Its been a long time since I read a graphic novel like this so I thought it would be a good change from regular books. And what can be better than UncIts been a long time since I read a graphic novel like this so I thought it would be a good change from regular books. And what can be better than Uncle Scrooge going on those endless adventures? And who remembers watching Duck Tales?? I just loved that show!
Well Uncle Scrooge is at it again in this very thick heavy book. And in most of the tales either someone is trying to get into his money bin to rob him, cheat him somehow to get money or else he has some money making scheme. The story with the pirate ship was one of his money making schemes that definitely had gone wrong.
I did notice a few odd things in here. One of the stories at the beginning of the book had skinny Beagle Boys? Weren't they always kind of fat or big? And even weirder is the long story where Uncle Donald and the nephews visit Disneyland.. I know that the characters belong to Disney but for some reason it just seems so weird to see them visiting the park? Seeing them go on the various rides? I guess its because all of those episodes of Duck Tales and they never went to the Disneyland? So it seems so weird...
I did enjoy most of the stories in here although I did start to lose interest near the end of the book. I wasn't very interested in the one about Scrooge's ancestor. But I did like the one about the inventions. But I do feel very iffy about that long story where they visit Disneyland - and the little "secret" at the end was very easy to guess.
But do you know what is amazing? Is those full page color pictures way at the back of the book! There is one where they are all on a pirate ship! Too bad its not the Black Pearl! That would be awesome. Hmmm...thinking about that I bet poor Uncle Scrooge better hope he never runs across Sparrow! Haha! That would be funny.
But when I was reading the very first story about the Beagle Boys trying to steal the Money Bin it occured to me " why doesn't Uncle Scrooge put his money into an actual bank?" Like the kind of banks we have? I guess you cannot swim in it then.
Then there is the story where 3 people were given $100 and they had to save it. Well Donald is one of the people. And oddly Scrooge wanted him to spend it. You would think he would try to teach his nephew how to be like him...but he is a very bad uncle I guess.
But reading this certainly gave me some insights into the characters. And then I started to wonder stuff I never really thought about before.
But these stories are fun and entertaining. Which is what they are supposed to be. ...more
So I had fun reading this today. The characters were cute but they had some serious problems. And I could relate to how Peppi had all of that anxiety.So I had fun reading this today. The characters were cute but they had some serious problems. And I could relate to how Peppi had all of that anxiety. She had pushed over a boy in the hallway named Jaime and then she fretted about it for ever. You know she is one of those people who go to great lengths then to avoid the person because she is convinced that he must hate her. So her anxiety and fear takes over. And the school becomes a landmine of possible encounters. Actually she sounds like me! I do the same thing so I know exactly how she feels. The fear grows into something much bugger than the thing that had happened.
The other part in here is about the battle between the Art Club abd the Science Club. These two groups have a history of competing. And the principal seems to encourage it. Peppi is in the Art club and Jaime is in the Science Club. And wow, he really is smart!
So I found this to be a very fun read. It was fast moving with lots of school based drama. There were surprises galore and many events. Something was always happening. Never a dull moment in here.
But better yet is how the various conflicts are solved. The book certainly can give one ideas on what to do. I don't know if these ideas would work in all situations but it may be worth a try.
If there is more to this I definitely would read it. Its just fun and it takes your mind off of other stuff as you get caught up in the life of these students. The geochaching was a nice bonus!
And the artwork is splendid! The characters are all so cute too. ...more
So I stayed up late last night reading this. I guess I was caught up in the story even though the majority of it is basically a history lesson. But itSo I stayed up late last night reading this. I guess I was caught up in the story even though the majority of it is basically a history lesson. But it's all about horses and the mustangs so I was a tad hooked.
A lot of this I already knew. I also noticed right away that on page 18 they forgot to include Eohippus with the ancient horses! Eohippus was the very first horse so how can you not include it? Hmmm....?? Maybe because Eohippus ate tree leaves and not grass?
And I think the thing that surprised me the most in this book was on page 48 where they show the digestive system of the horse. And there is an "extra" bit in there. A cecum?? I certainly never even heard of that before. So part of me is wondering how I could read lots of horse books and never even heard of this thing? Everyone hears about the extra stomachs of cows but you never hear of this cecum. And this extra thing is located between the small and large intestine.
