THE LOST COLONY: BOOK 3

An absurdly whimsical graphic novel devised with more style than substance.

The inhabitants of a mysterious unnamed island emerge once again to prevent strangers from infiltrating and to maintain peace on their clandestine homestead. Young Birdy Snodgrass, still grieving over her grandfather’s murder, seeks to find answers. Everyone on the island has a secret, though none prove particularly shocking nor interesting as their past indiscretions come to light. The island shivers with an undercurrent of magic, and its curious rock bugs, little anthropomorphized jumbles of pebbles, may have a connection to the death of Birdy’s grandfather. Her father, however, believes that Birdy’s former nanny is the assailant and plans to see the woman brought to justice. The island’s inhabitants lack direction, and it’s hard to relate to this cacophonous mess of patchwork caricatures seemingly running amok. Lacking any cohesion other than some overarching social commentary against racism, Klein’s latest does little to enliven a bizarre series. Oddly (though not entirely unpleasantly) stylized with bright hues and blocky characters, it looks—and reads—like nonsensical alternative history devised on an acid trip.

Visually engaging, but otherwise an utter mess.