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The Delicacy
Rare and delicious fungi spell trouble for an ambitious restaurateur in this sumptuously painted graphic novel from one of Scotland's most imaginative young cartoonists.
Tulip and his brother Rowan have left the simple comforts of their remote Scottish island with a to grow succulent, organic vegetables in an idyllic market garden, and to open a restaurant serving these wholesome culinary delights to the busy sprawl of London.
The world of fine dining seems impossibly competitive... until they discover a deliriously scrumptious new species of mushroom. The dish brings diners in droves, catapulting their small restaurant to success beyond their wildest dreams.
Now, pressured by the demands of a hungry city, Tulip is desperate to crack the secret of their new ingredient's growth. But just how much will he sacrifice to feed his own insatiable ambition?
Tulip and his brother Rowan have left the simple comforts of their remote Scottish island with a to grow succulent, organic vegetables in an idyllic market garden, and to open a restaurant serving these wholesome culinary delights to the busy sprawl of London.
The world of fine dining seems impossibly competitive... until they discover a deliriously scrumptious new species of mushroom. The dish brings diners in droves, catapulting their small restaurant to success beyond their wildest dreams.
Now, pressured by the demands of a hungry city, Tulip is desperate to crack the secret of their new ingredient's growth. But just how much will he sacrifice to feed his own insatiable ambition?
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2021
29 people are currently reading
607 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
July 12, 2023
A lot of reviewers have complemented the 'stunning' and 'beautiful' artwork in this book. But while the colours were nice, the art itself was really nothing special. The cars and trucks were especially clumsy and seemed to be made of jelly rather than solid metal.
Storywise, the book was good, though the pacing seemed slightly off, particularly towards the end, and the first half was extremely long-winded. All in all, though, not too bad.
Storywise, the book was good, though the pacing seemed slightly off, particularly towards the end, and the first half was extremely long-winded. All in all, though, not too bad.
June 30, 2022
A pair of farming brothers, Rowan and Tulip, living on a remote Scottish island, come into a substantial inheritance and decide to use it to seek fame and fortune in London by opening their own restaurant. Alas, things don’t go so smoothly and the restaurant is soon foundering - until a mysterious mushroom growing on the brothers’ new property turns their fortunes around! But what makes it grow - and why only on their grounds?
The Delicacy by Bon, James Albon, is alright. It’s not the most gripping story but it’s also not boring either.
The story’s a bit simplistic - after a certain point, things go too smoothly and the “greed corrupts” aspect is cliched - and, while Albon throws in a twist or two, it’s not enough to make the narrative especially exciting, particularly given how spaced out these twists are in this surprisingly long book.
The ending’s somewhat melodramatic but I liked the macabre flavour of it, giving the book an unexpected edge right at the end as Tulip decides to do whatever it takes to maintain his success. And you get a decent idea of the culinary trade down London way too.
Albon’s painted art is lovely - the landscapes and pictures of the dishes themselves are gorge - even if he seems to oddly struggle with more solid objects like cars, which are weirdly squishy, like they’re made of jelly!
Though not consistently engaging, there’s enough going on in The Delicacy to make it a solid modern-day fairy tale.
The Delicacy by Bon, James Albon, is alright. It’s not the most gripping story but it’s also not boring either.
The story’s a bit simplistic - after a certain point, things go too smoothly and the “greed corrupts” aspect is cliched - and, while Albon throws in a twist or two, it’s not enough to make the narrative especially exciting, particularly given how spaced out these twists are in this surprisingly long book.
The ending’s somewhat melodramatic but I liked the macabre flavour of it, giving the book an unexpected edge right at the end as Tulip decides to do whatever it takes to maintain his success. And you get a decent idea of the culinary trade down London way too.
Albon’s painted art is lovely - the landscapes and pictures of the dishes themselves are gorge - even if he seems to oddly struggle with more solid objects like cars, which are weirdly squishy, like they’re made of jelly!
