A graphic allegorical journey about the experience of refugees, Zabus and Hippolyte create an alien and authentic experience that reduces one frightened, grief-stricken human into a number recounting their life before a hardened, oversized man who dwarfs him in a room full of ghosts. Impossible to put aside or ignore its implications, The Shadows introduces readers to the protagonist who is nothing but a number, 214, in a world where humans wear masks and mythical monsters reveal their true faces. Caught up in a war not of their own choosing, refugee 214 flees with his sister and joins others in hopes to survive the bloodshed that has claimed his family and community. Each place they step offers danger and death, and as one comrade falls their shadow follows them.

Alternating between refugee 214, who is telling his journey to a hardened man of herculean proptions in a vast office, and his reflections on the journey that led him to this "new world," readers witness the shadows of those who have fallen surround refugee 214. Although the "welcome committee" writing down refugee 214's words is anything but welcoming, or compassionate, they are all he has left and encourage him to tell the truth for the "truth is worthless if you don't stand by it in the end" (70).

The tremendous symbolism and depth involved in this story is remarkable. Zabus and Hippolyte created a story so compelling about the perspectives involved when it comes to refugees and what it means to be human. The art draws from both darkness and light, with vivid splashes of color and forboding tones that plays off the text well. Exquisitely rendered and highly recommended.

Speechless.

I ended this book speechless and heartbroken.

The beginning was a bit slow and I figured I was going to DNF the book, but I kept going since it was not very long anyways. The last few chapters of the book really bring to light the plight that many people seeking better opportunities for themselves are having to face.

Incredibly haunting and dreamlike, this graphic novel gripped me from the beginning. It tells the story of a young man who flees his country together with his younger sister. He leaves his country, home and parents behind when their land is ravaged by oppressive forces in their country. Their land is exploited and seized by others and so they flee.

The graphic novel starts with the young man telling his story to an official who will make a decision about whether he can stay in the country of refuge. He is haunted by the journey to this place of freedom and tries his best to tell the story of his escape even though the ghosts of his family members haunt him.

The story is amazing in the way it shows the horrors of seeking a safe place to live. The reader journies with the young man through violent places, deserts, exploitation, abuse, mental stress and breakdown and death. All of this is told witout naming these experiences, instead the reader sees these events in the dream like drawings.

I thought this was incredibly powerful in the way it conveys the story through imagery and with very few words. I could feel both loss and loneliness as I read this. I could also feel the hostility of the so-called place of refuge.

These kinds of stories act as a prophetic witness in our world today. The way in which refugees are hated, spurned and treated is a a disgrace. The deaths of people seeking safety and better lives is heartbreaking and yet countries continue to see refugees as a burden.

When will we ever learn?

This story leaves the reader asking such questions and wishing for something better.

Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Shadows is a rare jewel—a bizarre, surreal journey that will keep readers guessing and wanting more.

A powerful, truthful and intimate take on exile and the forms of physical and psychological violence that result from it. The rawness of the drawing only but emphasizes the cruel despair of the protagonists. A very important read. Thank you NetGalley and Europe Comics.

A beautifully illustrated, captivating, poignant graphic novel. A moving story about refugees and the experience of fleeing your own country.

Thank you very much to the publishers for giving me access to this book.

I read it in one sitting, not wanting to stop.

Incredible character design and coloring. I'm so impressed by the shadow characters in particular...they're so convincingly drawn. I ESPECIALLY love the design of Papa....he's simultaneously adorable and terrifying and just, yes good. The story is no slouch as well, a dark, compelling fairy tale in a messed up dystopian hellscape where the poor are hunted down or left to struggle until they eventually die. Even the characters are surprisingly lovable. Good typesetting as well.

Genuinely loved this comic. Would love to buy a print copy of it, though I think it's currently only available in English as an ebook.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing this ARC.
Oh wow, this graphic novel is simply amazing. The art was mesmerizing, and the story was heartbreakingIt captured the journey of a brother and a sister as they become refugees due to their home being destroyed and family killed
Mankind's betrayal to its own kin because of greed.

Originally a play by the same title, The Shadows is a contemporary exploration of the harrowing journeys asylum seekers and refugees take.


Referencing forced labour, trafficking, rape, sickness, murder, and death, this graphic novel doesnt shy away from the reality of refugee life. We follow the story of a boy and his little sister as they escape 'the low coubtry' after hoardes plunder the natural resources of their village, killing their family and friends. On their journey they are followed by the increasing number of spirits, or shadows, of those they have lost along the way.


The story is told from the point of view of the brother recounting his journey to an immigration officer. His story follows him to the inhuman detention centres and endless process of an unwelcoming 'new world' that is as haunting as it is hopeless. Throughout his story, the brother must decide whether to lie to give himself the best chance of joining the new world, or to be true to his heritage and beliefs in the face of pencil pushing ignorance.


The palete drips in dreamy and wan pastels of the country, vibrant jewel tones of the city and monochrome of the new world and accompany beautiful illustrations by hippolyte.


I strongly recommend this read for European readers who only see immigration as a dialogue by politicians, rather than the life and death struggle it truly is.