And they can eat poison ivy? Wow...
Basically this comic book tells the story of how the horse originated in North America, then moved to Europe and later returned with the Europeans. Eventually many became free and those horses became the mustangs.
The book is packed full of all sorts of facts. It mainly is a huge history lesson. And in some cases a book like this could be pretty boring! Because it is history. But the art, mainly the facial expressions on the horses and on the two stick figures that are talking to the horses, make it all pretty entertaining.
And the art is beautiful! Especially the scenes of horses racing across landscapes. Other animals are in here too including bison, donkeys, a big cat in a tree, etc. But the horses are just lovely. I think this book would be great for someone who wants to learn to draw a horse as well... You see them from so many different angles, even jumping off a frigate into the ocean.
Some parts of the story were a tad dry. But the art carried me through to the end.
This particular copy is a library book but this is one book I would buy a copy of!
Wow! I really loved this one and it was a very relaxing read! Fantastic art work as well! Both the human characters and the horses show easy to undersWow! I really loved this one and it was a very relaxing read! Fantastic art work as well! Both the human characters and the horses show easy to understand expressions. Plus the story itself is just fun yet something people can relate to as well.
This is the story of a girl who stops riding at a more expensive stable to go to another one nearby. And there is a reason she does that. Something happened there and she wants nothing to do with that place. In fact it has given her fears, anxiety and even trust issues. Now she just wants to ride the horses and not make new friends...
These are issues we all deal with because they are such basic things. And the other characters have issues too. Like another girl only wants to ride and not do any studying at all. Why do boring math homework when you could be at the stable?? And things like jealousy definitely makes an appearance!
But through the course of the story everyone learns lessons and they are not about riding! They are about facing fears and getting along with other people!
A+
I would love it if there were more horse related books like this! As the majority of the story revolves around riding and riding stables. ...more
So there were elements in this one I didn't like. I had thought it would be similar to the first two bit it definitely took a different turn. I supposSo there were elements in this one I didn't like. I had thought it would be similar to the first two bit it definitely took a different turn. I suppose I should have expected it but I didn't. I guess one could say the reality of the school he is at came along to hit him (and me) in the face.
I didn't like the ending at all...
I had thought something from the second book would carry over to this one (and it did but not in the way I was hoping) so yeah....
This book is more about pigs as you can guess by the cover. And poor Hachiken has fallen for a particular one.
The horses and cows are in here too but its definitely a pig story.
There was also a few scenes in here that confused me about his one female classmate. In my opinion it makes no sense? I don't know. I just don't get it and that also affects my review of the book. I don't get how her appearance can change so quickly and then go back a time later?? Makes no sense! Unless something fishy is going on!
Anyway the end of this one was a real downer. ...more
So like the first book in this series I really enjoyed this one too. Hachiken gets some time off for summer in this one and he has some really excitinSo like the first book in this series I really enjoyed this one too. Hachiken gets some time off for summer in this one and he has some really exciting farm adventures. But before that he has to figure out how to bake a bunch of pizzas from scratch using this old brick oven plus all his classmates are hungry!
I think of the three books I have read so far, this one was my favorite. And it's not just because of the horse on the cover. I feel that more stuff happens, especially when he is staying with his classmate over vacation. He truly learns a few facts about being on a farm out in the country, things he never expected. Because he is a city boy. And the rural countryside no matter what country you are in is very different than being in a city! Poor Hachiken has a few nasty shocks! And I can relate to some of these things because I have experienced some of these facts while visiting the horse ranch I go to. Sometimes I just can't get a phone signal out there.
But he grows a lot as a character in here and he has to do some hard things as well. Some of them are emotionally hard. He doesn't really know if he can do them but he tries. I guess he finds out what he is made of.
He works hard as always and he certainly has a problem about saying NO to people. Sometimes I think he takes on too much.
Its been awhile since I read a manga like this but I absolutely loved it!! And yes there are horses in here! But poor Hachiken knows nothing about aniIts been awhile since I read a manga like this but I absolutely loved it!! And yes there are horses in here! But poor Hachiken knows nothing about animals, wether its a cow, pig or a horse. Which means he is in for a LOT of new hands on education! And its so different than the kind of education he had before.