Though not consistently engaging, there’s enough going on in The Delicacy to make it a solid modern-day fairy tale.
February 3, 2023
The old adage goes like this. "Where wealth accumulates, men decay". But in this macabre yet interesting story, it is the reverse. Wealth accumulates due to decaying men literally. If I say more it will spoil the surprise. So I will stop here.
I thoroughly enjoyed the unexpected storyline and its unique illustrations.
If you liked dark morbid genre's like the book "Tender is the flesh" or the French movie "Delicatessen" , then you will enjoy this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed the unexpected storyline and its unique illustrations.
If you liked dark morbid genre's like the book "Tender is the flesh" or the French movie "Delicatessen" , then you will enjoy this book.
August 10, 2023
I have to admit that out of all of our selections for our comic book club, this one has proven to be the weakest. This wasn't a "bad" graphic novel, I just wasn't a huge fan of the artwork or the storytelling.
The Delicacy at it's core is a story of obsession, wealth, and greed. Readers follow the narrative of two brothers who move to London to open up a family restaurant after acquiring land from the estate of their now deceased aunt and uncle. There were some pacing issues with this graphic novel where the first half moved slow and the second half flew through an analysis of Tulip's demise. While I love any social commentary that focuses on the dangers of excessive greed and wealth, this story was a little too "on the nose" for me and it was pretty easy to figure out the rest of the story by the time we reach the dark turn of events. I also wasn't a huge fan of the art so it often served as a distraction from the story. Overall, I appreciated what Albon was doing with this story, but it just wasn't for me.
If you're interested in hearing more of my thoughts on this one, be sure to check out our live show discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/live/uF0pKmG1...
The Delicacy at it's core is a story of obsession, wealth, and greed. Readers follow the narrative of two brothers who move to London to open up a family restaurant after acquiring land from the estate of their now deceased aunt and uncle. There were some pacing issues with this graphic novel where the first half moved slow and the second half flew through an analysis of Tulip's demise. While I love any social commentary that focuses on the dangers of excessive greed and wealth, this story was a little too "on the nose" for me and it was pretty easy to figure out the rest of the story by the time we reach the dark turn of events. I also wasn't a huge fan of the art so it often served as a distraction from the story. Overall, I appreciated what Albon was doing with this story, but it just wasn't for me.
If you're interested in hearing more of my thoughts on this one, be sure to check out our live show discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/live/uF0pKmG1...
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February 7, 2023I liked the art a lot! otherwise, I was not wowed.
March 5, 2021
I loved the loose, lush, painted art of this graphic novel, and the plot (although it had many conventional beats) was a wild ride! I loved the themes of connection, spite, superiority, careerism in the plot, but it was a bit unendingly cynical and nihilistic. Then again, that almost seems like a rational response to these times. While the plot and thematic elements of this graphic novel aren't new or even a little tropey, the vividness of the main characters, the propulsiveness of the plot, and the symbolism of the mushrooms really made this a fun read.
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2022
Poor Rowan!
A bit disappointed with the abrupt ending, but it was a delightful read nonetheless.
Beautiful art suits the story well.
A bit disappointed with the abrupt ending, but it was a delightful read nonetheless.
Beautiful art suits the story well.
February 12, 2023
Set in the world of food and restaurants, this is an excellent thriller story illustrated as a beautiful graphic novel. But it uses thriller as a facade; it has multiple layers crafted beautifully. Each layer is doing a masterful job - a world of gastronomes, the mystery of mycelium, people’s romantic view of pastoral lands and cynical view about urbanization, people in cities with greed and using ways to exploit and make money. These layers are beautifully tied into this nifty, beautiful graphic novel. Loved it.
June 8, 2021
Simply incredible. I’ve never experienced a graphic novel that is anything like this, and I’m afraid all that follow will have to raise their game to measure up. To begin with, the artwork alone is stunning. The turning of a page would at times elicit a genuine gasp from me because of the color and movement and pure energy of the painting. Add a story of two brothers going from a dream of running a farm-to-table restaurant to success, obsession, and beyond. Suddenly, it is much more than a story about some mushrooms. We have pure artistry here: the unexpected put together in a gorgeous, impactful way. I want to seek out and read every work by this author.
