Manu Larcenet - Brodeck’s Report

Another dark and heavy read from Manu. Not a book I needed at this moment. I would say the feeling of emptiness and apathy is delivered a bit too well. If this was a movie I probably wouldn’t watch it.

Even without specifying the date and place, WW2 similarities are pretty obvious. I couldn’t experience it as anything else, especially not an "adult fairy tale" as some reviews described Philippe Claudel’s original.

I like the additional doze of realism in Larcenet’s drawings but the overall mood is better delivered in Blast.
Some internet comments I read say Blast is a better comic since it’s not an adaptation and it leans and uses all strengths of comic book form which rings true.

This one reminded me more of Chaboute with slow pacing and the way it’s leaning into darkness and depression.

Similar to Blast, Brodeck’s Report has the same shock effect from depicting horrible things some characters do (or don’t do). But then comes emptiness and a complete lack of satisfaction with the cold and hard ending.

Supposedly characters in the original novel are much less polarizing than here. I didn’t feel sympathy for any of the village people. Think I would be happier if Brodeck went all Rambo on them.

The horizontal book format doesn’t add or reduce anything from the story. The cover is a bit too plain for my taste tho.