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Nils #1-3
Nils: The Tree of Life
A dystopic Nordic fantasy world, where spirits of light are the key to life, but seemingly have abandoned the world. Young Nils and his father set out to discover why the ground has grown infertile, heading north where the drought seems worse to find the cause. Far along the way, they find signs of fresh and vibrant life, caretaken by these little light spirits. But before they know it, a large metal creature arrives and attacks the creatures, apparently hunting and gathering them. From out of the woods, a woman attacks the creature, bringing it to its knees... apparently the plant was bait for the spirits, which in turn were bait for the metal creature, which serves the high-tech Cyan Nation. This huntress, named Alba, takes Nils and his father into their tribe, where the battle between the shamanistic people and the Cyan Nation is paramount, a battle over the protection vs exploitation of the light spirits power... Meanwhile, three goddesses watch these events, lamenting the fact that man had abandoned all belief in their power long ago. They watch but do not intervene, despite the fact that the spirits are being harvested en masse by the Cyan Nation, wreaking ruin on the world outside their city. Realizing that this conflict will in one way or another change the very fabric of this world, they slowly begin to intervene... As they continue their travels, Nils has a dream (seeded by one of the goddesses) about the World Tree, Yggdrasil, which is being consumed by a metal plague. He knows he must now find and save the tree, and in the process, save the world. But the high council of the Cyan Nation would have otherwise... Having been separated in their quest, Nils's father finds himself a guest of the Cyan Prince, where he learns that they do indeed understand the power of the spirits, which they call Ethernum, serving as the power source for their technological advancement. More sinister than that, however, is the fact that they've used the Ethernum as a means of near-eternal longevity, having wiped out all competitors to their power and resource long ago. And now, they believe they have unlocked the secrets for using the Ethernum to revive the dead... And for the goddesses, that is a step too far. They intervene, but in the process find one of themselves surprisingly captured by the Cyan royalty... and then killed. The remaining two goddesses are torn by this affront. One vows to wipe mankind off the planet for good, while the other goes to help Nils save the Life Tree. High fantasy adventure combining science-fiction with pseudo-spiritual magic, posing dramatic examinations of man vs nature, life vs death, fact vs faith, and man's desire to play god.
184 pages, Hardcover
Published February 11, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
February 3, 2020
I got the ARC for this comic by Netgalley after seeing a friend's review here and couldn't resist the art.
The story has a Nordic ring to it. It's a dystopian world where nothing grows anymore so the titular Nils and his father venture out to find the reason why. In the far north, they find metal creatures from a tech nation hunting spirits (harvesting them in a fashion) and being hunted by a shamanistic tribe in turn.
We also get some goddesses and the age-old question whether they should intervene or not while losing more and more believers. In addition, young Nils has visions of the dying World-Tree, sent by the goddesses, so he tries to save it.
Basically, the story is a mesh between mythology, fantasy and science fiction (or steampunk). Technology versus magic. New versus old. Mankind's eternal quest for power and eternal life - at all cost.
I have to admit that I have to partially agree with many other reviewers that say that the story wasn't as good as the art The elements sound intriguing but the execution ended up being a bit convoluted, I'm afraid.
What makes this so great and me so happy that I requested a copy, is the art! Look:
The story wasn't bad (neither the idea nor the end product) but can't hold a candle to the art. Really cool combination nevertheless.
The story has a Nordic ring to it. It's a dystopian world where nothing grows anymore so the titular Nils and his father venture out to find the reason why. In the far north, they find metal creatures from a tech nation hunting spirits (harvesting them in a fashion) and being hunted by a shamanistic tribe in turn.
We also get some goddesses and the age-old question whether they should intervene or not while losing more and more believers. In addition, young Nils has visions of the dying World-Tree, sent by the goddesses, so he tries to save it.
Basically, the story is a mesh between mythology, fantasy and science fiction (or steampunk). Technology versus magic. New versus old. Mankind's eternal quest for power and eternal life - at all cost.
I have to admit that I have to partially agree with many other reviewers that say that the story wasn't as good as the art The elements sound intriguing but the execution ended up being a bit convoluted, I'm afraid.
What makes this so great and me so happy that I requested a copy, is the art! Look:
The story wasn't bad (neither the idea nor the end product) but can't hold a candle to the art. Really cool combination nevertheless.
December 13, 2020
I was pretty excited when I picked up Nils: The Tree of Life at the library. It’s gorgeous, ad oversized book, with some of the best artwork you will see this or any year. And then there is this juxtaposition of environmentalism, Nordic mythology, dystopia, coming of age. Nils is a teenager and his father a scientist trying to understand why it is the world is no longer thriving; Nils helps him with his work. His Dad, as a scientist, has no faith in sprites, spirits of the wood, or magic, but Nils thinks we have to live in harmony with everything, whether you believe in it or not. After all, most people believe sprites or spirits or yokai exist!
Sound promising? I thought so, especially since the art feels like it supports the confluence of all these things, but: The story is sometimes confusing which I find about a lot of fantasy, that I don’t always know what is going on, and that atmosphere is more important than plot, but still, I think the team spent more time on beauty than characterization. There’s at least four kinds of people involved, and for some reason am not able to keep all of them in my head at once (reminds me of Monstress in this respect). Tech people, Nils and his Dad, three goddesses. . . sounds intriguing, right?
One premise, that some folks (the tech people from Cyan) are trying to gather up souls so mankind can continue reminds me of the long shot idea I read about from Silicon Valley that through the wonders of microchips that we may be able to live forever:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
I know it’s not quite the same thing, but I was reminded of it with the last ditch effort the Cyan are making.
At any rate, pick it up, even just to look at it. So beautiful. And if you are more into fantasy than I am. Ambitious, let’s say. Magic, fantasy, science fiction, Tree of Life, and a boy destined to save it....
Sound promising? I thought so, especially since the art feels like it supports the confluence of all these things, but: The story is sometimes confusing which I find about a lot of fantasy, that I don’t always know what is going on, and that atmosphere is more important than plot, but still, I think the team spent more time on beauty than characterization. There’s at least four kinds of people involved, and for some reason am not able to keep all of them in my head at once (reminds me of Monstress in this respect). Tech people, Nils and his Dad, three goddesses. . . sounds intriguing, right?