This is a great, moving and heartbreaking story about immigration and losing your home and family in hope for a better future.
It definitely doesn't say away from the reality of immigration even if it is done with sensibility and at time a poetic writing. The art is gorgeous, kept simple and at time minimalistic, which added a lot of emotion and gave a lot more space for the story.

this one was not for me, I was intrigued by this story description and the art was amazing. It just didn't work out for me. Not my type of story I guess.

Wowowowow. This book is a harrowing tale of immigration told through an almost surreal perspective. We follow a pair of siblings as they are forced to flee their home; They are trying to get to the "other world" were things will be better for them and where they hope to be reunited with their parents. Along the way they are chased and put through trials, all metaphors for the actual emigration experience. Throughout our narrator, the big brother, is haunted by the shadows of those who have tried to make this journey before them. I couldn't get over how haunting and beautiful the art was. How it forces you to be uncomfortable and confront real life immigration.

This is a wonderful story of searching for a better life and all that dark things that the journey might bring (loss, feelings of abandonment and exile, etc.)

The art is beyond amazing. I loved the illustrations, I loved the style, I loved the colors, I loved how they were used to express feelings and moods, I loved the transition between chapters. I LOVED all of it.

The Shadows is the second graphic novel by Zabus & Hippolyte I've read this year. This book was very different from the first one I've read (Incredible) and I was amazed by the story of The Shadows.

The Shadows starts with refugee 214. He finally gets his chance to enter the Other World, but before he can enter he has to tell the story of how he traveled to the Other World. He is alone, scared and desperate. His story is about him and his sister who fled from their home.

This book is about exile, loss, desperation, hope for a better future and protecting the ones you love. The artwork compliments the story. It;s raw, sad and genuine. It's not pretty, but it suits the story very well.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this e-book ARC of #TheShadows in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed reading this! The underlying themes and parallels of the story is what really stood out to me. How the story was told as a story within story kept me interested and intrigued. Along with the unique illustrations, another shiny pro is the way there were musical parts, and it truly felt like a musical and I loved it! However, as much as I loved all these elements, there seemed to be stories or panels that felt out of place at times. Times where I was just scrolling and waiting for it to be over, as it didn't really add any substance to the story or atmosphere.

The colors and illustration style in this book were beautiful! I really liked the way the artist used colors to change the mood of the strips. I am also a really big fan of the "person telling their story" trope and I think it worked really well in this.

"At the end of an arduous journey, refugee 214 finally gets his chance to enter the Other World. But to see his wish granted, the boy must first tell the story of how he and his sister were forced to flee their homeland. Frightened and helpless, they crossed forests, deserts, and seas, encountering creatures each more mysterious and frightening than the last: the capitalist ogre, the smuggler-snake, and the ever-present shadows from the great beyond… The boy’s story must be told in every detail—but will the truth save him, or condemn him?"

. . .

This broke my heart. It's sad and whimsical, moody and emotional. The story is told from the point of view of the boy, refugee 214, as he tells a customs officer his story to attempt to gain entry to the Other World. I don't want to give anything away, but if you're interested in learning more about modern day exile and asylum seekers, this is a good, allegorical way to start.

Special thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this !

Wow! First and foremost...WOW! What a powerful story that I did not expect when picking up a graphic novel. The artwork is absolutely gorgeous, with each character having such a fabulous stylized look to them. When the main characters were in the city, it made me think of The Yellow Submarine and the Blue Meanies! I thoroughly enjoyed the visuals of this piece.

The story really takes a toll on your spirit, but in a good way. It gives you an outlook to a journey most people are not aware of. It is very poignant in the way it shows this journey, in a mystical way, but also making the reader think about how these things happen everyday. I wish I could read it over and over like the first time, going back to the surprises of each and every turn, and the emotions it brings up. Such a lovely piece, you MUST read it !

Beautifully illustrated and loved following the whimsical and sad journey of the character's story. As he told his story, you see the ghosts of his dead family or fellow travelers and the way they influence the story is very good.

4.5 stars

I don't know why, but I wasn't expecting this AT ALL.
I knew that this book was about exile and told a brother and sister's journey to somewhere. But, I don't know why, it didn't click in my head that this would be an allegory of exile nowadays.
So, I wasn't prepared, and I'm in shock. So much so that I blocked everything I could feel while reading this book.

Everything horrible about exile is there: fleeing from your home because it is no longer safe, losing relatives - not knowing where they are, if they are still alive - along the way, losing people you fled with, doing things you never thought you would/could do, protecting someone against everything around you and still knowing they won't go out of it all unscathed, trying your hardest to reach somewhere safe... only realising this "somewhere" is not safe for you. And, of course, rape (not shown), murder, theft, and people taking advantage of desperate men and women.

This book is one of the saddest I ever read. This last image... and the way everything is allegorical but still 100% understandable.

In the beginning, I was not a huge fan of the illustrations, but the more I read, the more I felt like they matched the "mood" of the book.


So, I thought I would read a little book quickly; I ended up punched in the face by The Shadows.