THORNHILL

By Yvonne Gilbert

This is one of the most exciting books I have seen in a long time. A beautiful hardback book in black and white that sits somewhere between a novel and a graphic novel, written and illustrated and totally conceived by Pam Smy. It is already award-winning and justifiably so; it is not only innovative but strikingly beautiful. Pam Smy is one hell of an illustrator and designer.

With not one spot of colour anywhere within and the outer edges of the pages solid black the book, as an object, has a thrilling density and weight that cries out to be opened and read. The thrills are immediate with the end papers telling us to KEEP OUT; skeins of barbed wire cross the first pages acting as further warning and an entry from an old diary confirms our fears. Then we are plunged straight into the graphic novel aspect of the book necessitating careful study of each drawing to hunt out the clues. The strength of the illustrations and the edgy palette draw us into the mystery where we weave backwards and forwards through time, interwoven plotlines switching between the stories of 2 girls alive at different times. Both girls are lonely and vulnerable looking for a light in the dark, both needing courage to survive.

The layout is extraordinary and effective. Instead of chapter breaks and chapter headings the arc of the story keeps on going with the only pause between voices being a totally black spread. The pages are uncoated paper which adds density to the artwork and, unlike a graphic novel as such, every illustration occupies a double page spread. The hardcover paperboard uses uncoated paper and is embossed and debossed.

 The artwork in greys, black and white has an edgy and atmospheric appearance with beautifully drawn figures and attendant details. The girl’s faces have an old-fashioned look to them which is instantly appealing. The body of artwork with its story-telling capacity reads like a classic black and white movie, perhaps a ghost story, at once familiar and disturbing.

Thornhill by Pam Smy
David Fickling Books
ISBN: 978-1-910200-61-2