I’ve forgotten most of the details to Battlefields, which is nice as it turns out. I then can remember things, anticipate them as I read, makes the experience seem richer. It’s a rather rich experience to begin with–Ennis’s writing here, from a first person female narrator, puts his contemporaries to shame. As usual.

But I didn’t remember the specifics of Dear Billy, not until the last few pages did I remember what will unfold. So I got to read the issue both raw and a little aware. It makes for a fine experience.

There’s everything to recommend the book–Snejbjerg alone makes it essential–but it’s still just about Ennis’s amazing writing. He opens the issue with a moment of intense tragedy and never lets up on the reader, even when a relative calm comes over the protagonist. It makes her few smiles all the more powerful.

Ennis’s writing is simply devastating.