The Deep

 The Deep by Rivers Solomon, 166 pages.

This novella, based on a song of the same name, follows a society living far below the waves, made up of the descendants of pregnant women thrown off of slave ships. The Wajinru are a people who live in the moment, free of their own traumatic origins; all save the historian, who holds the memory of their whole people. The current historian, Yetu, is being destroyed by the weight of the memories, and her desperation will cause a reckoning for her whole people. 

The audiobook for this book is read by Daveed Diggs, who is also part of the group that wrote the song it is based on, which was itself inspired by earlier work by a group called Drexciya. I believe it is this collaborative history that helps lend quite a lot of depth and complexity to a fairly short book. The plot is sometimes a little difficult to follow (which may have been made worse for me by the audiobook format), but the ideas are compelling enough to make it definitely worthwhile nonetheless. 

As an aside, this was the first time I had heard Daveed Diggs' voice since I was very into the musical Hamilton many years ago, which was a slightly uncanny experience. 

The Manor of Dreams

The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li, 352 pages

After years of solitude in her secluded mansion, Oscar-winning Chinese American actress Vivian Yin has died. Her daughters and granddaughter have arrived at their matriarch's home for the reading of the will — and so has the daughter of Vivian's longtime housekeeper, to whom the actress leaves the house. Upset at this unexpected turn of events, Vivian's daughters are determined to keep the house that they believe should be theirs, and all interested parties refuse to leave until the others do. But after just a few days in the house, odd things are happening — strange noises and visions, unexplained injuries and anger, and perhaps most disturbing, plants and soil seem to be growing into the house at a rapid pace, grabbing at the temporary residents and then disappearing again.

Based on the description of this book, it felt like it should be a spooky gothic horror novel, full of generational trauma and atmospheric creepiness. Unfortunately, while it had a lot of the ingredients, it didn't seem to be fully mixed and baked. With rare exceptions, the five modern characters were kinda bland and hard to distinguish, though the flashbacks to Vivian's youth were more vibrant and compelling. It was also lacking in the uneasy atmosphere that's necessary in horror novels, especially gothic haunted house tales. So the idea and the individual elements were good, but the execution was just OK.

*This book will be published May 6, 2025.

A selection of March graphic novels

 Alice Guy: First Lady of Film by Jose-Louis Bocquet with art by Catel Muller (2021) 400 pages

I have read several graphic biographies. They are often fairly slim and only highlight a few moments from the person's life. This one has over 300 pages to graphically tell the story of Alice Guy's life. Her childhood was fascinating and international. The episodes showing her early positions as stenographer/secretary does not ignore the sexism of the male workforce. Her work relationship with Gaumont who takes a photography shop in Paris into the emerging, innovative motion picture industry was stern, but supportive. Rather than documenting events or making magic trick films, Alice had ideas for fictional films and directed many, many herself, though only a few still survive. In the early days of film people were already experimenting with synchronized sound. Alice directed several early "music videos" too. She meets and works with Herbert Blaché who would become her husband. They go to America. They have two kids. He is unfaithful. They found their own film studio. She continues directing, but then fortunes turn. It is brief, but still fairly detailed in tracing her later life. The writer then provides 75 pages of a timeline and biographical notes. Overall an excellent book.

Guardian of Fukushima by Fabien Grolleau with art by Ewen Blain (2021) 144 pages

I also read the free comic book day preview a couple years ago and it stuck in my mind. I enjoyed reading the full graphic novel. The mythological elements mixed with the true story works well. The writing and the art complement each other so well. As the bonus material at the end sums up, it was a triple tragedy of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster at Fukushima in 2011. Naoto Matsumura caring for all the pets and farm animals left behind in the irradiated zone is so heartwarming. Based on the preview, I expected more of the story to be about the day to day life of caring for these living creatures that share our home. The final chapter actually involves Naoto being a spokesperson campaigning for less reliance on dangerous nuclear power.

The Library Mule of Cordoba by Wilfred Lupano with art by Leonard Chemineau (2021) 263 pages

Since I work in a library, you might expect this is right up my alley. You'd be right. I loved this comic adventure. I mean comic as in funny haha. Historical fiction with well-drawn characters. The twists and turns that the three heroes and the mule encounter on their journey/escape kept surprising me. Zealots in Cordoba in the late 900s begin burning books that do not fit their interpretation of religious texts. A librarian and two assistant copyists escape with about 100 books overloaded on a stubborn mule, the worst mule in the world. Cunning misadventures boosted by knowledge from these books helps the escapees survive and narrowly avoid capture or death. The storytelling is complex with multiple flashbacks and details about the time period. I think this was planned as a complete work, not separate issues/chapters that were later bound together. The art is incredibly emotive and humorous. The writer and artist obviously love books, and knowledge, and libraries. There is a fantastic afterword with a bit more history too.

The Outside Circle: A Graphic Novel by Patti Laboucane-Benson with art by Kelly Mellings (2015) 128 pages

The art work took awhile to grow on me. The Outside Circle is about indigenous/aboriginal men from broken homes in Canada. Once the main character Pete is in the prison infirmary and the In Search of Your Warrior program is offered as rehabilitation the story really takes off. The writer is a researcher of native counselling services in Alberta, so this is a real service she wants to share with the world. The men, many with gang affiliation, learn about their roots and learn to break generational trauma from residential schools and families being torn apart. There is a symbolic use of masks throughout. Pete imagines a mask covering his face when he uses violence. Later, the Warrior program has the men make plaster masks of their faces to contemplate their true inner person as they near graduation. Pete finds the strength to stop his gang involvement and reconnects with his younger brother, an uncle he never knew, and a daughter he had rejected. It is uplifting and inspirational.

Thistlefoot

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott, 435 pages

So I first read this book in 2022, and loved it and blogged about it then, particulary noting that I could see using this Baba Yaga story of generational trauma and magical powers for Orcs & Aliens. And whaddaya know, that's just what we did this month! It was a great book discussion, and one of the more even-keeled Baba Yaga tales around.

(Also, I would LOVE to see this author live, as she apparently brings puppets, which is a vital part of the story, to all of her author visits.)