look closely not to miss anything. It is gorgeous. At times in color, other times in black and white.
The plot leaves a lot of room to interpret your own ideas for the reasons of why and what is happening in it. To me that is usually a little too abstract and I struggle with that. Therefore, it wasn’t up to par as the art was for me. But I am glad I read it, because just for that it was worth it.
I received a copy of the e-Book version of 'The Lost Path' from NetGalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you.
Three young boys set out with a map in hand to find a treasure in the same forest. Questioning their path with it’s tall and changing landscapes, they keep on going. Deeper and deeper they go and the woods seem to swallow and cave them in.
Through imaginations and play they keep on distracting themselves and move on good natured till they start to run into mythical creatures.
And this is where their adventure takes a scary and dark enchanted turn for the worse. They are lost and need help. Will they be able to sever from the magical forest and get away?
***
This graphic fairy tale like novel has some gorgeous intricate drawings in it. It is visually so enticing, you want to stare at it and look closely not to miss anything. It is gorgeous. At times in color, other times in black and white.
The plot leaves a lot of room to interpret your own ideas for the reasons of why and what is happening in it. To me that is usually a little too abstract and I struggle with that. Therefore, it wasn’t up to par as the art was for me. But I am glad I read it, because just for that it was worth it.
I received a copy of the e-Book version of 'The Lost Path' from NetGalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you.
February 20, 2018
*I was kindly given an early copy of this by netgalley. All opinions are my own.*
I really enjoyed this story! The fantastical element was so cute and charming. I also very much loved the art style! My only issue was that I felt like their were some plot holes. Things would jump from one scene to another without wholly explaining why or what happened. Aside from that I really liked this. The characters and their personalities were adorable and silly.
I really enjoyed this story! The fantastical element was so cute and charming. I also very much loved the art style! My only issue was that I felt like their were some plot holes. Things would jump from one scene to another without wholly explaining why or what happened. Aside from that I really liked this. The characters and their personalities were adorable and silly.
August 17, 2018
I had huge expectations for this one because of the beautiful cover design. I was expecting an interesting story, but I got was a story that. to be very honest, had no pint at all. It started out nice and I was sure that like every other sensible book it'll go somewhere, but sadly, it did not! Imagine my horror when it turned out to be a senseless story with good illustrations - that's the only thing I can say to sum up this book.
March 15, 2020
Artwork: 5 stars.
Story: incoherent and strangely not interesting - 2 stars.
Total: 2 stars.
Story: incoherent and strangely not interesting - 2 stars.
Total: 2 stars.
April 22, 2018
ARC provided by Diamond Book Distributors through Netgalley
I've wanted to get my hands on this book since I read Amélie Fléchais' Le Petit Loup Rouge so when I saw it on Netgalley I did not hesitate!
Sadly, it was very disappointing...
I'm not the first reviewer (and I doubt I'll be the last) to mention how the manga influences made the reading of this book feel extremely uneven.
If there is one thing Fléchais excels at it's artwork, but how can you go from this:
To this:
That is not to say that the artwork is bad - the fully coloured pages are stunning, to say the least:
But then it's incredibly jarring to go, in the same scene, from this:
To this:
And the plot was completely nonsensical. I was really hoping to see some of the Over the Garden Wall influences advertised in the summary, and while, visually, they were somewhat there, the plot was completely disconnected and confusing and might as well not have been there.
The boys get lost and stumble upon events about to lead into a war in the forest... and then they leave.
How disappointing...
Still the artwork, the one in colour anyway, is really pretty.
February 24, 2018
I received a digital copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a mismatch of different, beautiful storytelling formats. There are some pages which seem like a heavily illustrated children's book, there are others that are coloured in full and even some in black & white. All of this makes for an extremely engaging reading experience.
The story was confusingly weird, to say the least, but somehow that made it more fascinating. Is everything that the boys see real or do they have an overactive imagination? It's hard to tell. As a result of that, labelling this book as one for children is something that I'm hesitant to do. The cutesy art style and dialogue would definitely relate to kids, but the reality of the book is quite sombre. Perhaps suited for those a little older.
Nonetheless, The Lost Path is a strange little graphic novel that takes you on a ride you didn't ask for but will enjoy.
This book is a mismatch of different, beautiful storytelling formats. There are some pages which seem like a heavily illustrated children's book, there are others that are coloured in full and even some in black & white. All of this makes for an extremely engaging reading experience.
