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A review by escapinginpaper
Aristophania by Xavier Dorison
3.0
** Free copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. **
Aristophania follows three young siblings in early 1900s Paris. Raised by their mother after their father was killed, the Francœur siblings have only known struggle. When their mother is arrested and they find themselves alone, the Francœur children encounter a mysterious and magical woman claiming to know their father.
I definitely liked the premise of this story - I love magical worlds that exist on the fringe of the "normal" world. In a lot of ways, this read as Dickens meets high fantasy, and I loved the mood that gave.
I did feel a little let down, however. Reading this felt simply like a "taste" - almost like reading a prologue rather than a fully developed novel.
Technically speaking, I also need to criticize the choice of font for the speech bubbles. It was incredibly difficult to read, especially on a screen. (Granted, I did read an ARC, so maybe this has been changed since publishing?)
Lastly, (I always have to say something about the art), the art was a major positive. Very well-drawn and appealing to look at. I especially applaud the use of color to emphasize mood and setting.
Overall, this story showed promise, even though I felt a bit unfulfilled. I'm intrigued enough to probably pick up volume two.
Aristophania follows three young siblings in early 1900s Paris. Raised by their mother after their father was killed, the Francœur siblings have only known struggle. When their mother is arrested and they find themselves alone, the Francœur children encounter a mysterious and magical woman claiming to know their father.
I definitely liked the premise of this story - I love magical worlds that exist on the fringe of the "normal" world. In a lot of ways, this read as Dickens meets high fantasy, and I loved the mood that gave.
I did feel a little let down, however. Reading this felt simply like a "taste" - almost like reading a prologue rather than a fully developed novel.
Technically speaking, I also need to criticize the choice of font for the speech bubbles. It was incredibly difficult to read, especially on a screen. (Granted, I did read an ARC, so maybe this has been changed since publishing?)
Lastly, (I always have to say something about the art), the art was a major positive. Very well-drawn and appealing to look at. I especially applaud the use of color to emphasize mood and setting.
Overall, this story showed promise, even though I felt a bit unfulfilled. I'm intrigued enough to probably pick up volume two.