Hachiken is actually a very good student and he has a very good work (study) ethics but all of his classmates it seems come from farming families. So they sure do have an advantage over him. He is from a white collar family. Yet for some reason he wanted to get away from his family and go to this far away farming school.
It was kind of obvious while I was reading this that Hachiken must have some kind of mental or emotional issue. Or that is how I felt. Because why would he want to get away from his family if everything was nice? So this adds some nice mystery to the plot. Because it made me want to know what his back history was.
But this story is actually about animals! And how he gets on with his classmates too. And the school has some crazy stuff going on as well. So this all adds up to be a very entertaining story indeed.
And he joins the Equestrian Club!
Oh and there is a horse sport in here I never heard of before: where the horses are dragging a flat bottomed sled over the ground. (No snow).. And the sleds are very heavy and some hills are involved. Its definitely not your average horse race. The race is most likely geared towards plow pulling draft breeds.
The book also mentions stuff like the twitch and the speculum.
But I really enjoyed reading this as it was fun.
Nice artwork too, especially the expressions on the animals!
So when I started reading this I had no idea who Sandman was or even what it was about so I came at this with no preconceived ideas. I will say that tSo when I started reading this I had no idea who Sandman was or even what it was about so I came at this with no preconceived ideas. I will say that this book is incredibly heavy. It's also very large. And that makes it very awkward to read. Generally I like to sit a certain way when I read a book and I found that nearly impossible to do with this one. I did get through it but I did have to sit in various different ways and find ways to prop the book up or lay it open somewhere.
Most people I see have this marked down as fantasy but there are some very gruesome stuff in here so it definitely has a very strong element of horror too. What else do you call a convention of serial killers or a boy locked in a basement or a monster eating someone's fingers? There may be faeries and talking cats and creatures from Greek myth but there are also some very bloody scenes too! So if you don't like gore this may not be for you.
You know what this book reminds me of? Those old horror comics! Why? Because there is a very large variety of stories in here! I had thought the story would just continue page after page but once the main character was introduced and he got his items back, the book pretty much goes on with a large variety of stories. And they are set in a variety of times too. So some of the tales in here are historical fiction. Some are set in the dreamworld and some are in modern days. Basically there is something for everyone.
And this was indeed fun to read. It's very entertaining. And I liked the variety of tales too. Many of them had those fun twists.
The one I liked the least was the second to last one in the book, about them putting on the play for the faeries. For some reason that one just bored me? But the others were all good! The one with the cats was great and a unique idea too. There are some very neat ideas in here. Like how some people might live super long lives and they go through these periods of ups and downs. And many show how running into these gods can throw someone's life off track as they end up very confused by it. You know, the "Did that really happen?" But I am glad that at least one story shows that! It makes it more realistic somehow even though this is clearly very fantasy based.
But all of these stories in one way or another involve the god of dreams or one of his relatives. He has several different names but the most common is Morpheus. Although I must say the character of Morpheus himself looks kind of odd, like he is some rock star or something?
This was very entertaining but it was also very disturbing. These are short little comics about kids. And the kids are either doing very disturbing thThis was very entertaining but it was also very disturbing. These are short little comics about kids. And the kids are either doing very disturbing things (like trying to injure each other on purpose) or they are in strange situations (like a train packed full of monsters). There are often rhymes to go along with the pictures. At least one situation involved neglectful parents.
Truthfully I don't know what to think of it. I guess it is a modern version of the old horror comics?
As I said it is both entertaining and disturbing at the same time. ...more
So I had finished this one this morning but Goodreads had been down so I am writing my review now. This obviously is the final book in this series. SoSo I had finished this one this morning but Goodreads had been down so I am writing my review now. This obviously is the final book in this series. So, what did I think?
I can honestly say that towards the end of this book my interest was waning very fast. It had started to get very dull and boring. Mind you I am not really interested in romance at all so Ehwa's marriage to Duksam does not grab my attention whatsoever. And I basically flipped over the wedding night scenes in the book as I don't care about that stuff. I suppose most women are supposed to be interested in that but I couldn't care less. I didn't care about the wedding either. I just noted that the Korean wedding was very different so I was curious about that (the cultural difference) but not in the romantic aspect of it.
A lot of this story is about Ehwa and her mother waiting and waiting and waiting with love sickness for their men to return. Of course I cannot relate to that. And I think that is one reason why I like this book less than the previous two.
