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The Cutting Garden: A Graphic Novel
Not yet published
Expected 29 Sep 26128 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 29, 2026
9 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Darcy Van Poelgeest
36 books47 followersDarcy is a multi-award winning writer and director living in Vancouver, B.C. His film work has screened internationally at festivals, broadcast on TV, shown in galleries, and become a best seller on iTunes. His debut comic series LITTLE BIRD (2019) is out now from Image Comics & Glènat Editions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What an interesting graphic novel. There was a lot to love, yet unfortunately a few things that didn’t quite work out. Overall, I would say this is worth a read if you find yourself with access to a copy, though I probably wouldn’t recommend to the world that you need to go and seek one out for yourself.
The artwork style was incredible and very well done. This is a beautiful work. The story is interspersed with botanical drawings that were delightful and also worked to help with the overall mood and vibe. The story was interesting and the general atmosphere of the story was enthralling.
On the other hand the story was a little bit light, and there were some parts that were a little too confusing. Leaving some things unsaid and for the reader to piece together is a choice, and it can make a strong story, but it can also leave things feeling somewhat unfinished. This is probably my only main complaint, but its significant.
They also used cursive for the narrator voice which was an interesting choice I haven’t seen before. This led to some readability issues for me as I was reading a digital version and the cursive text isn’t that readable when its small.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
The artwork style was incredible and very well done. This is a beautiful work. The story is interspersed with botanical drawings that were delightful and also worked to help with the overall mood and vibe. The story was interesting and the general atmosphere of the story was enthralling.
On the other hand the story was a little bit light, and there were some parts that were a little too confusing. Leaving some things unsaid and for the reader to piece together is a choice, and it can make a strong story, but it can also leave things feeling somewhat unfinished. This is probably my only main complaint, but its significant.
They also used cursive for the narrator voice which was an interesting choice I haven’t seen before. This led to some readability issues for me as I was reading a digital version and the cursive text isn’t that readable when its small.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
February 27, 2026
I loved the blurb for this and was super excited to dive in. I didn’t know where this was going to go and was super interested.
Unfortunately, it just felt a little lacking to me. The characters felt a little flat and lacked depth. I story was interesting but it didn’t pull me in as much as I wished it did.
I was super excited for this but it didn’t feel as flushed out as I hoped for. I think maybe an extra 30 pages would make this amazing.
The art work is incredible though.
💕 Thank you for the arc 💕
Unfortunately, it just felt a little lacking to me. The characters felt a little flat and lacked depth. I story was interesting but it didn’t pull me in as much as I wished it did.
I was super excited for this but it didn’t feel as flushed out as I hoped for. I think maybe an extra 30 pages would make this amazing.
The art work is incredible though.
💕 Thank you for the arc 💕
2026
March 9, 2026📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics
March 4, 2026
Una giovane fiorista sta chiudendo il suo negozio quando una ragazzina, silenziosa e impassibile, le chiede un mazzo di fiori. Sarà troppo tardi l'indomani, dice - e mentre i fiori vengono scelti e composti dalle mani esperte della fioraia, le racconta una storia.
Una storia d'amore? Forse. Una storia di morte? Di sicuro.
Una storia sulla bellezza e la caducità, e su come tutto sia destinato a finire. Ma come solo dalla fine possa nascere altra bellezza.
Una fiaba mostruosa e raffinata, piena di sottintesi, in cui conta più il non detto di quello che viene messo sulla pagina, sia per quanto riguarda l'amore che per quanto riguarda l'orrore; con testi delicati e tavole di struggente, malinconica bellezza, da esplorare continuamente, da gustarsi particolare per particolare.
Unico difetto: il carattere poco leggibile, che costringe a risvegliarsi da quella che è quasi un'ipnosi per decifrare parole e frasi.
Per il resto, impeccabile.
Una storia d'amore? Forse. Una storia di morte? Di sicuro.
Una storia sulla bellezza e la caducità, e su come tutto sia destinato a finire. Ma come solo dalla fine possa nascere altra bellezza.
Una fiaba mostruosa e raffinata, piena di sottintesi, in cui conta più il non detto di quello che viene messo sulla pagina, sia per quanto riguarda l'amore che per quanto riguarda l'orrore; con testi delicati e tavole di struggente, malinconica bellezza, da esplorare continuamente, da gustarsi particolare per particolare.
Unico difetto: il carattere poco leggibile, che costringe a risvegliarsi da quella che è quasi un'ipnosi per decifrare parole e frasi.
Per il resto, impeccabile.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“The cutting garden” di Darcy Van Poelgeest è una delicatissima graphic novel, che richiama nei colori e nelle atmosfere delle tavole una fiaba, ambientata nella New Orleans dei primi anni del Novecento, dove l’aria umida sembra sospendere il tempo stesso.
La trama ruota attorno all’incontro tra una fioraia solitaria e una giovane ragazza misteriosa di nome Adeil, che si presenta nel negozio in circostanze insolite. La fioraia, avvezza alla quiete notturna del proprio mestiere, viene avvicinata da Adeil con una richiesta singolare: desidera una composizione floreale, ma non paga in denaro, bensì offre una storia per ogni fiore aggiunto al bouquet. La fioraia, mossa dalla curiosità, accetta questo scambio, e mentre il bouquet si arricchisce, altrettanto si infittisce la rete di associazioni e implicazioni contenute nel racconto di Adeil – dai ricordi di un incontro casuale con un cantante jazz disilluso, a evocazioni di una dimora familiare in rovina, a scorci di una vita idilliaca ma precaria vissuta ai margini.
La trama si svela lentamente, con l’alba che si avvicina (segno temporale e soglia simbolica), e quando la composizione è quasi ultimata, la fioraia tira le fila delle verità convergenti della vita di Adeil e vede le loro ripercussioni sua stessa esistenza ordinata e silenziosa.
