The Leaning Girl TPPublisher: Alaxis Press
Release Date: March 2014
Price: $29.99
Creators: Francois Schuiten and Benoit Peeters
Format: 176 pgs., 9" x 11.5," Black & White, Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-6284-7227-1
Age Rating: N/A
ICv2 Rating: 3 stars out of 5
While an artistic treat, the story in this graphic novel is brutally surreal, involving multiple worlds with varying laws of physics, all interacting in ways that only make sense on an occasional basis. In addition, it uses the distancing device of claiming to be derived from correspondence with the real version of the main character.
Part of the tale of this book's publication is the use of Kickstarter to fund this American edition. As such, some of the audience that really wants this book has already bought it.
The book alternates between excellent pen-and-ink and very strange photographic segments. As the story gradually unfolds, the connection between these two realities becomes more clear, but remains unsatisfying.
The book will appeal to readers of other surrealist graphic stories, such as the more outrageous tales from Heavy Metal. Others may bog down at the point where the tale stops making sense, but if you can ignore that medium-sized obstacle, the visual appeal of the tale will keep you going. Sadly, the afterword was another obstacle, since it adds more questions than it resolves.
The Leaning Girl is visually stunning, but the story did not match the quality of the artwork, at least not if you are looking for a complete story. The ideas behind the graphics are brilliant, but even this excellent artist had trouble consistently conveying the odd effects of the varying pulls of gravity on the lead character.
For adults and art students.
--Nick Smith: Library Technician, Community Services, for the Pasadena Public Library in California