The story of the clockwork faerie continues with the second book in Jane Irwin’s series of gorgeous, painted, modern-day fairytales.

As with any good series, you don’t need to have read the first volume (in which Vögelein copes with the death of her caretaker) to enjoy this one. Vögelein now carries her own key and as the book opens, she’s acting as something of a daredevil, riding wind gusts in the city. It’s a beautiful sequence, introducing the character and her motivations as well as demonstrating both the setting and the artist’s skill.

Vögelein: Old Ghosts
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The black-and-white art has an organic, pencil/charcoal feel to it. The key is a great symbol, by the way. It’s iconic, providing a summary image for the series with its Celtic-style knot. It’s attractive, providing a decorative accessory to the design of a young girl. It’s meaningful, representing Vögelein’s control over her own existence, letting her make the decision who will control her and literally keep her alive. It’s a memorial, reminding her of the people who’ve held it throughout her life.

Vögelein’s perspective is a charming mix of the naive (she’s still young, emotionally, learning about herself and the world) and the accomplished (she’s functionally immortal, having already lived for hundreds of years). Her quest, to better know herself and her own desires after escaping a kind of captivity (albeit loving and well-meant) is one most readers will relate to. Her existence requires the care of others, making real the symbolic struggle of relationships. For everyone, it’s a continuing challenge to find the proper balance between giving oneself over to others and maintaining the independence necessary for one’s identity.

She’s now got a group of Guardians, people who can wind her up when needed. One’s a folk musician who reminds her of another person from her past, a Romani (Gypsy) harried by soldiers in the late 1600s. Her time with him ended badly, sending her on a quest to resolve her guilt. She hopes the journey will help her better accept the change that’s a necessary part of life, as well as learning more about a culture most of us are unfamiliar with.

Irwin’s quite talented in sketching characters quickly and yet with depth. Their dialogue is realistic and distinctive, and they live in a solid, well-delineated, detailed world. They give the impression of being observed from life, or at least inspired by people Irwin’s really seen. They’re also more diverse and unusual than the expected comic types, from a workingman to a short-order waitress to a young woman choosing a life that allows her to take care of her aging grandmother.

I appreciated the way the book acknowledges the importance of rituals, as well as the way its inhabitants respect culture, music, their environments, and especially books. After reading this graphic novel, I’d learned things I wouldn’t otherwise know, I’d felt what other lives might be like, and I wanted to meet these people and spend lots more time with them. It’s gorgeous.

Read preview pages at Pulse or find out more at the Vögelein website.