CROSSOVER SUNDAY
The Complete Essex County by Jeff LemireMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
CROSSOVER SUNDAY
"Where does a young boy turn when his whole world suddenly disappears? What could change two brothers from an unstoppable team into a pair of bitterly estranged loners? How does the work of one middle-aged nurse reveal the scars of an entire community ?... " Cover Blurb
My Goal with crossover sunday is to encourage people to look at the some times overwhelming world of illustrated fiction. Jeff Lemire's book Essex County is a gem in this field.
Essex County is a province of Ontario Canada. Through three interconnected volumes you are introduced to Lester a young boy dealing with the loss of one family and akwardly trying to connect with his new one.
The second volume takes us to toronto 1951 and the story of Lou and Vince. In this volume you get a real sense of the canadian tradition of Hockey. The two brothers find success on the Toronto Grizzlies until one act seperates them for over 25 years.
In the third volume we learn the origins of Annie Byrne a traveling nurse who appers in all three volumes. As the history of her ancestors unfold so do secrets that involve Lester,Vince and Lou and annie herself.
What I loved most about this volume were the small touches that gave me a sense of Canadaian life. The focus of this volume though are the characters. The choices and mistakes they make are not foreign in nature but extremely human. The secrets we hide can create rifts and distances that are heartbreaking. Jeff Lemire is that wonderful combination of writer and artist. His art style is distinctive but does not distract from the story. He can portray so much with a simple image and silence. I Highly recommend this book! Jeff also has two other amazing books The Nobody and Sweet Tooth
View all my reviews >>
Comments