Clare’s Comics Catalogue – Porcelain: Ivory Tower
My review of this one has been delayed by a number of factors; later arrival than hoped and a hectic schedule over Halloween. Mostly though because it’s taken me a week to get over reading it and get my thoughts together. I’ve been waiting for the release of Porcelain: Ivory Tower since the moment I finished the second instalment, Bone China, just shy of two years ago. I should probably apologise to Chris Wildgoose for the frequent “is there a release date yet” tweets he has had to endure from me for most of 2017. Sorry!
Porcelain: Ivory Tower is the third volume in the Gothic fairytale series from Improper Books. Written by Benjamin Read and illustrated by Chris Wildgoose (Batgirl) the Porcelain series tells the story of a young girl who finds herself in a beautiful fairy tale world with a macabre twist. I originally discovered Improper Books because Benjamin Read co-wrote the movie Armistice (aka The Captive) starring Joseph Morgan and Matt Ryan.
I’ll try and recap events of the previous two books without giving too much away before I get on to Ivory Tower. I’m sorry for any spoilers that might escape, but you really should have read the first two by now 😉
Previously in Porcelain
Child, a young street urchin climbs a wall at the behest of some older children and finds herself face to face with the Porcelain Maker. His reputation is that of some kind of evil magician, a recluse who shields himself behind his walls. With a child’s precocious attitude, our young protagonist finds herself becoming the Porcelain Maker’s ward, each finding in the other something they were lacking. Their bond grows, and he shows her some of his work, he creates porcelain figures that move. The macabre, indeed magical, secret behind their animation remains hidden until almost the very end of the first book.
Porcelain: Bone China sees Child become Lady, she is the porcelain maker now, and her creations are much in demand. The army want her porcelain to use as soldiers in the war they are currently fighting, but due to their nature, Lady will not agree. Funnily enough the military do not take kindly to her refusal and after one extremely hostile takeover, they get their way. But Lady isn’t beaten, and she finds a way to wrest back control.
Porcelain: Ivory Tower
I really don’t want to give too much of the story away in this review, but it’s so hard not to gush over the story as it twists and turns its way through the volume.
Lady is now Mother, both to her daughters and to her creations. As we saw at the end of Bone China, she has retreated within the walls which have now been raised and reinforced, but her main protection is the vertigo inducing Ivory Tower in which they reside.
Chris Wildgoose’s art throughout the series always puts me in mind of Alphonse Mucha. That delicate Art Nouveau style, yet with a sort of steampunk twist. Come on, look at that cover and tell me you don’t see it? Anyway, this has never been more evident than it is in the design of the tower. I love all of the design progress sketches in the back of the book. Benjamin described it as “Both castle and cathedral, fortification and art, made by an inhuman eye with no regard for the conventions of architecture.” This rings so true. It also brought to mind the Dark Tower from the Stephen King novels, a mirror-verse version perhaps?
Mother and her daughters
Mother’s abilities with the Porcelain have developed as a result of the control runes she inscribed on her body at the end of Bone China. But there were other, far more important consequences to those actions. Pregnant at the time, the mystical alchymic energies that control the Porcelain had terrible consequences for her unborn child. Born with twisted legs, Victorienne also has an innate ability to control the Porcelain without runes. Although it wracks her already weakened body to do so. She wishes to aid her Mother but Mother is worried for her daughter’s health.
Meanwhile, her other “daughter” Ariemma, longs for a life outside the walls. Hardly a surprise given how she came to be with Mother. (SPOILER ALERT – She’s actually the daughter of the General who tried to take the Porcelain by force (and killed Tori’s father) and was murdered by Lady as she took her vengeance.).
The struggle between the girls’ desire for independence and Mother’s to keep them safe forms the main thrust of the story that unfolds in Porcelain: Ivory Tower.
The Porcelain
We meet many of Mother’s new Children during the course of this book, and it’s clear that her skills and abilities with the Porcelain have grown.
One of the first “new style” Porcelain from Bone China, given the name Rowan, remains by Mother’s side. And Rowan has got sassy. Given free will by her creator, she has developed a lust for war that can only lead to tragedy.
The designs have evolved too. Given that the Porcelain are now creating their own forms there are a wide range of styles. From Lady’s first streamlined design like Rowan, through the battle Porcelain like Alder, created for the General’s war effort. The second half of the book showcases an entirely new kind of Porcelain, ones which the ending of this book suggests we may see more of.
Summary
Read’s words and Wildgoose’s art combine in a heady mix. During the course of reading this saga I’ve laughed, swooned and cried in public at least once. It was on a train, I had no idea it was coming. Looking back I probably should have seen it coming, but that’s how involved I was. Benjamin Read has an ability to weave a story, whether in film or on the pages of a comic, that totally ensnares you. If you’ve seen Armistice. you know what I’m talking about.
I waited two years to read Porcelain: Ivory Tower, and not a single minute of that was in vain. I had no doubts that I’d love this comic, but I think I was unprepared for just how much. Please, go and buy all three volumes of Porcelain (if you order from HERE then you might just get a limited edition bookplate signed by Ben and Chris, if there are any left). Then set aside a couple of hours, make some tea, grab a box of tissues and lose yourself in this world. I can guarantee you will NOT regret it.
Oh and you should also totally go HERE and check out the other projects available from the Improper Books collective. I adore Night Post, and Briar is glorious!