L’architettura narrativa attinge a un ricco repertorio di temi che richiamano in qualche modo la tradizione del southern gothic, come la dimora familiare in decadenza, la bambina precoce e potenzialmente inaffidabile, la lavoratrice notturna vincolata alla propria routine, e la stessa New Orleans. Tuttavia, questi elementi sono ricollocati per rendere la trama più densa emotivamente, più profonda con simboli e richiami.
Lo stesso artificio delle storie in cambio di fiori richiama la fiaba e il folklore, che rivisto in chiave moderna si potrebbe anche interpretare come dare forma alla sofferenza attraverso il racconto, così da conferire significato alla propria esistenza.
La contrapposizione tra le protagoniste è ben studiata. Adeil è giovane ma sorprendentemente composta, la sua voce oscilla tra innocenza e consapevolezza, incarna la vulnerabilità e la resilienza. La fioraia, al contrario, è definita dalla routine, dalla taciturnità e dalla padronanza del lessico simbolico dei fiori, da una compostezza che però viene progressivamente destabilizzata dalle storie della ragazza. L’interazione tra le due fa porre domande profonde: che cosa significa ricevere la storia di un altro? Quale responsabilità comporta l’atto dell’ascolto?
Centrale per l’impatto dell’opera è lo stile visivo. Le illustrazioni ad acquerello creano un’atmosfera di morbidezza e fragilità, avvolgendo le tavole in una foschia onirica, e con la sua tendenza alla diffusione e alla trasparenza, mette in scena visivamente l’instabilità della memoria e della fragilità. I colori si fondono, i contorni si sfumano, le ombre si insinuano senza netta delimitazione: questo approccio pittorico rafforza l’atmosfera di decadenza resa mediante sottili gradazioni tonali, quali vernici scrostate suggerite da palette smorzate, giardini incolti evocati da delicati lavaggi di verde.
Il mondo naturale, e in particolare i fiori, è rappresentato con una cura quasi reverenziale. Ogni fiore porta con sé un valore simbolico, richiamando il linguaggio vittoriano dei fiori, e di conseguenza la realizzazione progressiva del bouquet invita il lettore a decifrare le risonanze emotive inscritte in ciascuna scelta botanica.
“The cutting garden” necessita di una lettura attenta che rispecchia il compito stesso della fioraia, ovvero cogliere i dettagli, le variazioni cromatiche, le rivelazioni graduali nel racconto di Adeil, l’eco simbolico di ciascun fiore per cogliere la pienezza del suo significato.
È una graphic novel delicata, effimera, eppure forte perché parla del coraggio silenzioso necessario per raccontare la propria storia e dell’altrettanto necessario coraggio di ascoltarla. Nel silenzio del negozio, tra petali e confessioni sussurrate, Van Poelgeest compone un inno alla fragile alchimia attraverso cui il dolore si trasforma in bellezza, cosicché anche i ricordi vengano strappati al terreno intricato del passato e disposti in trame che, pur temporanee, offrono la consolazione di una tenera rêverie goticheggiante.
La trama ruota attorno all’incontro tra una fioraia solitaria e una giovane ragazza misteriosa di nome Adeil, che si presenta nel negozio in circostanze insolite. La fioraia, avvezza alla quiete notturna del proprio mestiere, viene avvicinata da Adeil con una richiesta singolare: desidera una composizione floreale, ma non paga in denaro, bensì offre una storia per ogni fiore aggiunto al bouquet. La fioraia, mossa dalla curiosità, accetta questo scambio, e mentre il bouquet si arricchisce, altrettanto si infittisce la rete di associazioni e implicazioni contenute nel racconto di Adeil – dai ricordi di un incontro casuale con un cantante jazz disilluso, a evocazioni di una dimora familiare in rovina, a scorci di una vita idilliaca ma precaria vissuta ai margini.
La trama si svela lentamente, con l’alba che si avvicina (segno temporale e soglia simbolica), e quando la composizione è quasi ultimata, la fioraia tira le fila delle verità convergenti della vita di Adeil e vede le loro ripercussioni sua stessa esistenza ordinata e silenziosa.
L’architettura narrativa attinge a un ricco repertorio di temi che richiamano in qualche modo la tradizione del southern gothic, come la dimora familiare in decadenza, la bambina precoce e potenzialmente inaffidabile, la lavoratrice notturna vincolata alla propria routine, e la stessa New Orleans. Tuttavia, questi elementi sono ricollocati per rendere la trama più densa emotivamente, più profonda con simboli e richiami.
Lo stesso artificio delle storie in cambio di fiori richiama la fiaba e il folklore, che rivisto in chiave moderna si potrebbe anche interpretare come dare forma alla sofferenza attraverso il racconto, così da conferire significato alla propria esistenza.
La contrapposizione tra le protagoniste è ben studiata. Adeil è giovane ma sorprendentemente composta, la sua voce oscilla tra innocenza e consapevolezza, incarna la vulnerabilità e la resilienza. La fioraia, al contrario, è definita dalla routine, dalla taciturnità e dalla padronanza del lessico simbolico dei fiori, da una compostezza che però viene progressivamente destabilizzata dalle storie della ragazza. L’interazione tra le due fa porre domande profonde: che cosa significa ricevere la storia di un altro? Quale responsabilità comporta l’atto dell’ascolto?
Centrale per l’impatto dell’opera è lo stile visivo. Le illustrazioni ad acquerello creano un’atmosfera di morbidezza e fragilità, avvolgendo le tavole in una foschia onirica, e con la sua tendenza alla diffusione e alla trasparenza, mette in scena visivamente l’instabilità della memoria e della fragilità. I colori si fondono, i contorni si sfumano, le ombre si insinuano senza netta delimitazione: questo approccio pittorico rafforza l’atmosfera di decadenza resa mediante sottili gradazioni tonali, quali vernici scrostate suggerite da palette smorzate, giardini incolti evocati da delicati lavaggi di verde.
