Tunis to Sydney

A woman tries to cope with loss by planting new life in this warmhearted if slight graphic novel from married creators Meriam and Christian Carnouche (Murky Waters) and artist Rapley. Lilia, a swim instructor from Tunisia, is living in Sydney with her boyfriend when she gets word that her parents have died in a car accident. She travels home for the funeral, and the family reunion stirs up old memories and regrets. Recalling her mother’s beloved garden (“It’s more than just plants living side by side... it’s an earthly paradise,” her mother says in a flashback), Lilia tries to smuggle an olive tree back to Australia, only to be caught by customs officers. The understated narrative draws strength from images of the natural world—Lilia’s connection to the ocean reflects her desire for freedom, while her mother literally put down roots in her Tunisian garden—and from well-observed details of North African Muslim culture. Rapley’s scribbly, un-inked linework sometimes detracts from the human figures and faces but effectively evokes sunny Australian beaches, old Tunisian houses, and the flora of both countries. The story’s sense of place lends it some needed character and color. Despite moments of beauty, this never fully flowers. (Aug.)