Wind in the Willows: Mr Toad

The Wind in the Willows graphic novels #2

by Michel Plessix (Adaptor), Kenneth Grahame, Luke Spear (Translator)

If you ever feel like falling into a beautiful comic-book story--in the same way one falls back into a warm field of grass--reach for Michel Plessix's lush adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's Wind in the Willows. The artwork is an aquarelle, with thin, precise, detailed lines. It's no wonder he received numerous awards for his previous effort, Julien Boisvert, a contemporary take on the Tintin character type. In Wind in the Willows, Plessix breathes life into Mole, Rat, and Toad (of Toad Hall) as they picnic on the riverbank, indulge in Toad's latest fad, and get lost in Wild Wood. The pacing is masterful: each panel lingers just long enough to make you appreciate the simple pleasures of life.

This review refers to ISBN 1561631965.

Genres: Bande Dessinée, Graphic Novels, Comics, Classics, Fiction, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 16, 1998

About the author

Michel Plessix (1959 - 2017) was a French comic book artist, best known for the series Julien Boisvert, his adaptation of The Wind in the Willows ('Le vent dans les Saules') and its follow-up, 'Le vent dans les Sables'.

Reviews

[Belinda Vlasbaard]

4,5 stars - English hardcover

Review follows later.

[Griffinh706]

SUPA DUPA GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mladoria]

Un tome 2 très riche en rebondissements. Une première partie tout en douceurs hivernales, bien au chaud dans le terrier de Blaireau.
La seconde partie, où Blaireau tient parole et tente avec Rat et Taupe de sortir Crapaud de sa folie automobile qui, selon les augures du sage Blaireau pourrait bien mal finir.
Les graphismes conservent ce charme désuet et ses couleurs un brin passées mais tellement raccords avec les saisons qui défilent. L'aventure se fait plus trépidante dans ce tome et la chute de ce tome ouvre sur une suite d'autant plus palpitante qu'elle est dramatique.
Une histoire qui vaut le coup d'être lue. Petit moment que j'ai particulièrement retenu la diatribe de Blaireau à l'encontre des voitures, avec un fond de vérité assez tragique. Je vais me jeter sur le suivant de ce pas et vous conseille cette série.

[StrictlySequential ArtNarrative]

Story: ****
It's goofy and charming but you have to narrow your viewpoint to that of the antics which become of being a bunch of mostly fastidious and all ->confirmed<- bachelors.



Art: ****
The paint is lush and expressive. He captures such a specified peculiar environment as well as I can imagine.

[mags]

As i didn't read the first installment, i think it might have had less of an impact on me because of it. Still, it was pretty enjoyable, funny at times, and i really liked some of the characters!
The big thing for me tho was the art style, which is absolutely gorgeous.

[Patmol25]

● Relecture

J'étais en sortie de mémoire de la forêt et de Tom Patate, je voulais lire une histoire avec des animaux, donc j'ai relu le vent dans les saules que j'avais pas lu depuis un moment.

C'est toujours cool, faudrait que je lise les suites.

Blaireau meilleur perso

[Mary Ann]

A story of a cast of English animal characters with unique, not unhumanlike, strengths and flaws and their interactions with each other.

[Dolly]

This is the second volume of four of Michel Plessix's graphic novel adaptation of the classic story.

interesting quotes:

"The animals, as much as they can, try to avoid humans. Their reactions are so unpredictable. Either they're petting you, or they're throwing rocks at you...Go figure why..." (p. 14)

" " (p. )

" " (p. )

" " (p. )

new word: provender

[Robin]

The illustrations of the landscapes (the River Bank and the Wild Wood), of nature, of the changing seasons were the highlight of this edition. I also like that much of the beauty of Grahame's language is retained, "It's the moment when the night animals have gone home to turn in and the day ones haven't yet gotten up. This rare and preious moment when time seems suspened between two worlds. It's the gates of dawn." There were passages I wanted to quote every few pages!

In this necessarily shortened text, I found Mr. Toad less funny (which is sad, as he is such a great character, and may not be true for others.) I also missed the "whack 'em and whack 'em and whack 'em" statements at the end, when recapturing Toad Hall.

The landscapes are really breathtaking though, and definitely deserve a look.

[Erin Sterling]

A graphic novel adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, the graphics do the book justice. I'm not sure if I read the actual Wind in the Willows, but I remember seeing a play and the stories felt familiar. The story follows various animals in the woods as they deal with Toad's crazy antics.

[William]

It is ok but not the best I have read.

[Urnaa]

Now i don,t no. I know I want to read this book