Il mondo naturale, e in particolare i fiori, è rappresentato con una cura quasi reverenziale. Ogni fiore porta con sé un valore simbolico, richiamando il linguaggio vittoriano dei fiori, e di conseguenza la realizzazione progressiva del bouquet invita il lettore a decifrare le risonanze emotive inscritte in ciascuna scelta botanica.
“The cutting garden” necessita di una lettura attenta che rispecchia il compito stesso della fioraia, ovvero cogliere i dettagli, le variazioni cromatiche, le rivelazioni graduali nel racconto di Adeil, l’eco simbolico di ciascun fiore per cogliere la pienezza del suo significato.
È una graphic novel delicata, effimera, eppure forte perché parla del coraggio silenzioso necessario per raccontare la propria storia e dell’altrettanto necessario coraggio di ascoltarla. Nel silenzio del negozio, tra petali e confessioni sussurrate, Van Poelgeest compone un inno alla fragile alchimia attraverso cui il dolore si trasforma in bellezza, cosicché anche i ricordi vengano strappati al terreno intricato del passato e disposti in trame che, pur temporanee, offrono la consolazione di una tenera rêverie goticheggiante.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I honestly don't know how to feel about this one, I don't really hate nor do I really like it. But I feel it lacks something and I'm fine with it not over explaning who Adeil is. I'll just give some examples. I guess, from the blurb alone:
(1) A tender, brutal love story about mothers and daughters - While both are there throughout the story, the relationship of a "daughter" (Adeil) to her mother (Josette) got a little bit overshadowed by the mystery who Adeil really is.
(2) For every new flower the florist adds to the bouquet, Adeil offers another dissonant detail in her story - I love this trope of exchanging a story for something. But it wasn't really shown this way. There's no interruption of story, whether it's the florist asking question regarding the story or any interruption in general. I honestly thought they're just there because it's a creative way to say it's the next chapter or there's a time jump of some kind.
I think the interruption of the story is one of the things I find lacking in this story. Some of parts of the story deserves some question to say the least, but the story is told interrupted.
Now for some non-blurb related:
I have something regarding narrative bubbles that could lead to spoilers, so I won't be talking about that. I'll say the identity of Adeil still leaves me puzzled, I don't what her motive is, but it seems she's just there for Josette. I think I wanted Adeil to be fleshed out just a little bit more.
I also want to talk a little bit about the art, since this is a graphic novel, But I like it that it's not your usual comic book art - it's not inked, just pencils and watercolor. I love the use of color like the having limited colors when portraying some distance between two characters. Since this one is deals about grief some of the pages feels monochromatic, almost, but with warm colors (red/orange) added in because of the light sources like candles or fireplace or because most of the pages took place in the dark/nighttime. It wasn't until later we see color on the pages again, the greens and the blues and daytime - when there's a feeling of hope again.
(1) A tender, brutal love story about mothers and daughters - While both are there throughout the story, the relationship of a "daughter" (Adeil) to her mother (Josette) got a little bit overshadowed by the mystery who Adeil really is.
(2) For every new flower the florist adds to the bouquet, Adeil offers another dissonant detail in her story - I love this trope of exchanging a story for something. But it wasn't really shown this way. There's no interruption of story, whether it's the florist asking question regarding the story or any interruption in general. I honestly thought they're just there because it's a creative way to say it's the next chapter or there's a time jump of some kind.
I think the interruption of the story is one of the things I find lacking in this story. Some of parts of the story deserves some question to say the least, but the story is told interrupted.
Now for some non-blurb related:
I have something regarding narrative bubbles that could lead to spoilers, so I won't be talking about that. I'll say the identity of Adeil still leaves me puzzled, I don't what her motive is, but it seems she's just there for Josette. I think I wanted Adeil to be fleshed out just a little bit more.
I also want to talk a little bit about the art, since this is a graphic novel, But I like it that it's not your usual comic book art - it's not inked, just pencils and watercolor. I love the use of color like the having limited colors when portraying some distance between two characters. Since this one is deals about grief some of the pages feels monochromatic, almost, but with warm colors (red/orange) added in because of the light sources like candles or fireplace or because most of the pages took place in the dark/nighttime. It wasn't until later we see color on the pages again, the greens and the blues and daytime - when there's a feeling of hope again.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Absolutely gorgeous visuals. The art throughout this story is stunning, with beautiful use of colour to affect mood.
A mysterious girl, Adeil, tells a mysterious story to a florist who makes an arrangement for her. Chapters are separated by detailed illustrations of flowers and plants, and the whole thing does give a strong appreciation of the natural world, which quite appealed to me - especially when depicted so beautifully.
The story itself is too thin to really engage on a deeper level, but it's interesting enough to keep you hooked throughout. I think unfortunately it asks more questions than it answers, leading to a lack of satisfaction when the end comes around.
There are some really interesting threads to the story, so I would really have liked to know more. I think there's a lot of symbolism and analogy here that's simply lost in its attempts to be subtle. I love the gentle poetry of it, but it just seemed too convoluted to be able to try and tease out all the intricate meanings behind each sentence.
The watercolour art is beautiful, though, and honestly just taking in the pages was such a pleasure. I think if you took a panel from this featuring one of the women, and hung it in your house, it would be something you'd be constantly thinking about. This artwork really provokes thought, and I suppose the scarcity of the story sort of assists that.
So for me, it's a 3-star graphic novel that gets a bonus star simply for the artwork and how engaging I found it. I'll happily recommend this to graphic novel fans looking for something thought-provoking.
