Alone by Chabouté (Graphic Novel Review)

Contemplative, quiet, yet gripping and moving.

A deformed man is born, raised, and living in a lighthouse. He’s never left. Never set foot on land. His only link to the outside world are the boxes of supplies a couple of fishermen bring to the dock every week. The keeper stays out of sight, and spends most of his time fishing and thumbing through his dictionary. The book brings flashes of imagination. The words on the page and the images in his mind do not always equate to the actual noun: person, place, thing, or idea. The Oboe. An instrument with holes and keys.

The keeper’s fear himself and the possibility of contact with the outside world, yet there is a hand, an idea in his head, reaching out.

400 pages. And maybe 100 words. You can read it in half an hour. But, I guarantee you will slow down and savor the illustrations. From the vivid imaginations to the gulls diving to the sea, Chabouté stark black and white drawings grip and pull the reader.

If you are looking for an artistic and moving story, Alone is a gem.

Recommended.