CLARA AND THE DEVIL by Olivie Blake, illustrated by Little Chmura (BOOK REVIEW)
Clara has the rest of her life figured out. She’ll graduate college with the support of her best friend, Jonah; marry her adoring boyfriend; take a full-time job at her local library; and settle down in her small seaside hometown. But when an unusual tourist – tall, dark, and infernal – comes to town, Clara’s careful plans quickly start to unravel.
And even while the stranger, who openly calls himself the devil, strikes up a situationship with Jonah, he continues to tempt Clara with reckless talk of power, ambition, and lust. Over the course of one sultry summer, tensions between Clara, Jonah, and the devil mount to an intolerable degree, and Clara is forced to confront the desires she’s kept secret her whole life, even from herself.
This deliciously dark tale of Faustian bargains and seduction from New York Times–bestselling author Olivie Blake and fan-favorite artist Little Chmura kicks off a series that explores artistry and power through the temptation of the seven deadly sins.
I’m gradually getting into the vibe of Olivie Blake. Her most recent book, Dreamland, really impressed me [Cat’s review] and while I’m unfamiliar with her more renowned early work, I’d say she’s just hitting her stride.This gorgeous graphic novel follows narrator Clara and her small town life, quietly interrupted when the Devil comes to town. That is the story, as simple or complex as you wish to make it. He’s not looking for souls or to cause chaos; he just wants a library card. To me, this book is a rather lovely metaphor for that strange time between teenage years and adulthood, as you graduate from the education system but haven’t yet joined the ‘proper’ working world. The Devil hasn’t actually come for Clara, you see – he’s after her best friend Jonah – but she gets caught up in the riptide that his presence causes. Nobody else seems to notice, but for these two, it becomes everything.
This book has the intensity of teen/young adult feelings on full display in all their confusing glory, such as that life-changing decision of whether to stay celibate or step into your sexual awakening. The Devil says this is about power, and to an extent he’s right – this is Clara finding herself as she realizes that she can step away from small-town life, experience her own feelings and desires honestly, and generally go beyond what she understands has been expected of her up to this point. Her boyfriend and parents are spoken of but never shown, as if they exist on her periphery. Her face, and that of the Devil, are the focal pieces of the book for a reason.
The art is beautiful, of course, but I noticed as I read on that it’s not just the subject of the page that’s important. The backgrounds are subtly brilliant, with tendrils of darkness reaching out, or deep red flames coursing behind the Devil’s black silhouette. Everything has a purpose, be it the narrative that begins relatively innocently before blossoming into something new, or the tiny change in emphasis of expression.
This book takes you gently by the hand and walks you forward until you can’t stop turning the pages. Much like the Devil himself it is compelling, tempting, as we realize that we cannot escape its clutches. And this is just part one…
Clara and the Devil: Part One is available now – you can order your copy on Bookshop.org