Thank you to James Albon, Top Shelf Productions, and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to James Albon, Top Shelf Productions, and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
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August 31, 2023This felt like a subtle mashup of a bunch of things I’ve been consuming lately, but with a slightly supernatural edge: The Bear, The Sopranos, and Jenny Odell’s Saving Time, specifically the parts abt bioregionalism and how capitalist greed meets (or refuses to meet) on Earth’s schedule. (“If you were here, you’d see that cauliflowers are ready.”)
Some questions were left unanswered, but I welcome the ambiguity. This was a little twisted and it was great!
Some questions were left unanswered, but I welcome the ambiguity. This was a little twisted and it was great!
July 7, 2025
Darkly funny with absolutely stunning, intricate artwork.
June 15, 2023
The decay of the main character was something that I didn’t expect, but this story was so beautiful told that I did not expect this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2022
An abrupt ending, but overall a good story. The art was terrific, especially the food art!
January 7, 2021
An instance where the "subject to change before publication" emblazoned on every single page of the review file is met with a 'not likely, mate', for there is little room for improvement here. It's not quite a five-star read, mind - the book swings from the mundane into the pleasantly different into the remarkable in ways that jarred slightly, and I'd not even have noticed the shifts or them being a problem if this was a true classic. But right from the get-go the qualities of this are evident.
We start with two brothers, sons to a mad old hippy stuck on a remote Scottish island, both inheriting something from the sister she disowned. With one a want-away business head, and the other addicted to farming, they find the pile they now own a great base with which to grow all that is needed for a hip and healthy London restaurant. Of course, though, the formation of that - and making it a success - is not plain sailing. And then comes the more pleasantly different, the remarkable - and all the rest your friendly plot summary should be leaving you to discover.
And discover this you really should. Excellent hand-crafted artwork (OK, the fight scene is a bit weak but that too will pass) and a superlative readability - never does this feel like something outstaying its welcome, even if it is on the very large size for a comic - all add to the wonderful fun the drama provides. And I use the word 'fun' advisedly - this could have been a book trying to tie itself up in knots just to discuss island organic existence vs London chemicals, or this way of life versus that way of life, or any of a spread of themes. To me, happily, it just smacked of having provided entertainment instead, however, and a lot of it. Four and a half stars.
We start with two brothers, sons to a mad old hippy stuck on a remote Scottish island, both inheriting something from the sister she disowned. With one a want-away business head, and the other addicted to farming, they find the pile they now own a great base with which to grow all that is needed for a hip and healthy London restaurant. Of course, though, the formation of that - and making it a success - is not plain sailing. And then comes the more pleasantly different, the remarkable - and all the rest your friendly plot summary should be leaving you to discover.
And discover this you really should. Excellent hand-crafted artwork (OK, the fight scene is a bit weak but that too will pass) and a superlative readability - never does this feel like something outstaying its welcome, even if it is on the very large size for a comic - all add to the wonderful fun the drama provides. And I use the word 'fun' advisedly - this could have been a book trying to tie itself up in knots just to discuss island organic existence vs London chemicals, or this way of life versus that way of life, or any of a spread of themes. To me, happily, it just smacked of having provided entertainment instead, however, and a lot of it. Four and a half stars.
June 30, 2021
3.5 stars
I appreciated the surprisingly morbid modern fairy tale this eventually reveals itself to be, but it meanders getting there and until the darker twists happen it reads like a middling slice-of-life comic without any standout characters and few likable ones.
The watercolor art is striking and idiosyncratic (like the cover art), but I never totally loved the style. The food illustrations are gorgeous, though.
I appreciated the surprisingly morbid modern fairy tale this eventually reveals itself to be, but it meanders getting there and until the darker twists happen it reads like a middling slice-of-life comic without any standout characters and few likable ones.