One premise, that some folks (the tech people from Cyan) are trying to gather up souls so mankind can continue reminds me of the long shot idea I read about from Silicon Valley that through the wonders of microchips that we may be able to live forever:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
I know it’s not quite the same thing, but I was reminded of it with the last ditch effort the Cyan are making.
At any rate, pick it up, even just to look at it. So beautiful. And if you are more into fantasy than I am. Ambitious, let’s say. Magic, fantasy, science fiction, Tree of Life, and a boy destined to save it....
February 3, 2020
I was initially drawn to this because of the drawings. As I read, I still think the very best part of this graphic novel IS the art. It tells much more story than any of the words.
Is that bad? Well, possibly, if the words don't amount to that much character building or emotional connection. Indeed, the greatest portion revolves around technical worldbuilding that's about as creative as any number of Japanese video game ideas or even feeling like a Nordic version of Final Fantasy or one of the early Miyazaki films (Nausicaa).
I really WANT to like all of that. I've always liked these kinds of themes. Tree of Life, yo! Spirits of the dead and of Life itself!
So what happened? Why didn't I like it more?
I believe that you must love the characters, ease into them, establish them firmly before trying to go all out with the cool tragedies or big magics. There was little enough meat, here, to enjoy. Things happened and then other things happened and then a really big twist that came out of freaking nowhere changed the entire tone of the entire comic and while the RESULTS were cool, the JUSTIFICATION was really bad.
I'm almost of the opinion that we could practically wipe out all the TEXT and have all the artwork carry the entire tale. It was very strong. Maybe not perfect, but really gorgeous art.
Is that bad? Well, possibly, if the words don't amount to that much character building or emotional connection. Indeed, the greatest portion revolves around technical worldbuilding that's about as creative as any number of Japanese video game ideas or even feeling like a Nordic version of Final Fantasy or one of the early Miyazaki films (Nausicaa).
I really WANT to like all of that. I've always liked these kinds of themes. Tree of Life, yo! Spirits of the dead and of Life itself!
So what happened? Why didn't I like it more?
I believe that you must love the characters, ease into them, establish them firmly before trying to go all out with the cool tragedies or big magics. There was little enough meat, here, to enjoy. Things happened and then other things happened and then a really big twist that came out of freaking nowhere changed the entire tone of the entire comic and while the RESULTS were cool, the JUSTIFICATION was really bad.
I'm almost of the opinion that we could practically wipe out all the TEXT and have all the artwork carry the entire tale. It was very strong. Maybe not perfect, but really gorgeous art.
January 25, 2020
This book is absolutely gorgeous.
Unfortunately, as fantastic as the book looks, the story is extremely difficult to follow. It doesn't help that for some reason, Magnetic Press used a tiny font in this book that had me squinting at the text even when blown up completely on my monitor.
This takes place in a dystopian future where all living things are dying while a technologically advanced people are vacuuming up "souls" that are needed for life to carry on. Like I said, this is hard to follow. Still, because of how much I enjoyed the art, I wouldn't consider this a waste of time.
Received a review copy from Magnetic Press and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Unfortunately, as fantastic as the book looks, the story is extremely difficult to follow. It doesn't help that for some reason, Magnetic Press used a tiny font in this book that had me squinting at the text even when blown up completely on my monitor.
This takes place in a dystopian future where all living things are dying while a technologically advanced people are vacuuming up "souls" that are needed for life to carry on. Like I said, this is hard to follow. Still, because of how much I enjoyed the art, I wouldn't consider this a waste of time.
Received a review copy from Magnetic Press and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
May 15, 2024
ایده ش جالب بود و همین گولم زد
به شدت کار متوسط و کلیشه ای بود، شخصیت ها یکی از اون یکی مصنوعی تر و مسخره تر. دوتا ستاره برای طراحی خوبشه.
به شدت کار متوسط و کلیشه ای بود، شخصیت ها یکی از اون یکی مصنوعی تر و مسخره تر. دوتا ستاره برای طراحی خوبشه.
January 18, 2020
I was hoping for more from this because of the gorgeous cover and I like mythology in many forms. But I had trouble following the story and figuring out what was going on. I don't know if it's because I'm not a regular comic book/graphic novel reader or if the story is just not well-written, but I couldn't easily keep track of the different groups of people (4 main groups as far as I can tell--the boy and his father/village, the girl and her shamanistic people, the technological people from Cyan, and the three goddesses. Part of it is because they would quickly shift from one group to the other and I was sometimes confused about the timeline. The general idea is that the boy and his father realize that nothing is growing and they set out to figure out why, since there have been signs of life in a particular part of the land. As they're about to run tests on a sprout in that area, they are attacked by a big metal thing (from Cyan) and they are saved by the girl and some of her people. Slowly, the details of what's been happening are revealed, but I found it confusing and had to go over parts again. I think this story showed great potential, and the artwork is some of the most redeeming qualities of it, but I don't think the story achieves what the author was trying to achieve.
Thanks to #JérômeHamon, #NetGalley, #DiamondBookDistributors, and #MagneticPress for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to #JérômeHamon, #NetGalley, #DiamondBookDistributors, and #MagneticPress for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2020
It’s hard for me to point out why this book wasn’t a big it for me. It has cool illustration, a sense of epic, magic, a tree of life which is always a concept that get to me and with all that still… Sure the characters lack a bit of personality to stand out and the storyline is a bit too slow for a comic in my personal opinion, but nonetheless it should have catch my attention more then it did. So… I didn’t enjoy it much, would be a 2,5/5 for my liking, but I still find/think that it has some potential, a 4/5 potential, and that if you love fantasy comic book you might consider checking this one out!
July 14, 2020
The gorgeous artwork drew me in, but I'm pretty confused about the story. There was a lot of jumping around between perspectives and I never felt grounded in the story. This story would be better served in a novel, in my opinion, because I love the idea of it and I want so much more.
October 11, 2020
The art and aesthetic of this graphic novel far surpass the writing.
