There are probably a thousand ways to tell a Joe Kessler book. To
To enjoy reading, you have to be willing to surrender to the flamboyant colors
as well as the frantic and enigmatic narration of his stories. Astonishing mixture
of prosaic and mythical elements, The Gull Yettin, an entirely silent story,
propels us into a universe that is both magical and familiar. The Gull Yettin puts
on stage the spirit of a seagull, a small child and a woman. There is a
explosion, a river of lava, a large, lanky and disturbing bird,
speckled fur and straw hat, pee on a toilet bowl, a trip in
train, revenge, a gang of kids, enchanting nature,
waves, cruelty and tenderness. Using sometimes felt-tip pen, pencil,
computer or watercolor, Joe Kessler mixes techniques, in a style
expressionist and unbridled, to evoke here the race of a child, there the reflection
of a train in the meanders of a river, the sparks of an explosion or
the reassuring glow of a window in the night. With The Gull Yettin he signs a
sensory and captivating stroll with a lively rhythm.
