This book was the first graphic novel nominated for the Man
Booker Prize, so I put in my request at the library and waited patiently for
months, assuming that it would be more than worth the delay once it arrived.
And goddamn, was I disappointed in this book that I spent no money to acquire
and read. It was really terrible, and I don’t want to dwell on it, but I need
to make a few points:
The art is minimalist, which I don’t have a problem with,
but it’s so unadorned that it’s difficult to tell the characters apart.
The dialogue is extremely flat, which when combined with the
boring art, makes for a boring-ass reading experience.
The plot, such as it is, deals with the aftermath of an abduction
and killing of Sabrina (in Chicago, I think), and the descent into Alex
Jones-style conspiracy theorizing of Sabrina’s boyfriend. The dude is
understandably depressed and shaken, but he’s an absolute cipher of a
character, as is his high school friend whom he’s staying with in the
southwest.
Everyone is a damn cipher, and their motivations and
feelings seem completely arbitrarily assigned. Most of the heavy lifting of the
plot is done by the disembodied voice of the conspiracy-theorizing radio host, which
is a very alienating way to experience a story.
Thesis statement: Assholes in real life are also assholes
online, I guess, and we’re in a real dark place as a country. I agree, but this
book still sucks. At least it doesn’t take long to read.
No comments:
Post a Comment