One character who had greatly improved these book is Bongsoon. She is kind of naughty but without her often driving Ehwa to do stuff (not to mention their conversations) the story would be more boring. We often learn stuff about Korea from them talking.
But some things in here didn't make sense. They include:
1. The sound of falling snow. Umm...snow doesn't make sound when it is falling from the sky? You can hear the wind during a snowstorm but the snow itself is silent?
2. The sound of flower petals opening. Once again I don't think this makes any sound?
3. A woman should live like a mandarin duck and only have one mate in a lifetime. Well if that is true than why is Ehwa's mother dating that salesman?! She is contradicting the rules!
So I will rate this one only 3 stars as it was kind of dull. But the artwork is once again incredible....more
Wow...this one ended on a cliffhanger! What will happen in the third and final book?
Once again this series features stunning natural landscape artworWow...this one ended on a cliffhanger! What will happen in the third and final book?
Once again this series features stunning natural landscape artwork revolving around a love story. Young Ehwa and her mother spend lots of time waiting and pining over the men they love. And then there were some unexpected developments (and problems!!) too! Ehwa often has her head up in the clouds if you ask me... Sometimes she seems a tad scatterbrained as she says she is going out to pick something but comes home empty handed! Why? Because her brain is only thinking of boys!
I cannot really relate to Ehwa (as I think some of the stuff she is doing is kind of stupid) but I do find the story fun to read. And these are quick reads as well. Although it did take me longer to read this second book than the first one...
I think one focus of this book is that a girl should be wise and careful so she can plan for a good future. This is set in historical days so they had different rules back then. And a girl's reputation was everything. Yet Ehwa is often walking around at night because she feels so restless. Not very wise at all.
The little footnotes in this series also teaches you stuff about Korea. I do like that. Like one page explains that the jegae is the wooden chair like item that Duksam has attached to his back. It's used for carrying items - even people! Duksam must be strong!
I am eager to read the final book in this trilogy, hopefully tomorrow! How will it end? ...more
I always find reading graphic novels a nice break from reading regular novels. They can be very relaxing and a good change of pace.
This is the story I always find reading graphic novels a nice break from reading regular novels. They can be very relaxing and a good change of pace.
This is the story of a young Korean girl named Ehwa and her mother who runs a tavern. At the beginning Ehwa is 7 years old and she slowly ages in here up to 13. Along the way she discovers there are some differences between her and the boys of her town. This manga doesn't really hide any of the crude behavior that boys have so it is oddly out in the open - which I have to admit I never seen in a graphic novel before? It is a tad surprising. The story is mainly made up of a lot of small adventures that she goes on and the tiny discoveries that all girls make as they grow up. And she doesn't exactly fit in with the other girls either. She's a bit of a loner, probably because her father is dead.
This is about romance so Ehwa like most young girls gets crushes. And there are lots of flowers and the language of flowers too.
This story did keep me interested throughout and I read the entire book in a little over an hour. The drawings of the people are good but what I found truly incredible in here were the other artwork: the trees, the countryside, the home of Ehwa and her mother! Now that was amazing! Especially those trees! I cannot get over the details the artist has put into drawing them! And if they look so incredible in black & white I cannot imagine how they would look in color!
Part of me does wonder which boy Ehwa may end up with? Will it be the young monk? Is that even allowed? I am thinking no? I guess I will find out soon...
It's a powerful story. And the end made me cry, which I had not expected at all.
But.. At the same time. ..
ISo I have mixed feelings about this one..
It's a powerful story. And the end made me cry, which I had not expected at all.
But.. At the same time. ..
I had found myself very confused while reading this. Often I felt lost, as I just couldn't figure out who some of these strange characters were or even what they were. Like were these "shadows" that were making masks - were they early humans? I thought that's what they were but later in the book they were called "shadows" so does that mean they were not humans? I just don't know and it can be frustrating. They seemed to act like humans but I have no idea. It can be hard to enjoy a book if things are not stated clearly. There are also many giant strange looking creatures in here and I guess they are supposed to be gods but I found them rather confusing too. They had names but the names did not help me understand who they were or what their relationship to the mother Bear was. And the images did not really help with this. And often I found the images were perplexing as well.