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
A mysterious girl, Adeil, tells a mysterious story to a florist who makes an arrangement for her. Chapters are separated by detailed illustrations of flowers and plants, and the whole thing does give a strong appreciation of the natural world, which quite appealed to me - especially when depicted so beautifully.
The story itself is too thin to really engage on a deeper level, but it's interesting enough to keep you hooked throughout. I think unfortunately it asks more questions than it answers, leading to a lack of satisfaction when the end comes around.
There are some really interesting threads to the story, so I would really have liked to know more. I think there's a lot of symbolism and analogy here that's simply lost in its attempts to be subtle. I love the gentle poetry of it, but it just seemed too convoluted to be able to try and tease out all the intricate meanings behind each sentence.
The watercolour art is beautiful, though, and honestly just taking in the pages was such a pleasure. I think if you took a panel from this featuring one of the women, and hung it in your house, it would be something you'd be constantly thinking about. This artwork really provokes thought, and I suppose the scarcity of the story sort of assists that.
So for me, it's a 3-star graphic novel that gets a bonus star simply for the artwork and how engaging I found it. I'll happily recommend this to graphic novel fans looking for something thought-provoking.
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Cutting Garden by Darcy Van Poelgeest, Erin Connally & Aditya Bidikar is a graphic novel that I discovered on NetGalley. The stunning cover and interesting title immediately drew my attention. I requested the eARC without reading the description because sometimes, I like taking risks like that. So far, I’ve only regretted it twice that I can think of in recent times. Lucky for me, I got approved.
So, did the book live up to my expectations?
Stunning Watercolour Artwork
I’ll admit, I didn’t know what exactly to expect from this graphic novel. The cover illustration alone was intriguing enough, promising an aesthetic visual journey into something poetic and moving. And honestly, it was. The illustrations were by far my favourite part of the graphic novel. The minimalist watercolour style with its brilliant use of light and shadows to create contrasts brilliantly set a haunting atmosphere. Each panel is a meditative watercolour painting that you can sit down and admire for a long time.
I especially loved how each chapter is bookended with illustration figures of different flowers, which—in my interpretation—all form part of the bouquet that the florist makes. As the seasons change, so does the colour palette, reflecting both the demanding nature of the characters’ setting, as well as their inner emotional states. Overall, my admiration for the artwork is the primary reason for my rating of this book. From the art perspective, it was absolutely stunning.
Objective, even the story itself is quite moving. The only issue was that it didn’t move me as much as I expected it to.
Continue reading on my blog…
So, did the book live up to my expectations?
Stunning Watercolour Artwork
I’ll admit, I didn’t know what exactly to expect from this graphic novel. The cover illustration alone was intriguing enough, promising an aesthetic visual journey into something poetic and moving. And honestly, it was. The illustrations were by far my favourite part of the graphic novel. The minimalist watercolour style with its brilliant use of light and shadows to create contrasts brilliantly set a haunting atmosphere. Each panel is a meditative watercolour painting that you can sit down and admire for a long time.
I especially loved how each chapter is bookended with illustration figures of different flowers, which—in my interpretation—all form part of the bouquet that the florist makes. As the seasons change, so does the colour palette, reflecting both the demanding nature of the characters’ setting, as well as their inner emotional states. Overall, my admiration for the artwork is the primary reason for my rating of this book. From the art perspective, it was absolutely stunning.
Objective, even the story itself is quite moving. The only issue was that it didn’t move me as much as I expected it to.
Continue reading on my blog…
March 13, 2026
The Cutting Garden is a beautiful story about relationships between mothers and daughters and how there is beauty in the fragility of life. As a huge fan of horror stories, I appreciate how subtle this gothic tale is presented. Not everything is spelled out and I must admit it took me two readings to fully understand what was being presented. I appreciated that complexity in a time when some stories are overexplained.
Without going into spoilers, Darcy Van Poelgeest prose is as flowery and beautiful as is the dreamlike artwork by Erin Connally. I've read from others that the cursive writing was a detriment, but I found it to be fitting given the time period, and since it was used to distinguish the narrative. While cursive can be difficult at times to read in this day and age, I felt the letterer, Aditya Bidikar, did an excellent job.
The art is fantastic. With it's clean pencil lines painted with watercolor on top, it reminds of the art from fellow comic book artist Colleen Doran. With this being such a strong female centric story, I'm happy that Darcy paired with a female artist to give it that Feminine touch.
While there is some death involved, there is nothing overly graphic and it's all off screen (off panel?) so this graphic novel is also accessible to a wider audience who may be put off by such things. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Cutting Garden" and highly recommend it to those who like to read dark stories that may require some thought.
Without going into spoilers, Darcy Van Poelgeest prose is as flowery and beautiful as is the dreamlike artwork by Erin Connally. I've read from others that the cursive writing was a detriment, but I found it to be fitting given the time period, and since it was used to distinguish the narrative. While cursive can be difficult at times to read in this day and age, I felt the letterer, Aditya Bidikar, did an excellent job.
The art is fantastic. With it's clean pencil lines painted with watercolor on top, it reminds of the art from fellow comic book artist Colleen Doran. With this being such a strong female centric story, I'm happy that Darcy paired with a female artist to give it that Feminine touch.
While there is some death involved, there is nothing overly graphic and it's all off screen (off panel?) so this graphic novel is also accessible to a wider audience who may be put off by such things. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Cutting Garden" and highly recommend it to those who like to read dark stories that may require some thought.
