It was only a few days ago that I wrote about the last graphic novel I had read and it appears the theme has very quickly continued. The same night I finished Red Rosa, while looking at others books I stumbled upon a story called Waves about a couple struggling to conceive a baby before losing it when they finally do. It seemed liked an interesting concept for something that is ultimately a comic. It’s a very short novel. I thought I would have a quick look at it before going to work, but had read it before I’d even finished my coffee. It is eighty six pages but this is a graphic novel so that doesn’t really mean anything. Like plays I enjoy the satisfaction of not taking weeks to read something. There is certainly an importance to committing time and effort to a good book of prose but I am prone to getting distracted by other books and wishing I could get stuck into them. I love reading but it can still take discipline. To read this whole story then in twenty minutes was probably a little too quick but then that’s not the point. Time should never be a denominator for appreciation with a book in any form, or at least the appreciation of whether it was worth it.
Waves deals with the trauma of losing a baby and the author at the end explains that the story was based upon her own experiences. Whenever you discover something is based on real events it adds another layer of appreciation for what you have just read. She explained that writing the story was in itself part of the therapy required to process the trauma. She is ordinarily an author of children’s books and this was her first attempt at the graphic novel. I imagine there will be an element of short text and pictures in her children’s books too though. It’s a powerful introduction to the genre to say the least and knowing the emotional importance of what you’re reading, knowing this is someones personal journey; adds an immeasurable value. I have read three graphic novels now and all three seem to be based in different ways around women and femininity. This is entirely accidental but also a theme which I suspect may continue in some form and quite revealing to see that graphic novels are not just story books revolving around superheroes. There’s certainly a lot to be said for language and art being combined as one. When the story and the book itself has an emotive quality it’s not something to be scoffed at.
Observations and Misunderstandings 