Eddie Campbell

This rather hefty book is more a novel than standard graphic novel or comic for that matter. Illustrations here are exactly that - illustrations. You do not get anything more out of them (considering the very sketch-like nature and in some situations complete inability to clearly see what is going on, e.g. scenes where police finds the bodies in dark and unlit streets).

But story, it is very good.

If you are expecting whodunit story you will be disappointed. Perpetrator is know very early. This is story of deep anxiety caused by the turn of the century (in all aspects not unlike anxiety haunting people for the last 20 years) and slow travel to madness triggered by what some people speculate might be reason for actual Jack the Ripper's rampage.

As such this is true horror story, interspersed with occult and secret societies, showing influence occult societies had even on mighty empire as UK (although should we say had in the first place? I have a feeling situation did not change at all in my opinion, people (especially powerful ones) seem to have fetishes about belonging to secret societies). Police officers frustration when encountering political obstacles while they truly work on finding the murderer is presented very clearly. And actions of what you might call "secret government" are shown as they usually are - utterly merciless when national interests are in jeopardy.

I don't understand people with critiques in terms of racial/religious context - these were late 1800's, early 1900's and unfortunately that was the thinking of people at the time (especially in terms of medicine and treatments of psychological issues). Hopefully we raised above it but to disregard past because of the way people were thinking at the time is very silly thing to do (should we eliminate integral calculus because at the time wars (almost all initially highly religious) ravaged the Europe?). All the past is base for future - without it there would be no future. We need to accept the past and rise above the bad things and improve.

Tirade aside this is very introspective and disturbing novel, journey into the very center of madness.
Beside the main story please read all the appendixes and especially short graphic story "Gull Catchers".

Excellent story, recommended to all thriller fans.… (mais)