JUNKWRAITH by Ellinor Richey (Top Shelf Comix, release January 18, 2022) Softcover graphic novel, full-color with 3" French flaps, 6.5" x 9" (portrait format)
JUNKWRAITH is a coming-of-age young adult graphic novel like no other. There are plenty of messages/lessons woven within the story to inspire young people confused about their identity and place/purpose in the world. However, rather than preachy or on-the-nose they are so subtle that readers pouring through this quick, compelling story could easily miss them.
Despite the length of the story (282 pages) JUNKWRAITH can easily be read at one sitting. Due to its' quickly nature and the vivid imagination of Swedish writer/artist Ellinor Richey it drives readers to keep turning pages to see which fork in the road the story will take next. The art style is very different and attention-grabbing, as is the creative use of color schemes.
Young 15-year old Flo Sato is a troubled character any young reader who's been pressured into doing something by dominating parents will immediately empathize with.
Flo is an only child of dysfunctional parents (pretending it's a happy marriage), dominating their daughter's free time and coercing her to participate in skill competitions in order to live out their hopes and dreams for them.
She's part of a youth skating team but not very confident of her abilities and not very good (in comparison to other team members, some whom she considers close friends). On the eve of a competition, Flo has a bad practice and is laughed at by her teammates. This leads to her walking away and leaving the ice rink, disposing of her skates in a trash bin on the streets. Feeling betrayed by one of her friends on the team (Zoe), she seeks sympathy from her futuristic smart phone - - Frank, a "juju", an artificial intelligence encased within a tabletop Humpty Dumpty eggshell frame that also provides lamplight.
On the street, she meets a police detective (who reappears later in the story, and actually is more concerned about her welfare than her parents) who informs her that disposing of possessions releases a "junkwraith", a ghostlike presence that haunts and seeks revenge for the neglected skates. The ghost grabs Flo's arm and leaves an eye-shaped tattoo that can't be removed.
Flo is locked in her room by her unhappy parents, escapes through an upper floor window and retreats to the public library to research junk wraiths. There she meets a friendly librarian who tells a story of exploring the "wasteland" and gives her a map. The rest of the novel details Flo's journeys into this fantasy land looking for the "cave of recovery".
Before the story ends Flo finds herself and obtains new purpose/confidence with a happy ending. Surprisingly her parents are absent from the rest of the story. However, her friend Zoe does regret shaming Flo and begins a search for her, with the help of the police detective.
Before the story ends Flo finds herself and obtains new purpose/confidence with a happy ending. Surprisingly her parents are absent from the rest of the story. However, her friend Zoe does regret shaming Flo and begins a search for her, with the help of the police detective.
It's easy to get caught up in the adventures and miss the subtle messages (including environmental concerns). JUNKWRAITH is also a bit haphazard in story-telling, perhaps the result of the translation to English that may have resulted in some confusing or unexplained scenes/events. I'm hoping that young readers will not be discouraged by that, because at it's root JUNKWRAITH is a very warm and friendly story.
I received an advance review digital copy from the publisher without obligation; and this review is completely voluntary.
No comments:
Post a Comment