From writer/artist Olivia Sullivan and Avery Hill Publishing comes Oracles, a journey into the wild spurred by grief, but guided by discovery. It’s a journey with a multitude of creatures and fauna to encounter, as well as ever-changing environments. Each new landscape brings fresh experiences, but also pulls the narrator back into memories of the past, both good and bad. Oracles is an odyssey of fear, wanderlust, excitement, regret, and many other contradictory emotions, which serve to make it a very compelling read.
Writing & Plot
The first few pages of Oracles open with familiar story tropes: the call of the wild, a desire for freedom, and a need for peace. But it quickly distinguishes itself through narration that feels less like a guide to an epic quest and much more like a continuous, unrelenting wave of prose and poetry. So much of the text could stand on its own as short-form poems, yet together they weave a story that deals with tragedy and the slow acceptance of it.
The narrator is compelling from the start. They are driven by a desire to escape the materialism and confusion of the world, and instead embrace nature with starry eyes. There is a romanticism to this escape at first, a belief that the wilderness itself might offer healing.
But that veil slowly lifts as the narrator dives deeper into the journey, realizing that simply escaping everyday life is not the solution. The growth experienced along the way is what matters, and that growth does not come easily. The book constantly shows a battle with grief and acceptance, never allowing the narrator or the reader to look away from that struggle.
The story feels deeply personal, and Sullivan writes in a way that makes you feel as if you are sitting beside the narrator by the campfire, listening to their thoughts as they surface in real time.
Art Direction
Sullivan displays perfect paneling throughout every page of Oracles to showcase exactly what she wants the reader to feel. The opening pages are filled with endless squares, overwhelming and difficult to take in all at once. At times, my eyes almost glazed over. This is directly juxtaposed with the overtaking presence of nature that immediately encapsulates both the narrator and the reader.
There is a constant shift in how objects are presented, whether it is a bad mushroom trip, a packing list, depression itself, or even something as innocent as a fishing record. Sullivan gives each of these moments its own distinct portrayal. These varied visual approaches are what make the book feel so special. No detail is overlooked, and each feeds into the larger emotional expression.
The art deepens this impact. At times, the book feels like a travel guide, with illustrations showing the right herbs to eat, the ones to avoid, animals and landscapes laid out like local fishing spots or trail maps. But as the journey continues, the visuals become more blurred and abstract. There is less emphasis on perfection and more emphasis on emotion. This quiet evolution in how the narrator sees the world is visually stunning and makes the book a pleasure to revisit.
Verdict
Oracles is not simply a story about escaping into the wild. It is about confronting what sent you there and lingered with you. Through poetic writing and deeply intentional art direction, Sullivan crafts a work that feels intimate, raw, and honest. It does not offer easy answers, but instead invites readers to sit with discomfort, grief, and growth.
By the end, Oracles really feels like a trek alongside the main character. It lingers long after the final page, asking you to reflect on your own attempts to run, to heal, and to understand. That story, coupled with the layout of the art, and the art itself, makes it one of the most unique and engaging reads I’ve seen in a while, and a joy to reread.
Oracles is in stores April 16th, 2026.
