The Most Beautiful Story was first published in Norwegian in 2016, and not published in English until 2021.
Brynjulf Jung Tjønn’s work is a picture book, but it is one of those artistically ambitious books that seems aimed at adults as much as kids.
It starts slowly. The first two-page spread is all black and white drawings by Oyvind Torseter, and those quite spare. Pages 3 and 4 are even more bare, and remain black and white except for small…drops? bursts? of color at the far right edge. We don’t get words until page 5, when we get told the girl we’re following is Vera.
Once she’s fully introduced, the images get much busier and in most cases, much more colorful. The story is a run through the dark, from house to lake. It may be a dream. It may be a magical reality, a rupture in our world, accessed through a dream or at night.
Vera meets up with Syl “who is like no one else.” I love that line. It is so intentionally not an explanation. Nor is the line following: “Syl, who is simply herself.” Perfect lines, but not that helpful. She rises out of the lake. She is huge, and may be the lake, or its spirit.
She tells Vera a story. It is hard. It is painful. It is beautiful.
And so is this book.
I enjoy picture books that are just fun, but I am in awe of picture books that are art. Like this one.