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March 8, 2026After a chance encounter, a woman and girl leave the strains of life in New Orleans behind for a house in the country, which they make into a home and where they settle into a sort of idyll, at least until the stasis buckles. The word is never used, but minimal effort is made to conceal that the girl is something already associated with New Orleans, what with her never coming out by day, and remaining a girl. But it's not meant to be a twist; the point is the seductive watercolour dream of it all, more Hanging Rock than Anne Rice, with the pressed flowers that intersperse the chapters not just beautifully rendered, but a metaphor I don't think I've seen before for what's lost by being taken out of the cycle of life, change, and even decay. The script is minimal to a degree some seem to find frustrating, though given the clarity of the art and the dreamlike mood, it worked for me. I particularly liked that when it does get into more detail, it's mostly about plants, such as the difference between "the long bluestem grass bowed to the wind in great waves of reverence" and the very different grass that makes for "fidgety velvet razors".
(Netgalley ARC)
(Netgalley ARC)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you to the publisher & netgalley for allowing me to read this graphic novel in exchange for a honest review.
i love the style & colors in this work. i haven’t seen a graphic novel use watercolor plus cursive for it’s narrative text. it is a very beautiful work of art & i feel that it fits the story being told. in the summary of this work, it stated that for each part of adeil’s story the florist added another flower to the bouquet. after finishing the story, i didn’t really feel like we (the readers) didn’t really get to see that, but then i remembered that there was diagrams of plants in between each section of the story. i do believe that it was pretty but i wish it was broken up a bit more. i would’ve loved to see more dialogue or imagery of the florist & adeil while the florist was adding the flowers to really see the bouquet come together. i also liked how the story didn’t tell you everything & you had to piece it together on your own, but i felt as if the mystery surrounding adeil & who (or what) she is really overshadowed josette’s story. i will be pondering & wondering what truly transpired just as the florist did.
i love the style & colors in this work. i haven’t seen a graphic novel use watercolor plus cursive for it’s narrative text. it is a very beautiful work of art & i feel that it fits the story being told. in the summary of this work, it stated that for each part of adeil’s story the florist added another flower to the bouquet. after finishing the story, i didn’t really feel like we (the readers) didn’t really get to see that, but then i remembered that there was diagrams of plants in between each section of the story. i do believe that it was pretty but i wish it was broken up a bit more. i would’ve loved to see more dialogue or imagery of the florist & adeil while the florist was adding the flowers to really see the bouquet come together. i also liked how the story didn’t tell you everything & you had to piece it together on your own, but i felt as if the mystery surrounding adeil & who (or what) she is really overshadowed josette’s story. i will be pondering & wondering what truly transpired just as the florist did.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Image Comics for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My honest review is that I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel. The story itself is haunting and the artwork is gorgeous. It's done in watercolor so it feels like a dream, or a memory.
This story is full of mystery and it does not end with giving us readers all of the answers. We're left to connect dots on our own or be comfortable with ambiguity. I enjoy books like this. I don't want anything spoon-fed to me and this definitely doesn't. I'm left with a lot of questions, which means I'll be pondering this for a long time. Just when I thought I had something figured out, I realized I had looked the wrong way.
To me, this is a story of creating a life, even if the hand we're dealt is less than wonderful. It's about finding connection. I'll be thinking about this one for awhile.
I want to emphasize again how beautiful the artwork is, including the interlude of various plants and flowers. This was lovely.
My honest review is that I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel. The story itself is haunting and the artwork is gorgeous. It's done in watercolor so it feels like a dream, or a memory.
This story is full of mystery and it does not end with giving us readers all of the answers. We're left to connect dots on our own or be comfortable with ambiguity. I enjoy books like this. I don't want anything spoon-fed to me and this definitely doesn't. I'm left with a lot of questions, which means I'll be pondering this for a long time. Just when I thought I had something figured out, I realized I had looked the wrong way.
To me, this is a story of creating a life, even if the hand we're dealt is less than wonderful. It's about finding connection. I'll be thinking about this one for awhile.
I want to emphasize again how beautiful the artwork is, including the interlude of various plants and flowers. This was lovely.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The things that I loved about this story:
The premise - that each part of the story was told along with each flower added to the bouquet.
The atmosphere - the gentle, creeping horror of the situation
The illustrations - the style of illustration, the use of colours and space
Unfortunately, I felt as though I was reading snippets of a larger story, this may have been because the story lacked a lot of dialogue, which is a driving force of a graphic novel. As a result, I found it hard to keep track of what was reality and also to connect to the characters fully. Being an e-book, some of the layout was hindered, we were viewing pages one at a time rather than side-by-side as a spread, which took away from the impact of the art.
I also noticed that some of the bouquet flower illustrations were cut off the edge of the page.
I absolutely will be looking into the author's other work and any future work, because this had a lot of heart and potential.
I kindly received a copy to review through NetGalley.
The premise - that each part of the story was told along with each flower added to the bouquet.
The atmosphere - the gentle, creeping horror of the situation
The illustrations - the style of illustration, the use of colours and space
Unfortunately, I felt as though I was reading snippets of a larger story, this may have been because the story lacked a lot of dialogue, which is a driving force of a graphic novel. As a result, I found it hard to keep track of what was reality and also to connect to the characters fully. Being an e-book, some of the layout was hindered, we were viewing pages one at a time rather than side-by-side as a spread, which took away from the impact of the art.
I also noticed that some of the bouquet flower illustrations were cut off the edge of the page.
I absolutely will be looking into the author's other work and any future work, because this had a lot of heart and potential.
I kindly received a copy to review through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The watercolor artwork is pretty and soft. The limited hard edges with the slight blurriness really gave the entire book a dreamlike quality. I especially loved the use of color. Many pages are built around a single pair of complementary colors, often blue and orange, which added to the surreal, hazy mood. The best artwork are the pages with sunsets/sunrises.
A lot of things are purposely left unexplained and open to interpretation. I ended up restarting at the 21% mark as I was confused as to why Josette moved with Adeil to the farmhouse. But that ambiguity appears to be deliberate. Throughout the book, here were my different theories.
