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by Aaron Nash
WOW!
Rarely do I read a book completely blind as to what it is about, but this had me intrigued by the title and the stark, striking cover. From the title I guess I expected something along the lines of One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but what I got was an unexpected joy.
What I got was a phenomenally deep and complex study of the intricacies of the human condition presented in an amazingly easy to read and follow story. The writing flows so unbelievably smoothly that it’s easy to forget sometimes that author Luke Melia is exploring some truly deep emotions and some really powerful themes.
WOW!
Rarely do I read a book completely blind as to what it is about, but this had me intrigued by the title and the stark, striking cover. From the title I guess I expected something along the lines of One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but what I got was an unexpected joy.
What I got was a phenomenally deep and complex study of the intricacies of the human condition presented in an amazingly easy to read and follow story. The writing flows so unbelievably smoothly that it’s easy to forget sometimes that author Luke Melia is exploring some truly deep emotions and some really powerful themes.
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I won't spoil the story for anyone as watching it unravel in front of your eyes is one of the many pleasures of the book. What I will say about the it though is that it is incredibly dark and at times pretty twisted. It is definitely not a book for younger readers as it does feature violence, nudity, swearing and themes that could prove disturbing to some. But these points don’t hinder the story; they serve to help reveal the darkness that is inside the human mind. The things that a lot of people like to try to ignore and forget are there. Without such darkness the impact of the story may never have felt as fulfilling and great as it did. Never did I feel that anything was out of place or un-justified.
As a piece of fiction I find it pretty hard to fault. It moves at a brisk pace and keeps you reading until the very end. I read it all in one sitting and by the end I felt like I had been on an amazing journey. Each of the characters are fully fledged out and all have reason for being there. Each is fighting their own issues and each helps drive the story forwards over some highly unexpected ground. Every one of the asylum’s inmates feels different and each works to reveal a different aspect of reason or emotion.
The art is equally brilliant, as each issue/chapter is by a different artist, thus helping with the almost dreamlike state that the book creates. I will say that some of the art is stronger than others in my view, but at the same time I loved all of it and thought that each reflected the situation that the chapters presented in a perfect way. Each artist has their own interpretation of the characters while keeping the core of their looks recognisable. This really adds a punch to the book as we get to watch the characters evolve in front of our eyes.
As a piece of fiction I find it pretty hard to fault. It moves at a brisk pace and keeps you reading until the very end. I read it all in one sitting and by the end I felt like I had been on an amazing journey. Each of the characters are fully fledged out and all have reason for being there. Each is fighting their own issues and each helps drive the story forwards over some highly unexpected ground. Every one of the asylum’s inmates feels different and each works to reveal a different aspect of reason or emotion.
The art is equally brilliant, as each issue/chapter is by a different artist, thus helping with the almost dreamlike state that the book creates. I will say that some of the art is stronger than others in my view, but at the same time I loved all of it and thought that each reflected the situation that the chapters presented in a perfect way. Each artist has their own interpretation of the characters while keeping the core of their looks recognisable. This really adds a punch to the book as we get to watch the characters evolve in front of our eyes.
So it’s pretty easy to see that I really enjoyed the book and I’m happy to say that I would definitely read it again. The book stayed with me long after reading and made me think about a lot of things about the human mind and conditions that some individuals go through. It had a power that I rarely experience when reading books, let alone graphic novels. I am still shocked at how amazing the book was and how I had never heard of it before.
All credit to the creative team for doing such an amazing job and a special credit to Luke Melia, who I believe could easily become the next best thing in comic writing.
All credit to the creative team for doing such an amazing job and a special credit to Luke Melia, who I believe could easily become the next best thing in comic writing.
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