Water Memory: A Magical Mystery By the Sea for All Ages

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Writer: Raynes Mathieu / Artist: Valerie Vernayn / Roar (Lion Forge Comics)

Editor’s Note: This is an Advance Review, if it piques your interest be sure to pre-order the comic, due for release this September.

At first it seems that Marion couldn’t be happier after the move. Although the death of her grandmother leads Marion’s mother to up and move their family back to her (rather derelict) childhood home by the sea, there’s still warm neighbors, picnics on the cliff, and great swimming at their private beach. But the farther Marion ventures, the more she uncovers about the mysterious carved rocks dotting the landscape and their frightening connection to the hermit who lives in the lighthouse. Inspired by the wondrous fantasy of Hayao Miyazaki and sweeping French coastlines, Raynes Mathieu and Valerie Vernayn’s graphic novel Water Memory explores the meanings of heritage, legends, and the impact our choices have on future generations.

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It’s hard to describe just how masterful the subtlety in both Mathieu’s writing and Vernayn’s art is, but without a doubt it is this book’s greatest strength. Reading through this comic Vernayn’s rich landscapes hint at a deeper magic without drenching the reader in this awareness, creating a vivid world that teeters between warmth and threat with every frame. The character styles are simple but impactful, and occasionally entire pages are devoid of dialogue because of how clear the expressions and action are. I’m particularly in love with they way the sketchy, charcoal-esque lines contrast with the carefully studied details of the backgrounds, a visual metaphor of the ways youthful innocence collides with reality. Seriously, if the cover art alone doesn’t draw you in I don’t know what to tell your bookshelf.

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Unlike many coming-of-age stories told through the narrative of a Big Move, Marion’s tale is neither filled with saccharine whimsy nor bitter trauma, but a refreshingly simple depiction of casual conversations and earnest curiosity. There’s a special kind of quiet discovered by adventurous children whose only playmate is nature, and Mathieu has managed to capture this impression perfectly. As a kid I often spent the summers with my single mother’s parents at the mouth of where the country and suburbia met, just developed enough to have plenty of neighbors but far enough from town that you could risk stepping in a cow pie if you wandered too far off. If there were other children my age I never met them, yet I recall with fondness amusing myself for hours in the fields and woods nearby despite the very real dangers of injury or abduction. Similarly, Mathieu acknowledges the hazards of the landscape while also allowing Marion a freedom of movement that feels natural and turns out to be crucial to revealing the next pieces of the mystery haunting her town.

My only complaint is that at a little over 100 pages I found myself wanting more, but for beginning comic readers I think this story is a great introduction to the power of the page. Marion is an incredibly relatable YA protagonist and her supporting cast feel equally as human and complex. Plus, who could resist a mystery with a twist?

You can pre-order Water Memory from Amazon but also know that you can pre-order through your local comic book shop as well! Wouldn’t you love to see this in comic book stores everywhere? Let’s make that happen! See more of the offerings from Roar, an imprint of Lion Forge!

8 Ancient Carved Rocks out of 10
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  • Lauren Bullock

    Contributor

    Lauren is a writer, performer, and reincarnated sailor senshi. She enjoys long walks in the woods and fighting crime as a costumed vigilante of many aliases.

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