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A review by thewordsdevourer
Hypericum by Manuele Fior
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC
Unfortunately, I did not particularly enjoy this graphic novel. While Hypericum attempts to frame its narrative and explore its themes through the two interconnecting storylines of the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb and an early 2000s upcoming exhibition of the aforementioned tomb in Berlin, in my opinion the effect lands quite flat as the overall story seems to exist in a vacuum, bereft of any other connections or real examination of both the before and after of the events and characters.
I was not moved or affected by the story as I did not feel connected to any of the characters, even the main ones such as Teresa or Ruben. I did not learn much about them as characters, and thus did not care what happened to them. The main so-called romance of the two characters - rather than romantic - comes off as puzzling and befuddingly spontaneous. What do those two see in one another? Why should I care about their relationship when even Teresa herself acknowledges that she knows nothing about Ruben? Throughout the book, the couple viscillates between making love and breaking off, but it is not even ezplained how they get back together in the end. I also thought Fior's approach to Teresa a bit weird and at least mildly objectifying.
The art, however, is pleasant especially when it comes to the scenes in Egypt and Berlin's metropolitan architecture, and I admire how Fior is able to paint the novel wholly in watercolor especially in so much detail. Overall, this graphic novel is good visually but not so much story-wise.
Unfortunately, I did not particularly enjoy this graphic novel. While Hypericum attempts to frame its narrative and explore its themes through the two interconnecting storylines of the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb and an early 2000s upcoming exhibition of the aforementioned tomb in Berlin, in my opinion the effect lands quite flat as the overall story seems to exist in a vacuum, bereft of any other connections or real examination of both the before and after of the events and characters.
I was not moved or affected by the story as I did not feel connected to any of the characters, even the main ones such as Teresa or Ruben. I did not learn much about them as characters, and thus did not care what happened to them. The main so-called romance of the two characters - rather than romantic - comes off as puzzling and befuddingly spontaneous. What do those two see in one another? Why should I care about their relationship when even Teresa herself acknowledges that she knows nothing about Ruben? Throughout the book, the couple viscillates between making love and breaking off, but it is not even ezplained how they get back together in the end. I also thought Fior's approach to Teresa a bit weird and at least mildly objectifying.
The art, however, is pleasant especially when it comes to the scenes in Egypt and Berlin's metropolitan architecture, and I admire how Fior is able to paint the novel wholly in watercolor especially in so much detail. Overall, this graphic novel is good visually but not so much story-wise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship