The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York Review

 

"Beware ye of little nerve,

for there is a story out there,

lurking in the brambles,

and it knows your name."



Review:

(Thank you NetGalley for a copy)

 



The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York follows the journey of one Jonathan York as he is lost in a dangerous swamp one night and searches for shelter. It seems he finds a place to spend the night when he accompanies three strangers  to an inn run to an elderly couple who only ask for stories as payment for a night's stay. Easy right? Not so much for woeful, Jonathan York who has tried his best to live a safe and uneventful life which leaves him with no story to think of. After the other three tell their own, unique and quite creepy tales Jonathan York is still story-less and the curmudgeon of an old man send him out into the swamp where Mr. York eventually gets quite a tale to tell through a journey that could possibly lead to a dreadful fate.

This dark and thrilling little tale of a ho-hum man breaking out of his safe routine is illustrated in a very detailed way with limited color palette part of the time. Both the humans and creatures in the story are drawn in ways that give the characters plenty of details and many terrifying visuals. The  tales of the three strangers aren't all for not as their themes manage to foreshadow and parallel with the journey Mr. York will take once sentenced to the swamp to face monsters and charlatans of his own. There's a theme of getting out of your comfort zone and avoid complacency for it too can be detrimental in it's own way. There's also not to be afraid of risks as even one such as Mr. York can overcome them and even surprising himself along the way as he changes for the better because of these ordeals.

Recommendation:

The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York is an interesting, dark little tale probably best suited for the YA shelves. For a graphic novel the book can be a bit wordy as well as quite flowery speech that's nonetheless fun to read. There's also that the wonderfully drawn art can range from creepy to some very disturbing imagery. Especially the secret of Slynderfell Ice Cream Company. No one wants to know how their ice cream is made.