"Every casualty in war is someone's grandmother, grandfather, mother, father, brother, sister, child, lover..."
The story opens its door to us with the"Every casualty in war is someone's grandmother, grandfather, mother, father, brother, sister, child, lover..."
The story opens its door to us with the physical and emotional trauma of labor pain, the self-realization of what it means to become a parent and taking little steps towards understanding one's own parents. Following the route to understand the person one's parents have become, the story makes an attempt to see the turmoils of one's roots in the backdrop of larger forces like French colonialism, Japanese occupation, American invasion, and Vietnam war.
This is also a story of "conflict" through the lens of a family warring with "refugee reflex" and "finding their own way" in their new-found lives in America. Behind resilience there's always this "coming to terms" with the fate and reality that one didn't quite think of!
I also see this graphic novel as a story of time - how it works as a great factor shaping people's lives and fate!...more
"Ordinary men are capable of extraordinary violence. Women and girls are neither virgins nor whores."
This is a deeply touching graphic novel on gendere "Ordinary men are capable of extraordinary violence. Women and girls are neither virgins nor whores."
This is a deeply touching graphic novel on gendered violence. The story points that despite the ubiquity of gendered violence, widespread socio-cultural attitude of victim blaming, putting the sole burden on women to safeguard themselves by restricting their movements, policing their clothes and behavior, absence of listening with care, expecting victims to be brave and strong enough to fight and survive, and the pop-cultural romanticism to portray the violent males as the lead and the women they harm as secondaries in stories--- need to be seen, questioned, and changed for better!...more
I have been waiting for 4 years to read this graphic novel. It would cost me 3 times to get this book delivered to my country - so, it never worked ouI have been waiting for 4 years to read this graphic novel. It would cost me 3 times to get this book delivered to my country - so, it never worked out! ...more
I remember I was surprised to find Alison's graphic memoir of her deceased father (Fun Home) at BracU library. This is a graphic memoir for her motherI remember I was surprised to find Alison's graphic memoir of her deceased father (Fun Home) at BracU library. This is a graphic memoir for her mother and I feel ambivalent about this book. So, I am being careful with my words!
The dilemma is how do you review somebody's experience that you do not have any idea of how it might feel like. We say we understand, we nod our head in acknowledgement, we sympathize, we empathize, we listen, and the list goes on. But maybe nothing quite matches the intensity!
Personally, as a reader I still couldn't feel *that* connection with Alison's work. Maybe I have read both the memoirs at the wrong time! Maybe I still need to grow as a reader and earn some maturity before I can fully appreciate them for whatever they are.
So currently Alison's work and drawing styles distract me a lot while reading. There are always these literary and theoretical cross-references pitched against the storyline that I really try hard to figure out the parallels. Tragically, I fail! And both the effort and failure distract me a lot to engage as a reader.
The reason I feel ambivalent about this particular work is that I really loved some ideas from it. Alison beautifully sketched some of her dreams and it's Awesome! Personally I have been collecting dreams for a long long time since childhood. That's an interesting time and space to be - if you are a vivid and very frequent dream traveller. So the effort she has made here is really brilliant and deserves praise.
If we have to talk about the main theme of this book: the "Mother-Daughter" relationship - Umm, there comes a time when the roles become more fluid - the parent becomes the child, the child becomes the parent and vice versa. I am not sure if there is any point of validation here. I mean whether the parent needs child to validate himself/ herself/ themselves as a parent. Similarly, if the child needs its parent to validate itself as a child and so on!
So, pointing at the *duality* that transcends the roles in a relationship is the main beauty of this book (at least for me)! And yeah.. every relationship has its own structure, fluidity, beauty, tension, understanding, and frustrations! But then realizing the kindness embedded in the actions-interactions-reactions may help us find the *strength* :) In that sense, I love this book :)...more
Well, I could not bring myself to like this graphic memoir. I left it half-finished back in '17. And as it often happens with unfinished books and me Well, I could not bring myself to like this graphic memoir. I left it half-finished back in '17. And as it often happens with unfinished books and me that I like them better when I revisit them later. But nothing of that sort happened with this one! It failed significantly at some level to transform the writer's experience into the reader's experience ~ at least that goes for me.
The choice of freaking dictionary words along with all those frequent attempts to draw parallels with writer's family life to every single mention of literary work - appeared so superflous, ridiculous, and disturbing. There's no denying that the illustrations are really beautiful and gorgeous but they alone cannot compensate the damage!
I feel this story offers a journey - a journey into adulthood, acceptance, and going on! With time most of the things are meant to grow apart as well I feel this story offers a journey - a journey into adulthood, acceptance, and going on! With time most of the things are meant to grow apart as well as more boxes to be filled and buried with passing memories. And with time this indifference slowly creeps in and begins to appear almost natural....more
How many alternate deaths could you die or how many alternate lives you are living if you have already escaped a moment where you could have died easiHow many alternate deaths could you die or how many alternate lives you are living if you have already escaped a moment where you could have died easily or accidentally!?
I don't know how to put this into words! I would not label it as "heart-touching". It had no "emotional craps" rather the whole thing is very "essential". An appreciable, essential reflection on life, death, family, relations, father-son, friendship, career, adulthood...
