Written by contributor Arina N
Hauntingly atmospheric, The Daughters of Ys is the story of two princess sisters, rife with Celtic/Breton myth, magic, power, and betrayal.
One could infer from its book trailer that this mythical graphic novel promises a dark and lovely story of loss, secrecy, and wonder. It’s exactly what it delivers, albeit with a tone at times too familiar.
Written by M. T. Anderson and illustrated by Jo Rioux, The Daughters of Ys is not only the fateful tale of a doomed city of legend, but the journey of two sisters who could not be less alike. Despite their glaring differences, both are princesses born of magic and their lives are deeply influenced by it, and their mother’s decision to create the city of Ys.
Rozenn represents a softer side to our humanity, a kind woman who loves animals and the wilderness. Dahut is truly her counterpart, more content at the mercy of the eccentric court of Ys (or perhaps it at her mercy, as we soon learn) than in its peaceful forest. She embodies the brutal tendencies of someone faced with the cruelty of her world, whereas Rozenn’s inherent innocence reveals the beauty in it.
By giving us two main characters who are polar opposites, as so often happens in ancient folktales, Anderson not only evokes the tone of these traditional stories, but also allows us to experience this new world through two completely different perspectives.
I later researched more about the original source, the legend of Ys and King Gradlon. In the most ancient version of this legend, Gradlon has but one daughter, Dahut, who is faithfully alike the one we find in Anderson and Rioux’s adaptation. Because of that, Anderson’s decision to make this a tale of sisterhood and highlighting a duality between the two princesses felt especially clever to me and bore witness to the author’s storytelling skills and the remnants of folktale tradition. Although sometimes I did feel as if both sisters were a bit too much like stock characters, devoid of the inventive individuality that the story itself possessed.
Still, when it comes to adaptations, I love discovering how they differ and meet the source, and in this I thought The Daughters of Ys took incredible inspiration from the original Breton folktale while still adding a splash of individuality and colour to an otherwise completely bleak narrative.
Moments of suspense are plentiful, and though it starts colourful and gentle, it soon demonstrates its true course. As the two sisters grow and entangle themselves into this world of hidden faces, court interests, and a city of dark magic, they grow further apart and that’s when the narrative begins to sing its ode to the grimness of its inspirations.
Rioux’s artistic style certainly aids in this. Her adroit, absorbing, and almost lyrical illustrations add to the haunting atmosphere that permeates the pages of this dark, bloody, and unforgiving journey.
It’s nothing short of stunning how these different forms of storytelling—written and visual—collide and unite to create harmony between worlds.
The Daughters of Ys is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
Will you be picking up The Daughters of Ys? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
An Atlantis-like city from Celtic legend is the setting of this mythical graphic novel fantasy re-imagining the classic Breton folktale of love, loss, and rebirth, revealing the secrets that lie beneath the surface..
Ys, city of wealth and wonder, has a history of dark secrets. Queen Malgven used magic to raise the great walls that keep Ys safe from the tumultuous sea. But after the queen’s inexplicable death, her daughters drift apart. Rozenn, the heir to the throne, spends her time on the moors communing with wild animals, while Dahut, the youngest, enjoys the splendors of royal life and is eager to take part in palace intrigue.
