The Grande Odalisque
If you like comics, and you’re also in need of some serious, escapist fun – at the moment, surely that’s pretty much all of us – I suggest that you dive straight into The Grande Odalisque ... Naturally, I like the way this book flips things around, the women getting up to all the stuff, and with such relish, that’s ordinarily the province only of men. But such reversals have been done before. Its real originality lies, I think, in the undercurrents that flow between these young women, a complex dynamic that ultimately binds them together. Their backstory, which I won’t spoil here, lends the narrative an unlikely tenderness, one that will keep you reading even when the action is at its most preposterous (think hang-gliders and tranquilliser darts), though I must also admit to experiencing a certain horrible delight whenever our heroines blow the head off some lecherous villain. (Even at my age, there’s excitement in being given licence to enjoy this kind of thrill.)
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... a thrilling, high-octane action spectacle that puts the big-budget Hollywood blockbuster Fast and Furious franchise to shame ... Readers will devour this action-packed, wildly sexy, witty, and ultra-cool crime story built around the complicated relationship between three charismatic women and rejoice to discover a note at the end promising they’ll return for further adventures in future volumes.
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... elegantly drawn ... The collaboration of Vivès with Ruppert and Mulot, who are known for more experimental work, sets a tone that’s both deadpan and lighthearted, complemented by loose, spare art that manages to be both suave and efficient. While thrilling action set pieces abound—battles with a Mexican drug cartel and a motorcycle chase through the Louvre among them—the comic’s heart is the relationship between the characters ... Mixing top-notch thrills with introspective character study, this adventure never takes itself too seriously. It’s a delicious caper with all the trimmings.
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