Book Review: Werewolf at Dusk: And Other Stories by David Small

While author and illustrator David Small made his name working in children’s literature, his latest effort is a graphic novel squarely aimed at adults. In it, he envisions three thematically connected short stories that deal with aging and inner turmoil via fantastic events. Employing simplistic but evocative artwork, Small creates an effectively haunting atmosphere throughout, filling several panels with dread about what lies on the pages ahead.

First up is the title tale, an adaptation of Lincoln Michel’s short story of the same name which follows an elderly man who just so happens to be a werewolf. Exploring the toll that time exacts on us through such an unusual allegory proves surprisingly effective and moving. Next up is “A Walk in the Old City”, an original work for this book, which follows a therapist who is questioning his own life as he roams the streets at night, leading to an unusual encounter with a mysterious man who keeps giant spiders as pets (or does he?).

Finally, he adapts the 1947 short “Le Tigre Mondain” by Jean Ferry. While it maintains the surreal uneasiness of the first two stories, this one has less of a focus on internal dramas and instead points a finger at society’s willingness to abide the horrific. The narrator makes his way to a cabaret performance and is disappointed to learn that it will feature his least favorite act, in which a woman accompanies a tiger dressed in human clothes through a simulated night on the town, all while it is being just-barely controlled by its true trainer off-stage, a man who is drawn as Adolf Hitler. It can come off as a little too on-the-nose, but it’s a message that certainly bears repeating.

This is a short book and easy to get through in a single sitting, but also one that readers may want to revisit if even just to spend time appreciating Small’s drawings. Horror themes feature heavily throughout, but the intention isn’t to induce nightmares, rather it is to ponder some of the less desirable aspects of our very humanity; the cost of time on our already fragile bodies, our limited capacity to understand ourselves, and the ease in which a society can turn a blind eye to impending tragedy. Despite the heavy themes and somber atmosphere Werewolf at Dusk is still an enjoyable read, though one that leaves a lot to ponder. ★★★★