The events in here, the things that happen to Poorling (who is the main character and she lives with the mother Bear) are easier to grasp and follow. And some of those events are tragic. There is definitely a strong horror element in here but I am unsure if its meant to be horror. I think it's just sort of showing daily life in a forest way back in ancient days. This story is based off of Finnish mythology which I am unfamiliar with but I guess the mythology says that Bear came out of the northern lights? Because that is what I see in here.
And even more strange in one scene I saw what looked like an astronaut in a suit? So yes, the stuff in here can be way out there. Very confusing.
The back of the book does have a list explaining who the characters like Emuu, Scaup and Mana are. In my personal opinion this should have been at the front of the book as it would have helped me to better understand the story! But I only found it after I was done. I still feel confused to tell you the truth! And I don't know if Scaup the bird is supposed to be a good or bad character? Or is Scaup a teacher? Scaup seemed to be teaching songs and possibly magic (fire?).
Are there bears in Finland? There must be if their myths contain bears. ...more
I am amazed at how much I love this story! There is just something special and deep about it. It's not like the average book you read although I am unI am amazed at how much I love this story! There is just something special and deep about it. It's not like the average book you read although I am unsure that I am capable of explaining why. Sometimes I do have difficulty putting my thoughts and feelings into words... The book covers some big issues but in a very clever way and it's entertaining. It's not "in your face" morales or anything that might seem preachy to some readers. Not that at all...yet it tackles the heart of some deep thoughts and ideas.
Some of those include: how does a blind person see the world when they cannot see? How do you find the spirit, reason and will power to go on when your life is hopeless and you just want to die? How about if you are betrayed by your best friend? Then add Dante's Devine Comedy to the mix too!
I actually read this book in one sitting and it is massive at 464 pages! The story totally captivated me too. I literally could not put it down. The black and white art is incredible and some of those drawings show so much detail but it is the story itself that really hooked me. It just kept moving along. The drama, the lows when awful things happened, the sad bits, the fits of anger was scary too... But most importantly it is about lies and truth! Sometimes people lie to protect somebody from the awful truth but that can backfire and then the person who is lied to feels lost & betrayed. I just needed to know how it was all going to end!
The majority of this story takes place in prison. It follows a blind man as he tries to survive behind bars in the years just before World War 2. And while in he becomes friends with the most unexpected person! And what that person does is just amazing (especially considering what he is in for).
And as I stated above, Dante's Devine Comedy is in here. This book says it's a poem. I never realized it was a poem? I thought it was a novel? Anyway it has made me curious about this famous piece of writing and I will have to try to read it.
And this is a TRUE STORY! There are even actual photos at the back of the book.
While I am familiar with many comic strips from the 50s like Little Lulu and Audrey and Nancy & Sluggo I must say I never heard of Miss Peach before. While I am familiar with many comic strips from the 50s like Little Lulu and Audrey and Nancy & Sluggo I must say I never heard of Miss Peach before. The cover says that you'll love Miss Peach but when I first started reading this I was pretty confused! These kids are in elementary school but they sure don't talk like they are! In the second strip they use words like "appropriation", "anonymous", "correspondents" and in the fifth strip the kids are actually saying things about the "sovereign people of the united states". I don't understand how kids that young know those words. I mean it doesn't sound like a kid talking. Unless these are supposed to be kid geniuses or something. So these words really threw me for a loop!
Then a bit later in the book I got confused again. Is it a school or a camp? Because I thought it was the Kelly School...but later it was the Kelly Camp and the kids had a dormitory? Hmmm...
But this strip grew on me as I read the book. It does have those crazy situations where the kids say or do crazy things (but I think the Family Circle did that better).. Still there were some things missing in here. Like the book introduced some of the characters and had special sections on that character but then there were other characters who were not introduced at all. Who are they?
And often the classmates seem angry and bitter. At each other. And they demand a lot too. Like in strip number eight where one little girl is trying to tell the class about her trip to the zoo. Instead of listening they are demanding more details. They are yelling at her that she is "skimping" and want "details! details!" and was the peanut fed to the elephant a double or a single. It just sounds odd to me. I mean it doesn't sound like a kid. I would think a kid would ask how did you get to feed the elephant? What did its trunk feel like?
