The Forbidden Harbor

The sea yields treasure and turmoil alike in this sweeping, joyously illustrated 19th-century maritime adventure. Abel, an amnesiac castaway, is found on an island by the British navy during the summer of 1807. Taken in by three orphaned sisters who run an inn back home in England, Abel discovers talents and memories he can’t remember gaining—and recalls a misty harbor only he and a scant few others are able to see, from which, it is said, no one ever returns. This overflowing volume’s greatest flaw is its own plenitude: though the cast is charming down to the last character, the script indulges in internal monologues far too generously. But it’s easy to forgive, given the strength of the comics art. Turconi’s technical mastery is apparent—ship cabins, lonely moors, and elegant parlors are drawn with pinpoint skill—but it is the inventive character design that truly shines. He takes obvious delight in depicting everyone from craggy-faced pirates to comely courtesans. Though the voyage can occasionally drag, this heartfelt paean to sailing culture will treat readers to a resplendent expedition. (Sept.)