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Secret Life

Written and illustrated by Theo Ellsworth
Edition

Hardcover edition

Publisher Drawn & Quarterly Imprint Drawn & Quarterly ISBN

9781770464032

Secret Life

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In stock
SKU
9781770464032J

CONTENT NOTIFICATIONS

Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes

An uncanny and eye-opening journey into a mysterious building, adapted from a short story by Jeff VanderMeer



To the west: trees. To the east: a mall. North: fast food. South: darkness. And at the center is The Building, an office building wherein several factions vie for dominance. Inside, the walls are infiltrated with vines, a mischief of mice learn to speak English, and something eerie happens once a month on the fifth floor. In Secret Life,, Theo Ellsworth uses a deep-layered style to interpret Nebula Award-winning author Jeff VanderMeer’s short story. What emerges is a mind-bending narrative that defamiliarizes the mundanity of office work and makes the arcane rituals of The Building home.



When his manager borrows his pen for a presentation, a man is driven to unspeakable acts as he questions the role the pen has played in his workplace success. The despised denizens of the second floor develop their own tongue, incomprehensible to everyone else in The Building. A woman plants a seed of insurgency that quickly permeates every corner of the building with its sweet, nostalgic perfume.



With deft insight, Secret Life observes the sinister individualism of bureaucratic settings in contrast with an unconcerned natural world. As the narrative progresses, you may begin to suspect that the world Ellsworth has brought to life with hypnotic visuals is not so secret after all; in fact, it’s uncannily similar to our own.



Black-and-white illustrations drawn with a Rapidograph pen.
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Adult Crossover Thrillers Plus (Grades 11 & Up)

Adult Crossover Thrillers Plus

Adult Crossover Thrillers Plus (Grades 11 & Up)

For Grades 11 & Up

This 14-book category includes suspenseful fiction and nonfiction for high school readers who are ready for adult reading.
*Take note: these selections often contain mature situations and language that could be considered controversial.

14 books per Year
$309.26 per Year
Interests

Fiction, Mature Readers, Thriller/Horror/Mystery, Novels, Realistic Fiction

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