Maybe the Gaiman curse is over for me because I loved this book.
As those who follow my reviews may know, I have been trying Gaiman for years w5+ Stars
Maybe the Gaiman curse is over for me because I loved this book.
As those who follow my reviews may know, I have been trying Gaiman for years without much luck. I could never really put my finger on it except for two things:
- Sometimes it felt like it was being artsy and weird in order to be cool and trendy - Often the magic and supernatural happenings felt contrived and convenient. Fantasy is made up, but it should not feel like it is made up.
However, I did not encounter that at all with The Graveyard Book. The fantastical story was unique, flowed organically, and was super fun. While it was a bit dark in places, it was not scary - a light-hearted ghost story most of the time. The characters were excellent and I enjoyed my journey with them - I did not want it to end and I hated saying goodbye.
I highly recommend this one and will more than likely be pointing fellow readers to this one if they want to try Gaiman.
So . . . the curse is broken . . . will I have additional success if I try others or do I end my pursuit on top?...more
I had to read through several parts of this one twice. Not sure why but sections just were not working for me the first time through. But after re-reaI had to read through several parts of this one twice. Not sure why but sections just were not working for me the first time through. But after re-reading a majority of it a few weeks after finishing the first time, I ended up feeling like it was another good entry in the series.
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Perhaps the need to reread comes from this volume having a different feel than the previous volumes. Each volume focused on the onslaught of one particular type of beast. In this one, the mystery is more of an existential crisis brought on by madness. Instead of the monster being a 20 foot tall sasquatch-cyclops (sas-clops?), the monster may be you!
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The art continues in the same vein as earlier volumes. Since I have enjoyed it all along, I continue to enjoy it here. There is some really cool fantasy-horror imagery; some of which is worth looking at even if you don’t read the story.
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Again, it’s another strong entry in the series. You may encounter some issues getting into parts of it like I did because of the slightly different feel. However, a second look goes a long way with this one!
I believe American Dirt had some controversy around it. As the world is so full of controversy right now, I didn’t dig into what the controversy was sI believe American Dirt had some controversy around it. As the world is so full of controversy right now, I didn’t dig into what the controversy was so I could just focus on the book. Maybe someday I will look into it further.
American Dirt is a story of normal people dealing with the unfairness of real-world horrors that they are forced to face; people like you and me whose only mistake was being born somewhere where day to day life is scary and chaotic. If you are blessed to live somewhere where you don’t have to live in fear every day, you will feel even more blessed after reading this book.
I found the story and the plight of the main characters to be very intriguing. Much of the plot harkens back to other books with migrant stories – like Grapes of Wrath. So, if you have read books like those before, chances are you will have a similar experience with this book. I cannot use the word “enjoy” with a book like this because the plot points are so shocking and sometimes hard to read, but it was well done and kept me interested throughout.
Worth the read – but proceed knowing that a lot of what you will read is unfair and frustrating . . . and even more difficult because it is based on things that are really happening right now in our world. ...more
Very nice start to a series! The first volume of graphic novels does not always draw me in, but Descender did a pretty good job of hooking me for the Very nice start to a series! The first volume of graphic novels does not always draw me in, but Descender did a pretty good job of hooking me for the long haul!
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My first impression was that this was going to be an odd one so I worried that it would take me a while to get into. When I read another sci-fi title, Saga, I ended up enjoying it, but it was so unusual that it did not click for me right away. It was not until vol 2 or 3 that I was hooked. With Descender vol 1, the writer and artist did a fantastic job of giving backstory, introducing characters, and world build in short order without causing too much confusion.
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I really enjoy what they have done with the art here. It is impressionistic – fuzzy lines, incomplete images, etc. - room for your imagination to run wild even with some of the imagery defined for you. Sometimes I don’t care for impressionistic art in graphic novels, but it really works and is very well done here.
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If you enjoy sci-fi and graphic novels and you have not tried this one, I think you should. I am really glad that I did and I am looking forward to checking out more volumes.
This was my second Poirot after Murder On The Orient Express a few years ago. Seems like that is the one everyone has read! I read that 3 to 3.5 stars
This was my second Poirot after Murder On The Orient Express a few years ago. Seems like that is the one everyone has read! I read that one because I was interested to read it before the new movie version came out. This time I was looking to try another Poirot, and saw that Branagh was doing another run as the detective in an upcoming cinematic version of Death on the Nile, so it was the perfect one to try next.
