Has a very French sci fi/fantasy feel to it, exquisite blend of technology so removed from normal existence that it feels like magic, and old world fantasy feeling, along with a great color palette. This is apparently the first of future chapters, and I'm in for more.

This was an interesting book and I loved the world building idea. It is definitely a future of the world I could see happening. I am interested in what will happen with this story line!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was fun, but nothing stand-out. While the art blew me away (the tiny itty-bitty details some artists are capable of just melt my mind), the writing was pretty average. It read like any other generic fantasy/science fiction you can find in bookstores nowadays. Honestly, I think M.R. Carey did the whole "deadly maybe-sentient forests" thing a lot better with his Koli trilogy.

Don't let it stop you looking at the art, though!

I loved this comic a lot. The story was written well. The art fit perfectly into this world and story. Can't wait for #2 <3

A post apocalyptical story line with nature in mind. I love the characters' involvement and rebellious nature which leads her to the center of the forest and has a ranger searching.

Power is the central theme (obviously) and according to this book, nothing has changed when it comes to politics.

I am still interested in reading the next instalment.

Thank you NetGalley and Europe Comics for giving me the opportunity to read this!

A fantastic visual journey, recommended for fans of the medium and readers who enjoy the nexus of word and image. I enjoyed this transporting narrative immensely.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for sending me a free copy in return for my honest review.

The book stars a father daughter pair in a dystopian future. In this future the earth has been healing and has entered a kind of feudalistic era once more. The father is a count and his daughter is his only heir. The daughter goes on a trip with some friends and a political court intrigue is set in motion.

NeoForest has a lot of promise. The art work is fantastic, the story shows promise, and the world seems intriguing. There are a few things holding it back however. The first being that there is too much info and plot for the 64 page first volume. The stuff is interesting but because so much is shoved in there it feels nothing gets to shine as much as it should. This really hurts the characters and their relationships as you don’t really get a good feel for them.

Another big complaint I have is the size of the print. It feels like the print was made super small to fit everything in those 64 pages. The last complaint is the constant pov storyline jumping. We should not be switching storylines quite so much.

Still I had quite a bit of fun with this book and I’m going to keep reading to see where it goes. I recommend this to anyone wanting a beautiful dystopian read.

The art was lovely and I thought the story was super interesting, but it did get a bit convoluted at times.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Europe Comics for access to this beautiful arc!

4.5/5 Stars!

I just loved this. The art, the story, the conflicts, the relationships, were all so detailed and had so much depth, time just flew as I read this. I can't wait to see a physical copy of this, so I can properly appreciate all of the detail in the art. Just so good! I can't wait for the next installment! :D

Well, this was a little gem of a book! I loved it so much!

NeoForest is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel, based in a futuristic/dystopian world where nature has reclaimed the land after the end of the world.

Filled with magical forests and wonderful descriptions of nature, this was the perfect read.

It was as if Jeff Vandermeer made an Area X graphic novel.

I need to know what happens next - I can't wait for the next volume!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Europe Comics for the DRC!

This Graphic Novel was a flashback to my High School Critical Issues Class. It takes the types of ethical questions we discussed to their furthest conclusion, specifically, the one that comes up early on: using pigs to grow human organs... and where the line is when they become a person with all the rights thereof.

The world we are introduced to feels constantly at odds with oneself in the most exciting ways. We have a metal kingdom surrounded by a magical forest creeping on it and knights that ride bicycles. There is never a point where we settle into what feels "normal"; we are always at odds between Medieval and Post-Apocalyptic in the setting.

The story is Hamlet-inspired, with similar horror undertones, possibly even more so with nature-based horror.

The art drew me in, and while some people might be turned off by the amount of monochrome the art is, it feels very fitting for the world, and the sheer amount of green works as a continual theme to tie everything together, and works as an excellent contrast for the few scenes we see in different colors.

I am not sure; I would continue reading this series; as intrigued as I was while reading it, I wasn't left with that intense want to know what comes next.

I loved the world buildung! It was so well done, dystopian with almost fantastical elements. The plot had me intruiged from the get-go and kept my attention throughout. Can't wait to see where the story goes from here.

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy!

I really enjoyed the distopian vibes and art stlye but the writing was not for me. As it is the first volume I would have liked it more if the world building and backstory got explored more. It felt a bit rushed as you explore a new world and hit the main point within the story at the same time.

NeoForest is set in a sci-fi, feudalist society where the wealthy are near immortal due to scientific advances. Unbeknownst to the reigning Count, there is a coup on the horizon.

Lots of intriguing concepts in this one. I've never read anything with a setting like this one, which blends some post apocalyptic, medieval, modern analog, and futuristic elements together. So we get knights riding bicycles and scanning holograms. It's only the first installment so a lot was set up but it ends a little before shit will really start hitting the fan and I'm interested to see where the story goes!

