Waterwise [Paperback]

Joel Orff (Author, Artist)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 12, 2004

Imagine a cross between American Splendor and Alice in Wonderland...or imagine a cross between Carl Barks and Carlos Castaneda... In Joel Orff's new graphic novel Waterwise he explores these concepts and many more. This is the story of two old friends who are reunited for one night and wander together through a surreal, vaguely apocalyptic landscape, pondering life, griping about their circumstances, and trying to connect. Along the way they explore the nature of dreams, the fragile facade of civilization and the tenderness of a true friendship.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The cartoonist behind Strum and Drang: Great Moments in Rock 'n' Roll, Orff favors moments that are ripe with possibility. His first book-length narrative is a slight but charming evocation of such an instance, one that's particularly sweet. Jim and Emily are childhood friends who meet again, decades later, while on the rebound from breakups; they spend a day together hanging out on a lake, remembering playing in the water when they were younger, and a night at Emily's cabin on its shore. The setup is for a romance (and Orff supplies plenty of moments where you'd expect them to fall into each other's arms or to rip off each other's clothes), but this isn't that kind of story—it's a story about friendship and its particular intimacies, and the joys that people who've known each other forever can take in one another's company. Orff's drawings are rough, spacious and vaguely woodcut-like, savoring the odd crinkles of trees and ripples. An early scene shows Jim drawing his ex-girlfriend, adding detail with each line, and it underscores how carefully (and impressionistically) Orff observes his wobbly, scribbly characters and settings. His writing works the same way: there's no moment of revelation, and very little plot, but by book's end readers will understand the depth and dimensions of the bond between these characters.
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From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up–Childhood friends Emily and Jimbo meet by chance at the cabin by a lake where they spent summers together growing up. They haven't seen one another in years. Emily is recovering from a divorce, and Jimbo, a struggling artist, is trying to find direction after a failed relationship. An evening boat ride stimulates reminiscences of the past, causing Emily to offer him a platonic invitation to spend the night at the cabin. Over tea, they discuss the differences in their personalities and the life choices they've made as a result. After a lackluster beginning, Waterwise gradually redeems itself. Nighttime nature scenes and often poignant wordless exchanges between Emily and Jimbo create a powerful mood, and the simultaneous comfort and ache of their intimate but all-too-temporary reunion is effectively communicated. Orff suggests that Emily and Jimbo will continue on their separate paths after the night ends, causing readers to focus on the emotion of the moment rather than the possibilities of a relationship between them. By ending the book abruptly in the middle of a midnight badminton match, Orff invites his audience to reflect on the significance of the events and conversations in the story without the benefit of a tidy conclusion. Mature teens will appreciate the subtleties of the art and dialogue.–J. M. Poole, East Rochester Public Library, NY

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Alternative Comics (October 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891867822
• ISBN-13: 978-1891867828
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,432,641 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)