It was good, but not quite as good as Orient Express. I am kind of not sure what else to say. It felt similar - as I am guessing they all do. Convoluted at times. I was surprised by a lot of it, but did guess a few things. I enjoyed the characters and the dialogue. Good fun, but not monumentally mind-blowing.
Worth reading for a fun little getaway that will get your mind-juices flowing. But, there are better (and worse) mysteries out there (at least from my experience). If you try it maybe it will be the best one you will have ever read - and I hope it is!...more
It isn’t Bird Box, but it is the bizarro horror/mystery fiction that I have come to expect from Malerman. I enjoyed the ride and in the end I was sortIt isn’t Bird Box, but it is the bizarro horror/mystery fiction that I have come to expect from Malerman. I enjoyed the ride and in the end I was sort of left with more questions than answers. But this is usually the case with his books. It is kind of like the Shyamalan twist, but in each case of the Malerman twist it is just as bizarre as everything before it. Because of that it is not really shocking, nor does it provide any answers, it just twists you into even more WTF-ness.
The plot of this one kind of reminds me of the movie Armageddon. NASA needed to destroy an asteroid by drilling into it and inserting a bomb. But, none of the people at NASA were good drillers, so they went and got professional drillers. In Black Mad Wheel there is a weird sound coming from the desert that seems to be some sort of weapon. So, who better to go investigate it than a popular 1950s rock and roll band? Might seem like they are ill-equipped, but the hard-core military types they sent in previously didn’t do any better, so why not!?
There is lots of time jumping from before, during, and after the desert expedition. Many bizarre and interesting characters including tragic heroes and twisted villains. I spent a lot of time confused, but in a good way. The writing as really good and the ride to find some clarity had some decent roller coaster-esque hills and plunges. If you want to go back and forth from kick back relaxed to edge of your seat, this book can do it for you. But, if I had to guess, 50% of the people who decide to read this book based on my review will hate it. Are you willing to try it to see which side you fall on?
So, have I made you want to read it or have I scared you away? You should be scared, but you should also read it! ...more
A decently entertaining volume of this very odd sci-fi/horror/western! At times, I ask myself why I am reading this because I can’t real4 Stars
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A decently entertaining volume of this very odd sci-fi/horror/western! At times, I ask myself why I am reading this because I can’t really tell if I am enjoying it or not. But, usually by the end of each volume I think to myself, “Yeah, that was pretty cool!”
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The story of East of West is so weird, each time I start a new volume I am not really sure what is happening. But, then again, it is likely that I had no idea what was happening at the end of the last volume either. This is a title where you just have to sit back and go with the flow.
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This volume seemed extra heavy on the big, epic art panels. Instead of a bunch of cells per page, I felt like I was more often looking at one large focused image. This was pretty cool as it allowed me to really take in the art without words in the way. And, the art is really, really awesome so I was glad to see this.
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If you are into bizarre, mind-bending, sci-fi/horror mixed with a bit of alternate history, this is for you! (Did I add too many criteria points there? If someone specifically defines their interests as “weird, mindbending, sci-fi/horror, alternate history” I would be surprised. But you never know!
My first thought after finishing The Halloween Tree is that it should be a Halloween tradition in the same way A Christmas Carol by Dickens is a ChrisMy first thought after finishing The Halloween Tree is that it should be a Halloween tradition in the same way A Christmas Carol by Dickens is a Christmas tradition. They are both stories of how characters have forgotten the meaning of the season and the mysterious supernatural spirits that help them find it again. In The Halloween Tree, it is a group of boys dressed as the usual Halloween characters (mummy, skeleton, grim reaper, etc.) who don't know anything more about Halloween than it is costumes and Trick or Treating. Then, they run into the mysterious Mr. Moundshroud who takes them on a journey to show them why they dress up and what Halloween really is.
I love Bradbury and I love his writing. That was no different with The Halloween Tree. The flow of the book was perfect and I was enthralled every step of the way. He is so good at combining reality with fantasy - it is always a pleasure to read one of his works. I can't say that everyone will have the same experience with this book, but if you are a Bradbury fan, you CANNOT go wrong giving this one a try.
