The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains by Neil Gaiman, Eddie Campbell Published by William Morrow on September 15, 2015
Pages: 88
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
Goodreads
Beautifully illustrated by renowned artist Eddie Campbell, this is a four-color edition of Neil Gaiman's award-winning novelette "The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains"--a haunting story of family, the otherworld, and a search for hidden treasure.
The text of The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains was first published in the collection Stories: All New Tales. This gorgeous full-color illustrated book version was born of a unique collaboration between writer Neil Gaiman and artist Eddie Campbell, who brought to vivid life the characters and landscape of Gaiman's story.
In August 2010, The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains was performed in the concert hall of the Sydney Opera House to a sell-out crowd--Gaiman read his tale live as Campbell's magnificent artwork was presented, scene by scene, on large screens. Narrative and art were accompanied by live music composed and performed especially for the story by the FourPlay String Quartet.
I like to break up my reading list with a graphic novel here and there. I love looking at the art while I read, and I feel that it is an underappreciated category of books.
This one was amazing. I love Neil Gaiman’s work, so I knew that I would probably enjoy it, but I had no idea how much. The title is an amazing, if cynical, metaphor for truth, and one that I think is all too relevant in our current world. The way to the truth is hard, and it takes something from you. Anyone could get it if they chose, but most don’t bother.
The story itself is of a man and his guide who travel, as you might assume, to the Black Mountains. There are elements of history and of fantasy, and it always stayed believable for me. The characters were strange, but they still felt like real people that you might meet if you only traveled to the locations in the story.
The art is beautiful. The artist’s style is so unique and it added a lot to the story. Some pages were arranged in cells, and others simply had a full-page illustration. I liked the variety.
Any fan of Neil Gaiman should read this book. If you are not a fan, then this may just convince you.
From my bookshelf to yours,
Laura
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