My final book for #12booksof2023 is the incredible The Many Deaths Of Laila Starr. A book that has as much to say about the meaning of life & mortality as a great work of literary fiction, with incredible art work. I LOVED this book & I LOVED these characters.
(Honorable mentions: Jeff Lemire's Primordial, Cullen Bunn's Bone Parish, Rio Youers' Refrigerator Full of Heads, Skottie Young's I Hate Fairyland Vol. 5, Hayashida's Dorohedoro)
@andrew65
Wow, I LOVED this! Death is fired when it appears that humanity will soon discover immortality. Incarnated in Laila Starr who has either just jumped off of a balcony, or fallen off of a balcony; Death shortly wakes up in the morgue. Rather than being a story of hunting someone down, there are multiple layers to this tale & some great meditations on life, loss & grief. And the artwork is fantastic, A definite favorite of the month.
pickI never get tired of stories considering the place of death in life, stories with a personification of Death. Stunning. Impressively imaginative (never read POV of a cigarette before, or seen a temple speak), gorgeously illustrated (the colours chosen as much as the art itself 👨🏼🍳💋), wistful bordering on melancholic, and yet so vibrant and hopeful. I will be seeking out other works by both the author and artist. 👌🏻
Why does it make me happy? Is it the pink background? Statement of the obvious, seemingly confirmed by feathered friend?
To be fair, crows in art usually bring me joy. 🤷🏼♂️☺️
pickThe Many Deaths of Laila Starr is one of the most fiercely innovative graphics novels in recent years: the Hindu gods are basically corporate employees; one issue is narrated by a cigarette. The story feels like an extended parable more than a fully developed narrative.
Indian-set GN that imagines Death getting her redundancy papers....
pickIf David Mack did a variant cover, then you know it's good! This is an absolutely stellar graphic novel that had me choked up by the final panel. Death is laid off when a child is born who will invent immortality. She is gifted a life as a mortal. I don't want to say much else, but it is a must-read!
Excited that two graphic novels I suggested to the library have come through. Now to decide which to read first 🤔
The Many Deaths of Laila Starr | 
