I was pretty taken with Hasker Brouwer’s previous work, Nahamaha, though admittedly I’m not sure I grasped the full intricacies of its narrative.

It was, however, a piece that was deliberately abstract and open to interpretation; the same can be said of certain elements of Brouwer’s Anu Veniya, though overall this first volume seems a lot more accessible than Nahamaha.

The rebellious daughter of God has taken her own path in the world, out of her father’s shadow.

Despite her attitude towards her father, it still comes as a shock when he dies; leaving her to wander, alone.

When she encounters a lost Princess, whose situation somewhat mirrors her own, it seems that they may have each found something they’ve been missing.

Just as in Nahamaha, Brouwer’s art throughout Anu Veniya is absolutely stunning.

It’s abstract, minimalist and makes great use of negative space throughout; it’s incredibly impressive work and does a great job of drawing the reader into the unusual world Brouwer has created.

The tale is told in a very minimal fashion verbally too, from the point of view of a few different characters; the distinction between them communicated subtly, through the usage of different coloured caption boxes.

It’s not often that I’m completely surprised or taken aback by any piece of fiction I read, but I can safely say that I was blown away by Anu Veniya.

I’m glad that Brouwer opted for a less abstract story this time around, though don’t for one second think that means that Anu Veniya is any less imaginative or surreal than Nahamaha; though the narrative is easier to follow, it’s still bursting at the seams with strange imagery and unusual concepts.

Anu Veniya – self published by Brouwer’s Pareidolie Publishing – is further evidence of his unique talent, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing how the story continues.

Anu Veniya – Vol. 1: Refuge Amongst The Strands is available now and can be purchased from Pareidolie Publishing here; note also that it ships internationally too!

Many thanks to Hasker Brouwer for providing me with a copy of Anu Veniya – Vol. 1: Refuge Amongst The Strands for review purposes.