This was a weird one. I'm not really sure that I liked it. The premise was interesting but also a little bit predictable in places. This is one of those that I think you'd need to read for yourself and see if you like it.

A strange book, that seems to tell one kind of story, about finding yourself through traveling to extremely remote places, that then takes a sudden turn into another kind of story, a mix of psychological horror and a weird thriller.

And of course, what happens, neither story gets enough room to breathe, and neither story works as well as it could've. All that said, I quite enjoyed the curious art.

A nice different type of graphic novel. Desolation’s artistic style surprised me — in a good way. I’m always intrigued by different takes in comics, and found this to be an interesting and appealing style. The book is equally intriguing and recommended for older readers.

A frighteningly possible story with a predictable yet still shocking twist at the end! The opening line of this novel immediately caught my attention, as well as the unique art style. The main character is POC which was a refreshing change to 99% of other comics that I've read, and he acted realistically and natural throughout the entire story. Although this comic arguably doesn't actually have a plot, the sequence of events that happen are intriguing and somewhat horrifying, interlaced with subtle jokes and odd life lessons. This comic shows an entirely new side of the effects of global warming and what the human race has done. The Norwegian tribe show how the world used to be before modern technology, however they also show what the world will be forced to return to again in order to survive in the damage that we've caused.

The only downside to this story is it's overall depressing nature, despite that being the moral of the tale. The lack of plot makes it feel somewhat disjointed, as if the story is afloat in a sea of uncertainty just like it's main character. It's dull at times, but also shocking and gripping-the-edge-of-your-seat-inducing in other places. Although I wouldn't read this story again, I definitely do not regret reading it the first time!

"In one fell swoop, I disappear…”
‘On a whim, Evariste leaves Réunion and finds himself in Port-aux-Français, a scientific outpost on Desolation Island
in the heart of the French Southern and
Antarctic Lands. When he sets out on a hike to discover the majestic beauty of his
surroundings, mysterious men violently
attack his group and he is kidnapped.
It is the beginning of a journey to the
heart of an untamed wilderness.’

This was an unusual read for me. It tied together so many themes about individuality, exploration and discovery, through climate concerns and scientific expeditions. The artwork was beautiful and really added to the sense of ‘desolation’ and the rugged landscape that offers a backdrop to the story. Without spoiling the ending, I see that it’s already divided a lot of readers, but I thought the sudden twist and change of pace to close the novel actually worked. I would have liked to have seen a few more flashbacks or dream sequences to get a clearer idea of Évariste and what he was leaving behind- but overall it works well as an adventure/ thriller graphic novel.

Hmmm... I'd call this a very interesting book, but not an outright success. It's definitely one where the reader gains from not knowing the full story, but I can come out with the fact it concerns a chap leaving the French overseas territory of Reunion, seemingly fleeing a relationship he's found has gone sour. He's now on an expedition ship that is taking scientists to winter on the Kerguelen Islands, near the Antarctic. Dialogue that is dangerously close to exposition joins his monologuing to us as we learn what the scientists see and do and think about the whole affair, before they arrive...

...And the whole book suffers an almighty lurch, one that if you're not expecting it really does take your feet from under you. The volume wants to be quite intellectual, I feel, in discussing man's relationship with nature, and man's nature itself, and so on – and it's not an abject failure in that regard. But as I say some of the script is on the clunky side, perhaps due to being in translation, and I do think the switcheroo and resulting drama is a little too bonkers, with the scenario a touch too unconvincing. The phrase normally is 'an interesting failure', and yet I pulled back from calling this that. It certainly achieves the interesting part, but I was left wondering if a better way of getting its ideas across with more plausibility might have been managed. Three and a half stars.

Desolation’s artistic style surprised me — in a good way. I’m always intrigued by different takes in comics, and found this to be an interesting and appealing style. The book is equally intriguing and recommended for older readers.

At the beginning of the story I was intrigued. Jean-Louis Payet decides to leave his home on Reunion Island and travel the remote Kerguelen Islands which lie just before the frozen wastes of the Antarctic. He has just broken up with his girlfriend and so he decides to take off and disappear. It is an adventure and he travels on a resupply ship which is heading to one of the scientific bases in the area.

Jean-Louis whiles away his time on board, engaging with the many scientists on board, and thinking of his girlfriend but when he reaches Desolation Island his real adventure begins.

I thought the story was gripping and I was really interested in the voyage, life on board the ship, and remoteness of travelling to the ‘ends of the earth’ but the ending felt rushed. I kept hoping for the great epiphany but it never happened. The story was building up to a huge crescendo and it was engaging and gripping but the end was disappointing . The artwork and colouring were ok but the ending was a bit of a let down.

Copy provided via Netgalley.

Good story but what did it for me was the artwork. They had a little je-ne-sais-quoi that totally got me and please me. Worth the look!

This story is wild, not just in execution but also in setting. I liked the far South we visit in this book, but in the end I wasn’t enamored

This story is set in an unique setting, I never heard of this region of France before, let alone seen it in a fictional setting: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frenc...

The main character is Evaristé, who flees his life to a boat on the extreme south (nearly Antarctica) to get over a break up. In the initial chapters there is a lot of boredom and some reflections on tourism to the extremes of the earth. But halfway through the reflections on the wild turn decidedly different. What follows is almost feverish, and ends rather dark and unexpectedly cynical. I didn’t find anyone sympathetic and despite being curious I wasn’t fully on board so to speak.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Desolation by Appollo and Gaultier is an adult graphic novel featuring a black man as the protagonist. The plot revolves around Jean-Louis Payet who changes his name and moves to the Kerguelen Islands. According to the description, the Islands are "an inhospitable archipelago whose scientific bases are civilization’s last bastion before the frozen Antarctic wastes." What will happen when he finally reaches the desolate islands?

Overall, Desolation is a dark, mature graphic novel that may appeal to fans of The Revenant, the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. I tried to keep an open mind when I was reading this graphic novel, but for one thing, I just did not "click" with the art. The art had a very graphic style, and it just wasn't pleasant to look at. In addition to the artwork, I took off a few stars because of some sex scenes near the end of the book that really grossed me out. If you're intrigued by the description or if you're a fan of graphic novels, you can check out this book, which is available now.