THE CRACKLE OF THE FROST: LOVE & DEMONS

The Crackle Of The Frost

The Crackle Of The Frost is a touching graphic novel by Lorenzo Mattotti and Jorge Zentner published by Fantagraphics Books in 2012. It tells a story of a young man Samuel and his partner Alice.

Possessed by his fears and demons Samuel hears voices in his head. Alice wants to start a family but he is not ready. After a major fight she moves out but gets in touch a few months later through a mysterious letter. When Samuel gets on a train to find her there is an accident where his eyesight is affected. Temporarily blind he spends a few months in a hospital. In this time of darkness he gradually becomes ready to confront his girlfriend. But will it work out?

In this amazing graphic novel reality gets mixed up with myths and dreams. The Crackle Of The Frost is a psychological illustration of a complex human condition and a difficult emotional journey.

EYE OF THE MAJESTIC CREATURE - It's All Right To Be Lost

Eye Of The Majestic Creature by Leslie Stein, Photo Agnes Prygiel

"Eye Of The Majestic Creature" is Leslie Stein's debut collection of stories published by Fantagraphics Books in 2011. This beautiful comics novel touched me with its pure honesty.

Larry is a young girl in her 20s looking for her own place in life. Trying to escape busy San Francisco, she moves to the countryside where she hopes to find comfort and peace of mind. Instead she ends up feeling pretty lonely and isolated in a small provisional town which does not have much to offer. When visiting home, she gets mixed up in all the emotional drama and her parents' complicated relationship which is no longer a real part of her own story. Going back to her little cottage is on one hand a relief. On the other it is not a real solution. By some point Larry realizes she needs to move on from her sanctuary and go back to the big city.

In her adventures she is accompanied by her guitar named Marshmallow. An interesting bit is that Marshmallow is like... real. By that I mean that it talks, walks and has its' secret life known only to Larry. Wow! THAT is quirky!

Leslie Stein's graphic novel feels is a bit of a personal memoir. I'm amazed with how much this story is similar to mine. Trying to escape London I ended up living in a small town which somehow does not feel right. When seeing my family and visiting my hometown I realize I just moved on so much it all becomes irrelevant. Trying to connect to the past I am confronted with that there is no real way back. I can only move on. But that turns out to be most difficult, because I just don't know where to turn.

Sometimes doing something is better than not doing anything I suppose. Like Larry I've found my own sanctuary, but it is not a place to stay in forever. I have to make a step. Feeling messed up like I do, I now know I am not the only one who is just looking for something in life and is honest about not having any big answers to some personal questions. It's comforting to realize that being in the process does not mean we are lost. We are changing the world around us little by little.

Children Fiction - Anything Better Than Harry Potter?

Children Fiction is a very entertaining and imaginative form of relaxation for my mind. One would think that children are not very demanding readers, but they are. And so are adults with a bit of a kid's soul. Apart from Harry Potter there are a few other titles worthy of mentioning.

'Un Lun Dun' by China Mieville is one of the best fiction books I have read in a very long time. In my private opinion it is better than 'Harry Potter'. Captivating and mesmerizing, it introduces us to an alternative dimension, London's other side. Everything that is being thrown away in London, finds its' place in Un Lun Dun and forms into an incredible architectural landscape. And so houses are built with the use of old typewriters, vintage radios and broken washing machines. Sun is in the shape of a pretzel. Dustbins are living entities, just like umbrellas and buses. Even words which were a part of forgotten conversations continue their lives as little furry creatures. On a whole it is the British capital's reverse side and some form of a recycled universe.

The ancient holy book of Un Lun Dun predicts the arise of an enemy who will destroy the entire land. The only chance is the help from the Chosen citizen of the real London. And so it happens that the hero who will protect the magical world is a 13-year old Zanna. But as she is not up for the job, who will defend the doomed universe? Can it be someone who not mentioned in the prophecy? And what is a prophecy after all?

Beautiful illustrations make the reading experience even more exciting and move you into an alternative world full of monsters, surprising victories and of course ... magic!
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Text: Maya Persson
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