It begins with a very typical premise for a fantasy adventure story, but it immediately starts skipping around in a way that's arguably too ambitious. Within the first few pages, the story is readily skipping back and forth between about four major parties, and by the third chapter it makes these transitions literally once a page.
It's easy to get lost, especially when the story begins to escalate into elements such as and , which seemed to come out of nowhere. Even after flipping back a few times, I don't fully understand where they came from.
It's a small complaint that's probably due to translation, but there are a few one-letter typos such as "price" for "prince," or "the" for "they." It's not a dealbreaker but it was distracting enough to mention it.
The art more than makes up for it though: Every panel is lovingly detailed with an inspiring degree of personality and depth in every single frame. I would recommend this book just for the pictures—especially the beautiful two-page spreads that happen at the end of each chapter.
Although I feel that it doesn't deliver completely on story, its aesthetic is beyond satisfactory. It just makes me want to read more dystopic Norse fantasy.
It begins with a very typical premise for a fantasy adventure story, but it immediately starts skipping around in a way that's arguably too ambitious. Within the first few pages, the story is readily skipping back and forth between about four major parties, and by the third chapter it makes these transitions literally once a page.
It's easy to get lost, especially when the story begins to escalate into elements such as and , which seemed to come out of nowhere. Even after flipping back a few times, I don't fully understand where they came from.
It's a small complaint that's probably due to translation, but there are a few one-letter typos such as "price" for "prince," or "the" for "they." It's not a dealbreaker but it was distracting enough to mention it.
The art more than makes up for it though: Every panel is lovingly detailed with an inspiring degree of personality and depth in every single frame. I would recommend this book just for the pictures—especially the beautiful two-page spreads that happen at the end of each chapter.
Although I feel that it doesn't deliver completely on story, its aesthetic is beyond satisfactory. It just makes me want to read more dystopic Norse fantasy.
February 16, 2020
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
The cover was what initially pulled me towards Nils: The Tree of Life, because recently I had the feeling I was tiring a bit from the dystopian novels, having previously everything I could get my hands on. Especially within the graphic novels, I’ve often felt disappointed with the execution of the concepts.
I did not need to worry though. First of all, the artwork was splendid and even if there had been no story, I would have liked to look at it. The colors worked really well. I’ve read some reviews stating that the story felt rushed and little detailed but I don’t fully agree with them. Of course, there is a limited amount of information one can get across in the span of a 200 pages graphic novel, but still I got a good grasp (I think) of what was going on. A lot is happening at any time, and I do agree that there has not been a lot of character development, but this didn’t bother me too much.
Would recommend.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The cover was what initially pulled me towards Nils: The Tree of Life, because recently I had the feeling I was tiring a bit from the dystopian novels, having previously everything I could get my hands on. Especially within the graphic novels, I’ve often felt disappointed with the execution of the concepts.
I did not need to worry though. First of all, the artwork was splendid and even if there had been no story, I would have liked to look at it. The colors worked really well. I’ve read some reviews stating that the story felt rushed and little detailed but I don’t fully agree with them. Of course, there is a limited amount of information one can get across in the span of a 200 pages graphic novel, but still I got a good grasp (I think) of what was going on. A lot is happening at any time, and I do agree that there has not been a lot of character development, but this didn’t bother me too much.
Would recommend.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
January 13, 2020
*I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. *
This book was gorgeous! The artwork was just beautiful! I'm not usually a graphic novel reader but this book just drew me in and captivated me. I loved the storyline but my favorite thing was the artwork. I wish I could have more answers and I hope this becomes a series.
I'm giving three stars because I feel like it could be a little more complete and have more answers than it did and that the ending could have been finished a bit more. But the artwork was amazing!
This book was gorgeous! The artwork was just beautiful! I'm not usually a graphic novel reader but this book just drew me in and captivated me. I loved the storyline but my favorite thing was the artwork. I wish I could have more answers and I hope this becomes a series.
I'm giving three stars because I feel like it could be a little more complete and have more answers than it did and that the ending could have been finished a bit more. But the artwork was amazing!
February 6, 2020
This was an interesting graphic novel that had a fascinating mix of Nordic mythology and fantasy elements that shared a story about a dying earth due to corruption, exploiting of natural resources, and the troubled Goddesses and spirits that are affected by the effects of human and technological advancement.
I enjoyed how Nils started but as more elements of the story were introduced I became confused with the direction the story was going but also the erratic flow of scenes towards the middle and end. There were many scene jumps that made the climax feel disjointed and since there was a lot of action in these parts, it only left me feeling more confused with everything that was going on. I did go back to re-read scenes in case I missed anything but I still didn't get the clarity I was looking for. I had plenty of questions about the whole world and the characters in it -- Nils, the goddesses, the Cyan nation and how it came to be, and Alba's tribe of women hunters and how they survived. I wish that these elements were better explained so that we could have a better understanding of the story. There was also some romantic notions that were hinted at between one of the goddesses towards Nils which seemed unnecessary and didn't make me feel more sympathetic towards her fight to save him and human kind. It honestly creeped me out a little bit lol
That said, the artwork is simply stunning and it's what made me want to continue reading despite not fully understanding what was going on in the storyline. The color palette was well chosen and really reflected that 'cold tundra'/Nordic vibes that the story represented. The details were wonderful and I loved the distinctive look of all the different characters and where they came from. I thought the goddesses were illustrated interestingly as well! There were some elements of the illustrations, particularly to do with nature and the spirits, that really gave me Princess Mononoke / Miyazaki vibes and I loved it!
While Nils had an interesting and promising premise it unfortunately didn't follow through for me. The artwork was beautiful and I'd love to see more graphic novels illustrated by this artists, but I wish that the storyline had been more clear and easy to follow/understand.
Thanks to Netgalley and Diamond Books/Magnetic Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This graphic novel will be published on 11 February 2020.
