Moving Pictures

Moving Pictures by Kathryn and Stuart Immonen is an interesting graphic novel that is, on the surface, all about the status of art in the early days of World War II. Set in Paris the book is about a young woman curator involved in the packing up of art from museums and also the Nazi search for all the best art they can get their hands at. It name drops some famous thefts (altarpiece of Ghent, the fate of the Mona Lisa) and shows an awareness of the historical context, for example Napoleon. 's history of art theft. But the true focus of the novel is people, objects and morals disappear during war, the removal from life of the typical and the usual and the routine. That during war the constants were taken. And while I in my safe western world can only imagine just how frightening that must have been this book in its few pages strives to convey that emotion. This complex puzzle of a book with its multiple timelines does a great job of conveying that fear and uncertainty in a very intimate read. Highly recommended.