M.T Anderson’s enthralling storytelling and Andrea Offermann’s evocative illustrations transport the reader to the age of the Knights of the Round Table in this rich graphic novel. The narrative follows the formula of an epic tale, following a hero’s journey and his many conquests as he fights to retain his honour and regain his love. The novel’s theme of love and hate existing as one is bittersweet and highlighted by expressive and symbolic artwork.
Translated from Chrétien De Troyes’ Yvain, le Chevalier au Lion written eight centuries ago, it is truly a treat to have such a classic and timeless tale printed in the modern format of a graphic novel. Offermann’s illustrations are done primarily in ink and watercolour; this use of traditional materials feels like a nod to the medieval age and keeps a certain integrity that wouldn’t have been present if it had been entirely digital. The artwork makes the story come to life, with thoughtful character designs and colour symbolism. The fight scenes are especially powerful, with every panel dynamic and exciting.
Yvain challenges the idea of a hero and what is really means to have honour. The protagonist is not without flaw, and no matter how hard he tries to do the right thing, he sometimes makes the wrong choice, bringing him greater misfortune but never causing him to lose sight of what’s important to him. Yvain is the sort of hero that, while you might not agree with all of his decisions, you can’t help but root for him. Despite having his own motivations, he doesn’t let that get in the way of helping those who need him, leading him into some interesting quests and keeping the reader enthralled.
Yvain is an excellent read for all ages; there’s an equal balance of dialogue and action scenes, complete with charming narration, and of course the wonderfully rough and rugged illustrations that create an enchanting fantasy world that’s easy to get lost in. It’s an exciting and accessible way to read a tale from the world of King Arthur and Lady Guinevere.
Hunting Prince Dracula is a wonderfully haunting and cleverly crafted mystery novel from Kerri Maniscalco, author of Stalking Jack the Ripper. The novel, which involves the same characters from the aforementioned story, instead follows Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her close companion Thomas Creswell as they travel to Romania to enrol in a forensics course held …
Elizabeth Murmur is moving with her unusual friend Zenobia to Witheringe House, the place where her dad grew up with his sister Tourmaline. Zenobia loves it and is convinced that there is a Spirit Presence in the East Wing, where they are forbidden to go. She tries to contact it using a book on clairvoyance, …
With the arrival of the new Netflix series, now is a perfect time to sink your teeth into Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. This series is unique and one of my favourites; Snicket’s narration is satirical, morbid and hilarious all at once, and although he will warn you many times that the books …
‘The Gilded Ones’, an action-packed new fantasy series from début author Namina Forna, follows the story of a young female named Deka, who lives in the West-African-inspired society of Otera, in which women live to be of service to men, and their roles in everyday life are grounded in misogyny. For Deka, reaching a certain …
The Bronze Key is the third instalment in the Magisterium series. Picking up a year after book three (The Copper Gauntlet), Callum and his best friends are now entering the third year of their magical training. Callum has now revealed the truth about his soul to his close friends, as well as his frenemy Jasper …
GHOST BIRD follows the tale of Aboriginal twins Laney and Stacey, who grew up in their lower-middle-class rural Australian town. Their idyllic life, however, is thrown for a curveball when Laney mysteriously goes missing after going out with her friends. Through a bizarre series of premonitions that fringe on the supernatural, Stacey becomes obsessed with …
Book Review – Yvain, The Knight of the Lion
Translated from Chrétien De Troyes’ Yvain, le Chevalier au Lion written eight centuries ago, it is truly a treat to have such a classic and timeless tale printed in the modern format of a graphic novel. Offermann’s illustrations are done primarily in ink and watercolour; this use of traditional materials feels like a nod to the medieval age and keeps a certain integrity that wouldn’t have been present if it had been entirely digital. The artwork makes the story come to life, with thoughtful character designs and colour symbolism. The fight scenes are especially powerful, with every panel dynamic and exciting.
Yvain challenges the idea of a hero and what is really means to have honour. The protagonist is not without flaw, and no matter how hard he tries to do the right thing, he sometimes makes the wrong choice, bringing him greater misfortune but never causing him to lose sight of what’s important to him. Yvain is the sort of hero that, while you might not agree with all of his decisions, you can’t help but root for him. Despite having his own motivations, he doesn’t let that get in the way of helping those who need him, leading him into some interesting quests and keeping the reader enthralled.
Yvain is an excellent read for all ages; there’s an equal balance of dialogue and action scenes, complete with charming narration, and of course the wonderfully rough and rugged illustrations that create an enchanting fantasy world that’s easy to get lost in. It’s an exciting and accessible way to read a tale from the world of King Arthur and Lady Guinevere.
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