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A review by jarrahpenguin
One Soul by Ray Fawkes
4.0
The concept of One Soul is ambitious and powerful: in a series of 9-panel pages, Ray Fawkes depicts the parallel lives of 18 people in different places and times throughout human history. Each character occupies the same panel in a two-page spread, so you see 18 parallel births, early childhoods, and so on, each time you turn the page. This can be pretty confusing but if you don't worry too much and just let it wash over you, eventually you start to remember which character's story is in which panel, and can connect them back. But it might take a second read to fully appreciate the other aspect of Fawkes' concept, which is that all 18 characters are the same soul reincarnated.
When characters die their panels are blacked out while the others' stories continue, but occasionally we see words in the black panels describing their posthumous thoughts and questions, which is very effective. My major takeaway is that in spite of incredible differences between us, we have much in common: urges, doubts, questions, needs. That said, the one soul/reincarnation through line might undermine that by explaining the commonalities between the characters.
Even though some characters' storylines dragged a bit and others were a bit difficult to follow, One Soul is worth taking in for the ambitious concept and moments that feel like they come close to revealing profound human truths.
When characters die their panels are blacked out while the others' stories continue, but occasionally we see words in the black panels describing their posthumous thoughts and questions, which is very effective. My major takeaway is that in spite of incredible differences between us, we have much in common: urges, doubts, questions, needs. That said, the one soul/reincarnation through line might undermine that by explaining the commonalities between the characters.
Even though some characters' storylines dragged a bit and others were a bit difficult to follow, One Soul is worth taking in for the ambitious concept and moments that feel like they come close to revealing profound human truths.