I enjoyed how Nils started but as more elements of the story were introduced I became confused with the direction the story was going but also the erratic flow of scenes towards the middle and end. There were many scene jumps that made the climax feel disjointed and since there was a lot of action in these parts, it only left me feeling more confused with everything that was going on. I did go back to re-read scenes in case I missed anything but I still didn't get the clarity I was looking for. I had plenty of questions about the whole world and the characters in it -- Nils, the goddesses, the Cyan nation and how it came to be, and Alba's tribe of women hunters and how they survived. I wish that these elements were better explained so that we could have a better understanding of the story. There was also some romantic notions that were hinted at between one of the goddesses towards Nils which seemed unnecessary and didn't make me feel more sympathetic towards her fight to save him and human kind. It honestly creeped me out a little bit lol
That said, the artwork is simply stunning and it's what made me want to continue reading despite not fully understanding what was going on in the storyline. The color palette was well chosen and really reflected that 'cold tundra'/Nordic vibes that the story represented. The details were wonderful and I loved the distinctive look of all the different characters and where they came from. I thought the goddesses were illustrated interestingly as well! There were some elements of the illustrations, particularly to do with nature and the spirits, that really gave me Princess Mononoke / Miyazaki vibes and I loved it!
While Nils had an interesting and promising premise it unfortunately didn't follow through for me. The artwork was beautiful and I'd love to see more graphic novels illustrated by this artists, but I wish that the storyline had been more clear and easy to follow/understand.
Thanks to Netgalley and Diamond Books/Magnetic Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This graphic novel will be published on 11 February 2020.
January 7, 2020
**I received an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**
Jerome Hamon brings us Nils: The Tree of Life, a nordic inspired fantasy graphic novel set in a society where things have ceased growing. The land and people both have become infertile. Nils and his father seek to find the source of the problem with the land, and find themselves in the middle of a conflict between gods and men.
The art style and color choices for this graphic novel are absolutely gorgeous. I have absolutely no complaints about art style and visual representation for this story in the slightest.
I do feel that the characters and story were either under developed, or that the author did not have the space in the less than 200 pages to flesh out the characterization and plot line. As most fantasy fans are aware, when you start to read an epic fantasy, you know you're likely starting in on either a tome or multi-book series. It appears that this graphic novel is intended to be a relatively short standalone, but having the themes and plot of an epic fantasy. Something has to give in this situation, and, unfortunately, the plot came across as abrupt and the characters really could have been replaced by any other characters at all and the story been told in the same fashion.
All that being said, I definitely enjoyed the graphic novel and what I did see, but overall was left wanting more. I would not hesitate to pick up future works from this illustrator or author, but would likely look for series rather than standalones if concepts are in a similar vein as this graphic novel.
Jerome Hamon brings us Nils: The Tree of Life, a nordic inspired fantasy graphic novel set in a society where things have ceased growing. The land and people both have become infertile. Nils and his father seek to find the source of the problem with the land, and find themselves in the middle of a conflict between gods and men.
The art style and color choices for this graphic novel are absolutely gorgeous. I have absolutely no complaints about art style and visual representation for this story in the slightest.
I do feel that the characters and story were either under developed, or that the author did not have the space in the less than 200 pages to flesh out the characterization and plot line. As most fantasy fans are aware, when you start to read an epic fantasy, you know you're likely starting in on either a tome or multi-book series. It appears that this graphic novel is intended to be a relatively short standalone, but having the themes and plot of an epic fantasy. Something has to give in this situation, and, unfortunately, the plot came across as abrupt and the characters really could have been replaced by any other characters at all and the story been told in the same fashion.
All that being said, I definitely enjoyed the graphic novel and what I did see, but overall was left wanting more. I would not hesitate to pick up future works from this illustrator or author, but would likely look for series rather than standalones if concepts are in a similar vein as this graphic novel.
February 7, 2020
eARC provided by publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I saw the cover on Netgalley and fell in love with it. I enjoy reading a graphic novel every now and then so I figured why not!
Although the artwork is stunning, the characters lack and feel underdeveloped. I did like the diversity of the characters and I guess that is what stood out the most for the characters. At times I didn’t understand why certain things were happening because they just happened and that was that.
The Norse dystopian world was a concept I haven’t read before and that was cool. The author wove technology into it but it wasn’t explained that well and left me with unanswered questions.
Overall, I think that this graphic novel had a lot of great concepts/characters but they all needed to be flushed out more. I will say that the artwork was on point throughout!
I saw the cover on Netgalley and fell in love with it. I enjoy reading a graphic novel every now and then so I figured why not!
Although the artwork is stunning, the characters lack and feel underdeveloped. I did like the diversity of the characters and I guess that is what stood out the most for the characters. At times I didn’t understand why certain things were happening because they just happened and that was that.
The Norse dystopian world was a concept I haven’t read before and that was cool. The author wove technology into it but it wasn’t explained that well and left me with unanswered questions.
Overall, I think that this graphic novel had a lot of great concepts/characters but they all needed to be flushed out more. I will say that the artwork was on point throughout!
February 19, 2021
What caught my attention about this comic is the artstyle and it didn't disappoint especially in the background department though some panels were so-so.
The story was unique and interesting but had a bad and confusing execution. There's multiple storyline happening all at the same time and though they're all related, they're all over the place and there's no time concept so it leaves you confused.
What's even worse is that half of the story happens off screen, so reading it with all the time skipping makes you confused even further and can't appreciate the story. You also don't get the time to really know the characters much either.
Overall, although the story had a great concept, all the timeskips just made it a mess and leaves you confused. The twist at the end was great though and didn't see it coming, changing the whole narrative of the comic.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.
The story was unique and interesting but had a bad and confusing execution. There's multiple storyline happening all at the same time and though they're all related, they're all over the place and there's no time concept so it leaves you confused.
What's even worse is that half of the story happens off screen, so reading it with all the time skipping makes you confused even further and can't appreciate the story. You also don't get the time to really know the characters much either.
Overall, although the story had a great concept, all the timeskips just made it a mess and leaves you confused. The twist at the end was great though and didn't see it coming, changing the whole narrative of the comic.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.
January 26, 2020
An Inconvenient Truth
This looks better than it reads, but since it looks great that may not be much of a criticism.
