Book Review :: The Daughters of Ys, by M.T. Anderson & Jo Rioux

The Daughters of Ys by M.T. Anderson, Jo Rioux
ISBN: 162672878X
Published by First Second
on 2020-08-11
Genres: Comics & Graphic Novels
Pages: 208
Format: eBook
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads

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.

Last updated on 20 October 2021

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My thoughts on The Daughters of Ys

I didn’t know anything about Breton folklore, so had to do a little research. Breton folklore (The Daughters of Ys is based on one of the folk stories) is folktales from Brittany, which ‘is a cultural region in the west of France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period of Roman occupation. It became an independent kingdom and then a duchy before being united with the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province governed as if it were a separate nation under the crown.’ – Wikipedia

Who knew?! Not me.

The Daughters of Ys is based on one of these folklores, and follows the story of Princesses Rozenn and Dahut as they grow up in the city of Ys. Rozenn is a land-loving gal, who prefers to spend her time with the animals and the birds in the forest, while Dahut is set on staying in the palace, using her mother-given magic.

The story has some very alarming, dark twists that sort of jarred the story at times. I was not prepared for beheadings! I don’t know what the original tale is like – perhaps something to look into – so I don’t know how far from the tale this graphic novel deviates, but the plot was pretty intense. At times the storyline was a little tricky to follow, so I don’t think I quite got the full story, which was a shame.

The illustrations weren’t my favourite, however they were really well done. The one thing that was really weird to me was the monster near the end; it was just a strange rendition, and didn’t seem scary at all to me, just sort of … meh.

All that being said, I did overall like the story, but I wouldn’t read it again. Like I said, I’d be interested to read some original Breton folklore to check it out.

Have you read an folklore from Europe? Or adaptations of folklore?

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I received this book from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my thoughts, and all opinions are my own.