Double Feature: Youth by Curt Pires, Alex Diotto, Dee Cunniffe, and Micah Myers. Hansel & Gretel by Neil Gaiman and Loreenzo Mattotti: a review

It’s been a while since I’ve done a little double feature. I’m still making my way through a reading slump, but I’ve got to keep up the good work. I figured that a little bit of short fiction would help me through, especially seeing as how in a few weeks I’ll be giving you the review for quite a rather thick book.

            First up, we have Youth by Curt Pires, Alex Diotto, Dee Cunniffe, and Micah Myers. It’s a coming-of-age graphic novel telling the story of two queer runaways. They want to escape their closed-minded hometown and make their way to California. On the way there, things take a turn, and their lives change forever.

            I love the way that sexuality is handled in this. While it’s a key feature, what with the protagonists trying to escape bigotry, but it still just feels like a coming-of-age story. I’m not sure how to explain myself here, but they just behave how any other teens do in books like this, but as it happens, there’s a queer element to it. It balances hard hitting explorations of identity with the issues that all teenagers face incredibly well.

            However, this does, arguably, fall into the trap of the bury your gays trope, but I’m not sure I want to tarnish it with that brush. I don’t think you can just say, well a queer character died so it’s using the bury your gays trope. I don’t know how I feel about the death in this book, and I think I’d have to spend a lot more time with it to really figure that one out.

            The way colour and light are used in the artwork of this book are just incredible. They enhance the story in such a great way, and give the whole book such a nostalgic feel to it. It feels like a daydream at times.

            I definitely recommend this book, and I’m certain that I’ll come back to it someday. It’s something that I’m certain benefits from multiple reads. I found it at Burnley Library, and I do think I’ll be looking for my own copy.

 

Next up, we have Hansel & Gretel by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Lorenzo Mattotti. It’s a faithful adaptation of the classic fairy tale, so I’m not so sure I need to put the plot down here.

            I mean, like I said, it’s a really faithful adaptation, with little to no deviation. I hoped for a few more hints of Gaiman’s voice in there. He’s a wonderful children’s author (look at Coraline) but never shies away from the grotesque in any of his books, and it almost felt like this was missing a little bit of that for me.

            I loved the illustrations. They hit that spooky gothic tone so well. It almost reminded me of the art in Barking by Lucy Sullivan which I reviewed a few weeks ago. I’d come back to this book just for that.

            Don’t get me wrong, this is a great adaptation with wonderful art, but I don’t think I’m likely to be coming back to it. If you’re looking for a nice copy of the story, then this edition is really bleeding nice. It’s also available at Burnley Library.