The story is full of surprises and accidents as it appears in life - though a little bit dramatic sometimes. I wonder why I kept this one waiting for so long in my to-read list! And I loved the colors (kudos to Dave) and the letterings (well done Sean) too. They gave a warm feeling to eyes. And thanks to twin brothers Fabio & Gabriel for such a reflective story....more
"This is the grand finale of a life poorly spent and the end result is just overwhelmingly depressing… it's just a sick, pathetic, wretched, miserable"This is the grand finale of a life poorly spent and the end result is just overwhelmingly depressing… it's just a sick, pathetic, wretched, miserable life story, that's all it is. " - Jeff Dahmer
This is a graphic memoir about notorious serial killer Jeff Dahmer who killed 17 men & boys from 1978-91. His high-school classmate, Eisner-award winning comics creator Derf Backderf tries to reflect how this long forgotten weary classmate might have turned into a notorious monster! What led him to the downards spiral of such a dark mental abyss!
Derf obviously tries not to empathize with the person Dahmer became. But he makes an attempt to shed some light on the events which might have contributed to the inner agony of once a shy nerd who didn't fit anywhere! He tries to reflect how so many people around him had a sense of his freaking, creepy awkwardness but still let things go unnoticed, not talked about! What if teenager Dahmer, while he was still struggling to cling to the periphery of normalcy, could talk to someone about the voices in his head - what would follow then? He might have to enroll in a psychiatric medication program with listings of 20/more pills like his mother & would grow numb gradually. Even that could have spared his victims & their families the tragedy he caused to them & to himself!
But it's just how things had to turn out. Everybody had their lives to live, their problems to deal with and a kid so invisible as Dahmer's who did not create any ripple around him was supposed to get discarded from everyone's memory until he emerged as a monster!
This time is so doomed. Lost my appetite for reading in recent months. Flipped through 6-7 books and left them all after several pages. Badly needed sThis time is so doomed. Lost my appetite for reading in recent months. Flipped through 6-7 books and left them all after several pages. Badly needed some story that would infiltrate through the veins and create some sense of meaningfulness_ _ _
Never a fan of super-hero genre but have started revering this guy Alan Moore after reading his V for Vendetta. He is such a badass storyteller that he would leave you awestruck with his creative genius and ingenuity. Besides, the accompanying illustrations and graphics by Dave & John complement the story so beautifully that the whole package is something one could ever expect of novel - a graphic novel.
"As I see it, part of the art of being a hero is knowing when you don't need to be one anymore, realizing that the game has changed and that the stakes are different and that there isn't necesssarily a place for you in this strange new pantheon of extraordinary people." ...more
When I started this book all I knew about it from some reader's comment is that it's the first ever graphic novel selected for Man Booker prize. From When I started this book all I knew about it from some reader's comment is that it's the first ever graphic novel selected for Man Booker prize. From the title I assumed it to be some light, casual reading. At least for the time being I preferred a light reading. Even at first glance the book seemed quite homely, contemporary, regular piece of life.
The sketches in this book are so smooth that I felt like watching a moving picture. Didn't feel at all that I am reading or watching a graphic novel. And at first the story line seemed an interesting one to be a movie title. Then suddenly I realised what a powerful topic Nick has brought about through his work. Didn't realise it earlier cause I think we more or less got used to its presence on online: how news media, electronic media, social media, and blogs expose our life and reveal it to others.
Based on the murder of a girl named Sabrina, the story chronicles how different theories, opinions, arguments regarding her death, postmortems of the personal lives of her and her near and dear ones- flash through public imagination in news media, social media, and online blogs. Such mini-reporting involving cause-effect analysis on any murder, rape, or violence are also visible in our country. Instead of proper investigation, such postmortem of the personal lives of the victims and their close ones, spread of misinformation and voodoo theories drastically affect the mental health of the concerned ones. This book has very capably depicted the effects of misinformation and misinterpretation or misrepresentation of facts, public shaming, online harassment, digital isolation in our modern age - no doubt why it's called a masterpiece.
Nick takes our hand and makes us travel into the lives of the characters through his beautiful, simple sketches. Suddenly the overwhelmed reader discovers himself/ herself embroiled with the distress of the characters. Very few works involve the readers to this degree. I feel upset why graphic novel didn't flourish in our country with such powerful and vibrant image.
Note: One things is particularly so different in Bangladesh from America - conspiracy theory. In USA, a group of people consider the government as conspirators of major or minor events while in Bangladesh the government itself considers the rest of the country as conspirators against it and regularly circulates text messages to cell phones: "Don't pay heed to rumors."...more
First hand experience is always a defining factor for the things coming ahead. I was lucky to come across one of the right persons, Shaun Tan and his First hand experience is always a defining factor for the things coming ahead. I was lucky to come across one of the right persons, Shaun Tan and his touching, almost perfect graphic novel The Arrival, which ignited my love for sequential arts & graphic novels.
