Archival Quality

The graphic novel Archival Quality is a genuine delight. It follows the protagonist as she takes a job archiving the contents of an obscure medical museum. But of course the museum has its (literal) ghosts and plenty of dark secrets.

Full disclosure: this book had me at ghosts and museum, so this is right in my sweet spot. But the storytelling is truly lovely. The skillful art design vividly evokes the emptiness and silence of the museum and the consequent eeriness. Thematically, the story deals with loneliness and feelings of abandonment and betrayal. But it also deals with love, trust, friendship, and joy. And it juggles all of them beautifully. In particular, it deals with mental health issues with grace and skill, a model for depicting mental illness in narrative.

Archival Quality has stayed with me long after I finished it. It’s a ghost story wrapped in a mystery wrapped in a drama of friendship and love–and it’s done brilliantly. Strongly recommended.