The watercolor art is striking and idiosyncratic (like the cover art), but I never totally loved the style. The food illustrations are gorgeous, though.
October 30, 2021
What a strange story! I couldn’t help but keep reading to find out how it ended. I liked the illustrations, but the story itself was a little bizarre!
November 12, 2024
the more i think about it is actually the more i like this.
September 8, 2022
I learned about The Delicacy by virtually attending a Comic-Con@Home panel about food-related graphic novels where two authors COOKED A RECIPE while discussing their books, which is just a wonderful idea for a panel, especially in this format. James Albon's book sounded up my alley, and had this been a normal Comic-Con, I probably would have bought the book there and got him to sign it because that's the fun of discovering books you never heard of at panels. But since it was not, I was happy to receive it as a birthday gift!
So Tulip and Rowan are two brothers who grow up isolated on an island with their technophobic woo-woo mother when they discover that one of their relatives has left them a large inheritance. Combining their individual talents and passions, they decide to start a restaurant in London with Rowan growing the produce and Tulip whipping up hot new recipes to tantalize the tongues of the elite. Because that's the kind of clientele he wants, see. Eventually they discover some mushrooms that captivate their clientele, but...what happens if they run out of these very special mushrooms?
James Albon has a very distinctive art style, I can't tell how much I actually like it, as it seems very...rough and loose to the point where it almost seems like he can't draw very well, except the level of detail in his work makes it clear he is, in fact, talented. It's like this strange combination of childlike crayon scrawlings and more mature impressionist art. I loved his use of color, and he has a good sense of visual rhythm, varying his panel layouts throughout and very deliberately using splash pages or unusual arrangements (usually with narration) that slow things down and make dramatic moments pop.
The story largely focuses on Tulip's attempts to be successful as a restaurateur, and so it's an interesting (and depressing) look at foodie culture and how so much of it is a sham. It's easy to feel bad for poor Rowan, a simple man who takes pride in his vegetables, when Tulip's wheeling and dealing to try to save money and increase profit margins. While their relationship and the rift that grows over the course of the book is interesting, I, of course, was much more interested in whatever the fuck was going on with these special mushrooms, and Albon has a morbid twist up his sleeve that I wish he deployed sooner and did a lot more with, as it really only gets deliciously dark right before the book ends when, the way Albon spoke about it on the panel, I thought would happen halfway through. In that sense, it felt a bit disappointing, and yet I couldn't deny that it was still an absorbing journey that was actually pretty thematically dense in its concerns, not only exploring how far someone might go in the name of success and what that does to a fraternal relationship, but also how someone might gain a new perspective on their mother's worldview after some time away. The narration is both ominous and empathetic, and that's the real magic mushroom of this story.
So Tulip and Rowan are two brothers who grow up isolated on an island with their technophobic woo-woo mother when they discover that one of their relatives has left them a large inheritance. Combining their individual talents and passions, they decide to start a restaurant in London with Rowan growing the produce and Tulip whipping up hot new recipes to tantalize the tongues of the elite. Because that's the kind of clientele he wants, see. Eventually they discover some mushrooms that captivate their clientele, but...what happens if they run out of these very special mushrooms?
James Albon has a very distinctive art style, I can't tell how much I actually like it, as it seems very...rough and loose to the point where it almost seems like he can't draw very well, except the level of detail in his work makes it clear he is, in fact, talented. It's like this strange combination of childlike crayon scrawlings and more mature impressionist art. I loved his use of color, and he has a good sense of visual rhythm, varying his panel layouts throughout and very deliberately using splash pages or unusual arrangements (usually with narration) that slow things down and make dramatic moments pop.
