City of Light, City of Dark
Encyclopedia
City of Light, City of Dark is a comic book
novel
written by Newbery Medal
-winning author Avi
, and was the first book ever to be illustrated by Brian Floca
. Additional Spanish translations were done by Jose Aranda and Anthony Trujillo. The book's title is probably inspired by the summer and winter solstice
s, the "lightest" and "darkest" days of the year. These two days also mark two pivotal events in the Kurbs' "ritual cycle of acknowledgment". Alternatively, since the story is set in New York
, "City of Light" could refer to one of the many cities of light.
s, the source of Power would be ritualistically hidden somewhere on the island, and if it was not found in time, the Kurbs would reclaim the island, and everything would freeze. Over the years, the Power was hidden inside different objects, including an ear of corn
, a musket ball, an oil lamp
and, most recently, a subway token. A lineage of women were given the responsibility of carrying out the Ritual Cycle of Acknowledgment, and were granted special powers through the Kurbs' source of power, as well.
and a novel
. It begins like an illustrated storybook
: paragraphs of text are accompanied by frequent illustrations, establishing the backstory more quickly than would have been possible with sequential art alone. Comic book panels tell the rest of the story, occasionally helped along by the author's narrations
, which are presented in the form of caption
s. This method of storytelling makes City of Light, City of Dark unique. Brian Floca's franco-Belgian
-inspired art style and frequent cross-hatching also give this modern fantasy an appropriately contemporary feel.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by Newbery Medal
Newbery Medal
The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...
-winning author Avi
Edward Irving Wortis
Edward Irving Wortis , better known by the pen name Avi, is an American author of young adult and children's literature. He is a winner of both the Newbery Honor and Newbery Medal.- Biography :...
, and was the first book ever to be illustrated by Brian Floca
Brian Floca
Brian Floca is an American author and illustrator of children's books. He is best known for illustrating books by the award-winning children’s author Avi and for nonfiction picture books.- Biography :Brian was born and raised in Temple, Texas...
. Additional Spanish translations were done by Jose Aranda and Anthony Trujillo. The book's title is probably inspired by the summer and winter solstice
Solstice
A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun's apparent position in the sky, as viewed from Earth, reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes...
s, the "lightest" and "darkest" days of the year. These two days also mark two pivotal events in the Kurbs' "ritual cycle of acknowledgment". Alternatively, since the story is set in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, "City of Light" could refer to one of the many cities of light.
Plot synopsis
An enigmatic race of beings known as the Kurbs are introduced at the story's outset. Except as serpentine extensions of shadow, they are rarely seen, and thrive only in darkness. Utilizing something called the Power, they are able to control the rhythm of day and night. When humans first arrived on Manhattan Island (a place of apparent significance to the Kurbs), a treaty was signed: the Ritual Cycle of Acknowledgment. The Kurbs would loan the island out for human use, and even share their source of power. But there were conditions: in synchronization with the summer and winter solsticeSolstice
A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun's apparent position in the sky, as viewed from Earth, reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes...
s, the source of Power would be ritualistically hidden somewhere on the island, and if it was not found in time, the Kurbs would reclaim the island, and everything would freeze. Over the years, the Power was hidden inside different objects, including an ear of corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, a musket ball, an oil lamp
Oil lamp
An oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and is continued to this day....
and, most recently, a subway token. A lineage of women were given the responsibility of carrying out the Ritual Cycle of Acknowledgment, and were granted special powers through the Kurbs' source of power, as well.
Style
City of Light, City of Dark is both a comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
and a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
. It begins like an illustrated storybook
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
: paragraphs of text are accompanied by frequent illustrations, establishing the backstory more quickly than would have been possible with sequential art alone. Comic book panels tell the rest of the story, occasionally helped along by the author's narrations
Narrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
, which are presented in the form of caption
Caption (comics convention)
CAPTION is an annual comic convention specialising in British small press comics. It was first held in Oxford in January 1992, subsequently being held in summer each year. Loosely based around a theme, each year's event offers panels and workshops related to small press comics along with the...
s. This method of storytelling makes City of Light, City of Dark unique. Brian Floca's franco-Belgian
Franco-Belgian comics
Franco-Belgian comics are comics that are created in Belgium and France. These countries have a long tradition in comics and comic books, where they are known as BDs, an abbreviation of bande dessinée in French and stripverhalen in Dutch...
-inspired art style and frequent cross-hatching also give this modern fantasy an appropriately contemporary feel.