Another fascinating thing about this one is that it is non-fiction in a way as well. As the characters journey through time to learn the meaning of Halloween, they learn the history of the superstitions that combined to create the Halloween we know today. From Egyptian tombs, to Druidic rituals, to witch hunts, to the towers of Notre Dame, to the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico - you are definitely going to learn something along the way!
And, finally, after all that a very harrowing "what would you do?" climax. All of this in a novella length story. A lot is packed in here so that you can get a complete and fulfilling Halloween experience in a short period of time.
I don't know if everyone will agree that this is Halloween perfection, but it is pretty darn close!
Bonus: our 2020 Jack-o'-lanterns as designed by my 8 and 6 year old:
I went back and looked at my review of volume 1 of this series. Other than different pictures, I could pretty much copy and paste my review!
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FirI went back and looked at my review of volume 1 of this series. Other than different pictures, I could pretty much copy and paste my review!
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First similar point: This is Twilight Zone, Tales from the Darkside, Creepshow, etc. If you enjoy those, you may enjoy this series.
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Second similar point: Stories were okay, but not super tight or mind blowingly awesome. This is a bit understandable with the limitation of getting every story in within the limitations of one comic book issue. But, some of the stories in this collection so far have handled that limitation better than others. Positive note: there is some really interesting creativity in this series.
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Third similar point: The artwork doesn’t do much for me in this series. Overall, feels a bit sloppy. There will be one really awesomely drawn frame followed by one where the proportions of the faces and the bodies feels off. As I stress in my review of volume 1, it is not that I can do better, but, then again, I don’t draw comic books at all! ...more
I recently got back into this series with volume 3 and thought it was great. MyThe Beauty vol. 3 was strong
The Beauty vol. 4 kind of lackluster
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I recently got back into this series with volume 3 and thought it was great. Mysterious, creepy, unique, and thought-provoking - The Beauty seemed to have it all! But, that came crashing to a halt with volume 4.
Not necessarily bad, but so strikingly different than the previous entry that it did not go down smoothly. The biggest issue for me was that it felt like it poorly transitioned into a new storyline that I did not get into until the volume was over halfway done. It is just a bad sign when I can't say to myself,"Self . . . I am really into this story."
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The art remains pretty much the same - abstract and dark - perfect for the story. There were a few times the art felt a bit different than previously, a guest artist perhaps? But, overall the same feel I have enjoyed with the rest of the series.
Summary: Okay - not mind blowing. I am sure worth reading for the continuity of the story and connecting vol 3 and vol 5. Looking forward to volume 5 and hoping it goes back to the same feel as the earlier volumes....more
After volume one of this series, I was skeptical. It was super weird, which, in this case, was more distracting than cool. And, I wasn’t even sure I uAfter volume one of this series, I was skeptical. It was super weird, which, in this case, was more distracting than cool. And, I wasn’t even sure I understood what happened at all. I only hesitantly picked up volume two figuring I would give it one more chance. But, I did and it was better! I was really getting into it. With volume three, I have come full circle – this series was great!
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While great, it is not for everyone. At times gruesome, at other times irreverent – the imagery is often 100% nightmare fuel. If this is not your jam – stay away! If this is your jam, you must hop on this twisted and wild ride.
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Speaking of imagery, the artwork remained top quality for this volume. While I did not look for the specifics, I am pretty sure that the artist was not the same for each issue of this volume (or, at least parts of issues). Luckily, it meshed well and was not so distracting that it ruined the story (I’m looking at you The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 3: Commercial Suicide) This series as a whole was a joy to look at!
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If you are into darker and less mainstream comics, this is a title worth checking out. Also, as far as I can tell, this is only a three-volume series (it definitely feels over), so there is not too much of a commitment. Just remember, if you enter Astrid Mueller's Clean Room, you are under her control . . . don’t kid yourself otherwise!
This graphic novel series is still very weird, but it started to make a little more sense in this volume . . .
Just a little . . .
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If I had a gunThis graphic novel series is still very weird, but it started to make a little more sense in this volume . . .
Just a little . . .
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If I had a gun to my head and was being forced to explain the plot of Clean Room, I would be in big trouble. It is sci-fi/horror with a bit of supernatural demon stuff going on. Each chapter combines normal goings on with the extremely bizarre. Just when you settle in to the plot, it throws you for a curve with disturbing imagery and jarring plot twists. I have to say, I am actually enjoying this bumpy and crazy ride (even if I am not quite sure why!)