The story largely focuses on Tulip's attempts to be successful as a restaurateur, and so it's an interesting (and depressing) look at foodie culture and how so much of it is a sham. It's easy to feel bad for poor Rowan, a simple man who takes pride in his vegetables, when Tulip's wheeling and dealing to try to save money and increase profit margins. While their relationship and the rift that grows over the course of the book is interesting, I, of course, was much more interested in whatever the fuck was going on with these special mushrooms, and Albon has a morbid twist up his sleeve that I wish he deployed sooner and did a lot more with, as it really only gets deliciously dark right before the book ends when, the way Albon spoke about it on the panel, I thought would happen halfway through. In that sense, it felt a bit disappointing, and yet I couldn't deny that it was still an absorbing journey that was actually pretty thematically dense in its concerns, not only exploring how far someone might go in the name of success and what that does to a fraternal relationship, but also how someone might gain a new perspective on their mother's worldview after some time away. The narration is both ominous and empathetic, and that's the real magic mushroom of this story.
January 21, 2022
Historia dwóch braci, którzy wskutek otrzymanego spadku wyjeżdżają ze szkockiej wyspy i otwierają własną restaurację w pobliżu Londynu. To, co do połowy zapowiada ciepłą, fajną, choć niezbyt oryginalną obyczajówkę, zmienia się powoli w pełen napięcia thriller zakończony tragedią. Biznes zbudowany na wątpliwych podstawach (sekretem wyjątkowości dań serwowanych przez braci są tajemnicze grzyby) rozwija się błyskawicznie, ale zaczyna być coraz mniej etyczny z każdą kolejną stroną opowieści. Chciwość i schlebianie gustom najbardziej zamożnej klienteli nakręcają spiralę, kierując fabułę w stronę dosyć upiornego finału. W pewnym momencie trudno już było się od tej lektury oderwać, szczególnie, że malarskie kadry tworzą dla całości bardzo klimatyczne tło.
November 3, 2023
some really stunning art but sadly the story is nothing particularly new or interesting. it's also a pet peeve of mine when a comic has blocks of text telling us what's happening instead of showing us like the medium is meant to do. I also really hated how the largest character was depicted; the entire scene is very fatphobic
January 4, 2025
As my first dive into graphic novels this was an easy, lazy read. Not a mystery or thriller, but a story of two brother’s journey into a new business venture and how it unfolds. You will meet greed, murder, and coven along your way. Moderately enjoyable. Looking forward to sampling other types of graphic novels.
February 18, 2024
Starts simple, gets wild
The artwork in this graphic novel is splendid, with colors and strokes that have a Van Gogh-like dreamy touch to them.
Love how it starts as a simple story about brothers Rowan and Tulip living a content idyllic life on an island until an unexpected inheritance leads them to the mainland and big city dreams. The brothers open a modest restaurant and a special homegrown ingredient leads them to the path of success, fame and tragedy.
The artwork in this graphic novel is splendid, with colors and strokes that have a Van Gogh-like dreamy touch to them.
Love how it starts as a simple story about brothers Rowan and Tulip living a content idyllic life on an island until an unexpected inheritance leads them to the mainland and big city dreams. The brothers open a modest restaurant and a special homegrown ingredient leads them to the path of success, fame and tragedy.
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December 8, 2021That was not what I was expecting!
April 13, 2022
Wow. This took me on a journey I wasn't expecting. I'm not going to say more. Read it if you're a foodie and even if you're not!
August 23, 2022
Tulip et Rowan. Deux frères partis vers Londres depuis leur île écossaise pour y ouvrir un restaurant. Si les débuts sont difficiles, ils révolutionnent leur cuisine en y intégrant une mystérieuse espèce de champignon, et le monde entier se bat pour avoir une table. Jusqu'à quand ? Leur destin nous happe. Une chronique familiale électrique et déroutante, à dévorer !
February 5, 2023
Awesome story with a lot of twists. The artwork of watercolor are delightful and the food drawings looked so delicious, makes me want to try some of the dishes.
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July 4, 2023LOVED the art style. Felt fresh just reading it.
April 10, 2024
3.5, a lot of interesting ideas that somehow did not fully come together for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews