This book was so stunning, the illustrations were gorgeous, pulling my full attention to the story. It is a tragic tale of loss, grief, family, and greed. The two sisters lose their bond, separating after their mother's death. Rozenn escapes to the wild, finding solace with the creatures of the Kingdom and the farmers outside of Ys, in the small villages along the coast. But, she leaves her younger sister Dahut to the avarice of the palace, to the whims of the King. Dahut takes up her Mother's mantel, casting magic in order to protect Ys (as the cost of her own innocence). She uses her body to lure men to their deaths, while her father pretends to be unaware of the murders (while he continues to reap the benefits of them). It is also a story of the power and will of men, the greed that pushed Dahut to perform awful acts. She did it thinking it was all that was needed of her, she had no one to show her her worth outside of the magic she performs. Her father's words when she caught him, as a child, with those women inform all her actions and decisions. While she appeared to be a monster, she was only what her father and the people of Ys desired her to be. Her father's love is conditional on what his wife, what his daughter's, are able to give him. It was horrible what happened to Ys and to Dahut, but greed always leads to destruction. Rozenn regrets not having been there for her sister, but realizes now that she must show her responsibility to her people. To protect her people and lead them to be better, she herself must devote herself to her Kingdom. The story will rip your heart apart and the images will stun you into silence. The colours are vibrant at one moment and the next dark, ominous. Often times Rozenn's part is bright, colourful, full of beauty and happiness in the wilds. While Dahut is in a world of colour, but it is muted, all glamour but no substance. Darkness intertwines with the light in the palace. I encourage you, if you enjoy graphic novels, to read this story.
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