There is a section in here about weeds but nowhere does it state that many so called weeds are actually wild flowers? And since when do schools give students glass green houses to grow weeds? Lots of bizarre stuff in here actually! Including the teacher taking the whole class to the doctor to get X-rays to see in their insides are working ok? What??! As far as I understand it, you don't need X-rays unless you have some injury or you are suspected of having some lung condition? Must have been some really weird stuff going on back in the 1950s!
I must say while the cover of this book is just so sweet & cute I was very shocked at how it had ended! The end was not exactly bad - it was just not I must say while the cover of this book is just so sweet & cute I was very shocked at how it had ended! The end was not exactly bad - it was just not what I had been expecting at all! But yet I can understand it too.
So this is the story of a woman who gets involved with a wolfman (a man who can change into a wolf - a werewolf) and has two children with him. But then she is left alone and it's not easy raising children who have the unique ability to turn into wolves. The majority of the story is about some of these problems and how the children try to fit into normal society. They do have that big secret, as they have to deal with the wolf inside them. Its not an easy thing to deal with at all.
The art is very cute and beautiful. I especially lived the winter scenes in here. So lovely! But the story was very engaging too. I certainly could relate to Yuki and how she had worried about fitting in. And I could also relate to Ame and his love of the wild areas: the woods and mountains. The two siblings are very different from each other. I guess I am a bit of both of them but I guess in the long run I am more like Ame.
I think the most important thing is I had fun reading this. And now I am wondering what had happened to these characters after the end of the book. Normally I don't think along those lines but now I am so I guess the story had inspired me to think. I have always loved werewolf stories. I certainly prefer those over vampire ones for some reason. And while this is not a scary werewolf story it certainly is a werewolf of sorts. The story is not entirely happy and cute: it has it's dark moments and even danger. And it certainly asks how would someone like that fit into today's modern world. It would create a lot of problems and even limitations. But this story presents us with a possible solution. ...more
I've always loved books by Orson Scott Card but I had never heard of this one so when I saw it at the library I had to grab it! And it's similar to hiI've always loved books by Orson Scott Card but I had never heard of this one so when I saw it at the library I had to grab it! And it's similar to his oh so popular Ender's Game is that it is about kids going out into space. In this case it's to a space station called Laddertop Cayambe. And wow, what a story!
This is a grand adventure story with mystery, lots of action and some mysterious aliens called the Givers. We don't actually see the aliens but they have given us their technology yet there are things about that technology we do not fully understand... And that is where the mystery comes in. Are the Givers really our friends or are they up to something? Do they want something?
And something is on it's way to Earth...will it bring doom? We don't know.
So I greatly enjoyed reading this graphic novel. It's loads of fun, the art is wonderful (and so many of the characters look cute!) but it truly is the story that drives this. I just wanted to know so much about this new universe I found myself in. Who are the Givers and where did they go? Why did they give us this technology? Why are the tubes so small that only kids can fit into them up on the space station? What does the mysterious alien writing say? Are there other aliens? What does that scanner do? Basically I just wanted all of these questions and others answered!
Also I loved the uniqueness of the characters. Some are grumpy and sour. Others are more fun loving. They have very unique personalities and that comes through wonderfully in the art. And since they are kids they often do crazy or naughty stuff. At least one - Azure - has a lot of spunk and sneaks where she doesn't belong. And I could relate to the main female lead - Roberta - to her uncertainty about actually going into space or about doing new, scary things. I would be uncertain too. Could I really handle those things? Am I cut out for it? I think because she questions these things instead of just jumping into it eagerly like Azure does, it might show higher intelligence? But in the end I think this is about friendship and helping others and sticking together. And sometimes it's hard to know what is the right thing to do... There is a lot of responsibility on these 11-year-old shoulders.
It was also very easy to tell each character apart. This was drawn by a very talented artist! I can only imagine the work that must have gone into this to turn a novel into this graphic book. Must have taken so incredibly long!
And the scary situations too! Death defying ones! And there are really cute robots too! Never had I ever dreamed that robots could be cute but these definitely are.
But...
As wonderful as this is...
I was greatly disappointed to find out this is like only half the story?! It ends on a big cliff hanger! And I have no idea if the rest of this was ever published? Or even drawn? But since it IS based off a novel I guess I will just have to read the actual novel. If I can find a copy. I did check my library's website and they don't have any other books by this name so if I want to find out how it ends I will just have to buy a copy...and hope it contains the entire story. Because I sure want to know how this ends!
