The Book of Ruth

Cave Pictures Publishing; $14.95

When Ruth, a young, married woman, is unexpectedly widowed and finds her circumstances unfavorably changed, she follows her grieving mother-in-law, Naomi, back to the family home in Bethlehem, Texas.

Naomi, suffering and seeing the world as dark as her experience, and Ruth, suffering but believing there are still better days ahead, are counter points, yet their affection for each other is unwavering through a seemingly relentless series of trials and tribulations. Set at the late 1800s and early 1900s, this is a tale of seemingly continual adversity that serves as a crucible for wisdom and faith.

Former Wonder Woman writer Meredith Finch (Rose) and artist Colin Dyer’s graphic novel was originally a crowdfunded project and I wish I’d found it then, just so I’d now be having the chance to re-read it instead of read it for the first time. Finch and Dyer do a great job with the two central characters reacting so differently to the same situations. If you’re looking for something beyond the capes, and in which the characters are very human, this is it.

– J.C. Vaughn