Coming Back by Jessi Zabarsky
This graphic begins with no words. Just a scene of a life ending, leaving behind two black orbs. Then these orbs are laid to rest in the ocean and from them, arises Preet, eager to return to her lover Valissa.
This is the way of the Shapers and the Shifters. And I like that we get the lore of this village up front without being told anything. For me, most graphic novels feel like they start in the middle and give the background or beginning details in a flashback (which is fine), but here I get the beginning of this world and its characters up front so I don’t have to guess what’s going on as I read.
Although, it is unclear how often this happens and if Preet is the one that comes back every time, I got the dynamic of these two right off the bat. Preet is the magical one, who is very skilled, whereas, Valissa isn’t magical at all but is trying to learn. I get Valissa’s insecurity about being less than her partner or maybe feeling like a burden. Valissa just wants to help out Preet in any way she can. And it’s understandable, seeing as how Preet uses her magic to help everyone in this village.
One of the most interesting things about this graphic novel is the magic itself. At first, it starts out as their way of life then it becomes the conflict within the story. The magic has begun hurting people in the library. So the village agrees that Preet should investigate this, being that Preet has the strongest magical skillset. However, Valissa volunteers, justifying that the village needs Preet more. I feel for both women because who knows how long they’ll be separated, or if Valissa will come back.
As I read through the graphic novel, the magic shifts for both characters. For Preet, the magic becomes a source of anxiety for her. Whereas with Valissa, magic transforms into its own character and becomes a companion. With Preet, she has found a black orb and instead of returning it to the sea, has buried it in her backyard, where a child has sprouted from it. But because this is frowned upon in their village, Preet must hide the child. As for Valissa, she is traveling through the inner dimensions of the library into another world where she learns how to shift from her new magical friend.
Like I mentioned earlier, the magic really is the most interesting part of this story. We see how relying on magic can affect one’s way of life. The village replies so heavily on magic that they tire and burden Preet because she is the best, yet she feels isolated and alone without Valissa. This shows that magic may not be all it’s cracked up to be and can be more of a curse than a blessing. For Valissa, magic literally becomes her friend in the absence of Preet. And this goes to show that magic can awaken new experiences for you and be a source of solace in your time of need.
Coming Back is an interesting read that you won’t be able to put down. With each turn of the page, I learn something new that I wasn’t expecting. I feel for Preet and Valissa every step of the way and was happy with how it ended. I would recommend Coming Back if only for the imagery alone but the story is also fully flushed out and doesn’t leave you wanting more. A worthy read for anyone’s bookshelf.
