Harare Review of Books

104 pages.

Expected publication date: Dec 27, 2023 (Europe Comics)

Graphic novel.

I knew nothing about the Dyatlov Pass mystery before reading this graphic novel, so this was an interesting diversion. A group of young mountaineers died in the northern Urals in 1959, and their deaths remain unsolved even after an official investigation. This novel focuses on that investigaton, but at the end of the book there is a short review of the various theories around what happened. The Wikipedia entry about it is also interesting to read.

This novel feels disjointed, possibly because it’s speculative and relies on incomplete data, but is also unsatisfying as there is no attempt to come to a conclusion about what may have happened to the group. The artwork is pretty good; the story and writing style not particularly so. Still, this is an account of an interesting event, and I recommend it as a starting point for a rabbit hole excursion.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Europe Comics for access.