Jedi JC Daquis's Reviews > Providence Act 1

Ooh a Jacen Burrows and Alan Moore book! Why not? Having read Neonomicon years ago, Providence provides another healthy and more detailed dose of Lovecraftian mythos to readers who are craving for such, seamlessly amalgamated to american witchcraft culture.

Providence is definitely not a read for everybody. It is not for easy reading. Providence requires some sitting and an ample amount of rest in between in order to fully digest what the material offers to its readers. As the back cover says, Providence is well-researched and man it shows in this wordy graphic novel.

Act one sets the overall tone and pacing of the story, and Alan Moore doesn't care if the story moves like an introverted sloth. He gives us details of the mythology one baby step at a time, hanging and suspending us readers to what is really happening behind the comic panels. The main plot can be easily summarized as Robert Black writing a book about America's "hidden" history and decided to pursue a lead which takes him to the occult world of witchcraft and sea-myths, along the way encountering increasingly weird characters.

The mystery is obvious in the book, hiding in plain sight. Yet Alan Moore, in his smart narrative technique does not fully acknowledge what is really happening. He lets the readers wonder what in the world is happening, which is not much by the way. But the tone and overall mood compensates what is lacking in story development. The texts, though long and sometimes meanders away from the focus, are entertaining to read, giving extra read time which justifies its relatively higher price.

Many little issues are also seen here, like homosexuality, racism, sex, persecution and the Prohibition. These stuff add variety and color to an otherwise straightforward story.

Again, Providence is a fine read which is not for everybody.