Alyte
An orphaned toad journeys through the natural world in the magnificent graphic novel Alyte.
Alyte is one of many eggs on his father’s back. When his father dies, he is thrown into a harsh but beautiful world. After meeting other animals and facing many dangers, he becomes the leader of a hopeful resistance against the intrusions of humans.
The first scene, in which Alyte’s father is hit by a car, is shocking and serves notice that the version of nature on display won’t be a sanitized one. It also shows the determination of Alyte’s father as he struggles off the road to save his children. Indeed, throughout the book, death illuminates the interconnections of different species and the wonders of life and survival.
The perspective is fascinating and nonhuman: Fish see ducks as “liminal feathers,” demigods who live in the sky but come down to eat; to a lizard, the sun is a “yellow marble” and “the best drug in the whole universe.” Alyte is memorable, too, as he demonstrates curiosity, perseverance, and bravery.
The art is magical, with an appealing, simplified style marked by its accuracy in depicting the anatomies of its varied cast. Among the wonderful images is a moving two-page spread featuring fifty-six individual panels capturing the memories of a dying tree. Sound is prominent and immersive as well, through stylized lettering indicating the “shh” of water as salmon swim upstream and the “rrr” of a roaring automobile.
Begging for screen adaptation, Alyte is an amazing graphic novel about a toad’s struggles to survive.
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.
