Really enjoyed it! Surprised me. ( )

I liked Davodeau's earlier graphic novel (Lulu Anew) and a friend had said this one was good too. It's completely different. Rather than a fictional story this is nonfiction but still in graphic novel format.

Davodeau spent a year learning about making wine from a winemaker while at the same time the winemaker learned about comics and graphic novels from Davodeau.

This book is both beautiful and interesting. The artwork is black and white drawings but many are beautiful landscapes of vineyards and countryside even without additional colors added to the pages. There are also many lively panels depicting the conversations Davodeau and his friend had with other winemakers as well as comic artists and people in the publishing industry.

I learned a lot about both professions and enjoyed the time these two men spent together. Even though the two men have very different careers and passions they managed to highlight the similarities.

This is a fascinating book. I highly recommend it. ( )

It's unfortunate that we can't put visuals in our book reviews. If you want to see what I'm talking about visually, go here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/306023#6806471

The Initiates, graphic nonfiction, is by the author of Lulu Anew. Although very different, it's as good as that one or better.. Graphic book writer Davodeau and artisanal wine maker Richard Leroy agree to teach one another their respective vocations. Davodeau assigns Leroy many seminal graphic novels to read, and together they attend conventions, and meet publishers and printers. Meanwhile, Leroy has Davodeau working by his side in his vineyard, and meeting barrelmakers, wine-selling restauranteurs and other winemakers. While the reader, through their exchanges, learns a lot about both vocations (for me, particularly winemaking!), these are two interesting and inquiring individuals who have gentle humor and much to say about life in general. I found this charming and unflaggingly interesting, with beautiful drawings by Davodeau.

I loved their times in the vineyard, shaping it and helping it reach fruition.

[Visual excerpt]

The meetings with other winemakers and restauranteurs seemed so fun.

[Visual excerpt]

Richard was frank in his reactions to graphic artists, even dissing one of my favorites, Moebius.

[Visual excerpt] ( )

Picked from the Library this ode to wine making and comics making. Parallels worlds that meet and blend well to become characters in a book written by the Author of "Mort d'un Juge", French Artist Etienne Davodeau. In black and white. The reader will definitely learn something more about wine making than the label on a bottle and will also discover that Saint-Malo is the second comic book festival in France after Angouleme. Not fast paced on purpose though the vintner and the artist take a van and a plane to meet other illustrators and wine growers in the Jura and Corsica. More like a steady walk among the vineyards under cloudy skies, the clouds, the stars or as a storm approaches. An organic comic. It even suggests a wine and a comic list at the end with which perhaps appreciate each image or go to further reading. ( )

The Initiates by Étienne Davodeau is a satisfying story that works well in comic form. As the subtitle suggests, it's about two men shadowing the other's job for a year in order to understand the work of a fellow artisan. And that's exactly the heart of it. Both men are shapers of a subtle craft—the author with his story and drawings, and the vintner with his wine. It's a pleasure to watch them learn how similar their seemingly dissimilar work really is.

As a bonus, the book mentions a handful of can't-miss graphic artists and their novels. Most of them I hadn't heard of so I plan to look them up. ( )