Without Understanding

Sabrina by Nick Drnaso

5 June 2023

I would definitely recommend Nick Drnaso's graphic novel "Sabrina". It's an examination of the way in which people's lives are affected by the online world. I was struck by the way in which individuals are frequently depicted as the only human figure against domestic or other backgrounds, often at night and without text. The cumulative effect of this is to create an oppressive atmosphere of loneliness with which the reader can empathise. This subtle and gradual building of emotion by purely visual means is an interesting feature of the graphic novel. In combination with text it can make for an extremely powerful impact.