First, our plot. We have at least four sets of actors - clueless humans, human eco-warriors, technovillains, and earth Gods. Little elemental life sprites are responsible for making things breed and grow. But they're being harvested by the technovillains. Earth's balance is being upset, and the end of the sprites will mean, ultimately, the end of life. Insert topical metaphors here. There's no reason to be a wiseguy about this since that's a perfectly fine way to tell a tale. But it is a bit heavy-handed, and we do get a fair amount of monologuing. We also don't devote a lot of effort to building or developing the characters, because they are mostly placeholders for where they fit into the message. We go off the rails at the end, but by then I was into the story enough to be reasonably forgiving. Anyway, once the Tree of Life Yggdrasil is part of a story I'm pretty much in to the end.
As to the ending, I don't know if there was no coherent point, or if the author just couldn't clearly express his point, or if I somehow missed the point. Whichever it is, if that's where you end up at the end of a book, I don't think that's a good place to be. And it seems that everyone is giving the confusing and meandering storytelling a pass because of the great art. Well, maybe.
In the event, the book does look great. It is colored mostly in gentle blues and dark shades, giving everything a touch of wintry gloom. Pencils, lines, and inking are crisp and restrained. It's sometimes hard to tell characters apart, but that's not often a problem. Big splashes and set scenes are impressive. Mood, atmosphere, and big effects are all handled with assurance. This is definitely entertaining to look at.
Bottom line, then, is that this is more of a looker than a reader. Your enjoyment will probably turn in large measure on whether you're O.K. with that.
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This looks better than it reads, but since it looks great that may not be much of a criticism.
First, our plot. We have at least four sets of actors - clueless humans, human eco-warriors, technovillains, and earth Gods. Little elemental life sprites are responsible for making things breed and grow. But they're being harvested by the technovillains. Earth's balance is being upset, and the end of the sprites will mean, ultimately, the end of life. Insert topical metaphors here. There's no reason to be a wiseguy about this since that's a perfectly fine way to tell a tale. But it is a bit heavy-handed, and we do get a fair amount of monologuing. We also don't devote a lot of effort to building or developing the characters, because they are mostly placeholders for where they fit into the message. We go off the rails at the end, but by then I was into the story enough to be reasonably forgiving. Anyway, once the Tree of Life Yggdrasil is part of a story I'm pretty much in to the end.
As to the ending, I don't know if there was no coherent point, or if the author just couldn't clearly express his point, or if I somehow missed the point. Whichever it is, if that's where you end up at the end of a book, I don't think that's a good place to be. And it seems that everyone is giving the confusing and meandering storytelling a pass because of the great art. Well, maybe.
In the event, the book does look great. It is colored mostly in gentle blues and dark shades, giving everything a touch of wintry gloom. Pencils, lines, and inking are crisp and restrained. It's sometimes hard to tell characters apart, but that's not often a problem. Big splashes and set scenes are impressive. Mood, atmosphere, and big effects are all handled with assurance. This is definitely entertaining to look at.
Bottom line, then, is that this is more of a looker than a reader. Your enjoyment will probably turn in large measure on whether you're O.K. with that.
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
January 20, 2020
After an extremely detailed synopsis like that I’m not sure what’s left to say. The only part of the story the synopsis doesn’t delve into is the ending and the outcome of Nil’s journey - and I’m not going to spoil that, so I’ll talk about how the story made me feel.
The darker cover art with the wolves and tree in the background drew me in when I saw it in the Diamonds email catalog. It made me want to know more and head to Netgalley so I could read the graphic novel.
The dark and rather ominous art keeps up for a large part of the story. I found the art to be deeply emotive. The story, although on some other world in some other time, really captures the way the wealthy and the greedy are striping this world bare for their own gain, with no care as to the irreversible damage they are doing.
The highlight of the story for me was the forest dwelling tribe ruled by women of color, who were living in harmony with nature - I wish they could have had a larger part in saving the day. But Nil’s goes off trying to try save nature and put right what the damage the ruling old white asshats of CYAN have brought upon the world. All this hit home for me living in a country which is run by a bunch a useless greedy men, who refuse to seek guidance from the traditional owners of the land even as it all burns to the ground around them – that’s Strailya for ya mate! Maybe I’m putting too much of my own feelings into this read. But as I read this book, my state of NSW, and most of the east coast, was burning to the ground.
I wasn’t keen on the books ending. It didn’t give me the closure and hope I was needing/hoping for, but again maybe I’m putting too much of my own feelings into it.
I’m not sure what else I can say. This was a read I’ve struggled for over a week, closer to two, to write a review for. The art was beautiful though and I think would be best appreciated in printed form rather than an eComic.
The darker cover art with the wolves and tree in the background drew me in when I saw it in the Diamonds email catalog. It made me want to know more and head to Netgalley so I could read the graphic novel.
The dark and rather ominous art keeps up for a large part of the story. I found the art to be deeply emotive. The story, although on some other world in some other time, really captures the way the wealthy and the greedy are striping this world bare for their own gain, with no care as to the irreversible damage they are doing.
The highlight of the story for me was the forest dwelling tribe ruled by women of color, who were living in harmony with nature - I wish they could have had a larger part in saving the day. But Nil’s goes off trying to try save nature and put right what the damage the ruling old white asshats of CYAN have brought upon the world. All this hit home for me living in a country which is run by a bunch a useless greedy men, who refuse to seek guidance from the traditional owners of the land even as it all burns to the ground around them – that’s Strailya for ya mate! Maybe I’m putting too much of my own feelings into this read. But as I read this book, my state of NSW, and most of the east coast, was burning to the ground.
I wasn’t keen on the books ending. It didn’t give me the closure and hope I was needing/hoping for, but again maybe I’m putting too much of my own feelings into it.
I’m not sure what else I can say. This was a read I’ve struggled for over a week, closer to two, to write a review for. The art was beautiful though and I think would be best appreciated in printed form rather than an eComic.
January 18, 2020
3.5
I received a copy of this for review purposes through NetGalley. This has in no way influenced my opinion.
If you love art styles, and that is your primary reason for loving graphic novels, buy this and don't bother reading the rest of the review. The art in this is absolutely without a doubt stunning and it is consistently so. You will not be disappointed. I was routinely pulled out of the story to drool over the stunning visuals before my eyes.
