It’s not often a book like Seeds comes along, but
when it does you grab onto it and shout from the roof tops about how good it
is. Originally published in the UK, the book has made it over to the US shores
thanks to Com.X. In this case it’s best to use the books own summary instead of
trying to add a spin to it.
Summary:
In
July 2009, Ross Mackintosh learned that his father had cancer. Seeds
is the autobiographical story about a man’s experience of family, life, love
and death. Beginning immediately with the diagnosis, then taking us through his
father’s eventual decline. This is a powerful account combing humour,
philosophy and honesty.
Dustin: Even
knowing what this book is about will not prepare you for the overwhelming
emotion that will wash over you as you read the book. I will tell you right now
that if you don’t cry while reading this book, then there is something
seriously wrong with you. You may cry at a different moment in the story, but
there will be a scene that triggers such strong emotions that only tears will
suffice. The more amazing thing is that the story doesn’t leave you sad; it
doesn’t leave you gloomy and depressed. No, instead gives you a weird sense of
closure that you’ll probably never experience in another graphic novel.
The sequential art of the book is so tight that it never
breaks the flow of the story. The real life characters it’s based on become so
real on the page, that by the end you are connected with this family as if they
were your own. Seeds, is unlike any graphic novel ever produced and we are all
the more blessed that writer/artist Ross Mackintosh has shared this very
personal moment with the rest of the world. If you read this story you owe it
to yourself to share it with everyone you know and don’t be ashamed to tell them
what part made you cry.
Kevin: Simple, honest,
beautiful and touching; Seeds, tales the tale of a son losing a father to
cancer in way you can’t help but feel compassion. Mackintosh delivers a
heartfelt presentation panel by panel as he displays an autobiographical
account of his father’s sickness and how he and his family deal with the weight
of their heavy ordeal. The moments captured in this story are
memorable and touching. There are a host of panels that will make tear up... promise. The art is simple but more than capable of creating the world. Not
only does it add to the experience, it commands charm all of its own.
Seeds came to me a
complete surprise and nothing that I have read about it could have prepared me
for the experience that this book contains. I was shocked how much I loved it.
In all honesty if you have a heart and are capable of emotion you’ll enjoy Seeds.
Overall Score – 10/10
*Quite possibly the book of 2011*