A delightful comic strip turned graphic novel about an Italian family from West Virginia and the hours leading up to their 1983 Christmas Eve dinner. The event is called the Feast of the Seven Fishes and I only just learned of this tradition earlier this year when I saw that the Impractical Jokers were celebrating it virtually on their 'Dinner Party' series. Along with the story, this book is also part cook book with around a dozen seafood recipes and couple of Italian desserts. It's also a history book with a multi-page background of the EZ Street author Robert Tinnell's life in that region of the U.S.
My wife got this for me for Christmas this year and it was a perfect gift. I love graphic novels. I'm a professional chef. I love history, being originally a history major in college. And I love the Steelers and the area of West Virginia in which this story takes place is Steeler Nation Territory! The only thing I hated about this book was the ending!
There's a romance that brews in this story. And personally, I am not a fan of how this tale ends. Robert Tinnell wants to make a pair of sequels that take place in 1993 and 2003. So many the story completes nicely. But for right now, it's been about 15 or 16 years since this story originally was published online. So unless we've got a holiday miracle in the works, I doubt it. A live-action movie was made of this story- maybe it's got a happier ending...
The artwork was fantastic. The first half of the story was illustrated by the ever wonderful Ed Piskor (Hip Hop Family Tree). A tightening schedule made Piskor unable to complete the story. So DC/Marvel journeyman Alex Saviuk took over the reigns and despite the fact that Pittsburgh's Piskor is my guy, I thought that Saviuk's artwork was even more amazing. Sorry Ed...
The Feast of the Seven Fishes was a nearly perfect book. But that ending did leave me bummed. To make up for it, maybe I'll cook up a fisherman's buffet because those recipes look delicious!
This really was a great book. Don't let the conclusion turn you away. If you love Christmas, food, Italians and the Pittsburgh Steelers- you will love this book!
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
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