Arca
Age, class, and lies affect a space-borne society in the science fiction graphic novel Arca.
Effie will turn eighteen soon, at which point she’ll stop serving the “citizens”—the rich aristocracy of a large spaceship called Arca, launched to flee decaying Earth years earlier. She’ll soon take her place as a “settler,” preparing for the day the ship reaches a planet to colonize. A sinister discovery leads her to question what she’s been told, though, and sets her on a path toward revolution.
Mysterious and suspenseful, the book depicts a regimented, role-driven society maintained for the benefit of the wealthy. Effie is an appealing heroine whose secret pursuit of education differentiates her from her non-literate peers and thrusts her into a leadership role. Political commentary on power and justice is present, underlying Effie’s efforts to learn more about the system she’s grown up within and to change it.
The book’s art includes myriad details that enrich the story while keeping sharp focus on the narrative. For example, a confrontation between Effie and the Arca‘s leader takes place on the ship’s farm, in a setting that looks like a sunny day on Earth except for vent grates and some discolored panels in the “sky.” The inventive use of inset panels and borders helps to maintain a dynamic flow throughout the book, while allowing an awe-inspiring sense of scale, as when a flashback shows the Arca being built, or when a character falls from a great height inside the ship.
Set in outer space, Arca is a thoughtful graphic novel in which a young woman reshapes her unfair society.
Reviewed by
Peter Dabbene
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
