The end

The title of Nilsen's latest set of sketchbook pieces made shortly after the death of his fiancee, Cheryl, in 2005, is bivalent. It refers to the end of his life with her, a time filled with doing whatever I want all the time (often enough, crying); carrying on imaginary dialogues with Cheryl, in which they appear as outline figures only; and expounding philosophically via another outline-man. It also indicates that this collection concludes his public presentation of his grief, though not his grieving, which he knows will continue, diminishing, until he dies. If The End's contents aren't as deeply affecting or as narrative-driven as those of Don't Go Where I Can't Follow (2012), they're as intelligently written and beautifully drawn whether simply or intricately as anything else this front-runner in his generation of comics artists has done. The last piece ends in blank-paneled silence, bringing to mind Wittgenstein's famous proposition, What we cannot speak about, we must pass over in silence. --Olson, Ray Copyright 2010 Booklist

Writer and illustrator Nilsen (Big Questions) collects the short comics composed in his sketchbook following the death of his partner and offers them as one volume here. While very personal, the work gives readers much to identify with in its authentic depiction of grieving. In one of the most powerful pieces, "Since You've Been Gone I Can Do Whatever I Want All the Time," which consists of a series of captioned illustrations that frequently show the author crying while trying to get through mundane tasks, Nilsen amazes in his ability to bring about laughter from tears. Much of the artwork is minimalistic. In "Talking to the Dead," two silhouettes, one living and one dead, have an imagined conversation frame after frame. As the living character acknowledges coming up with the dead one's answers, the very powerful reading communicates the mourning creator behind the pen. Verdict Poignant, engaging, and philosophical, Nilson's graphic memoir documents loss and is a testament to grieving. Fans of graphic memoirs will find the creator's use of surprise appealing.-Brian Looker, Appleton P.L., WI (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.