Blue in Green, Graphic Novel Review

Blue in Green by author Ram V., Illustrations Anand R. K.

Blue in Green is a graphic novel that blends family drama, the strife of an artist, and horror all together into a nightmare wonderland tragedy. It’s a truly interesting blend of genres and motifs that will catch your attention. The art will also catch your eye.

Let’s start there, the art. It’s incredible. It’s a combination of rough and hurried pencil painted over with vibrant colors.

It’s aggressive, violent, and startling. But at times it’s more relaxed and quite beautiful. It honestly looks like the artist painted his synesthesia visions while listening to jazz. The art alone guarantees that this book could never go below 3/5 stars.

However, the prose is another story. The words clumsily walk the line between poetic and pretentious. I could never really tell how I felt about the style. All I know is it always felt superfluous.

For example is this passage, “the house is quiet through the day. Swathed in a kind of loitering, wandering, silence–abandoned to its deferred grief after one night of condolences.” The whole graphic novel is written that way. In my opinion, its a practice in excess and smacks heavily of trying to justify a masters degree in english.

Despite the style the story is quite good. It’s about a man who goes home for his mother’s funeral. He never became the great musician he had hoped to be and is having trouble facing everyone without the “right” accomplishments. That is, until a mystery photograph among his mother’s belongings sends him down a dark and unexpected path.

Without spoiling it I’ll just say that I really liked the ending and I think it fits the story.

Blue in Green is largely about what it takes to be great. It is not possible to be a great musician and also have a family. Music requires everything. Art requires everything. In order to be great you have to sacrifice everything.

I’ve seen this theme before and I’m usually impressed by it. If you’ve seen the far too underrated movie Whiplash you’ll know what I’m talking about. Music is an unforgiving master and it will cause you harm, you have to decide if it’s worth it.

Blue in Green adds in elements of supernatural horror to help intensify the menace that is the muse. I think it really works conceptually and in graphic novel format it really shines.

Blue in Green is a special kind of book that picks just the right medium to tell a unique story. If I were to re-read it I’d love to accompany it with a jazz soundtrack, if anyone has any recommendations let me know!

If you’re a true fan of music or have ever been captured by the muse before, this book is for you.

4/5 saxophones 🎷🎷🎷🎷

If you like Blue in Green you might also like Upgrade Soul

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Buy it here: Blue In Green