However, this book was lacking in plot and character. It had a very interesting premise.No has been able to have children or grow crops because the little soul spirits that are basically life are being gathered by these machines for the Cyan who want to harness their energy and live eternal life and this makes the gods very, very angry. It had so much potential, especially in the beginning. The start and build-up was good and then something switched pretty early on and the book started to pick up the pace way to quickly. Suddenly there were things happening left and right and the characters we had just met were everywhere at every time with little build-up. This made all of the characters feel pretty bland as the story progressed and none of them stood out by the end of the book. It would slow down here and there to establish something (though not really as I was still left with a lot of questions) and then went back to fast and then and then and then pace. While I was able to get immersed in the story and enjoy the stunning visuals, I was often confused and had a lot of questions. However, when this was not the case, I found myself enjoying the story as I had a genuine interest in the concept and the world, I only wish that it had better development and pacing as well as better characters with a proper arc.
I received a copy of this for review purposes through NetGalley. This has in no way influenced my opinion.
If you love art styles, and that is your primary reason for loving graphic novels, buy this and don't bother reading the rest of the review. The art in this is absolutely without a doubt stunning and it is consistently so. You will not be disappointed. I was routinely pulled out of the story to drool over the stunning visuals before my eyes.
However, this book was lacking in plot and character. It had a very interesting premise.No has been able to have children or grow crops because the little soul spirits that are basically life are being gathered by these machines for the Cyan who want to harness their energy and live eternal life and this makes the gods very, very angry. It had so much potential, especially in the beginning. The start and build-up was good and then something switched pretty early on and the book started to pick up the pace way to quickly. Suddenly there were things happening left and right and the characters we had just met were everywhere at every time with little build-up. This made all of the characters feel pretty bland as the story progressed and none of them stood out by the end of the book. It would slow down here and there to establish something (though not really as I was still left with a lot of questions) and then went back to fast and then and then and then pace. While I was able to get immersed in the story and enjoy the stunning visuals, I was often confused and had a lot of questions. However, when this was not the case, I found myself enjoying the story as I had a genuine interest in the concept and the world, I only wish that it had better development and pacing as well as better characters with a proper arc.
January 24, 2020
Thank you to the publishers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own
First, a brief synopsis! Nils: The Tree of Life is a graphic novel steeped in Norse folklore centered around a kingdom where all plants fail to grow and humans and animals alike fail to reproduce. Nils, our titular main character, is a young man with other things on his mind, but as the son of his village's natural scientist, is pulled into a quest to discover the root of nature's decline. After reading I'm pretty torn as to what genre to slot this one into, having both fantastical and science-fiction elements in abundance.
The real selling point of Nils (for me at least) is the art. The style is beautiful, with enough realism to bring the ancient landscapes, from old forests to vast oceans of ice, and the futuristic structures, from towering buildings to cavernous mines, to life. I especially enjoyed the brief glimpses we get at the architecture of the old cities. Personally, I am a huge fan of the blue tones used predominantly throughout the art. I love a good color theme in a graphic novel.
The story itself I found to be captivating and I'm definitely partial to a story that involves meddling gods, what can I say. Like many graphic novels, I wish the characters had been a bit more developed but that seems to be a common downfall of the genre (according to me) and I can't really hold it against Nils here.
Overall, if the cover art appeals to you, I'd say go for it, I would have enjoyed it purely for the art. The unique story and some of my favorite tropes definitely didn't hurt either!
The Gods tell us what we need to hear in order to achieve their will, Alba. But I warn you, that is sometimes very different from what you think it is.
First, a brief synopsis! Nils: The Tree of Life is a graphic novel steeped in Norse folklore centered around a kingdom where all plants fail to grow and humans and animals alike fail to reproduce. Nils, our titular main character, is a young man with other things on his mind, but as the son of his village's natural scientist, is pulled into a quest to discover the root of nature's decline. After reading I'm pretty torn as to what genre to slot this one into, having both fantastical and science-fiction elements in abundance.
The real selling point of Nils (for me at least) is the art. The style is beautiful, with enough realism to bring the ancient landscapes, from old forests to vast oceans of ice, and the futuristic structures, from towering buildings to cavernous mines, to life. I especially enjoyed the brief glimpses we get at the architecture of the old cities. Personally, I am a huge fan of the blue tones used predominantly throughout the art. I love a good color theme in a graphic novel.
The story itself I found to be captivating and I'm definitely partial to a story that involves meddling gods, what can I say. Like many graphic novels, I wish the characters had been a bit more developed but that seems to be a common downfall of the genre (according to me) and I can't really hold it against Nils here.
Overall, if the cover art appeals to you, I'd say go for it, I would have enjoyed it purely for the art. The unique story and some of my favorite tropes definitely didn't hurt either!
February 2, 2020
When villagers start to realize that nothing new is growing or being born, a father and son set out to find out what is killing the Earth and stumble into a clash between a greedy technologically advanced empire, Norse gods, and confused villagers.
That is some beautiful artwork. The story is one that resonates with many, an average peasant boy up against the seemingly all-powerful, greedy empire, and the fate of the world in the balance. At times I felt like certain details were unclear or events happened so fast I had a little whiplash. So the pacing could’ve used a little more work. The overarching plot was fairly easy to follow, though. Mature readers who like dystopian-ish fantasy with touches of Norse mythology will likely want to pick this up, and those who like to read graphic novels just for the artwork.
Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues that I remember. No sexual content. The female gods look like they are wearing full body skin-tight suits or are naked but have no body details except abs and butts? I'd be a bit reluctant to hand this to teens because of this. There are several battles that result in deaths, some blood shown but nothing super gory. The death count is pretty high.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
That is some beautiful artwork. The story is one that resonates with many, an average peasant boy up against the seemingly all-powerful, greedy empire, and the fate of the world in the balance. At times I felt like certain details were unclear or events happened so fast I had a little whiplash. So the pacing could’ve used a little more work. The overarching plot was fairly easy to follow, though. Mature readers who like dystopian-ish fantasy with touches of Norse mythology will likely want to pick this up, and those who like to read graphic novels just for the artwork.
Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues that I remember. No sexual content. The female gods look like they are wearing full body skin-tight suits or are naked but have no body details except abs and butts? I'd be a bit reluctant to hand this to teens because of this. There are several battles that result in deaths, some blood shown but nothing super gory. The death count is pretty high.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2020
Nils: The Tree of Life is a Nordic dark fantasy with mythology at its center. Nils and his father decide to travel to north in order to discover why the land isn't fertile anymore. We have awesome landscapes and the two encounter these spirits who tend the nature. But there are large big metal monsters that hunt those spirits and some humans battle the monsters due to it. The goddesses watch over all this and intervene when man decides to use those spirits in order to live forever and raise the dead. The Life Tree is the solution and now Nils has to save it in order to save the whole world. The plot is really interesting, but very hard to follow. Somehow the pace is wonky and the panels don't follow one another seamlessly. Basically there's too much in the comic and too much fighting especially. Those scenes cut the flow of the comic and the story line jumps.
The art is amazing and beautiful. It's dark and grim with narrow lines, which makes this sharp. This combined with the blending grey colors and snow makes this extremely beautiful and cold. Nils actually looks slightly like a scifi comic in a sense and I love the astral feeling to it. The art is top notch! Because of this it's a bummer that the story cannot keep up with the art, since the unbalance eats out some of the pleasure. The comic isn't bad or anything, but a mess - a beautiful mess though.
The art is amazing and beautiful. It's dark and grim with narrow lines, which makes this sharp. This combined with the blending grey colors and snow makes this extremely beautiful and cold. Nils actually looks slightly like a scifi comic in a sense and I love the astral feeling to it. The art is top notch! Because of this it's a bummer that the story cannot keep up with the art, since the unbalance eats out some of the pleasure. The comic isn't bad or anything, but a mess - a beautiful mess though.
January 24, 2020
In this desolate northern land, everything is dying, and a starving scientist and a gullible teenager he's tricked into travelling with him are on their way to find out why. Turns out, for all the fantastical mythos and wondrous beasts, it's a kind of Big Science who's behind it all, stealing all the elemental characters of the forests and the fields before they can become any new growth. Now, that's a wonderful synopsis – it's just a shame the story that begins thus is so poor. Before long we've got not two but three sides against each other, and then we find out some Naked Childish Manga Gods are behind everything, and it all goes to pot. The reduced palette, which had made everything look eerie, desolate and mystical before now, just means you can't tell one side from another, one character from the next, and you soon lose the will to live when it comes to working out cause and effect. It might be OK for readers who can immerse themselves in such a peculiar, fantastical world of multiple peoples, multiple beliefs and suchlike, but I wanted something much more engaging – that had worried less about the smaller details and much more about the bigger picture, such as narrative coherence.
February 17, 2020
'Nils: The Tree of Life' by Jerome Hamon with art by Antoine Carrion is a graphic novel set in a future dystopian world. A young man named Nils may hold the secret to saving the world.
Nils wants his own falcon. His father takes him to find one, and wants to investigate why crops aren't growing. They find a distant forest with unusual beings that are being threatened by a technological kingdom known as the Cyan Nation. At the heart of it all is Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Nils is recruited, unknowingly, by supernatural beings who don't want the world to end.
The art in this book is really amazing. I loved many of the panels, as well as the cover gallery.
Unfortunately, the story is hard to follow for a couple reasons. One is the choice of font for the book. It's cramped and tiny, making the reading experience a chore. The story itself feels like it has too much going on, with too much unexplained. There are jumps in the narrative, which end up making sense, but ultimately felt like there was more story here than probably needed to be.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Magnetic Press, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Nils wants his own falcon. His father takes him to find one, and wants to investigate why crops aren't growing. They find a distant forest with unusual beings that are being threatened by a technological kingdom known as the Cyan Nation. At the heart of it all is Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Nils is recruited, unknowingly, by supernatural beings who don't want the world to end.
The art in this book is really amazing. I loved many of the panels, as well as the cover gallery.
Unfortunately, the story is hard to follow for a couple reasons. One is the choice of font for the book. It's cramped and tiny, making the reading experience a chore. The story itself feels like it has too much going on, with too much unexplained. There are jumps in the narrative, which end up making sense, but ultimately felt like there was more story here than probably needed to be.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Magnetic Press, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
September 17, 2020
3.5/5
After the land of the villages becomes infertile, Nils and his father journey North to find out why and how to overcome the problem. It is on this journey that they find supernatural beings that may hold the answers to life. But something else is seeking destruction, a high-tech creation of the Cyan who wish to harvest all life for themselves.
“A dystopic Nordic fantasy world, where spirits of light are the key to life”
I mean that synopsis line pretty much sold this series to me in one line. There were elements about this story which reminded me of studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke, the spirits and the conflict between new and old civilizations, but that aside its plot line is pretty unique to anything I’ve read before.
I’ve recently been really into reading mythology, partically Greek and Nordic. Jérôme Hamon has tied elements of Norse mythology together with steampunk sci-fi in a captivating tale. The plot definately gets a little harder to follow as the story progresses and perhaps this is due to the very fast pacing but I enjoyed it none the less. Particularly the twist at the end. It was the artwork that truly drew me into this story. I’ve probably said this about many graphic novels I’ve read but Antoine Carrion’s work is just beautiful.
After the land of the villages becomes infertile, Nils and his father journey North to find out why and how to overcome the problem. It is on this journey that they find supernatural beings that may hold the answers to life. But something else is seeking destruction, a high-tech creation of the Cyan who wish to harvest all life for themselves.
“A dystopic Nordic fantasy world, where spirits of light are the key to life”
I mean that synopsis line pretty much sold this series to me in one line. There were elements about this story which reminded me of studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke, the spirits and the conflict between new and old civilizations, but that aside its plot line is pretty unique to anything I’ve read before.
I’ve recently been really into reading mythology, partically Greek and Nordic. Jérôme Hamon has tied elements of Norse mythology together with steampunk sci-fi in a captivating tale. The plot definately gets a little harder to follow as the story progresses and perhaps this is due to the very fast pacing but I enjoyed it none the less. Particularly the twist at the end. It was the artwork that truly drew me into this story. I’ve probably said this about many graphic novels I’ve read but Antoine Carrion’s work is just beautiful.
