The illustrations in this graphic novel are quirky but beautiful. They have a manga feel to them, but are also distinctly different. The youngest child's imagination is shown in bright colours, some of the only times colour is used within the book, and seems dreamlike. He also sees himself, his brother, and his brother's friend as robots on a mission. The rest of the book is mostly black and white line art, with detailed depth. There are other instances of colour, but they usually are for single panel, full page illustrations, that appear when the children come face to face with something fantastic and awe inspiring. Often, something both beautiful and terrifying. The full page colour illustrations dazzle and bewilder with the grandeur of the scene, the otherworldliness (for example: when the children finally meet the woman spirit draped in her spiders). These kids have found themselves in the middle of a battle between the forest spirits of a former husband and wife, the woman seeking vengeance on the man for keeping them in a dangerous forest and not believing her when she asked to leave for safety. The kids are oblivious to all of this, shocked and worried for their lives, with no real understanding of what is going on around them. They continue along their dangerous path, almost willing to accept that they are now in some strange woods, following along when told to ride a certain beast, running headfirst into danger. More than anything the older two seem more angry than scared, and the youngest appears to fit in quite well in the forest. The graphic novel was confusing at times and I found it a bit odd how the two kids would follow this other child into an unknown forest. But, I suppose kids are prone to danger when it also means adventure. It was fun and dark, twisty and at times kind of cute, but I felt at times the narrative left a little too much up to the reader to decipher. Also, I was shocked by the ending when the story so adamantly talks about how the forest, once it has its hold of you, refuses to give you up. I loved the nod at the end to Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendack. This graphic novel was very much an adventure novel where the creatures could be both friendly and deadly. The forest could 'eat you up', if you are not careful. A very good novel for an imaginative child, or adult.
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