Review by Booklist Review
Its pages silky to the touch, its colors reminiscent of an ancient book from a forgotten library shelf, French cartoonist Blexbolex's book ushers readers into a fully realized yet exhilaratingly enigmatic world. A bird, a red elephant, and a young girl emerge from an old house in the woods, the last three magicians in the world, on the run from a pair of fearsome hunters. Though they're clever and powerful, escape proves impossible through the densest forest or even by stepping outside of the very universe. The inevitable battle proves inconclusive, eventually plunging the last survivor into a corporatized world to redeem herself--and magic--in a confrontation with a wizard CEO. Familiar, mythical story elements play out in new, expectation-confounding ways, like the hunters, one who would be at home in a Chinese New Year's parade, the other in a reader's favorite manga series. This carries over to the format, conforming to the standards of neither graphic novel nor picture book, its single-page "panels" contain the visual panache of a comic, with character design like that old half-recalled picture book from your childhood, and each is accompanied by one artfully worded paragraph. Though teens might demur at what looks like a book for younger children, there is much here that will tug on a nostalgic heartstring and also thrill and mystify them. This is a remarkable creation, particularly so in design and tone, and readers young and old will find little else like this lyrical, thrilling, and mysterious tale.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Curious activity is taking place in a long-abandoned house that once belonged to a trio of magicians: a backpack-toting elephant emerges from a teapot, a blackbird bursts from a picture frame, and a girl with red hair appears from behind a screen. Succinct omniscient narration identifies the three as the aforementioned magicians, who each separately descend upon the nearby village. There, they wreak havoc that includes tricking children into giving up their food and turning an elderly man's homely garden into an impenetrable jungle. But the huntress Aisha and her fearsome lion-dragon companion Clinker, which resembles a Chinese guardian lion, are on the tricksters' tails. In a fast-paced, action-packed chase that traverses time and space, the huntress and the magicians take turns gaining the upper hand, until an even more treacherous party enters the fold. Via expressive text, artist Blexbolex (Vacation) presents a dreamlike fantasy graphic novel adventure that celebrates creativity, imagination, and magic. The silkscreen-style illustrations are awash in a vivid palette of mostly primary colors, giving this visually stunning work a vintage vibe. Most human characters are depicted with pale skin. Ages 9--up. (Nov.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4--7--Three characters--an elephant, a blackbird, and a girl--are magicians who are being pursued by a huntress and a dragon-lion in an imaginative and fantastical world that is seeking to be rid of magicians. Will two be able to stop three? The three not only have to outmaneuver the huntress and dragon-lion, but they also have to encounter other dangers from broom-wielding housewives to annoying old geezers. However, it seems Aisha, the huntress, is powerful enough to complete the task and seek the wizard before deciding her next step. Beginning with the phrase "once upon a time that is now" and ending with "once upon a time that will begin again," the creator Blexbolex uses artistic license to create something wholly different. The text is translated from French while the style and color of the illustrations take up most of the page. The text is printed at the bottom, more reminiscent of an early chapter book than a comprehensive graphic novel. Capable of being read in a single sitting, the story offers creativity and adventure as its backbone, offering escapism and a unique setting similar Jon Klassen's The Skull. VERDICT A gem of a story, it can easily be seen as an all-ages title in a world of imagination which defies true categorization.--Alicia Abdul
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this translated French import, three magicians materialize from prolonged dormancy, but hot on their heels are a huntress and a mechanical lion/dragon. Eleven chapter headings organize intriguing third-person episodes. Some hint at aspects of the trio's personalities: "A Scoundrel" (the elephant), "A Pest" (the bird), and "A Sly Fox" (the redheaded girl). The opening suggests that this fantasy occurs "now," while the conclusion says it "will be again." Nearly square, silkscreenlike images in a controlled palette are framed by the borders of abundant, soft, creamy pages. Several sentences per page--all in blue caps--reveal an elegant translation: The elephant slams the door "with the surly incivility of a traveler in a hurry." Climactic moments fill double spreads. When the main characters combat their pursuers and acquaintances, tilted angles and sharp-edged shadows dominate; when the protagonists escape "outside" through a tear in the page, the compositions are less saturated, with childlike scribbles producing a more innocent vibe. Most people have pink skin; some people toward the end read Black. Recurring threads emerge: the quest for home, the tension between orderliness and chaos, the desirability of magic in the world, and the wisdom of reconsidering first impressions. As these motifs wend through transformations and cameos containing familiar folkloric elements, readers experience the sense of a gifted storyteller improvising as ideas flow. Protecting magic, extending grace, leaping into the future with hope--this tour de force will nourish souls. (Graphic fantasy. 8-adult) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
