Unholy Kinship

by Naomi Nowak

Overview

Luca thinks she knows her sister, her history and her friends - but very few things are what they seem. What to do if your world falls apart when your only living relatives are mentally unstable and you’re a disaster in relationships? A story of confusion, love and the past. An exciting debut by an artist inspired by, but providing a next step from, manga.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781561634828
Publisher:	N B M Publishing Company
Publication date:	11/28/2006
Pages:	114
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.20(d)

Editorial Reviews

Art history student Luca has an overly dramatic-yet somehow hollow-life. Her parents-prominent psychologists who did research on primates-are dead. Her sister is suffering from grave psychological problems that require round-the-clock care. And Luca is slowly but inexorably alienating her few remaining friends, leaving her ever more isolated. As she takes care of her sister, she begins to worry that she's losing her mind as well. Nowak is clearly a talent who will bear watching. She creates several interesting characters, knows how to establish a strong premise, and she's not afraid to follow a number of intersecting story lines. Most importantly, she is completely fearless about describing her character's difficult emotional states. Unfortunately, her ambition occasionally outstrips her storytelling abilities in this first effort. Payoffs frequently arrive too quickly after necessary information has been set up, and the revelations at the end of the story alternate between overly telegraphed and forced. Nowak's art, which has a soft, watercolor feel, shows flashes of talent, but bogs down in confusing layouts and awkward perspectives. Still, with its brave storytelling and painterly art, this should appeal to both small press fans and those who pride themselves on spotting talent "before they were stars." (Nov.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 9 Up
Luca tries to live a normal life with friends and boyfriends but nothing ever seems to turn out right. She is consumed with protecting her sister from a life in a mental institution, a fate that befell their mother. She is haunted by dreams of her father, a scientist who experimented with animals, and the creatures that were his subjects. This Swedish artist was obviously influenced by the manga style. Her art is haunting and vivid, with saturated colors and intricate details, but the plot is disjointed and seems unfinished.
—Melissa T. JenveyCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

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