Review by Ian Keogh

 Spoilers in review

Bored with her life in London, Sarah Huxley has moved to Paris in search of a fresh start, but discovers the exotic holiday destination can support an equally dull day to day existence. However, a moment of kindness on the part of Hong Kong refugee and nanny Ping Loh following an accident begins a joint journey of discovery.

Love Languages is James Albon’s examination of communication and friendship. Both main characters struggle with French and use online translation services in making their way around, so Albon embeds the idea of language isolating by using French with an English translation imposed on top. Later he does the same with Cantonese. For Ping both English and French are communicating in her non-native language, and Albon examines how Sarah considers her own use of English in response.

Simple, flat, bright and expressive art constantly transmits a sense of place as Sarah and Ping increasingly seek refuge in each other as respite from the tasks earning them money without any accompanying joy. In Sarah’s case it’s because she spends her days embroiled in the office politics of a national company, and for Ping it’s over-ambitious parents believing their baby will become a genius if forced into activities beyond its grasp or competence.

As both women’s communication improves they move from limited knowledge of each other to greater intimacy, sharing thoughts, and Sarah begins to see the possibilities of transforming herself via fluency in an exotic language. It’s one of many delicate observations Albon supplies, the most startling of which is that some matters don’t require language, they’re instinctive. It’s a shame the back cover highlights this being a queer romance, as it’s a considerable spoiler. Albon deliberately takes the slow steps of a natural progression toward a surprise realisation, and it only occurs deep into the story.

Sometimes Love Languages is too slow in the service of that natural progression, and a crisis point reached involving people who work with Sarah seems an artificial prompt for a necessary event. However, feeling and nuance come just as easily to Albon as embarrassment to the protagonists, and overall Love Languages is a thoughtful contemplation of possibilities.