Junkwraith by Ellinor Richey (review)

In a fit of pique and exhaustion, Florence throws away her ice skates. One would expect she could just come back for them once she calms down, but in this futuristic world, the act of throwing away something she used to love has dire consequences, and a ghost is now attacking her memories as punishment for the abandonment. The junkwraith is formidable, and Florence begins her quest into the Wastelands with almost no assistance or confidence, hardly a worthy opponent for a vengeful spirit. This Swedish graphic novel uses color in brilliant ways, with washed out, muted city scenes echoing the more vibrantly shaded panels when Florence begins to find herself on her quest. The dynamic, unexpected linework reenforces the setting, a futuristic world that is only hinted at in the illustrations and occasional comments. The concept that all the waste we make will haunt us is a compelling one, as is the premise that once-precious, discarded things have the most potential to torture us: this is Toy Story gone horribly wrong. Give this genre-fluid tale to horror, science fiction, and fantasy buffs, or even realistic fiction readers who don’t mind their family explorations or coming of age stories souped up with some supernatural elements.