I'm stunned, baffled, wanting for words, frustrated, enchanted, and utterly obsessed.
Both of these stellar volumes focus on mythos and chimeric storyI'm stunned, baffled, wanting for words, frustrated, enchanted, and utterly obsessed.
Both of these stellar volumes focus on mythos and chimeric storytelling. The stories are all told through the notebook of a ten year old, who draws and writes things as she sees them (and not as they are). She shows us her dreams, myths and paintings that enchant her, stories about friends (living and dead), and historically poignant scenes, and it all blends together into a surrealist cacophony. Most importantly, she retells the stories of others (most prominently Anka), and retelling leads to distortion.
This volume is frustrating. We get a semblance of an answer, sort of, but with a lot of ambiguity. We get an ending that feels rushed, unfinished, and clashes with everything that came previously... But our narrator is profoundly unreliable, prone to magical thinking, in deep grief, and very afraid. And also in love. And very confused. And it's all so much and I couldn't stop turning the pages, even when I was frustrated.
The lore surrounding this book continues to be wild. It went through a "will they wont they" publishing tease for seven years (first announced for a 2017!? release) featuring both missing pages and a lawsuit. I frantically googled and found rumours of a prequel and of unconnected stories contracted to another publisher, but it's all very messy. But it's also the best kind of messy (and calling VC Andrews to mind, tbh).
A nightmarish, ghoulish fever dream sequel to the first volume (which I maintain is a masterpiece). This will be eating at my brain for a long time. Maybe I'll be lucky and there will be a third volume, or a prequel, or or or... 4.5 stars rounded up.
My yoga teacher recommended this to me a few days ago. We'd been chatting about nonfiction books about trauma, An illustrated nightmare (compliment).
My yoga teacher recommended this to me a few days ago. We'd been chatting about nonfiction books about trauma, horror novels, and graphic novels. She had a "oh!! you need to read this!!!" moment, found the title of the book, and I was delighted to see that it was by the brilliant EM Carroll, author of Through the Woods.
In short: my yoga teacher was right. I read this at 3am during a bout of insomnia and going to the bathroom after was really scary-spooky. I read it on my phone in gray-scale (which my phone is set to during times I should be sleeping), and then reread it in colour.
Because let me tell you: this nightmare warrants a reread. There's twists, turns, and fantastic visual storytelling. There's red herrings and gothic tropes and characters telling lies and fantastic foreshadowing. This black and white nightmare has sparse flashes of colour, used sparingly and brilliantly to both misdirect and confirm our fears.
A few reviewers suggested that A24 should adapt this into a movie, and...yes please.
Recommended if you're interested in horror stories with open endings, enjoy ambiguous references gothic tales (Rebecca? Blackbeard? Jane Eyre?), and for seasoned graphic novel fans and newbies alike. 4.25 stars....more
I have a lot of feelings around this book, but mostly just a lot of sadness.
This ended up an audiobook that I had to finish quickly because having itI have a lot of feelings around this book, but mostly just a lot of sadness.
This ended up an audiobook that I had to finish quickly because having it float around in my life was a little too painful, and so I will also skimp on the review. 4 stars....more
Feeling sad? Have you considered just reading the next instalment of Before the Coffee Gets Cold?
This one is more of the same - there's one chair, in Feeling sad? Have you considered just reading the next instalment of Before the Coffee Gets Cold?
This one is more of the same - there's one chair, in one cafe, which can take you backwards or forwards in time for the length of time it takes for your coffee to get cold. But there are more rules: you can't leave the chair, and your actions won't be able to actually change anything. Most people don't bother with the magical chair upon hearing these rules, but we meet a few who do...
I really liked the fictional book referenced in this one: One Hundred Questions for the End of the World. If the world ends tomorrow, do you still get married? Do you save yourself at the expense of everyone else? Do you tell your young child? The characters grapple with these questions as a parlour game while the four vignettes of cafe stories explore similar ideas - knowledge of illness and impending death, protective lies, misunderstandings... Comedians also featured quite heavily in this instalment, which didn't grip me but definitely made for some memorable moments.
Recommended if you're looking for more of volumes 1 and 2, a good bedtime story/fairytale for grownups, and want to go back in time to have a conversation (even if it means that nothing will change). 3.5 stars rounded up. ...more
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