Review: 'The Young Woman and the Sea', script and art by Catherine Meurisse

Living abroad is a massively inspiring experience. Whether it is seeing new landscapes, meeting different people, learning new legends, or tasting new food, it all enriches the way in which you see the world, and see yourself. So when I saw this delightful comic I knew I wanted to dig in further. Thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 12/15/2021
Publisher: Europe Comics

Catherine Meurisse once again draws upon her memories. Her stay in a far-off, strange-yet-familiar land, at the Japanese villa Kujoyama in 2018, provides the artist with another opportunity to pursue her creative quest, this time where the West and Far East meet. In the manner of Lewis Carroll, the young artist lets characters out of legend lead her through pictorial landscapes. Imagination and dialogue are key to penetrating the secrets of this strange territory and discovering why the young explorer finds it so fascinating. This Alice daydreams and wonders, returning every now and then to reality and nature, that dynamic dictator of events and situations. After The Great Outdoors, Catherine Meurisse continues her pursuit of beauty in an unknown land, between mountain and sea, illustrating landscapes that reflect the seasons and the artist’s progress. Truly splendid!

Catherine, both character and author, has arrived in Japan and is ready to see nature in a new way. Because nature is different here. The relationship between humans and nature is different, calmer and yet more ferocious. She meets a painter who is also looking for the perfect picture to draw, and yet keeps writing poems. She also meets a woman who may be the sea. And then there is the tanuki, a racoon-like, mischievous creature who is either helping or hindering Catherine in her search for the perfect thing to paint. I really enjoyed the character of the painter-poet, and especially the point he made about much of modern poetry being unable to leave the everyday world behind. Sometimes you just have to stare at the sea until the rest of the world and your life falls away, until the real elemental truths of life come to you. The story of The Young Woman and the Sea is a calm story, something of a meditation upon artistry, nature, and the self.

I adored the art style of The Young Woman and the Sea, the colour and vibrancy of it. The way Meurisse draws her human characters, almost like little caricatures who are out of place in nature, really caught my attention. Because the nature in The Young Woman and the Sea is stunning. Some of it is clearly, directly inspired by Japanese art, some of it provides a stunning backdrop for Meurisse's story. I really enjoyed gazing at those panels and finding little details, or just resting my eyes on it. The art also adds an element of fun to the story, with Catherine's clumsy approach to hiking or wide-eyed awe at the nature around her. I'm definitely intrigued to pick of Catherine Meurisse's future work, as well as The Great Outdoors.

I give this book...

4 Universes!

The Young Woman and the Sea is a beautiful meditation on art and nature, full of beautiful art and quiet realisations about life.