illustrated

LOVE volume 3: THE LION by Frederic Brremaud and Federico Bertolucci

Pub Date: 12th July 2016 by Magnetic Press and Diamond Book Distributors

Thank you, Brremaud, Bertolucci and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The third volume in the lavishly illustrated series of wildlife graphic novels, each following a single central animal through an adventurous day in their natural environment. Each tale depicts genuine natural behavior through the dramatic lens of Disney-esque storytelling, like a nature documentary in illustration. Both heartwarming and heartbreaking, this volume focuses on a solitary Lion as it wanders the plains of Africa, handling the daily hunt, and vicious rivalry, without a Pride of its own.

The circle of Life takes center stage in a world where predator and prey trade places on a regular basis, and Family is something worth fighting — and dying — for. This exciting tale, written by Frederic Brremaud, is told without narration or dialogue, conveyed entirely through the beautiful illustrations of Federico Bertolucci. A beautiful, powerful tale of survival in the animal kingdom that explores the all-too-identifiable, universal concepts of Life, Courage, Aging, and ultimately Love.

It felt like a I was reading a beautifully illustrated David Attenborough documentary! And i mean that as a positive thing! Not one word of text is used to tell the story. But the detailed and dramatic illustrations over the eighty pages tells us the story perfectly.

We open to a pride of Lions, moving on to follow a particular Cub, let’s call him Brian. We see Brian grow up fighting to survive. We survey the land and all the other creatures with Brian as he wanders alone. We get to see a wide array of animals go through their day to day lives. The story comes full circle when Brian returns to the pride he came from and challenges the leader.

I have to say that I enjoyed the Love: The Fox more, but that’s because it had a happy ending. Reality very really has a happy ending, which is why this graphic novel feels more like a documentary rather than Disney’s the Lion king. It was truthful and tragically beautiful. Ah and so continues the circle of life. Four “I really enjoyed it “Stars

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Take one politely stubborn and opinionated young girl. Add an overactive imagination. Shake in a heavy mix of puzzling and bizarre guides. Reduce all morals and lessons to the nonsensical degree and send it all on a journey to nowhere…

These are the ingredients that Lewis Carroll combined to create a fairy tale unlike any another. Dynamite is proud to present for all ages The Complete Alice in Wonderland; the most vivid adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s genre bursting tale of young Alice and her adventures in Wonderland. It contains Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and the LOST chapter form Looking Glass “The Wasp in a Wig!”

Join Alice on her whimsical journey down the rabbit hole. From her initial meeting with the White Rabbit in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, to her final dinner party with the entire (and outrageous) Through the Looking Glass cast, every moment of Alice’s adventures in that astonishing landscape is captured in gorgeous detail. With old favorites like the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter joined now by a long-forgotten Carroll creation, The Wasp, in one of the book’s latter chapters, children and adults alike can rediscover the complete Alice tale and fall in love with Wonderland all over again!Published on the 19th April 2016, The Complete Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll adapted by Leah Moore and John Reppion, illustrated by Erica Awano. GOODREADS

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for a an honest review, THANK YOU.

* * * MY THOUGHTS * * *

Lech Moore, John Reppion and Erica Awano have adapted Lewis Carroll’s super famous work and pulled off a marvelous job. Ah, The wonderfully ridiculous adventures of Alice. The adapted story follows well and nothing feels like it is missing. I could see this adaptation appealing to the younger readers much more than the penguin classic version.

The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that while the pictures are extremely beautiful, they weren’t vibrant enough for me. I remember Wonderland as an over the top adventure land filled with ridiculousness and flamboyant colors.The copy I own of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a penguin classic, text only. So I assume I just imagined everything to be super bright and colorful. I found myself thinking; is it because of the movie adaptions that I assumed it was a bright and colorful world? At the back of this book there is an interview with the authors talking about how they purposely used original Alice illustrations as references. Oops, my imagination was off.

I love Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, but felt like Though The Looking Glass wasn’t quite as good. I don’t think that’s because of the adaptation, I think that is because of the original. Admittedly I’ve never read Though The Looking Glass, but I’ve read in multiple reviews that it doesn’t stand out like the first book and that it’s a little bit darker and even stranger. I do intent to read the original Through The Looking Glass one day.

I think this edition would be a wonderful way to introduce someone to Alice in the written word and for anyone who wants to enjoy Wonderland without the long poetry pieces.

RIOT’S REDEMPTION

Sharing my poetry, personal experiences and book reviews since 2013

Review: Love, The Lion by Brremaud and Bertolucci

Review: The Complete Alice in Wonderland by Carroll adapted by Moore & Reppion