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A review by otterno11
Only Skin - New Tales of the Slow Apocalypse by Sean Ford
2.0
Well, Only Skin definitely wasn’t what I expected. Of course, I didn’t really have any expectations to begin with as I started this atmospheric graphic novel, but if I did, I don’t think this would be it. I’d initially grabbed this one from the library on the basis of its subtitle, intrigued by the idea of a “slow apocalypse.” The quietly building sense of menace, of some looming and inexplicable threat hanging just over the horizon, evoked this well, but in the end I was left unsure how the theme actually played into the story. Despite the intriguing premise, it didn’t quite deliver and felt a little disjointed throughout.
Only Skin follows Cassie and her little brother Clay as they return to their rural hometown after her estranged father’s mysterious disappearance (along with many other townspeople). With the help of Paul, a local with problems of his own, they reluctantly confront the hidden violence of the town, along with a mysterious cartoon ghost that has been appearing to Clay.
I enjoyed the art, simplistic but expressive, suiting the oppressive, creepy atmosphere, but the characters’ feelings seemed too often to be kept at arm's length. The ending comes out of nowhere (aside from a few hints) and seems a little at odds with the more slow paced mystery that most of the novel consists of. In fact, it seems a little anticlimactic and everything just kind of peters out in the conclusion. I’d be interested in seeing any further exploration of this world.
Only Skin follows Cassie and her little brother Clay as they return to their rural hometown after her estranged father’s mysterious disappearance (along with many other townspeople). With the help of Paul, a local with problems of his own, they reluctantly confront the hidden violence of the town, along with a mysterious cartoon ghost that has been appearing to Clay.
I enjoyed the art, simplistic but expressive, suiting the oppressive, creepy atmosphere, but the characters’ feelings seemed too often to be kept at arm's length. The ending comes out of nowhere (aside from a few hints) and seems a little at odds with the more slow paced mystery that most of the novel consists of. In fact, it seems a little anticlimactic and everything just kind of peters out in the conclusion. I’d be interested in seeing any further exploration of this world.