Baloney: A Tale in 3 Symphonic Acts.

Pascal Blanchet’s graphic novel Baloney: A Tale in 3 Symphonic Acts is a seemingly straightforward tale of love and loss. The title character, Baloney (once known as Sergi in happier times), is a sad man who runs a butcher’s shop in a small town on top of a high cliff. He was once a happy man with a beautiful wife and a healthy baby girl, until one day he loses his wife in a horrible accident that also leaves his daughter missing an arm. Tragedy continues to follow Baloney and his daughter, as polio takes her leg and cataracts take her sight. Mirroring Baloney’s own removal from the world, the town builds a wall around itself in an effort to stop further losses. But Baloney’s daughter, for all of her handicaps, cannot keep herself from wanting to know more about her surroundings. Baloney, torn between wanting to keep his only daughter safe and meeting her deepest desires, calls for a tutor, and this is where everything beings to change, but not for long.

Drawn in moody shades of black, white, and red, Blanchet captures the despair that oozes out of Baloney and the cold that emanates from the town isolated on top of cliff. Full-page panels encourage the reader to dwell in the simple, yet highly evocative illustrations that perfectly capture the bleak existence of Baloney and his daughter. In addition to the illustrations, Blanchet includes detailed descriptions of the orchestrations that accompany each act. These descriptions set the scene for the coming action that accompanies the illustrations wonderfully. Blanchet also includes a playlist at the end of the tale that includes selections from Al Jolson, Shastakovich, Prokofiev, Kurt Weill, and Chopin that, when listened to while reading the book, perfectly capture Blanchet’s characters and scenes.

Blanchet’s pervious work, White Rapids, has received wide-spread positive attention and Baloney will bring him nothing but more acclaim. Part-fable, part-opera Baloney is evocative, moody, and unforgettable. Blanchet successfully brings together the best of storytelling, illustration, and music.