Often times in Hero's stories it is women who betray other women, which is a very important lesson, that women must stick together, hold each other up, to defeat the terrible patriarchy they live in. While the women are often reported on by other women, or even themselves, it is the men who decide their fates and carry out the harsh punishments. It is men who create the laws and make women mistrustful of each other, fearful of each other and jealous of each other. Men do this out of fear of the power of these women, of their learning, of their stories, of their banding together. For, when women work together and support each other goodness and love shine through, their power is stronger than any other force and their love more beautiful. Such an emotional and touching story that broke my heart, but also filled it to the brim with hope. The artwork is breath taking. Simple, yet with the right amount of detail and the colouring amplifies the story. Red is symbolic of hate, power, corruption (the horror behind murder, behind judgement and behind the Beaked Brothers, religious followers of the BirdMan God). Yellow portrays hope, strength, love and loyalty. Throughout the storytelling yellow light slowly begins to shine on Manfred, as he is enveloped in the story, making the reader believe he is being altered by the telling. Blue is shown in both moments of comfort and fear, brought forward to reflect opposites. A soft blue for Cherry and Hero as they lean on each other and cuddle each other, or a deep, dark blue for Minnerie (who feels fear, remorse, sadness and despair). Light plays a large part in the graphic novel, it it shed by the three moons (women of power) and banishes darkness. Light often is symbolic of women, while darkness is symbolic of men and the Beaked Brothers. Darkness is men and monsters, light is women, the moons, the stars and love. I honestly loved this graphic novel so much, with nods to folk tales like the 12 dancing princesses, and following the format of Arabian Nights and the storytelling of Scheherazade. Weaving fact and fiction, truth and tale, stories and reality. The stories do not shy away from horrific or sad endings, and tends to be more truthful than beautiful. I encourage everyone to read this incredible, poignant and important book. The story may be written in a fictional past Early Earth, but it is relevant to the problems facing women today. Who would not root for Cherry and Hero, these cunning, smart, resourceful, caring and loving women?
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