- Josette is dead and the farmhouse was heaven.
- Adele’s is Josette’s child
- Adeil is a vampire, and actually, this book is a horror book where Josette needs to escape.
At the end of the book, my final thought was “I don’t get it”. I’m of the opinion that readers don’t need to be hand held by the author, but if there’s a deeper symbolism, I’m not getting it.
A lot of things are purposely left unexplained and open to interpretation. I ended up restarting at the 21% mark as I was confused as to why Josette moved with Adeil to the farmhouse. But that ambiguity appears to be deliberate. Throughout the book, here were my different theories.
- Josette is dead and the farmhouse was heaven.
- Adele’s is Josette’s child
- Adeil is a vampire, and actually, this book is a horror book where Josette needs to escape.
At the end of the book, my final thought was “I don’t get it”. I’m of the opinion that readers don’t need to be hand held by the author, but if there’s a deeper symbolism, I’m not getting it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.00/5.00
Firstly, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a very visually lovely read. The watercolors were definitely my favorite part and I enjoyed the details and care taken using this medium. It also really helped convey a dreamy state and set the tone with the more diluted color palette for certain scenes. I also loved the cuts to the different flowers and plants acting as scene spacers. I looked up the symbolism for some of the flowers and plants and thought it was a nice way to represent the next 'chapter' of the story.
For me, the story needed more space to breathe. I think having some extra pages to flesh out the characters and story would have helped make it a lot more memorable and engaging. I also read this on my phone, so the cursive font was hard to read at such small scale. This probably won't be an issue for print or on a laptop with a larger view surface, but slightly larger font may have helped make it easier to read on mobile.
Firstly, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a very visually lovely read. The watercolors were definitely my favorite part and I enjoyed the details and care taken using this medium. It also really helped convey a dreamy state and set the tone with the more diluted color palette for certain scenes. I also loved the cuts to the different flowers and plants acting as scene spacers. I looked up the symbolism for some of the flowers and plants and thought it was a nice way to represent the next 'chapter' of the story.
For me, the story needed more space to breathe. I think having some extra pages to flesh out the characters and story would have helped make it a lot more memorable and engaging. I also read this on my phone, so the cursive font was hard to read at such small scale. This probably won't be an issue for print or on a laptop with a larger view surface, but slightly larger font may have helped make it easier to read on mobile.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley.
I wanted to love this book because I love a graphic novel and I am a southern lady. While it succeeded in some ways, it fell flat for me in others. Hopefully this is adjusted in the final print, but the alternating fonts and the size of those fonts did not feel accessible - I wear glasses and am 28 and really struggled to read this without magnifying the pages on a screen. I kept having to take breaks because I was truly squinting to read when not magnified.
The art is beautiful, but I wasn't as captivated by the story as I hoped to be. The art alone was worth reading the book for, especially the sequence of rot type spread (you'll know what I mean when you see). The fixing of font size accessibility alone would bump this to a 4 star for me!
I was given the opportunity to read this title by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to love this book because I love a graphic novel and I am a southern lady. While it succeeded in some ways, it fell flat for me in others. Hopefully this is adjusted in the final print, but the alternating fonts and the size of those fonts did not feel accessible - I wear glasses and am 28 and really struggled to read this without magnifying the pages on a screen. I kept having to take breaks because I was truly squinting to read when not magnified.
The art is beautiful, but I wasn't as captivated by the story as I hoped to be. The art alone was worth reading the book for, especially the sequence of rot type spread (you'll know what I mean when you see). The fixing of font size accessibility alone would bump this to a 4 star for me!
I was given the opportunity to read this title by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2026
I have honestly never read anything quite like this in graphic novel form. First off, the writer and illustrator created something quite beautiful. The watercolor-esque art style mixed with the poetic prose was a match made in heaven. The tone from the get go of the story is immediately unsettling and it never quite… settles. This was a mystery as were the characters, especially Adeil. The story gives you just enough information but still leaves you feeling like you don’t quite know her as a person. That is the brilliance of the storytelling in this. The reader is left to piece the mystery of all the characters together. I thought the ending was wonderful. While there is much tragedy throughout, I’m glad it ended on a lighter note. I honestly would love a short film or movie based on this story! It has stuck with me long after finishing it.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is a beautiful and haunting paranormal gothic horror graphic novel.
Set in early twentieth-century French Quarter New Orleans, a strange young girl named Adeil walks into a flower shop and tells a dark and captivating tale. While the woman makes an arrangement, Adeil begins to weave an unbearable story, tying the lives of the florist, a woman named Josette, and Adeil together.
I adored this graphic novel. The stunning watercolor illustrations were phenomenal and captured both the beauty and the macabre aspects of the story with a timeless quality. The plot unfolds slowly, bit by bit, much like the bouquet coming together. It was chilling at times, and I even got goosebumps at one point. Darcy Van Poelgeest and Erin Connally are both new to me, but I hope they collaborate on more projects. I can’t wait to check out more of their work.
Art: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
My Enjoyment: 5/5
*** I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
This is a beautiful and haunting paranormal gothic horror graphic novel.
Set in early twentieth-century French Quarter New Orleans, a strange young girl named Adeil walks into a flower shop and tells a dark and captivating tale. While the woman makes an arrangement, Adeil begins to weave an unbearable story, tying the lives of the florist, a woman named Josette, and Adeil together.
I adored this graphic novel. The stunning watercolor illustrations were phenomenal and captured both the beauty and the macabre aspects of the story with a timeless quality. The plot unfolds slowly, bit by bit, much like the bouquet coming together. It was chilling at times, and I even got goosebumps at one point. Darcy Van Poelgeest and Erin Connally are both new to me, but I hope they collaborate on more projects. I can’t wait to check out more of their work.
