Berlin: City of Stones

The city evoked in graphic novel

I’ve just finished reading the wonderful Berlin: City of Stones, by Jason Lutes. It’s book one of a history of Berlin, from September 1928 to May 1929. (Ed. This piece was originally published at cityofsound.com on March 14th 2002. I’ve since read book two, and wait patiently for book three.)

It’s another fabulous evocation of city life in the graphic novel format: tracing the arcs of several overlapping narratives; playing with time; a fiction based around real events; in particular, mapping the sense of bewilderment, loss, chaos, creativity, and uncertainty in Berlin at that point — a city on the edge. Lutes plays out the chance encounters in bustling city life with real grace, ultimately to heartbreaking effect. He also delights in making visible people’s private thoughts — a motif familiar from Wim Wenders’ Wings of Desire or Aaron Copland’s Quiet City.

It’s beautifully realised, both in words and images — I’m keen to check out Lutes’ other work (Jar of Fools) and to see where Berlin: City of Stones goes next — though at this rate, it’s going to take him a while to even get to the building of the wall, never mind it coming down.

This piece was originally published at cityofsound.com on March 14th 2002.