The Daughters of Ys

 

The Daughters of Ys by M.T. Anderson, Illustrated by Jo Rioux

An Atlantis-like city from Celtic legend is the setting of The Daughters of Ys, a mythical graphic novel fantasy from National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson and artist Jo Rioux.

Ys, city of wealth and wonder, has a history of dark secrets. Queen Malgven used magic to raise the great walls that keep Ys safe from the tumultuous sea. But after the queen's inexplicable death, her daughters drift apart. Rozenn, the heir to the throne, spends her time on the moors communing with wild animals, while Dahut, the youngest, enjoys the splendors of royal life and is eager to take part in palace intrigue.

When Rozenn and Dahut's bond is irrevocably changed, the fate of Ys is sealed, exposing the monsters that lurk in plain view. M. T. Anderson and Jo Rioux reimagine this classic Breton folktale of love, loss, and rebirth, revealing the secrets that lie beneath the surface.

Reviews

"Like [M. T. Anderson's] National Book Award-winning The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, this graphic novel is both accessible to a wide age range and rich with ideas that will intrigue adults... Jo Rioux’s character designs―which reference fifth century Anglo-Saxon art―aren’t just beautiful, they allow her to test the evocative possibilities of minimalist cartooning." ―NPR, from "NPR's Favorite Books Of 2020"

"Anderson’s [lyrical] version of the original lore...draws the reader into the eerie mystical world of Ys. Rioux’s enchanting classical artwork employs rustic pencils in a romantic style that recalls Emily Carroll, and autumnal colors which harken back to Breton culture. Readers keen on Celtic mythology will appreciate this whimsical tale with a dark turn, with crossover for Anderson’s teen fans likely."―Publisher's Weekly

Norma's Personal Review

The first thing that caught my eye was the lovely art by Rioux! The colors and style remind me so much of The Secret of Kells from Studio Cartoon Saloon but in a slightly more grown up style to fit the tone of this story. A retelling of a Celtic story, it gives more complex characterizations and motivations to the two female leads and is just overall such a fantastic read. As someone who loves graphic novels, I would recommend it for the art alone but the story written by Anderson is equally as addicting.

Come into the library and check it out if you're interested!