Thank you to Jeff Lemire, Image Comics, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of Fishflies for review!

Okay, I’ll admit it. I am a huge Lemire fan. Everything he’s done, I’ve loved. His work is so hauntingly beautiful and sad. Fishflies follows that same idea of straddling the line between unsettling and touching.

Fishflies is about a small, Canadian town (typical Lemire, I know), and a crime that spirals into something much bigger. The story follows Franny Fox, a lonely girl who strikes up an unexpected friendship with a fugitive on the run. But this fugitive isn’t your typical criminal. He’s more… let’s just say Kafkaesque.

Like most of Lemire’s work, it’s not going to be for everyone. It's oozing with atmosphere. If you want constant action, this isn’t for you. But if you’re in the mood for something atmospheric, sad, and quietly beautiful, Fishflies is worth it.

Fishflies was my first time with a Jeff Lemire project, and it definitely won't be the last. This is a story of loneliness and violence in rural Canada, and a tale of finding some kind of connection in the vacuum left by trauma. In real life fishflies have an incredibly short lifespan and yet their presence remains deeply felt. The novel's thematic exploration of violence mirrors this precisely, where each shocking act leaves echoes behind and messes to clean up.

The town of Belle River and its inhabitants is beautifully captured by Lemire. The inking of these pages is contrasted with beautiful watercolour shading that gives the novel this painterly yet haunted feeling that ties the entire experience together very well. The specific use of colour helps to portray the story's deep loneliness, making Fishflies a deeply affecting story. Lemire's storytelling is deft but impactful, and whilst its subject matter is tragic I couldn't help but be absorbed in its dark folklore.

Many thanks to Image Comics for the Digital ARC via NetGalley!

In the world of contemporary graphic novels, few voices are as singular and evocative as Jeff Lemire's. With Fishflies, he once again demonstrates why he is a master storyteller, delivering a poignant narrative that is as visually stunning as it is emotionally resonant. This is a story that exists in a strange, liminal space - blending small-town crime drama with supernatural horror, all filtered through Lemire’s inimitable, sketchy art style.

The strength of Fishflies lies in its deeply human core. Lemire has an incredible gift for characterization, and the cast here feels both intensely real and deeply flawed. The narrative deftly explores themes of overcoming adversity and bullying, the heavy burden of grief and loss, and the necessity of accepting consequences for one’s poor decisions. We see characters grappling with their pasts and striving, often imperfectly, to make amends. The relationships feel earned and complex, particularly the unlikely bond at the heart of the story, which becomes a vehicle for redemption and growth.

Lemire’s illustrations are a crucial part of the experience. His signature style - raw, unpolished, and intensely expressive - perfectly captures the melancholy and unsettling atmosphere of the story. The art feels lived-in and organic, as if it was drawn from the very soil of the small Canadian town it's set in. The washed-out colors and heavy inks create a mood that is both eerie and beautiful.

As with many of Lemire’s best works, Fishflies isn’t afraid to delve into the weird. The narrative is peppered with odd, metaphorical themes that defy easy explanation, and while they may be unsettling at first, they ultimately serve to enrich the story’s emotional landscape. Some readers might find these elements a bit too strange, but for long-time fans of Lemire’s work, they are a familiar and welcome part of his unique authorial voice.

Fishflies is a deeply personal and unforgettable book. It may have its surreal moments, but at its heart, it is a grounded and compassionate tale about the messy, difficult, and ultimately beautiful process of being human. For fans of his previous work like Sweet Tooth or The Underwater Welder, this graphic novel is a must-read that solidifies Lemire's place as one of the best authors in the genre.

Fantastic work from one of my favorite comic talents. Lemire lends psychological writing and the art style matches the uneasy wonder of this book.

Keep publishing this guy! He's got an excellent and unique style. This story, like the others, have a thoughtful and tragic tone that captures a bleak rural existence while mixing in elements of supernatural mystery. I will always read this guy.

Fishflies is a unique coming-of-age story that reminded me of growing up in backwoods Mississippi. The family environment and bugs invading once a year made me feel eerily at home. Kudos to Limire for designing a graphic novel with a balance of the small-town feel, along with inviting artwork. I could easily see this on an episode of the Twilight Zone or Black Mirror.

Jeff Lemire never fails in his ability to merge the supernatural with deep emotional storytelling. With ‘Fishflies’, he creates a deeply unsettling atmosphere filled with quiet, lingering dread. The story is a subtly powerful slow-burn that is character-rich and at times gruesome, while the art style is visually haunting and unnerving, amplifying the sense of unease and emotional weight.

‘Fishflies’ is perfect for fans of Lemire and for those looking for creeping horror and intimate connection.

Note: I received access to read this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Fishflies was great for a while. Super evocative scenes and Jeff lemire's unique character art is great at showing how exhausted everyone in the story is. I was disappointed by how convenient but unexplained the resolution was. It felt far too tidy for this story. Still, it was worth reading.

I'm a big fan of Jeff Lemire, so I was excited to read this new story. Lemire has a knack for writing stories that are unpredictable, deep, and thoughtful. Nothing that happens in this story was what I expected, and that's a good thing. I don't think I can say this was "enjoyable", (in the sense that it was not a fun story, because parts of it made me cry), It's a deeply emotional and sometimes tragic story, but it also has some beautiful and hopeful moments, which made the tragedies bearable, and the art work is very skillful, sensitive, and realistic, with moody minimalist coloring, which adds to the story's pathos.

There is also a bit of nostalgia because in my hometown, we also get swarms of fishflies (although we call them midgees) that take over our building exteriors every Spring. In this story, a little girl befriends a man who has become a giant fishfly. There are tragedies, and dark town secrets, and evil hunters, and a kindly, but overwhelmed town Sheriff. But mostly, its about a lonely little girl, who just wants her life to be peaceful, and I liked that.

Thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the e-copy to review.

3.75 stars

Fishflies is classic Lemire. A small rural town in Canada, a history of generational trauma and the supernatural mixes with a story of redemption and second chances, of violence and the innocence of a friendship between a girl and the monster she sees herself reflected in.

The story starts with the heat of the summer. A group of teen friends walking to the grocery store to buy some popsicles are stopped by the annual invasion of fishflies, the kind of flies that come from the river once a year and stick to every part of lakeside villages. One of the kids decides to walk the path full of them to enter the store, however he steps into the scene of a crime. A man is robbing the store and immediately shoots the kid. What follows is the search of the shooter through the town. The fugitive's transformation after escaping. And the meeting of a lonely girl and the monster that will become her protector.
The story, divided in seven chapters, has different povs, different timelines and supernatural elements. As always, and with Lemire's classic haunting art style, the finished product is a tale that makes you think about humanity and mortality. About the experiences that shape us, the never-ending cycles of trauma, and the second chances we take. It's an existential story, one of those Lemire loves to tell in his indie stuff. And this one works, it's not my favorite but it's a strong graphic novel.
The pacing is great, and this is almost four hundred pages, the eco-horror is unsettling and the characters feel realistic. The ending left me with a bleak feeling, even with the hopeful elements teased in the last scenes.

If you are a fan of Lemire, you know you have to pick this one immediately. If you are not familiar with his work, this is a great sample of the haunting stories he crafts. He writes and illustrates such beautiful yet eerie human stories, hopefully you'll give him a chance.

I am obsessed with Jeff Lemire, I think everything he does is genius, and Fishflies is no exception. The art style is eerie and beautiful, if a bit unsettling. I love the unique storyline that keeps you guessing as you make your way through the issues.

Franny Fox’s sadness and desire for companionship and acceptance is palpable. Her unsettling friendship with a very unusual fugitive conveys her desperation even more. That friendship exposes horrific revelations about her town and its repeated swarms of fishflies.

Lemire’s signature style of artwork and story choices make this tale of companionship and redemption equal parts sad, creepy, and endearing. But in a good way!

I didn’t know fishflies existed until this book, and now I’m terrified of them.

Thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the opportunity to read the Fishflies ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have yet to meet a Jeff Lemire comic I didn't enjoy. It's so weird and the art is dark but whimsical (if that's a thing). As sad as the reasoning is for a young girl to befriend a criminal turned giant bug, it was a fun little romp. I appreciate the originality that Lemire brings to all he does, though I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't some Kafka influence at play here!

This is a great graphic novel about a crime in a small town that sets off a chain of events which have roots in the town’s history. It is an eerie story but one that also focuses on friendship, redemption and love and justice. The artwork brought the story to life.

Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

This lost me pretty early on due to the muddied story and the fact that fishflies don't bite. the whole thing kind of falls apart after that.

A very gripping small town crime / horror story with strong themes of family trauma and cycles of violence. I've enjoyed all of Lemire's work that I've read and this is no different; my one criticism is that he needs a wider variety of faces and facial expressions! Overall I really enjoyed this book.

Fishflies is your next excellent Jeff Lemire story!

Jeff Lemire is one of the most talented writers in the graphic novel world! His stories are full of rich characters and emotional depth. I quite literally have cried at the end of almost every single one of his stories. Fishflies is another excellent story that Lemire has crafted. Not only is this a unique creature feature, the likes of which readers have never experienced, but the story has complex themes of found family, abuse, and belonging. One would think that a story featuring a massive bug-creature would struggle to make those emotional connections. However, Fishflies sets the stage expertly. I care so deeply for the characters in this story. The illustrations in this story are exceptional. With the themes present within this story, the illustrations had to convey a lot of difficult topics, and they did so with tact and grace. It elevated this story in so many ways. I cannot speak about how great this graphic novel is. Readers, go out and purchase this ASAP! You won't regret it.

In Fishflies Lemire does an incredible job of pushing the color scheme and composition to its limits. To read this story is to enjoy top quality material.
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this advanced reader's copy.

So when I read Frogcatchers thinking it was a more recent Lemire comic, Fishflies was the one I had in mind, which is pretty forgivable as mix-ups go. And this is once again familiar Lemire territory – literally, it's set in Essex County, but also in the sense of featuring bullied kids, adults turned bitter by life and lashing out, and others making faltering efforts to do better than life has treated them. Envisaged as a rural crime story, it ends up more like an ickier Iron Giant as Franny – probably the possessor of comics' runniest nose now Snotgirl has those new allergy meds – taking refuge from her brutal father with... well, you can see on the cover, and he has something to do with the annual swarming of the titular bugs. There is an affecting story here somewhere, but being 400 pages long definitely doesn't do it any favours.

(Netgalley ARC)

I want to thank Image and NetGalley for supplying me with this review copy of Fishflies from Jeff Lemire. I actually read the single issues when they were coming out and seeing it all together in one volume was something special. Lemire excels in these mini series that he also does the art on. They are very human, realistic pieces, but each of them have a fantastical/supernatural element to them. Even with that part though, Lemire really tells his stories in a way that the fantasy actually just feels like it could be reality. Fishflies is no different. Franny is a highly likable character that just wants to find acceptance in someone when normal day life involves being tormented from her peers and even father. No one truly cares. This is until she meets the Fugitive. This unlikely pair both have a journey of self discovery and transformation (quite literally in his case), blending in small town drama and some dark crime elements. It’s a story you can’t miss.