Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Jack and his girlfriend, Patience, discover she's pregnant, and though they're sure parenting will be difficult, because of everything from money to emotional stability, they're too in love with their future baby to care. But not long after the discovery, Jack comes home to find Patience murdered. Decades later, in a psychedelic-hued future, Jack, now wrinkled and gray, is bitterly, furiously fixated on what he could have done to prevent Patience's death. An offhand If I could just go back . . . leads him to someone who can make that happen, and, from there, Jack tumbles down a trippy rabbit hole into Patience's past, trying to track down the old boyfriend he's convinced is her killer. This is no mere sci-fi romp, however; time travel becomes a poignant metaphor for wraithlike Jack's obsessive mourning, and, before long, his schemes become as destructive as his grief. Punctuated by meltingly grotesque evocations of Jack's time-shattering flashes of awareness, Clowes' brilliant artwork homes in on expressions of aching feeling, particularly in Patience, who, through Jack's observations, gradually becomes vividly, marvelously multifaceted. Though the going is bleak and heart-wrenching, Clowes still leaves readers with a golden glimmer of hope. This is incredibly captivating a stunning marriage of text, image, and design, and a demonstration of Clowes' sheer mastery of the art of sequential storytelling. A must-have for any graphic-novel section.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Clowes (Ghost World) plumbs the depths of science fiction in this intriguingly bizarre love story. Jack, torn apart by the mysterious murder of his wife, Patience, flings himself back and forth through time to discover and punish the real culprit. Not everything is at it seems, however-not even his beloved wife. This is a fascinating collage, repurposing elements from action thrillers, psychological horror, and romantic drama. Clowes skillfully anchors each psychedelic turn in human emotion. The SF elements here, as in his earlier The Death-Ray, are just vehicles for the dead-eyed cast to continue roaming through time for a happiness their own obsessions ensure they will never reach, and the future is no refuge from the cycles of abuse that Jack and Patience try to break out of. Patience herself is a wonderfully complicated character and the unraveling of her psyche is key to the story, as is the web of time travel that ensnares her husband. Another strong entry in an already stunning body of work, and one that will surely be hailed as one of the best releases of 2016. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Patience and Jack are happily married and expecting a baby. But both have secrets-she has a dysfunctional past they haven't discussed, and he's not the office worker he claims. Then Patience turns up dead, apparently murdered by a former boyfriend. Devastated, Jack wonders if he can do anything now for his wife and child. And years later when he happens on someone with a time-travel device, he does do something. The award-winning Clowes (Mister Wonderful) sets his cast of unsophisticated characters into a high-tech premise but keeps the focus on the people rather than the science. Indeed, the contrast among the characters, their deep and universal emotions, and the sf trappings is jarring. Clowes's stolid, almost frozen drawing style captures a humanity caught in its unmet needs, powerless to understand or find satisfaction. The full coloring recalls classic superhero comics, edging over into psychedelic hues for futuristic sections. -VERDICT This parable of enduring love, leavened with noir-tinged humor and quirky dialog about existential dilemmas, will appeal to aficionados of literary graphic novels and those who enjoyed Bryan Lee O'Malley's Seconds.-MC © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by School Library Journal Review
After his pregnant wife, Patience, is killed, Jack lives in misery for decades until he discovers a way to travel through time in hopes of stopping the murder. When Jack visits the past, he learns things about his wife and her years as a young adult that she has kept from him, including several physically violent and emotionally damaging encounters with previous men. While some teens will empathize with the despondent Patience, who feels like she is trapped by her circumstances, others will get caught up in the time chase. Clowes uses time travel as a vehicle to create vivid, mind-blowing images with a bright and colorful palette. With a classic like Ghost World under his belt, Daniel Clowes already has a legion of graphic novel fans, and although the subject matter differs here, his signature drawing style is recognizable. VERDICT This time-travel love story will pick up fans of slow-burning thrillers and graphic novels, especially those already familiar with Clowes's work.-Carrie Shaurette, Dwight-Englewood School, Englewood, NJ © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