The story was confusingly weird, to say the least, but somehow that made it more fascinating. Is everything that the boys see real or do they have an overactive imagination? It's hard to tell. As a result of that, labelling this book as one for children is something that I'm hesitant to do. The cutesy art style and dialogue would definitely relate to kids, but the reality of the book is quite sombre. Perhaps suited for those a little older.
Nonetheless, The Lost Path is a strange little graphic novel that takes you on a ride you didn't ask for but will enjoy.
April 15, 2018
This is a gorgeous book. Just beautiful. I could look at the illustrations all day.
The story, though, is quite odd. If I'm being honest, I really didn't understand it at all. Now and then I came close to having aha moments, but I never actually figured out what the heck was going on. If I were rating this book on the story alone, it would be a much lower score. But the illustrations here are so good, that this is almost a 5-star book even without knowing what it's all about.
I could definitely see being absorbed in this book for hours on end trying to figure it all out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free electronic ARC of this graphic novel, received in exchange for an honest review.
The story, though, is quite odd. If I'm being honest, I really didn't understand it at all. Now and then I came close to having aha moments, but I never actually figured out what the heck was going on. If I were rating this book on the story alone, it would be a much lower score. But the illustrations here are so good, that this is almost a 5-star book even without knowing what it's all about.
I could definitely see being absorbed in this book for hours on end trying to figure it all out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free electronic ARC of this graphic novel, received in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2018
The digital copy was provided by NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I was so excited to read this one. The art was pretty, the colored and the black and white. The story though was really flat in my opinion. I wanted to love this but I just didn't see where the story was going. I won't let this define all Amélie Fléchais's art. I will definitely give her other works a try but this one sadly wasn't for me.
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I was so excited to read this one. The art was pretty, the colored and the black and white. The story though was really flat in my opinion. I wanted to love this but I just didn't see where the story was going. I won't let this define all Amélie Fléchais's art. I will definitely give her other works a try but this one sadly wasn't for me.
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April 14, 2018
My first netgalley read!
I'm new to the world of graphic novels and The Lost Path was a fun reading experience. I loved the quirky, beautiful art, particularly the colored nature drawings of the forest. The young characters were michevious explorers who encounter some monsters in the forest. The story was simple and more of a vehicle to showcase the art, which I felt was the real star of the book.
I think my students would enjoy this book.
I'm new to the world of graphic novels and The Lost Path was a fun reading experience. I loved the quirky, beautiful art, particularly the colored nature drawings of the forest. The young characters were michevious explorers who encounter some monsters in the forest. The story was simple and more of a vehicle to showcase the art, which I felt was the real star of the book.
I think my students would enjoy this book.
February 28, 2019
I enjoyed this book! I really liked the style that the artist used not only because it was unique, but also because it really fit the themes and overall atmosphere of the story!
I love when stories are set in forests. And I liked that this was a book that could be enjoyed by children as well as adults.
I read The Lost Path in one sitting.
I love when stories are set in forests. And I liked that this was a book that could be enjoyed by children as well as adults.
I read The Lost Path in one sitting.
August 14, 2018
* *
2 / 5
To read this review with photos, read it on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
The Lost Path is a hauntingly beautiful illustrated comic - unfortunately, the story makes very little sense. When reviewing any comic book, there are two key aspects, the story and the art.
The art: My first impression was very good. Lovely lines, gorgeously coloured with this sort of sepia colour scheme going on. Many of the pages were works of art all by themselves, the sort of thing that if I were rich I would buy on canvas and hang in my living room (if I had one!). The art does switch styles to suit the perspective of each boy, which I thought was a nice touch, though I liked some pages much more than others.
I did think that the text on some of the pages was really quite small and hard to read. Though I did read a PDF copy and this may not be an issue in the print copy.
The story: Three boys set off from a summer camp on a treasure hunting activity, only to take a series of wrong turns into a dangerously magical forest. Honestly, the story was just plain bizarre. It was a bit like Alice in Wonderland put through a blender, and it did not engage me at all.
Some pages of The Lost Path are simply works of art, and others look like scribbles. Coupled with an ill-explained narrative, I would be hesitant to recommend this book.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of The Lost Path
Read this review (with photos!) on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
2 / 5
To read this review with photos, read it on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
The Lost Path is a hauntingly beautiful illustrated comic - unfortunately, the story makes very little sense. When reviewing any comic book, there are two key aspects, the story and the art.
The art: My first impression was very good. Lovely lines, gorgeously coloured with this sort of sepia colour scheme going on. Many of the pages were works of art all by themselves, the sort of thing that if I were rich I would buy on canvas and hang in my living room (if I had one!). The art does switch styles to suit the perspective of each boy, which I thought was a nice touch, though I liked some pages much more than others.
I did think that the text on some of the pages was really quite small and hard to read. Though I did read a PDF copy and this may not be an issue in the print copy.
The story: Three boys set off from a summer camp on a treasure hunting activity, only to take a series of wrong turns into a dangerously magical forest. Honestly, the story was just plain bizarre. It was a bit like Alice in Wonderland put through a blender, and it did not engage me at all.
Some pages of The Lost Path are simply works of art, and others look like scribbles. Coupled with an ill-explained narrative, I would be hesitant to recommend this book.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of The Lost Path
Read this review (with photos!) on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
May 9, 2018
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I would give this book ALL the stars for the artwork---I could sit and stare at these illustrations all day long. They're both creepy and whimsical, with an incredible amount of detail. I kept finding little surprises. I especially loved the color illustrations, which were gorgeous!
As far as the story went, I did find it a little bit confusing in a couple parts, but I still enjoyed it overall. The kids were entertaining (if a tad annoying at times) with their arguments---reminded me of sibling rivalry. Not a lot of character growth or anything, but I didn't get the idea that that was the point with this story. I found it comparable to the character development in a single manga (not a full series). It was cute, and that was enough for me with the enjoyment I got from the artwork.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
I would give this book ALL the stars for the artwork---I could sit and stare at these illustrations all day long. They're both creepy and whimsical, with an incredible amount of detail. I kept finding little surprises. I especially loved the color illustrations, which were gorgeous!
As far as the story went, I did find it a little bit confusing in a couple parts, but I still enjoyed it overall. The kids were entertaining (if a tad annoying at times) with their arguments---reminded me of sibling rivalry. Not a lot of character growth or anything, but I didn't get the idea that that was the point with this story. I found it comparable to the character development in a single manga (not a full series). It was cute, and that was enough for me with the enjoyment I got from the artwork.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
February 13, 2018
2.5 stars
I read the digital arc through Netgalley.
I was excited to reading this book, but then, I was left with a disappointment :(
The first few pages are so good. Stunning I must say. Love the fairytales atmosphere in it. But then, the more I read, the more I got confuse. It’s just hard to follow the story.
I found myself asking “wait, what just happened?” a few times. Because I just don’t get it. Okay, in my opinion,this book has fairytales touch into it. But then, in some part, I feel like there’s a sudden theme changing, like fairytales to cyborg to fairytales again, which I don’t think it’s match (I hope I explain this right 🙈)
But the illustration is no doubt so atmospheric and stunning! I loved it :)
If you feel a bit adventurous, and want something light and different, I think this book is for you! 😊
I read the digital arc through Netgalley.
I was excited to reading this book, but then, I was left with a disappointment :(
The first few pages are so good. Stunning I must say. Love the fairytales atmosphere in it. But then, the more I read, the more I got confuse. It’s just hard to follow the story.
I found myself asking “wait, what just happened?” a few times. Because I just don’t get it. Okay, in my opinion,this book has fairytales touch into it. But then, in some part, I feel like there’s a sudden theme changing, like fairytales to cyborg to fairytales again, which I don’t think it’s match (I hope I explain this right 🙈)
But the illustration is no doubt so atmospheric and stunning! I loved it :)
If you feel a bit adventurous, and want something light and different, I think this book is for you! 😊
April 23, 2018
This was disappointing. I was expecting something in the same vein as Over the Garden Wall, but this was definitely not that.
The art starts out being gorgeous, full-spread with vivid colours. Then it turns black and white, which I was not expecting. Then, for a couple of pages, the story returns to colour...and then back to B&W again. The transitions were jarring, and while the coloured art is beautiful, I wasn't a fan of the B&W ones.
Then there is the story which I found very confusing. Fantastical creatures appear out of nowhere and without much purpose except for the sake of being fantastical. And there's not much of an overall plot.
It's a traipse through an abstract art garden. Pretty but without much substance.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lion Forge for providing a review copy.
The art starts out being gorgeous, full-spread with vivid colours. Then it turns black and white, which I was not expecting. Then, for a couple of pages, the story returns to colour...and then back to B&W again. The transitions were jarring, and while the coloured art is beautiful, I wasn't a fan of the B&W ones.
Then there is the story which I found very confusing. Fantastical creatures appear out of nowhere and without much purpose except for the sake of being fantastical. And there's not much of an overall plot.
It's a traipse through an abstract art garden. Pretty but without much substance.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lion Forge for providing a review copy.
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