An enticing tale of two magical sisters and a wondrous, but corrupt kingdom. It is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel that kept me engrossed from start to finish. Fantastically done!

A haunting and heartwrenching retelling, made incredibly immersive by the expressive art style and stunning use of colour. I was not familiar with the original folktale before picking this up but I was compelled to research it after reading to be able to better appreciate the many details of this retelling.

<I> An incredibly large thank you to First Second Books for providing me with an eARC of this graphic novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is currently set to be published in May 2020</I>

4.5 stars

<U> The Daughters of Ys</u> is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel based on the original tale from Breton legends. I am in awe of the gorgeous, lush imagery in this version of the story. The style that the characters are depicted in remind me of a watercolour version of Kate Beaton's comics, which I am a total fan of. This retelling was succinctly paraphrased through dialogue and coloured imagery panels, but it was incredibly well done. I want a physical copy of this to add to my bookshelf.

The art style of this book is beautiful and unique and I found the aesthetics of this book to be consistent and engaging. The story itself was interesting and kept me engaged. However, what I struggled with when reading this was the font choice. Some of the lines of the letters were really faint, which made reading the smaller words difficult; I'm not sure if this is an ereader issue (I was trying to read this on my computer, but maybe the backlighting was impacting the readinbility?) or just the font choice itself, but it is worth mentioning as I found myself straining my eyes a lot more than I normally do when reading on an electronic device

Haunting

"...Princess, how do you think the city of Ys stands against the sea? How does it acquire its fabulous wealth? There must be a price paid."

This is a slow burn sort of book, which serves it and its source material very well. I did a little research into the Breton folktale about Ys after I'd read this book, and that enriched my understanding of the story, and led me back to a reread. There are a half dozen different versions of the original story, and Anderson does a marvelous job of reorganizing and reimagining it to add new levels of depth and drama. The emphasis on the conflict between the daughters seems mostly new, but that shift of focus away from the more obvious Sodom-and-Gomorrah message added a whole new level of interest and intrigue.

The book starts slowly, and initially feels a bit thin, and even childish. But don't despair. We soon move into much more intriguing territory and the story continues to develop in complexity and meaning right up to its final ripping conclusion. There are all sorts of loose ends and false trails and suggested side stories that add richness and mystery to the tale as it proceeds, which I think generally reflects the spirit and haphazardness of the best folktales. (I mean, do you really understand everything that happens in "Beowulf"?)

And, unlike some classic tales, this isn't a slog. This version is fast on its feet, briskly paced, touching, emotionally sound, romantic, and, not surprisingly, very funny in places. The deadpan "holy hermit" Corentin is worth the price of the book just on his own.

A word on the art. At first, as with the narrative, I was a bit disappointed and unengaged. The drawing seems to be pencil and crayon and often bordered on the edge of abstract. Not the easiest style for the eye. But after a while you are drawn into the panels and realize that the style is in fact perfect for an ancient tale - it feels like something that could have been painted on a cave wall or sewn into a tapestry, and it suddenly all makes sense.

So, as I said - a slow burn sort of book that will draw you in and captivate you. Like all good folktales.

(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.)

I’ve been in a reading slump itching for some sort of fable/fairytale to kick me into gear. I not the biggest fan of graphic novels BUT this one should it come out as a physical copy will be welcome on my shelves. The difference between light and dark and having to stand up to family makes this relatable to today. I hope to see more from this author in the coming years.

A lush, beautiful, yet dark retelling of a Breton legend. Fantastic illustrations in a muted color palatte give this story a feeling of age and weight. Both sad and marvelous by turns with deep dark undertones. A good addition to a Teen+ collection. Folks who love mythology and folktale readaptations will love this addition to the genre.

This was a gorgeous reimaging of an old folktale. The artwork beautifully fits the magical fantacism of the story and it had me hooked from the get go.

I thought the artwork for this books was quite lovely. It reminded me of a more artistic version of Noelle Stevenson's work. While the art is fantastic the story left a lot to be desired. I know this is based off of a myth and the author needs to stay true to it but i did not find myself relating to any of the characters. By the time Ys came crashing down all I could really think of was... good.

A gorgeous graphic novel based on Celtic folklore about an Atlantis-like city surrounded by the sea and the two princesses who shape its fate. I was totally unfamiliar with this legend and really enjoyed Anderson's take on it. Full of gorgeous illustrations, magic, and an interesting story about sisterhood and culpability.

The story itself was incredibly haunting. I fell like I was falling down a rabbithole as I was reading. The pacing and the tale of the two sisters, each with a different path, was incredibly well done. Chilling, really. It was darker and more adult than I was expecting, but still loved the journey.

I had never heard of this folktale before, but it is very interesting and I could totally see it as an animated film in the art style used here. At times I felt like a foreword would have been beneficial because it took me until halfway through the book to understand who the characters were and catch onto the plot. Beautiful artwork.

Gorgeously illustrated retelling of a traditional Breton folk tale. Familiarity with the original source text is in no way needed. As sometimes needs to be noted, the fact that this story is illustrated does NOT mean it is for children. Violence, sexual themes, gore, and fantasy monsters appear throughout.

I am a children's librarian so I tend to only read books that are intended for 12 and under. This book I would definitely say is intended for teens. There is brief nudity in a semi-sexual situation. I really enjoyed the artwork but the story was just alright. I think it had potential but I didn't really care for any of the characters.

Wow, The Daughters of Ys was creepy and sad and so beautiful! I really enjoyed the fact that the story is an old Breton folktale. I had heard about it, but this enlightened me more. The city of Ys is ruled by a king that wants the glamour and a queen that has magic in her veins to do it. Queen Malgven kept the monsters away or used them, built the city walls and soon died leaving her two daughters with their father, the king. The girls cannot stand the king's doings and choices and grew to be very different. The younger Tahut follows in her mother's footsteps and the older Rozenn appreciates small things and life. The old world is about to end because sacrifices aren't enough and the city will be lost. The plot is wonderful in it's hollow sadness and horror even. The girls' roles are nasty and both are doomed. The decapitations and everything just prove how wicked it all is and how people are selfish and stupid.

The art is beautiful with wavy art and deep and rich colors. Everything in the comic is suffocating fairy tale like horror, sadness carved in everything. This is a beautiful and nasty comic, which leaves you breathless. I wish comics like this were made more, since this brings the old story to life. The panels without borders leak breathless anticipation that makes you feel ill - this is surely a physical experience. Be warned and enjoy!