January 27, 2020
My Review: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley, the following is my honest review and opinion. As soon as I heard about this book and saw the cover I knew I had to read it. I was intrigued by the idea of reverting back to mythology in a dystopian world. I didn't get as much Norse mythology as I would have liked but it was still an epic story. The illustrations are amazing and the unique world was great. It was a bit difficult to follow and the reasoning behind events was not well explained. There are a few different unique cultures/religions throughout the story and I loved that idea but we didn't really get to see much of how those cultures evolved or how they have survived. The artwork though and the few character story lines that you can actually follow somewhat kept you turning pages. This was aesthetically beautiful but left me a bit confused and underwhelmed with the story.
February 27, 2020
Nils: The Tree of Life details the power struggle between nations with different philosophies in terms of technology, spirituality and culture. Amid betrayal, destruction and death, young Nils and his father are looking for answers to the eternal drought and famine that is plaguing the land.
WHY I LOVE THE BOOK
The colour scheme for the book is soothing, yet eerie and dark. The watercolour style lends a true atmosphere to the story. Dialogue is exceptional and the chemistry between Nils and his father brings warm feelings to the heart.
The complexity of the characters also makes it difficult to categorise most of them as good or evil. They are well-rounded and their motivations fleshed out.
DISLIKES
The story gets complicated towards the end and the pacing muddled. It feels hurried to force a conclusion.
WHO IS IT FOR
This is a Nordic fantasy tale. Fantasy tale lovers might want to take a gamble on this.
WHY I LOVE THE BOOK
The colour scheme for the book is soothing, yet eerie and dark. The watercolour style lends a true atmosphere to the story. Dialogue is exceptional and the chemistry between Nils and his father brings warm feelings to the heart.
The complexity of the characters also makes it difficult to categorise most of them as good or evil. They are well-rounded and their motivations fleshed out.
DISLIKES
The story gets complicated towards the end and the pacing muddled. It feels hurried to force a conclusion.
WHO IS IT FOR
This is a Nordic fantasy tale. Fantasy tale lovers might want to take a gamble on this.
January 26, 2020
*Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
The concept of this graphic novel had me intrigued from the start. I'm a huge fan of dystopian themes. I'm also a big fan of mythology. So a dystopian mythology influenced graphic novel? Count me in! The cover is amazing! It caught my eye the moment I spotted it. The artwork throughout the novel was beautiful and created an atmospheric world that pulled you in visually. The only thing that bothered me was it felt like the plot fell flat; like there wasn't enough there. This would be a great "part one" in my opinion, but it feels like it should keep going. The characters and plot didn't feel as flushed out as they could have been. There is so much potential in this short beautiful graphic novel, but from my understanding it seems like it is a stand alone. It would fit much better into a series.
The concept of this graphic novel had me intrigued from the start. I'm a huge fan of dystopian themes. I'm also a big fan of mythology. So a dystopian mythology influenced graphic novel? Count me in! The cover is amazing! It caught my eye the moment I spotted it. The artwork throughout the novel was beautiful and created an atmospheric world that pulled you in visually. The only thing that bothered me was it felt like the plot fell flat; like there wasn't enough there. This would be a great "part one" in my opinion, but it feels like it should keep going. The characters and plot didn't feel as flushed out as they could have been. There is so much potential in this short beautiful graphic novel, but from my understanding it seems like it is a stand alone. It would fit much better into a series.
January 27, 2020
This is a mother nature/circle of life/alternate world tale that is backed by gorgeous artwork. A father and son duo on an adventure to find out why nothing is growing and no babies are being born. A group of strong females who want to protect their forest. Militaristic royals who want technology to win so they can live forever. Some nature spirits or goddesses (I’m not sure which) who want to end the world or something. Not sure, I was a bit lost by that point. I enjoyed this but I wish the story had been a bit tighter, maybe less points of view?
It starts with a bang but quickly fizzles into an incoherent mess. I'm not really sure how to describe the art nevertheless I loved it. I want prints by this artist. 5 stars for art, 2 stars for story.
ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
It starts with a bang but quickly fizzles into an incoherent mess. I'm not really sure how to describe the art nevertheless I loved it. I want prints by this artist. 5 stars for art, 2 stars for story.
ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
January 30, 2020
Being a huge lover of Norse Mythology, I was hugely excited to see where this story would go. It didn't have the gods and goddesses that are known universally, but the three Norn it did use worked well for the story. It was gripping, exciting and immensly beautiful (visually). I found the time skips a bit difficult to keep up with, and the ending was a bit confusing without the extra information, but I still found it enjoyable. There needed to be more information about what was going on instead of solely relying on the graphics and commentary, especially since the writing is in a font that is extremely difficult to read sometimes (it got hard to discerne between "e" "c" "d" and "b"). The story could have been better, but it was still pretty awesome for what it was. I got this from NetGalley the same day I finished it so it isn't a long read. I think this would be a 2.5/5 for me.
January 31, 2020
*ARC kindly provided by Netgalley*
I'm going to preface this by saying that I'm not a graphic novel reader. I wanted to try something new and get into graphic novels so, I gave this a shot. I mean what could go wrong with a high fantasy story set in a dystopian Nordic world?! Well, a few things sadly…
Unfortunately, I could not get into the story itself. The story was difficult to follow and didn’t feel cohesive. But besides the fact that I could not get into the written story, Nils: The Tree of Life is illustrated beautifully.
The artwork is what kept making me want to turn the page and keep going. The artwork gave me enough of the story that I didn't feel bad that I wasn't reading the conversations and exposition.
I would recommend people check out this book even if they aren't a fan of graphic novels because the artwork is outstanding.
I'm going to preface this by saying that I'm not a graphic novel reader. I wanted to try something new and get into graphic novels so, I gave this a shot. I mean what could go wrong with a high fantasy story set in a dystopian Nordic world?! Well, a few things sadly…
Unfortunately, I could not get into the story itself. The story was difficult to follow and didn’t feel cohesive. But besides the fact that I could not get into the written story, Nils: The Tree of Life is illustrated beautifully.
The artwork is what kept making me want to turn the page and keep going. The artwork gave me enough of the story that I didn't feel bad that I wasn't reading the conversations and exposition.
I would recommend people check out this book even if they aren't a fan of graphic novels because the artwork is outstanding.
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