The book, recently made into a movie, is my first graphic novel. Well, I would say first graphic novel I have read as an adult. The cover of the book announces that it is one of Time’s 100 Best Books ever. (Do I care what Time thinks?) I am pretty sure I don’t agree. The book chronicles the trials and tribulations of a group of over-the-hill almost super heroes as they race to save themselves and the world from destruction. We learn the back stories of the characters, how they came to be who they are, and why they are the way they are.
The book is not compiled merely of pictures. There are excerpts from government files and memoirs of the super heroes throughout. The story is also part allegory, or maybe wholly allegory. What is an allegory anyway?
From Wiktionary:
allegory (plural allegories)
1. The representation of abstract principles by characters or figures.
2. A picture, book, or other form of communication using such representation.
3. A symbolic representation.
Hum, I guess it is wholly allegory.
The book is confusing though. There is a book inside the book telling the story of some pirates and a man who tries to save his family from the pirates only to realize he killed his wife. Strange. And there appears to be some extra stories in the story. One guy gets blown up and I have no clue who he was or why he mattered.
What frustrated me the most about the book was the lack of resolution at the end, or rather the confusing resolution at the end. What happened? Why? Who did what? Maybe I did not put enough time into the book. Maybe I needed to pay more attention as I read along. I did figure out pretty early one item, but other than that I really did not get the point of the book.
I will watch the movie next. Maybe seeing it will help me.
No comments:
Post a Comment