Art: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
My Enjoyment: 5/5
*** I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was an extraordinarily beautiful read. The illustrations are watercolors and they breathe such a special kind of life and atmosphere into this comic that I found myself lingering on many pages just to absorb them all in.
If I had to pick, the ones with the rose garden were the most beautiful to me and the epilogue.
As for the story itself, I found it very poetic, the style of writing and thoughts that lingered and stretched between the pages. Ultimately it's a story about mother-daughter relationships and what life can make of them (or break them). A very universal story, however here it's almost poignant, helped by the added notes of immortality and the dreamy illustrations.
I'm very happy with this, and kudos to both Mrs. Connally and Mr. Van Poelgeest for this comic collaboration.
Thank you to authors and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are voluntary and my own.
If I had to pick, the ones with the rose garden were the most beautiful to me and the epilogue.
As for the story itself, I found it very poetic, the style of writing and thoughts that lingered and stretched between the pages. Ultimately it's a story about mother-daughter relationships and what life can make of them (or break them). A very universal story, however here it's almost poignant, helped by the added notes of immortality and the dreamy illustrations.
I'm very happy with this, and kudos to both Mrs. Connally and Mr. Van Poelgeest for this comic collaboration.
Thank you to authors and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are voluntary and my own.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
If you’ve read or watched either Let the Right One in or Interview With a Vampire, you’ll see the correlations in the story. This never outright stated that the character is a vampire, but going in context clues, I’m going to assume that.
This was a beautifully depicted graphic novel told through watercolor art. We hear a story that a young girl is telling to a flower shop owner about a death that she needs a bouquet for. This tale is of how Adiel, a seemingly young girl, and Josette, a black woman who lived alone in New Orleans, met and the time they spent together. In the grand scheme of things, they were only with one another for a short time, but it had a great impact on their lives.
I’m sure you’ve read stories about loneliness and wanting a place to belong, but definitely nothing as gorgeous as this.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for my gifted eARC.
This was a beautifully depicted graphic novel told through watercolor art. We hear a story that a young girl is telling to a flower shop owner about a death that she needs a bouquet for. This tale is of how Adiel, a seemingly young girl, and Josette, a black woman who lived alone in New Orleans, met and the time they spent together. In the grand scheme of things, they were only with one another for a short time, but it had a great impact on their lives.
I’m sure you’ve read stories about loneliness and wanting a place to belong, but definitely nothing as gorgeous as this.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for my gifted eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
i saw the cover of the cutting garden and instantly knew i needed to read it. there was something about it, like a quiet promise of something dark and beautiful that pulled me in before i even knew what it was about. and once i started, the illustrations absolutely lived up to that first impression. the artwork alone made the experience worthwhile. that said, i’m afraid the story itself went a bit over my head. i could feel that there was something layered and intentional beneath the surface, something symbolic or emotionally complex, but i never fully grasped it. i appreciated the writing style, it had a certain softness and restraint that matched the visuals perfectly. still, by the end, i was left wanting much more. the narrative felt too slight, too fleeting, like a glimpse of something that could have been deeper or more fully developed.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Cutting Garden by Darcy Van Poelgeest is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel built around a unique concept: a bouquet of flowers assembled through shared stories and the emotional expressions of the characters. However, the decision to use a script font throughout the book makes it difficult to read at times, which can interrupt the flow of the story and make the plot harder to follow. Because of this, some of the emotional depth and connection with the main character feels lost in translation.
The artwork itself is stunning, especially the flowers that appear throughout the story. It would have been interesting to see more insight into the meaning behind the specific floral choices or whether they were selected for symbolic significance within the narrative or primarily used for visual atmosphere. Overall, while the concept and illustrations are beautiful, the readability and lack of deeper exploration of the floral symbolism make it harder to fully connect with the story.
Thank you Netgalley for my Advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
The artwork itself is stunning, especially the flowers that appear throughout the story. It would have been interesting to see more insight into the meaning behind the specific floral choices or whether they were selected for symbolic significance within the narrative or primarily used for visual atmosphere. Overall, while the concept and illustrations are beautiful, the readability and lack of deeper exploration of the floral symbolism make it harder to fully connect with the story.
Thank you Netgalley for my Advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
March 3, 2026
A poignant, beautifully illustrated graphic novel. A story of unlikely friendships, of running away, of growing apart, of a mission to reunite a mother with her daughter, one achieved and celebrated with letting go entirely. Haunting and quiet, the story builds tension slowly, the set up unusual and sad, then the story beginning with violence and running and distance and desperation. In the middle there is peace, glorious and settled, flowers bloom and food is abundant and their relationship is good. Then the spiral, the fall, the distance and the finale. It is brilliantly paced for the highest impact, devastating and strange and hopeful.
A beautiful, unique tale, stunningly illustrated and masterfully told.
A beautiful, unique tale, stunningly illustrated and masterfully told.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A beautiful watercolour southern gothic graphic novel.
There is a deeply classic feel to this very beautiful book, which reminded me of 1800s vampire short stories, the ones that came out before Dracula and are more about atmosphere and "Romanticism" (the literary movement).
I really enjoyed it, this is the type of thing that is totally up my alley.
The flaws for a modern text is the omniscient narrator, built like an old tale it makes sense, but it creates a big distance with the reader. Also, answers will never really be given, it's not the point, but you can have fun guessing at what it means.
I especially liked the illustration style that reminded me a lot of Isabelle Dethan's work and recommend this book to people who enjoy the old gothic tales in the spirit of The monkey paw.
There is a deeply classic feel to this very beautiful book, which reminded me of 1800s vampire short stories, the ones that came out before Dracula and are more about atmosphere and "Romanticism" (the literary movement).
I really enjoyed it, this is the type of thing that is totally up my alley.
