Description
Will I See? is a 2016 graphic novel from Highwater Press by David Alexander Robertson. From a story idea by Iskwe and Erin Leslie, the topic of missing and murdered Indigenous women receives a new treatment in this graphic novel. Illustrated in black and white with minimal red splashes on appropriate pages, this difficult story begins with a reader warning that this graphic novel could act as a trigger because of the content about violence against women. It begins with a First Nation teen living in the city with her grandmother. The night covers the city and shadows emerge as the young woman, May, spots a black cat following her. The cat moves with May and leads her to various bits of trinkets that once had meaning for their owners. When May returns to her grandmother's home, the pair fashion the trinkets into a necklace for May. Grandmother always fears for her girl as she travels about the city and also tries to instill a healthy caution at the same time. A mix of fantasy along with an honest reality brings a message of hope and strength despite the violence and loss. Through grandmother's gentle teachings, May comes to see that those who have passed share their strength and spirit with the living in the form of floral blooms. The illustrations along with the limited text provide a unique presentation for this difficult reality. The storytellers have created an outstanding graphic novel for the senior secondary student and adult reader. Highly recommended. Will I See? has been selected in the Young Adult/Adult Category Longlist for First Nation Communities READ 2017.