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The art of this is very eye-catching. The depiction of human characters is well done, and when things get into the bizarre, it is quite striking and often horrific. Some of it is very Lovecraftian. For some reason, I found the depiction of mouths on the creatures particularly disturbing. This is definitely one to give you nightmares if you have a weak constitution for the visually unsettling.
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This graphic novel series is not for everyone. In fact, it may not be for many. But if you have a thing for confusingly bizarre horror, then you really must try it out.
It has been a while since I read a volume of this series. While I could not remember some of the specifics, this is a story that was very easy to get It has been a while since I read a volume of this series. While I could not remember some of the specifics, this is a story that was very easy to get back into quickly.
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I continue to be impressed with the unique/creative storyline used for this graphic novel; an STD that makes you beautiful and the speculation of what the ramifications of such an illness might be. You would think it would be as easy as,”Hey, I can have sex and get beautiful”, but nothing is ever that straightforward. I really enjoy what they have done with the story – it makes for a quick, interesting, and thought provoking read.
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I always like to include a few images from the volume I just read. Other than covers, they have been kind of difficult to find. I think it is probably because “The Beauty” is way too common for Google to deal with in a specific fashion. Even adding some additional keywords didn’t help much. But, I hope you can see from the couple of covers I have included as we as the one panel I was able to find that the art work is interesting and eye catching. It may not be the smoothest and most intricate graphic novel art, but it serves its purpose well here.
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If you like unique, kind of out there, kind of horror, kind of mystery graphic novels, you should give this series a try....more
I think Cooper was paid by the word and repetition. The story in this novel could have easily been shared in a satisfactory way in one-third to one-haI think Cooper was paid by the word and repetition. The story in this novel could have easily been shared in a satisfactory way in one-third to one-half as many words. Several times I though I had accidentally jumped back in the book and was rereading a section. If you read this one, prepare for much verbosity!
The story was pretty good (once you get through all the words and find the point!) It is an adventure of fur trappers in the wilds of 1800s America and their encounters with the natives. I am reminded of the fact that a lot of places are starting to put disclaimers that a story contains dated cultural depictions. This story should have that disclaimer. If you are going to be uncomfortable with Native American stereotypes from early American literature, you should not try this one.
I mainly read this one so that I can read The Last of the Mohicans (which I was surprised to find was the second book in this series). I don’t think I would have been drawn to read it otherwise. I am not sure that I can say it has me excited to go on to the more familiar title, but at least I will have some good points of reference for the characters and Cooper’s style of writing. I am sure he brings all the words along with him!
I am going to end the review here . . . Cooper didn’t leave any more words for me to use. ...more
The Y journey has come to an end! It was a good run . . . I am giving this volume 4 stars more as a summary of the series as a whole. As a stand aloneThe Y journey has come to an end! It was a good run . . . I am giving this volume 4 stars more as a summary of the series as a whole. As a stand alone without the rest of the series, I would go closer to 3 stars for this volume.
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Why lower on this volume, you ask? The end felt rushed to me. A whole bunch of loose ends tied up much too quickly for such an epic story. Earlier in the series they have entire volumes dedicated to events that they likely would have summed up in just a few pages in this one. The ending was okay, just too quick for my tastes!
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But, as mentioned, the series as a whole was very good and worth checking out. If you like post-apocalyptic “what if?” stories this is a very unique scenario to consider. Also, while it includes suspense and action, there is also a lot of humor and even some romance. Seems like pretty much every genre is included and it all works together well.
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Throughout the whole series the art has continued to be consistent (I love when they don’t change artists) and perfect for the story. While the regular panel to panel artwork is great, the alternative art used for the covers has been fantastic. There are many found throughout that could be framed and hung on the wall. Since the point of the graphic novel is to combine words with images, I consider this series a great success in that department!
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Sad this journey has come to an end, but I have many other great series that I am working on – of to read some more! ...more
The WWI/WWII historical fiction genre has become pretty saturated over the past decade. You will find almost as many books about women in this era as The WWI/WWII historical fiction genre has become pretty saturated over the past decade. You will find almost as many books about women in this era as you will find books with Girl/Woman in the title! Because of this, for me, I have become somewhat jaded by what ends up feeling like rehashed storylines or authors trying to force their style into a genre that they were not prepared to write in. (see The Lost Girls of Paris) Because of this, I have shied away from this genre for a few years.