The flaws for a modern text is the omniscient narrator, built like an old tale it makes sense, but it creates a big distance with the reader. Also, answers will never really be given, it's not the point, but you can have fun guessing at what it means.
I especially liked the illustration style that reminded me a lot of Isabelle Dethan's work and recommend this book to people who enjoy the old gothic tales in the spirit of The monkey paw.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The illustrations here are absolutely gorgeous. The artwork alone makes this a striking graphic novel and really sets the tone for the eerie, dreamlike world the story is trying to create.
Unfortunately, the story itself felt a bit too vague for my taste. While the mysterious tone is clearly intentional, the plot never fully came together. I kept waiting for the narrative to sharpen or for the emotional core to land more clearly, but it never quite got there. Because of that it's hard to connect with Josette and Adeil since there's not enough substance to their individual stories.
Overall the illustrations are worth picking this up, but the story left me wanting a bit more depth and clarity.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Unfortunately, the story itself felt a bit too vague for my taste. While the mysterious tone is clearly intentional, the plot never fully came together. I kept waiting for the narrative to sharpen or for the emotional core to land more clearly, but it never quite got there. Because of that it's hard to connect with Josette and Adeil since there's not enough substance to their individual stories.
Overall the illustrations are worth picking this up, but the story left me wanting a bit more depth and clarity.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
☆☆☆½
𖤓
A tender, gothic drama about our need for love and the creatures we become in its absence.
𖤓
What drew me to the book:
The cover.
My expectations:
An interesting & gorgeous graphic novel.
𖤓
My thoughts whilst reading:
I really liked it, the art was gorgeous right away & it started with intrigue & the story flowed well.
How long it took me to read:
Under an hour.
Overall:
I really enjoyed The Cutting Garden, it was the perfect length for what it was & the art was beautiful & complimented the story perfectly.
𖤓
Favourite scene:
Towards the end there was the most gorgeous piece of art.
𖤓
Do I regret reading it:
Not in the slightest.
𖤓
Thank you so much to Netgalley for the ARC.
𖤓
A tender, gothic drama about our need for love and the creatures we become in its absence.
𖤓
What drew me to the book:
The cover.
My expectations:
An interesting & gorgeous graphic novel.
𖤓
My thoughts whilst reading:
I really liked it, the art was gorgeous right away & it started with intrigue & the story flowed well.
How long it took me to read:
Under an hour.
Overall:
I really enjoyed The Cutting Garden, it was the perfect length for what it was & the art was beautiful & complimented the story perfectly.
𖤓
Favourite scene:
Towards the end there was the most gorgeous piece of art.
𖤓
Do I regret reading it:
Not in the slightest.
𖤓
Thank you so much to Netgalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This Novel is beautiful.
Between the watercolour painting style, sketches, cursive typeface and haunting story I personally quite enjoyed this novel.
It's too hard to go into details about the plot or story or it would give away too much.
It can feel disjointed in parts with it all coming together at the end.
I would have like the novel to be longer as it would have left more room for the story or for more details to be added and further the story. Would love to read more if there ever end up being more.
The story is subtle and leaves you thinking about it longer than it took to read it.
Thank you to the publisher and author for letting me read this novel as am ARC
Between the watercolour painting style, sketches, cursive typeface and haunting story I personally quite enjoyed this novel.
It's too hard to go into details about the plot or story or it would give away too much.
It can feel disjointed in parts with it all coming together at the end.
I would have like the novel to be longer as it would have left more room for the story or for more details to be added and further the story. Would love to read more if there ever end up being more.
The story is subtle and leaves you thinking about it longer than it took to read it.
Thank you to the publisher and author for letting me read this novel as am ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for an honest and voluntary review!
The art in this book is genuinely so beautiful and simultaneously gothic and haunting, once you begin to read this its hard to look away! The colouring is super gloomy in the most perfect way - it really sets the scene and vibes of this book
There's definitely a lot of gaps that weren't filled plot wise but I suppose that's due to the fact that the florist is telling us the story from her POV. It was a super interesting concept and I'd love to see more of this story to be able to understand Adeil and her story more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for an honest and voluntary review!
The art in this book is genuinely so beautiful and simultaneously gothic and haunting, once you begin to read this its hard to look away! The colouring is super gloomy in the most perfect way - it really sets the scene and vibes of this book
There's definitely a lot of gaps that weren't filled plot wise but I suppose that's due to the fact that the florist is telling us the story from her POV. It was a super interesting concept and I'd love to see more of this story to be able to understand Adeil and her story more.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
'There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you'
A haunting story about love and family. Adeil comes to the florist shop to get a bouquet for a funeral. As she waits she shares a story that will change the owner's life.
I really enjoyed the story. The mystery unravels slowly as Adeil tells her story. The author gives us glimpses of the scenes leaving the interpretation to the reader. There were subtle horror undertones concerning Adeil and what happened to the missing people. The watercolor art was amazing and made the story even more atmospheric.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGally for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A haunting story about love and family. Adeil comes to the florist shop to get a bouquet for a funeral. As she waits she shares a story that will change the owner's life.
I really enjoyed the story. The mystery unravels slowly as Adeil tells her story. The author gives us glimpses of the scenes leaving the interpretation to the reader. There were subtle horror undertones concerning Adeil and what happened to the missing people. The watercolor art was amazing and made the story even more atmospheric.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGally for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
An understanded and, for me, quite novel take on vampires and horror in comics. It's got that very gothic horror feel. Almost nothing is shown or even said of it, everything is in the tension and the imagined. It's a story about shared trauma and chosen family. But it's also a story about the darkness we keep to ourselves. It's a really beautiful tale, honestly, but the way it's told mostly through narration and with very few spoken words, makes it a little hard to latch onto. The artwork is pretty gorgeous and fits the tone of the book. I can definitely see this finding it's audience
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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