The Spider and the Ivy

Autumn 1940. The Alsace region of France is facing annexation by Hitler’s army. A group of teenagers find a French arsenal abandoned in the woods near Strasbourg. Soon after, they enter the Resistance and form their own battalion, The Ivy Leaf. At the heart of the group is fifteen-year-old Bernard, who, along with his comrades, risks his life to wrest Alsace from the Nazi's ugly web. Summer 1995. Grégoire learns the art of fly-fishing under the watchful eye of his grandfather Bernard, who has taught him to appreciate nature. But that is not the only legacy Bernard has to pass on. In this sweeping graphic novel, Grégoire Carle carefully reconstructs his grandfather’s story, all the while painting an intimate portrait of Alsace’s unique history.