From Darkness to Deep Blue, Ailefroide: the Mountain as a Reflection to Existence

Ailefroide altitude 3954, by Jean-Marc Rochette and Olivier Bocquet. Front cover © Éditions Casterman S.A. Jean-Marc Rochette. http://www.casterman.com/ Ailefroide (literally “cold wing”). With such an ethereal title, the reader would expect lovely pages of adventures on the mountains, in keeping with climbing tales such as Premier de cordée or Les Hauts-Lieux. The graphic atmosphere strongly differentiates from the post-apocalyptic universe of Transperceneige (Snowpiercer). However, Jean-March Rochette’s story is connected to his previous work by small hints. He notably chose to carry on the path of the graphic novel, praised by the upholders of the American counterculture of the 1960s. What does it mean to be 20 years old in 1976? The novel draws its strength from the story of a teenager confronted with his own decisions, in relation to his schooling and his future. Rochette offers an autobiographical piece of work, the storyline takes its place in the geographic and historical reali...

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