So today I spent the day relaxing with a few graphic novels and this was one of them. While I did find it interesting I also felt the plot moved a tadSo today I spent the day relaxing with a few graphic novels and this was one of them. While I did find it interesting I also felt the plot moved a tad slow and there were a few scenes (or panels) where I wasn't too sure what was going on or what they were showing. Still it is a decent story and it will entertain you - just don't expect excitement.
The plot is about an older woman who wants to be independent and live on her own even though her grown daughters don't like this idea. The woman suffers many of the common problems associated with being older in these modern days: losing items she needs like keys, can't remember if she took her pills, etc. But this is a horror story with a supernatural twist so the woman also has to fight a black blob like thing that is Death.
As the story unfolds it does have some complexity to it which is nice. And there is a cute little creature too but it is never really explained what this thing is. The story does indeed have a climax but something must have been lacking as I never really felt any concern during this scene? I guess perhaps I just simply couldn't relate to the main character at all.
I do admit the black blob like thing in here I had found rather confusing. At first I had actually thought it was something leaking from under a door. And at other times it sort of resembles a cat? So confusing!
So this is the last of the graphic novels I had read today and my second favorite. This one had four stories in it with the first not only being the bSo this is the last of the graphic novels I had read today and my second favorite. This one had four stories in it with the first not only being the best but also the longest. It comes in chapters even. And what a twisted tale of ghosts "The Beautiful Boy at the Crossroads" tells! This one kept me rapt and flipping the pages! And I had no idea what was going to happen next. And when compared to "Sensor" I do believe this tale is much, much darker. And more grotesque too... And like Sensor (which is one of the other books I read today by the same author) this one also tackles suicide except its much more open and in your face way.
So the four stories are:
The Beautiful Boy in the Crossroads: a twisted tale of a child's game, evil ghosts, revenge and fear. A very long and satisfying read! I had actually hoped the entire book would be this tale but alas it wasn't. Great characters too. Oh and love is twisted in here too! Would you actually die for someone? That is taken to a whole new level but in a evil twisted way. And that creepy guy on the cover goes with this one!
The Strange Hikizuri Siblings: a tale about a seriously demented family. One look at these people and you know there is something wrong with them. Unfortunately their minds are just as bad if not worse than their looks. A great story!
The Mansion of Phantom Pain: this one was super weird! Good but weird! It just goes to show you should not take that weird job in the paper, especially if all the windows in the house are sealed over with bricks.
The Rib Woman: I just knew from the beginning things were going to go wrong in this one! Messing with your ribs is a bad idea! Great spooky tale.
Memories of Real Poop: hmmm...I guess it's 5 stories! But this is not really a horror story like the others are... It doesn't have that evilness to it. Its just plain strange. Like a little joke at the back of the book as a bonus.
Great stories and lots of fun! Wonderful art too....more
This is another one of the graphic novels I have read today. And this one surprised me by having some color pages in it too! Plus it starts out with aThis is another one of the graphic novels I have read today. And this one surprised me by having some color pages in it too! Plus it starts out with a very gory story! Quite the top-notch one and very weird! That one is called "Billions Alone". All together this book has 10 different stories in it. And they will take you to a twisted world and most have shocking, unexpected endings. And there are a few full color two-page art panels plus a small fold out mini poster too.
There are some very, very original ideas in here as well as some truly grotesque images! Think corpses, horrible looking tongues with ugly growths on it, insane people... You get the idea! The art is definitely out of this world.
Reading this was like reading those old fashioned horror comics! Lots of fun! I did actually read the one story in here once before but I don't remember where...it certainly wasn't this book before because the other stories were totally new to me. Anyway these were all very entertaining and full of horror.
My least favorites were "Master Umezz and Me" & "How Love Came to Professor Kirida". I had found these two the most dull and slow...the second one did have a twist at the end but I still found it too boring for my tastes.
I did notice that in a few cases I couldn't tell if a character was a boy or a girl. Isn't that weird? Like I would think it was a boy but then later the story said it was a girl! Or vice versa!
Lots of these tales seem to be about desires or passions. Of course often things go horribly wrong! But where is the fun if it all goes well? It wouldn't be horror then would it? ...more
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