I’ve been really loving graphic novels lately, but I was not a fan of this at all. The illustrations weren’t my favorite though that’s more personal preference than anything. The narration was totally stunted and lacked any flow.

My thanks to Europe Comics for a digital review copy via NetGalley of ‘NeoForest Volume 1. Cocto Citadel’ written by Fred Duval with art by Philippe Scoffoni. It was translated from the French by Jeremy Melloul.

Centuries after the fall of civilisation, the world has changed significantly. Warlords came to dominate the lands and now govern under a system named neofeudalism. Count Cocto is the absolute ruler of an independent kingdom located on the borders of what had been France and Germany.

The fortress of Cocto Citadel is surrounded by the genetically-modified NeoForest. Further afield is the Great Central Forest of France. While the Count and his nobles entertain themselves with a motorcycle joust, his daughter Blanche, who is the heir to his empire, leaves to go hiking with two friends.

Blanche had been warned by her father to avoid the Restricted area of the Forest. Yet when she runs into Tullius, a childhood friend, he tells her that he is exploring the Great Central Forest searching for a legendary treasure. After he leaves, Blanche convinces her friends that they should take a short excursion into the forest.

Yet unknown to both the Count and Blanche both of their lives are in danger as there is a plot brewing in Cocto Citadel to seize power. No further details to avoid spoilers.

I was completely blown away by this graphic novel. Fred Duval’s world building and storytelling was amazing and it was well served by Philippe Scoffoni’s art.

In keeping with the verdant setting, Scoffoni used a cool, muted palette mainly with shades of green and brown. Towards the end the introduces the starry blue of the night sky to great effect. His figure work is realistic and I felt that he did a superb job of translating Duval’s ideas into the visual medium.

Overall, I was very impressed with ‘NeoForest’. It ends quite dramatically and I certainly will be looking out for the next volume of this futuristic political thriller.

I have to say, Neo Forest absolutely blew me away. The artwork? Spectacular. The characters? Instantly captivating. The world-building? Just wow.

Set in a future where society has slid back into a kind of neo-feudalism, the story introduces us to a world of genetically modified trees, labs that grow replacement body parts for the rich, and jousting as a favorite pastime. Our main characters are Count Cocto, a mega-rich industrialist with a heart of gold for his only daughter, and Blanche, a nature-loving teenager who despises capitalism despite benefitting from it.

The story kicks off when Count Cocto suffers a major accident during a jousting match, forcing him to undergo organ regrowth and leaving Blanche to take over his empire. The only snag? She's off on a nature retreat and completely unreachable. Suddenly, it seems like the whole world is out to find her, and she's lost deep in a genetically enhanced forest.

Honestly, I just can't express how much I loved this one. The characters were complex and fascinating - I found myself cheering for Cocto, a mega-capitalist, to pull through his injuries. And the world itself feels boundless, with so many intriguing elements left to explore.

The instant I finished my NetGalley copy, I was out the door and on my way to my local store to grab a physical copy. Can't wait to dive back into this lush, futuristic world! If you're a fan of gorgeously illustrated sci-fi with rich characters and mind-blowing world-building, don't miss out on Neo Forest. I need Volume 2 NOW!

3 stars for the hats that help vocalize a dog’s thoughts!
The title and the cover are what drew me in! It has an interesting concept but i don’t really care about Blanche, her friends, and the danger they are facing. I’m not invested enough to continue with the series.

It is unbelievable how much commentary can be fit in 65 pages. Human society as we know it has collapsed. What remains is a world led by neofeudalists. Old world architecture with stream punk materials. Big forests being exploited by lords and counts. Nature revolting against the abuse. Mythical creatures. Genetically modified plants and animals. Factory farming of pigs for human organ needs. Half human pig people, what may be assumed to be a lower caste of beings in the world. Political intrigue.

Truly this graphic novel has given me much to think about. Especially our eminent downfall due to environmental exploitation

"NeoForest" takes place in a distant future where the forest took over the world, and humanity exists in feudal-esque citadels, but with science. It's an interesting premise with a lot of potential.

Art is the strongest point of this book. The cover is so beautiful, I was glad to see that the same quality is present inside.
I loved the muted colors, it was such an atmospheric choice, and it really helped to set the tone. The mix between the medieval elements and the post-apocalyptic vibe was so on point. The character design is also very good, each character -even the ones that appear in the background- is identifiable.

Regarding the plot, since it's the first volume there is a lot of exposition. I felt there was a lot of text trying to set up the worldbuilding instead of showing it. Also, I was left with the impression of not having fully understood the political intrigues that take place. I wish it was longer to understand more in depth all the subplots that are happening.

Overall, it's a very solid first volume with a lot of potential. And added to the art, I find it intriguing enough to want to continue learning more about this world.