Ashes Review – Road Trips Can’t Get Wackier
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Three friends (and a monkey) embark on a road trip to an undisclosed location marked on a map, where their deceased friend desires his ashes to be scattered. “Ashes” by Alvaro Ortiz is an unpredictable, weird, but wildly entertaining graphic novel – it follows Polly, Moho, and Piter, who have drifted apart over the years until the passing of their friend Hector. His final wish? That they transport his ashes to a remote spot marked only with an ‘X’ and the name ‘Gregorio’ alongside it. They set off, unaware of what lies ahead or who Gregorio might be, encountering numerous obstacles along the way, with a crazy monkey proving to be the least of their concerns.
While I wasn’t sure where the story was heading, I loved reading this graphic novel. It unfolds at a leisurely pace, but its quirky nature and unexpected twists kept me thoroughly engaged. Alvaro Ortiz’s simplistic yet charming artwork, complemented by a pleasing color palette, facilitates the narrative’s smooth progression. While some readers may not appreciate the cartoonish illustrations, those who appreciate the creator’s art style are likely to find themselves equally enamoured with the story.
Alvaro Ortiz initially introduces Polly, Moho, and Piter through brief segments, providing insight into their backgrounds and personalities before they embark on their journey. “Ashes” is then divided into seven chapters, spanning six days of travel to their destination, with the seventh day dedicated to unravelling Hector’s true intentions. Hector’s shadow looms over them like a ghost, and I really liked the stark contrast in their personalities. Polly, the determined one, takes charge by renting the car to facilitate their road trip. Moho, a music journalist, dabbles in questionable side ventures, and has a monkey called Andres for a pet. Piter, purportedly the most affable of the trio, is a gentle giant and a healthcare professional. Andres the monkey accompanies the friends on their trip, stays with them in their hotel rooms, and provides plenty of comic relief in the story, with his own backstory and a penchant for mischief.
Piter serves as the primary narrator of “Ashes” and he intersperses the story with various anecdotes about cremation and historical tidbits detailing the cremation practices of different cultures and countries. From the cremation of several Nazis to prevent their burial sites from becoming sites of homage for Hitler sympathizers, to the Hindu belief in the liberating power of laying ashes in the Ganges, “Ashes” offers intriguing insights throughout.
“Ashes” continually takes unexpected turns, with the trio encountering a plethora of unforeseen events along the way, including mysterious pursuers with unknown motives. What begins as a simple, somewhat melancholic tale of three estranged friends embarking on a reluctant journey to bid farewell to a mutual friend evolves into a thrilling narrative replete with guns, goons, drugs, fires and violence. In its own understated way, “Ashes” proves to be thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.
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