While it took me a while to get around to reading it, The Junction was truly a beautiful and intriguing graphic novel. Following the story of Lucas, a boy who went missing for 12 years only to emerge not having aged a day, we learn about the town of Kirby Junction and how everything is in no way what it seems. Continue reading for my thoughts on this graphic novel by Norm Konyu.
Summary
In the autumn of 1984, 11 year old Lucas Jones, along with his father, vanished without a trace. 12 years later, Lucas reappears on his Uncle’s doorstep. He has not aged a single day.
Lucas is silent and haunted, and it is left to a police detective and a child psychologist to puzzle out where he has been. The only tangible clue is a journal he had kept during his disappearance, a journal whose entries tell of his time in The Junction.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
After reading the summary I did not hesitate to agree to review The Junction by Norm Konyu. I am happy to say that The Junction delivered on its summary – always a happy day in my opinion!
Plot & Narration
While the underlying basic plot of “child goes missing only to reappear X years later” is not necessarily new, Konyu creates a new spin on this tale. Throughout, Konyu slowly unravels the mystery of Lucas’ disappearance and the eerieness of Kirby Junction. The Junction uses clever hints to help slowly reveal what is wrong with Kirby Junction.
For the most part, Lucas Jones narrates The Junction through his diary entries and interviews with the child psychologist or police. True to the theme of the story, Lucas’ experiences delve into the concept of time slips. This adds to the mystery of what actually happened to Lucas over the past 12 years.
Art Style
I really liked the art style of The Junction. The shapes and line work are very unique and helped to add to the overall feel of the graphic novel. The colors/painting is exquisite and well used. The switch between vibrancy and dullness captures tone so well. The watercolor style creates a very interesting texture to the art that gives it a gritty yet clean feel.
In terms of being “haunting” as the summary and reviews tend to use to describe The Junction, I think this comes through mostly in the artwork itself.
Overall
I really did enjoy reading The Junction. It is one of those graphic novels that you want to spend time enjoying every page but want to keep burning through pages to solve the mystery. I highly recommend you pick up a copy!
Find The Junction on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository
I’m not really a graphic novel person myself. This one does sound good though! I wonder if it would be appropriate for high school students?