Grandville Mon Amour by Bryan Talbot
The second outing to Bryan Talbot’s anthropomorphic world follows hot on the heels of the cataclysmic conclusion of book one. The beefy badger DI Archie LeBrock is languishing in self-pity, driven to drink (as every good copper should be) by the guilt of Sarah’s murder. When his partner, Roderick Ratzi, informs him of the escape of Mad Dog Mastock he is galvanised back into action. The pair travel, unsanctioned, to Grandville once again – on the trail of Mastock and the trail of dead prostitutes he is leaving behind. Yet, as in the first graphic novel, there is far more to the story than a simple killing spree.
Grandville Mon Amour emulates the style of the first book by utilising the gradual revelations of a case to elaborate the history of the Steampunk world. The focus this time around is on the British Resistance who were active prior to British Independence from France. Mastock, DI LeBrock and even the excellently imagined Prime Minister Drummond share this common past, and the ethics of what each of them did during this time come into play throughout the book. The moralities of terrorism versus freedom fighting, and subtle comments about weapons of mass-destruction are effectively rendered.
In book one Archie LeBrock was a little rough around the edges, both in terms of his macho character and also the detail of his characterisation. In this book, Talbot fills out Archie’s background and creates a deeper and more convincing persona. His interaction with Billie, a prostitute who resembles Sarah, is convincing, touching and frustrating by equal measures.
The steampunk setting of the graphic novel is exquisitely detailed, and this undoubtedly contributes to the enjoyment of the tale.
Talbot’s attention to detail and cinematic style are fabulous; the steam-powered cars, airships, wax cylinder messages, automatons all add atmosphere and style. The violence in the book is fairly intense, as is Talbot’s wont, with a fair degree of spatter and gore, but I found it less imposing than in book one.
A key feature of the series is the anthropomorphic artwork, which Talbot chose in honour of the French artist Gerard. It seems to work well here because, apart from occasional puns and bits of fun (recall Rupert’s dad in book one, and the drug-addled Snowy the dog) it doesn’t impact majorly on the story. There is some reference to the differing species, but mainly as insults, and even humans (called Doughfaces) but they embellish rather than define the story. This is in contrast to other anthropomorphic comics typified by Art Spiegelman’s Maus, wherein the species of the characters reflects their ethnic origins (cats are German, mice Jews and pigs are Polish) and play a key part in the story. Whether the anthropomorphic aspects remain a stylistic matter in future books will be interested to see.
In short this is a great read that will appeal to lovers of great graphic novels and stylish steampunk stories alike. By all accounts the series is going to run to five books, and if Bryan Talbot keeps the momentum going then they’ll be a ground breaking work.
This Grandville Mon Amour book review was written by Ross Kitson
Have you read Grandville Mon Amour?
We've found that while readers like to know what we think of a book they find additional reader reviews a massive help in deciding if it is the right book for them. So if you have a spare moment, please tell us your thoughts by writing a reader's review. Thank you.
Grandville Mon Amour reader reviews
9/10 from 1 reviews
There are currently no reader reviews for this book. Why not be the first?
Write a reader review
Thank you for taking the time to write a review on this book, it really makes a difference and helps readers to find their perfect book.
More recommended reading in this genre
Mortal Engines Quartet
Philip Reeve
Long before the days of Mortal Engines, London is poised on the brink of apocalypse. Huge armoured fortresses are advancing across the wastelands - a new and terrifying kin...
The Hod King
Josiah Bancroft
Thomas Senlin and his crew of outcasts have been separated, and now they must face the dangers of the labyrinthine tower on their own in this third book in the word...
Ack-Ack Macaque
Gareth L Powell
In 1944, as waves of German ninjas parachute into Kent, Britain’s best hopes for victory lie with a Spitfire pilot codenamed ‘Ack-Ack Macaque’. The troubl...
Captain Nemo: The Fantastic Adventures of a Dark Genius
Kevin J Anderson
The young Verne and his best friend Andre Nemo stow away on a ship bound for the high seas, but Jules' father catches Jules and forces him to come home in total disgrac...
In Dark Service
Stephen Hunt
Jacob Carnehan has settled down. He's living a comfortable, quiet life, obeying the law and minding his own business while raising his son Carter ... on those occasions...
Larklight Trilogy
Philip Reeve
Art and his family are invited on a fantastic free holiday to the exotic Asteroid Belt, in a remote part of space near Mars. Taking the train, they arrive to discover that ...
A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences
Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
Evil is most assuredly afoot - and Britain’s fate rests in the hands of an alluring renegade... and a librarian. These are dark days indeed in Victoria’s Englan...
The Steampunk Adventurer's Guide
Thomas Willeford
Bringing together an action-filled story full of automatons, airships and a dastardly plot to take over the world and instructions on how to make your own gadgets, The Stea...
A Tale of Langdon St. Ives
James P Blaylock
It is the summer of 1883 and Professor Langdon St. Ives – brilliant but eccentric scientist and explorer – is at home in Aylesford with his family. However, a f...
Great fantasy books published in 2010
The Immortals
Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
Five hundred years into the third age of flight and mighty phraxships steam across the immensity of the Deepwoods, plying their lucrative trade between the three great citi...
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
NK Jemisin
Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky - a palace above the...
Shadowheart
Tad Williams
Southmarch Castle is about to be caught between two implacable enemies, the ancient, immortal Qar and the insane god-king, the Autarch of Xis. Meanwhile, its two young defe...
Mr. Monster
Dan Wells
My name is John Cleaver. I live in Clayton County, in a mortuary on the edge of town. I have a mother and a sister and an aunt. I’m sixteen years old. I like reading,...
Color Bleach+: The Bleach Official Bootleg
Tite Kubo
An indispensable guidebook to the Soul Society, Color Bleach+: The Bleach Official Bootlegtakes you behind the scenes in the shadowy world of the Soul Reapers. All Thirteen...
The Way of Kings
Brandon Sanderson
Roshar is a world of stone swept by tempests that shape ecology and civilization. Animals and plants retract; cities are built in shelter. In centuries since ten orders of ...
Once Walked With Gods
James Barclay
The elves have fled to Calius, seeking to escape the overwhelming power of the demonic Garonin. A desperate last stand in their own dimension saved the race, at the cost of...
Towers of Midnight
Robert Jordan
The Last Battle has started. The seals on the Dark One's prison are crumbling. The Pattern itself is unravelling, and the armies of the Shadow have begun to spill out o...
The Broken Kingdoms
NK Jemisin
In the city of Shadow, beneath the World Tree, alleyways shimmer with magic and godlings live hidden among mortalkind. Oree Shoth, a blind artist, takes in a strange homele...
Looking for more suggestions? Try these pages:
