Equinoxes, Graphic Novel Review
Equinoxes, Author and Illustrations Cyril Pedrosa
Equinoxes by Cyril Pedrosa is an unusual combination of graphic novel and long form prose. It alternates between styles, stories, characters, and seasons as it tells a rather melancholy tale.
The main story of the graphic novel part follows an eldery man who is past the point in his life of being politically active. He wants to simply enjoy the last years he has but his friends and family have larger concerns about an airport being built near their hometown.
I quite liked his character. He is loving and honest but also knows there’s only so much a person can do. He’s past wasting his energy on losing battles. The pictures that go with this story are simple and quaint, just like he is.
Then there are the prose sections. These are very very loosely related to the main story. They seem to be the imagination of a photographer. She takes pictures of strangers she sees out in town and invents whole narratives for them. It’s an interesting strategy to story telling but does not make for a well connected book.
The prose is lovely, it’s well written, please don’t get me wrong. These detours from the main story just drag. The stories are very grounded, her imagination is not wild, which is interesting but sometimes boring. It’s much more an exercise in writing and emotion than it is in conflict. This is especially true since it’s basically just speculation.
The book is told in four sections based on the seasons of the year. However, that seems to be mainly a title and does not have that much more significance to the actual parts of the story. The drawings simply change in their weather. It’s symbolic of… something… I’m sure. But whatever the allegory is doesn’t land.
Equinoxes is one of those books that I respect more than I actually enjoy. I appreciate any experimentation with form and I appreciate the originality. I definitely give Equinoxes bonus points for thinking outside the box. It just wasn’t very entertaining and didn’t really leave a lasting impression on my memory.
I would read more by this author though, creativity goes a long way for me. Equinoxes is a relatively short read so it’s certainly worth a shot. You may resonate more with one of the characters or experiences than I did. I imagine that’s what is required to bring this book to the next level.
If you read it please let me know what stood out to you and stays in your memory.
3/5 seasons 🌸🍁❄
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Buy it here: Equinoxes