Celeste- Graphic Novel Review
I remember buying this book upon its release in 2014 as I was a bit of a fan of I. N. J. Culbard due to his excellent work on bringing the tales of H. P. Lovecraft to life in graphic novel form. I do remember reading it at the time and feeling a bit blank, the graphic novel hadn't impressed me and I didn't know why. So, 8 years after the fact, I decided to revisit and re-evaluate it
Narratively, it's a difficult book to summarise as so much is to do with the mood and tone of the book, rather than the actual plot. However, I'll try my best; after a floating blossom from space enters the Earth, most of the people in the world vanish without reason. The few people who interacted with the blossom are left behind and try to figure out what is going on as well as establish a new purpose in life. The three characters, a girl with albinism in London, a businessman in California and a Tokyo cartoonist all lead their now consequence-free life, but is it really living?
Much like other great sci-fi stories, Celeste asks many questions without providing any answers. Rather, the author leaves it up to the reader to formulate their own meaning. Is this all actually happening or are the three characters sharing a collective dream brought about by their isolation in the real world or mental health? It reminds me of the work of David Lynch, John Boorman or David Lowery, dreamlike logic applies to real world scenarios where tone is king.
Visually, Culbard is a master craftsman, creating beautiful imagery that creates a vibe which is meditative and reflective. I read the book in about 25 minutes, so it's a quick read as it is a very visual story, but the questions it asks about the lives we lead and our sense of isolation definitely make it a worthwhile pick-up.