I appreciate Shaun's alternative view of looking at regular everyday things in a twilight. His creative imaginations, the wilderness & rawness of his art combined with his taste for satire, bittersweet topics & intricate little details of our forgotten lives - surely add a different dimension to his work. He creates a surreal world surrounding our existence, bereavement, forgetfulness, irrationality, and vulnerability. He mediates us into a surreal-looking alternative image of our real world where we get a language for our lost words, wounds, and forgotten dreams....more
আমি হলদে হাওয়াই মিঠাই খেতে পছন্দ করতাম দেখে জিনাত মেয়েটা একদিন সন্ধ্যাবেলা (১১ব্যাচের ফেয়ারওয়েল ছিল ঐদিন) হুট করে মনে রেখে আমার জন্য হাওয়াই মিঠাই নিয়েআমি হলদে হাওয়াই মিঠাই খেতে পছন্দ করতাম দেখে জিনাত মেয়েটা একদিন সন্ধ্যাবেলা (১১ব্যাচের ফেয়ারওয়েল ছিল ঐদিন) হুট করে মনে রেখে আমার জন্য হাওয়াই মিঠাই নিয়ে এল। আমি গ্রাফিক নভেল পড়তে ভালোবাসি দেখে মেয়েটা আমার জন্য এই বইটা নিয়ে এল। Well, I am touched (a little bit) cause someone remembered ~
বইয়ের আঁকাগুলো দুর্দান্ত কিন্তু আমার মনে হল অনুবাদ বইটাকে ডুবিয়ে দিয়েছে! একদম বেশ আক্ষরিক অনুবাদ করতে গিয়ে গ্রাফিক্সের কমিক্যাল সেন্স টাকে পুরো মাটি করে দিয়েছে। তার উপর বইটা বেশ প্রপাগাণ্ডা আর সমাজতন্ত্রের স্তুতি দিয়ে ভরা। আর অল্প জায়গায় অনেক বেশি ইনফো আঁটাতে গিয়ে ট্রাঞ্জিশন গুলো খুবই রাফ হয়েছে। ...more
I had been looking for this book for a while. Another best addition to my this year's nonfiction graphic books. The book is so well-written, well-sketI had been looking for this book for a while. Another best addition to my this year's nonfiction graphic books. The book is so well-written, well-sketched, well-organized, comprehensive, and cohesive. I love its way of teaching along with some fun yet retaining the full essence of the original concepts. Cheers to this big 5 star book!...more
Disturbingly brilliant, ruthlessly beautiful & enigmatic. I never thought I would read this one because I hardly read anything frIn fact 7 out of 5 xD
Disturbingly brilliant, ruthlessly beautiful & enigmatic. I never thought I would read this one because I hardly read anything from thriller genre. However, recently I am very much into these graphic novels, comics & sequential arts - so I thought maybe I could give it a try some time. In fact I started this book a couple of months ago ~
At the very beginning the foreword from illustrator David Lloyd - it is so intense & bold! I have never read any foreword with such attitude & guts! It overwhelmed me. However, I did not proceed any further then.
Finally yesterday afternoon, I felt I should read it now. Then there it is - with all its might, vision, and enigma! It is still relevant & thought provoking. I feel people anywhere in the world at any period, at any time would find it relevant (either partially or worse completely)!...more
Today I've got no classes to take at the varsity. Students abandoned the classes to express their solidarity with Reform Quota movement. So, I just flToday I've got no classes to take at the varsity. Students abandoned the classes to express their solidarity with Reform Quota movement. So, I just flipped through this comic. It was pretty quick, took me only half an hour.
The twists are hilarious. However, as it appeared - the world would not have turned out any better without Hitler and it still isn't with him!...more
The ending was not fulfilling - rather it was abrupt. I appreciate Joe Sacco's eccentric writing style. His work is sharp, clear-cut & straight forwarThe ending was not fulfilling - rather it was abrupt. I appreciate Joe Sacco's eccentric writing style. His work is sharp, clear-cut & straight forward as always. His raw black & white sketches with intrinsic details reflect the war-time mood so well. However, this piece of work is not anywhere near his "Palestine". Palestine's contents were far better, refined & Joe himself was very different in that piece of work.
In this book Joe takes us to the Bosnian war (1992-95) through the eye of a fixer. The fixers were in fact warfighters (truly speaking, they were some sort of war criminals too) who took break from fighting due to injury & earned their living by guiding foreign journalists to the war front. Joe's fixer used to be a sniper and a man of a powerful paramilitary group.
Before the war, Sarajevo, a city of Bosnia, used to be very tolerant of its multi-ethnic community consisting of Serbs, Muslims & Croats. During the war of 1992, many autonomous war lords from various factions rose to power with their own army (2000~4500 people in these army groups) & supporters. The government assimilated these autonomous paramilitary groups with its own army to conduct the war. However, when these warlords crossed their limits, got frequently involved in various war crimes & went beyond the control of the army, the government systematically eliminated them.
In this book Joe shows us the war from the fixer's point of view. It has the taste of fictional novels with a criminal protagonist. So, I feel the facts of the war were not as frank & thorough as they were in his work Palestine. However, the cool & hip tone of the book will keep you engaged in the story....more
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