Another reader comment !

Thanks to J.L. Rival for his FB post:

Sunday Coffee: This week, I read a graphic novel by Arnaud Ribadeau Dumas.

I am not usually one for comic books—aside from classics like *Tintin*, *Asterix* (and Obelix, of course), *Gaston Lagaffe*, *Le Grand Duduche*, and the like—but I rediscovered a story based on true events: Louis de Bernières’ *Captain Corelli’s Mandolin*. That bestselling novel was adapted into a film by John Madden, shot in Kefalonia, and starred Penélope Cruz and Nicolas Cage in the lead roles.
Naturally, as a true lover of "my island," I have read and re-read the book and watched the film over and over, shedding a tear every time...
And what a surprise it was to discover—thanks to a meeting orchestrated by Emmanuelle (who will know who she is)—this graphic novel adaptation by Arnaud Ribadeau Dumas, a fellow island devotee.
Well, I am blown away!
Arnaud, a painter by trade, has used his talent to elevate the images I held from the book and the film...
It is a reinterpretation that, through detailed illustration, offers a fresh perspective on Kefalonia and its life—a perspective that steals the spotlight from the two main characters and captures our hearts.
I loved this work—truly loved it—and was struck by a realization:
Reading means creating your own images... nothing new there!
Watching a film adaptation means letting yourself be guided by the director's vision and seeing a differently paced version of the work in a new light.
The graphic novel offers yet another kind of pacing, lingering on illustrative details that add new depth to the original story. I could feel the innocence of the islanders—blessed by their surroundings—and the harshness of the events they were about to endure. I felt the doctor’s pride in his daughter; I experienced moments from the book that I had previously glossed over or barely dwelt upon...
In short, a novel’s life deserves to be viewed from all these angles—not least through the music, which plays a significant role. Thank you to Stephen Warbeck, the film’s composer.

#louisdeberniere #captaincorellis-mandolin #arnaudribadeaudumasart