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Tonoharu: Part One by Lars Martinson
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Isolation Abroad
A Review by Donald Lemke

As a recipient of the prestigious Xeric Award in 2007, Tonorahu: Part One carries higher expectations than most debut graphic novels. Instead of overcompensating for this additional scrutiny, however, creator Lars Martinson delivers a thoughtfully restrained mixture of unembellished prose and sophisticated illustrations.

Although published by his own newly created company, the first volume of Martinson's planned four-part series shows little evidence of its self-publishing roots. From the beautifully designed dust jacket to the patterned details on the endpapers, the hardback nears the quality of a limited-edition art piece -- a welcome change from the many flimsy trades saturating the graphic novel market today.

Construction aside, Tonorahu: Part One is a well-crafted story of alienation, both cross-cultural and self-inflicted. The prologue begins with a young college graduate reflecting on the previous eight months of his life, which he’s spent as an assistant English...
 
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