Curses by Kevin Huizenga

Curses is a graphic novel by composed of interrelated short stories. They cover themes of family, religion, suburban landscapes, and the migration of starlings. Sound boring? It’s not! Huizenga has a unique talent for making the mundane details of life not only fascinating, but awe-inspiring and exciting. The best story in this collection is “28th Street,” in which Glenn Ganges (Huizenga’s recurring protagonist) and his wife are having trouble conceiving a child. His solution? To search for a feathered ogre living under Grand Rapids’ 28th Street and trick him into lifting the curse that has kept them childless. In another devastating story, Ganges and his wife are decorating a “Jeezoh” statue on an unborn child’s grave – the story takes a swift detour into the Japanese Buddhist mythology behind the statue, becoming a touching, even humorous, look at a parent’s grief. Huizenga uses the bleakness of the urban Midwestern landscape to put his flights of fancy in sharp relief – the effect is mesmerizing. This is one of my very favorite graphic novels, nearly perfect in every way.

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Recommended by Sara D.