Sunday 25 January 2015

Bibliophilia: Bad Houses – Sara Ryan & Carla Speed McNeil

Bad Houses – Sara Ryan & Carla Speed McNeil

Another example of a graphic novel that tells a seemingly simple, every day story. No one does anything out of the ordinary, has special powers, wears outlandish costumes, etc. And yet it is a really enjoyable read.

Lewis works with his mother curating estate sales.

Anne lives with her mother, a nurse, who we learn is a hoarder.

They live in a logging town in Oregon, one whose glory days, if ever there were any, are fading into memory.


The two meet and a relationship develops.

Several subplots are woven into the main story and at various points you go back to see where elements of the story were subtly introduced. I loved Carla Speed McNeil’s bold but very expressive art. It reminded me a little of Glenn Grant’s work on Mind Theatre.

What seems somewhat prosaic at first, ends up being quite a charming story, about growing up and moving on.

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