Recently, The Alice Network came highly recommended by my wife and Father-In-Law. 99.9% of the time I have been able to confidently trust their judgement of books so I figured I would give it a try and hopefully cleanse my palate of other books from this genre that did not stack up. Was it good? Am I glad I read it? Is my faith in WWI/WWII historical fiction centered around female protagonists restored? Yes, yes, and yes!
The Alice network was great – I was riveted, never bored, and never wanted to stop reading. The stories of the two main female characters were told in different time periods of the early to mid-20th century but flowed and meshed together perfectly so as to become intertwined into one main story by the end. The writing was great, and the characters were interesting. There was some romance, but not too heavy, sappy, or cheesy for my tastes. I cannot say for sure how accurate the historical details were, but they seemed very well researched and were delivered with believability.
Oh, and another important aspect to let you know about. If you have read my reviews before you know that I love truly despicable bad guys (see East of Eden). This book has one so slimy and awful and who does such mind-blowingly terrible things to one of our protagonists, I loved to hate him! If you enjoy feeling really good about cheering against the really bad, this is a perfect book for you.
The Alice Network book definitely worth giving a try if you are a historical fiction fan. If you, like me, have been jaded with this genre, this may just be the perfect title to get you out of your funk. ...more
This continues to be a wild and weird ride . . . and, it's getting even weirder (if that is even possible)
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This issue deals not only with Lewis This continues to be a wild and weird ride . . . and, it's getting even weirder (if that is even possible)
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This issue deals not only with Lewis and Clark's continuing bizarre adventures, but also has flashbacks to the story immediately preceding adventures. The flashback segment is super trippy and kind of hard to follow, but a decent addition to the story all the same.
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And, probably sounding like a broken record from my previous reviews in this series, but the art work is very good and fun to look at. The switch from straightforward human interactions to gargantuan beasts and demons is well done. Overall, a visually pleasing series so far.
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A good issue and I still feel a series worth checking out - especially if you like your historical fiction combined with a bit of supernatural.
The first thing that I must admit is that I liked this book much more than I expected to like it. I think I judged this book by its many sort of borinThe first thing that I must admit is that I liked this book much more than I expected to like it. I think I judged this book by its many sort of boring covers and the fact that it sounded like a dry classic in some descriptions I read. I know, “BAD MATTHEW!” As a voracious reader I should not make assumptions and I should go in with an open mind. But, at least with my pre-conceived notions being disproved, I was pleasantly surprised.
While this book has many characters, the story is not complex. This is good because I could focus on keeping the characters straight instead of the story straight! It is basically a story of how late 1800s high society in New York handles behavior they feel unbecoming of their station. It is especially “shocking” when one of their own becomes involved and forgets his place. Scandalous indeed!
I enjoyed the characters and felt strongly – both positively a negatively – about many of them. I did a lot of head shaking. I did a lot of feeling sorry. I did a lot of not being able to believe how people viewed and treated each other. What we see as rather commonplace today in relationships was not to be tolerated back then. I suppose that is reflected in the title of the book – it was an age of innocence – even the smallest sins were too taboo for daily life and not to be accepted or discussed in public forum. I am interested to discuss this further with the book club I read this for and in comment discussion on this review. I am still trying to figure out what the commentary the author was trying to make. I almost feel like the author’s point could be interpreted as “This is how it was – no subtext implied – you decide how you feel about these people and the way they treated each other.”
I have no problem recommending this if you are looking for a classic to read. If you are a fan of historical fiction and/or scandalous gossip stories I don’t think you can go wrong here. After this, I look forward to trying even more Edith Wharton. ...more
I continue to be entertained by Chew. It is silly and irreverent. The plot is bizarre. But, it 4 stars – more of the same, but not a bad thing!
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I continue to be entertained by Chew. It is silly and irreverent. The plot is bizarre. But, it is what it is perfectly. I laugh and I am entertained, I don’t think I could ask for much more.
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The over-the-top cartoonishness has stayed the same since the beginning. I am not sure that this book would be as good if it looked any other way. The art portrays the bizarre silliness in just the right way and I love taking in every frame. It is also fun to look for hidden jokes throughout.
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If you have read and enjoyed Chew up through volume 6 – move on to volume 7. You can’t go wrong! ...more
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