The Edge of the World, published by Tunuè, is a graphic novel that addresses the topic of climate change in a powerful and original way. The peculiarity of the book lies in its double cover structure, a double side book which presents two autonomous but closely connected stories, told from two different perspectives that intertwine. This format, innovative and evocative, allows us to explore a dystopian but disturbingly close future, in which the world is paying the consequences of decades of exploitation of natural resources and indifference towards the ecological crisis.
The first story revolves around Eva, a young woman who lives in an exclusive city, designed for the most privileged, where nature is just a distant, artificially controlled concept. Eva is the daughter of a geoengineering magnate and, although she loves nature, she doesn't really know it, because her reality is that of a “cool” and safe environment, far from everyday difficulties. On the other hand, there is Adam, a boy who lives in an abandoned suburb, forced to deal every day with the unbearable heat and a precarious electricity grid. His life is hard, but it is also marked by a strong spirit of survival, fueled by anger towards those who seem to ignore his suffering.
The two stories intersect when Eva and Adam meet and, through their confrontation, they will be forced to question everything they took for granted. Eva will have to face the lies on which her existence was built, while Adam will have to deal with his limited vision of the world. It is a meeting that marks a turning point, not only for them, but for all those who find themselves having to deal with the reality of a planet in ruins.
The other side of the book tells the story of Yves, a boy who lives in the mountains with his grandfather and his goats, a symbol of a life that resists a rapidly changing world. Yves' grandfather continues to cultivate the land and be a breeder, despite the difficulties and prohibitions imposed by the large CarbCap mine which is eating away at the territory. Yves meets Wei, a young rebel and activist who has put together a group of kids ready to fight against CarbCap and its model of destructive technological progress. Together, Yves and Wei will embody the hope of youthful resistance against a world that seems increasingly hostile.
The book, which explores themes related to worldbuildingshows a future in which geoengineering is one of the solutions proposed to tackle the climate crisis, but at a very high cost. The struggle for the management of natural resources and the criticism of an economic system that exploits the planet without any consideration for its true needs are at the center of this narrative. The color palette used by the authors, reduced but suggestive, emphasizes the separation between “hot” and “cold” environments, a symbol of the pollution that has consumed our world, and the loss of natural beauty that now seems irreversible.
The edge of the world it is also inspired by Lynn Margulis's “Gaia hypothesis”, which suggests a vision of the world as an interconnected and cooperative system. This philosophy underlines the importance of a return to cooperation with nature, a lesson that the protagonists learn during their journey, demonstrating that true progress is not that of unbridled consumption, but that which leads to the survival of the planet.
Written and illustrated by Francesco Memo and Barbara Borlini, two sociologists with a strong passion for comics, The edge of the world it is a reflection on our reality and what we are doing to protect it. The two authors, already known for The life you wantwhich received a special mention at the Premio Manzoni in 2019, use the medium of comics to send a powerful message of hope and resistance. A book that not only tells a story of change, but also invites reflection on our role in preserving the future of our world.
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