Written with exceptional beauty for a novella about the murder for and mutilation of skin. It is perfect horror, compacted. And, much like the mysteriWritten with exceptional beauty for a novella about the murder for and mutilation of skin. It is perfect horror, compacted. And, much like the mysterious Lemarchand Box, it contains so many wonders within....more
This book is a love letter, a history, a plea, a condemnation all in one, built into its own comic book world that is all-too familiar, but 4.5 stars.
This book is a love letter, a history, a plea, a condemnation all in one, built into its own comic book world that is all-too familiar, but intriguing in its own right.
As a former comic book kid, reading The Refrigerator Monologues made me mourn those things that drew me away from comics. It made me realize those things still hurt, even enough to make me cry....more
Satoshi Kon was an anime filmmaker responsible for such works as Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers, the tv show Paranoia Agent, and, my favorite, MillennSatoshi Kon was an anime filmmaker responsible for such works as Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers, the tv show Paranoia Agent, and, my favorite, Millennium Actress. I grew up with his movies easily as much as I did Disney and Studio Ghibli fare, yet I only learned in adulthood that he began his career as a manga artist.
Kon died in 2010 of pancreatic cancer, aged only 46. While I still miss his brilliant mind – his eye for beauty and storytelling – discovering his manga brings me incredible joy.
These are new stories for me, and when I read them, it’s as if he’s back again.
This is my 3rd read of Tropic of the Sea. An urge overcomes me to reread it when the weather starts warming up. It is the most cinematic manga I’ve ever read. Even on flat pages, you can see Kon’s eye for framing and movement, giving the art a dynamism that transcends medium. First published in 1990, seven years before he’d make his film debut, each panel speaks to the great director he’d soon become. He could’ve easily put this story to screen in his life.
This is a manga you experience as much as read. In Kon’s crisp, clean art style, you hear waves as they swell and crash over rocks, and sand as it shifts and settles on the shore. You follow characters, side characters included, all through complete growth arcs, hearing their voices, their tones, in the details of their expressions. As you see sprawling images of a small seaside town, you feel the sea breeze as you smell summer sweat and the scent of a fresh catch, and you worry over their future as a resort development threatens their way of life.
And you start to believe a little in magic…...more
I came for Batuu, Black Spire Outpost, and Oga's Cantina. While the details about them were few, existing only in a fraThe Galaxy's Edge hype is real.
I came for Batuu, Black Spire Outpost, and Oga's Cantina. While the details about them were few, existing only in a framing device for the overall narrative, they were rich and exciting.
Otherwise, this book is not meant to be read as a Batuu guidebook. It works better as a setup for what Hondo's role will be in Galaxy's Edge, which is fine. The stories were all right. I liked the ending and the "Rise of the Porgs" part was adorable.
Whenever I was somewhat bored during my read, I would look up footage of his INCREDIBLE audio-animatronic and get inspired again....more
One Star Jorie gave to The Silmarillion, the greatest of Tolkien's works.
Two she gave to her friends and family, all who heard much of The SilmarillioOne Star Jorie gave to The Silmarillion, the greatest of Tolkien's works.
Two she gave to her friends and family, all who heard much of The Silmarillion of late, and of little else.
The last two Stars none ever expected Jorie to give, but she did, and gave greedily to herself. Forever after, she was snooty for having finished The Silmarillion....more
Northanger Abbey's tongue-in-cheek parody of the Gothic genre reminded me of that of the fantasy genre in Howl's Moving Castle. It was delightful, if Northanger Abbey's tongue-in-cheek parody of the Gothic genre reminded me of that of the fantasy genre in Howl's Moving Castle. It was delightful, if a little bit of a letdown when the dramatic Gothic elements did not actualize....more
The first half of this book was an extension of the exasperating parts of Throne of Glass (i.e. the entire thing. (Things I don't care about: Romance,The first half of this book was an extension of the exasperating parts of Throne of Glass (i.e. the entire thing. (Things I don't care about: Romance, parties, and court intrique)).
The second half was so solid that it gaslit me to how underwhelming the beginning was. (Things I do care about: Magic, history, creatures in dark corridors, and uncovering ancient secrets/mysteries.)
Too bad that to get from Point Suck to Point B the (view spoiler)[only major POC had to die. And had planned on her own murder to further our protagonist's journey? Yikes! (hide spoiler)]....more
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