ANYA'S GHOST review

(Review by Melody Werner)
Anya's Ghost is a 2011 original graphic novel published by First Second. A paranormal coming of age story by Russian cartoonist Vera Brosgol. It's about high schooler Anya, who falls into a haunted well, and the events which follow. I found this at my local library, along with the March trilogy and others. I was interested already by the publisher (whom I have been looking into submitting proposals to before), then I saw that Neil Gaiman and Scott McCloud, industry legends, had praised it heavily (effective cover/back cover quotes 101). I'd seen it before online, but decided to read it while at the library. Having read it in the span of an hour or so this Monday (at time of writing), I have to say it's quite the read.

Some may take umbrage with the simplistic, greyscale, and cartoonish aesthetic, but I quite liked it. The faces especially are emotive and comedic, when appropriate. It's simple, but very effective. It may not be as bombastic as something David Finch may put out or as colorfully sadistic as Skottie Young's work on I Hate Fairyland, but Brosgol's artwork is thematic and nice to look at. I'm traditionally a more digital reader, and when it comes to reading books which I have in my hands, I find it much less forgivable if they flow poorly in terms of visuals. Thankfully, Anya's Ghost holds up well in this regard, with everything reading in the common sense "left to right, up to down" way everyone reads, with minimal things placed in weird ways in some vain attempt at style over readability. Character designs are simplistic, but maybe a bit too much--some characters (namely the ghost and Anya's friend) I mistook for being male at first as I didn't think they were very clear with it.

Narratively, AG at first seems rote and run of the mill, with a straightforward premise. However, it deviates and shifts its paradigm multiple times throughout the story. Constantly keeping it fresh and spontaneous, and also very compelling. This is helped along by the fascinating cast of characters who show much depth and life. Everyone major feels fleshed out, relatable, and interesting. The character development is also a highlight, as Anya's journey from start to finish feels natural. Too many times, stories will forsake character development, and not doing that serves this book well.

Anya's Ghost also has a comedic edge, as it is pretty humorous and left me consistently grinning. The dialogue is sharp and well written, unlike the first few pages of another First Second OGN I tried (but could not get into), Curses! Foiled Again. It helps the characters actually feel more like people and less like splotches of ink. The conclusion left me wanting more, as I really enjoyed reading this, but also satisfied to see a great story well wrapped up and self-contained.

Anya's Ghost is a brilliant book and one I highly recommend trying. It's certainly worthy of the title "graphic novel", as it feels like more than just a TPB collection or an episodic graphic novel series--this is a one and done story which I think is well worth supporting. If people want something new, something different, then Anya's Ghost is that. Anya's Ghost gets a 9.5/10.

Must-read

Summary:
An exceptional OGN with a lively cast of characters, breathtaking character development, excellent plot, great art, strong comedy, and witty dialogue.

(originally posted: 8/16/2017)