Buffy the Vampire Slayer - RIP VI

Lately I have been having a little Buffy nostalgia.  "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was one of my favourite tv shows in the 1990's.  My eldest son grew up watching it with me.  Every week we would wait for our next episode of what danger Buffy and the Scooby gang could get into, fighting vampires, demons, monsters, and the dangers of growing up in Sunnydale California.  I loved the mix of humour, teen angst, horror, scariness, and fabulous monsters week in and week out.  I enjoyed so much watching the characters grow and evolve, all the while facing dangers and temptation and learning about what they could do.  Buffy is one of the few tv characters I have dreamed about.  This is an awesome tv show, that even when I rewatch it, has aged  well - it's timeless, magical, scary fun.  With a group of friends who share the scariest moments in life:  Willow and  Xander, and Giles, Buffy's Watcher, and Angel, the vampire who is Buffy's love of her life.  Plus the adorable bad vampire frenemy Spike, who is so bad that he's good.  Yes, there were cheesy moments and so-so storylines, but on the whole the writing and dialogue were superb.  The acting was good, and sometimes the show could be dark and terrifying and haunting and beautiful. 

Imagine my surprise when I learned that there were graphic novels out now, with the approval and some assistance of the chief creator and writer himself, Joss Whedon. In 2009 I read vol 2 No Future for You, and vol 3 Wolves at the Gate.  In 2010 I read vol 4 Time of Your Life. I wondered, each time, would it be as good as the tv show?  Would the characters be true to themselves?  What were they doing,  after the 8th and final series ended on tv?

I have no fears now.  The graphic novels pick up from where the tv show ended.  All the characters are there, Willow, Xander, Faith, Giles, and Buffy herself.  At first it was odd seeing them on the page, after spending 8 years watching them on tv.  Then, magic happened.  I heard the snarkiness in Xander's voice, the softness of Willow as she screws up and saves Buffy in the nick of time, and most of all: Buffy.  Buffy, a little more grown-up, a little world-weary, and never ever giving up.  She's still feisty and running around saving everyone, still irrepressible and beautiful.

Peril the First
So for this year's RIP VI challenge I borrowed  another book in the series, Predators and Prey, from the library recently.   I read it this past  weekend, enjoying it immensely.  The art and the storytelling are prime Buffy writing, and the imaginative use of toy kitties is fun. They never will be quite the same for me, either.      Plus it has a monster that if ever brought to the screen I would have to run screaming from the room.  And it still manages to have tender moments, friendship, and humour. Amazing.  I think I might end up buying this series.
Verdict: I highly recommend this graphic novel series for anyone who is missing Buffy, or needing some fun and slightly creepy vampire novels to read. .

Perils of the Screen
That's not all - reading Predators and Prey vol 5 (which indeed features a scary monster that is nightmare -inducing) made me want to see some Buffy again. I happen to own the first four seasons, so I watched "Fear Itself", episode 4 of Season 4:  the Hallowe'en episode about trick or treating at a frat party.  Only it's not just a frat party, a monster has been summoned and the frat house turns into a house of fear for whoever enters.  Each of the Scooby gang have to face their own personal fear, before they face the monster at the heart of it all.  Very well done, and exactly right for RIP. It's a perfect mix of humour - Anya the demon dressed in a bunny costume is hilarious!  Oz as God!  - and the scenes in the house are delightfully shivery.  Next up:  "Hush", from this same season 4, which won Buffy the Vampire Slayer an Emmy award.  This episode is very frightening and magical and even funny at moments.  It is truly terrifying in the best way that fairy tales can be, very dark, very scary, and fabulous.  The episode says: " They are creatures from a fairy tale, first they steal your voice, then they start stealing hearts."  It's also perfect for RIP, and I'll write about it when I see it, hopefully by this weekend. 

apologies (blogger is being bad!)
I do apologize, Blogger is not allowing me to add any photos tonight, of Buffy or the Peril of the Screen photo.  I am sad, I love this photo and was looking forward to using it!  Next time then.....

"Art Saves"...'The Plain Janes'' and "Janes in Love"

LIBRARY LOOT

I am so far behind that I'm beginning to panic. How will I get all these books reviewed? At last count, I had 16 books to review. 16! So I'm thinking of creative ways to review, because I enjoyed all of them. It is so rare that I like everything I am reading, that I want to give every book it's day!

So I'm going to begin with two library books I recently brought home, and post about my library books, because they have the graphic novels everyone is so curious about. Yes, I took out some graphic novels! My experience with Castle Waiting was so good that the graphic novel section was the first place I headed to when I found myself at the library two weeks ago.

This is what I took out:

1. The Mislaid Magician or 10 Years After - Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
2. The New Policeman - Kate Thompson
3. Twelve Impossible Things Before Breakfast - Jane Yolen
4. Triss's Book - Circle of Magic # 2 - Tamora Pierce
5. The Changeling Sea - Patricia McKillip
6. Wyrmwood - G.P. Taylor
Graphic Novels:
7 &8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 8, vol 2 & 3, - Goddard, Whedon, Jeanty
9. The Plain Janes - Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
10. Janes in Love - Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
11. Angel - After the Fall - Whedon, Lynch and Urru

As you can tell, I stayed in the teen section. Since I was alone and couldn't give the books to my husband to carry (thus taking out twice as many!) and didn't bring a bag with me, I had to limit myself to what I could carry. I did look for Emma, the graphic novel everyone is blogging about - just today, Kim L at Bold. Blue. Adventure. reviewed it, here, but I couldn't find it.

Now, for the first reviews of the graphic novels:
The Plain Janes and Janes in Love - Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg.

The Plain Janes
I fell in love with them. I love the concept - a girl moves to a suburb from the inner city, and finds a group of girls at high school who are all Janes. They are all different, and outsiders, and when Jane from the city arrives, she makes them into a group.

She is no ordinary Jane, however. Most of the story is about how she finds meaning in her life after surviving something awful. I don't want to give it away, as it is integral to the the story, what has happened to her and how she struggles to give surviving a meaning. I hope it suffices to say that the subtext of this book and the sequel, Janes in Love, is 'Art Saves'. How cool is that? Two whole books about people and art and life.

I don't want to make it sound serious - it's not. Both books are funny and heart-breaking and wise and so very much about life. P.L.A.I.N. stands for what gives Jane her will to go on: People Loving Art In Neighborhoods. The Janes decide to secretly transform their world by making free art. How they do this, and how their school chums and the adults in the city react, is charming and funny and realistic. How they bring art into their lives, and their city, makes for fun reading. I wish I'd had a group like that in high school! They also invite the only gay guy, James, at the high school to be part of their group, when he stands up and sings - one of the P.L.A.I.N. initiatives - against the principal's express command not to. He is as much an outsider as they are, and their kindness in bringing him in brought a lump to my throat. Bravery is found in so many places, in so many unexpected ways.

Janes in Love is the sequel, and it is just as heartbreaking and funny and delightful as The Plain Janes. In this one, it's coming up on February 14, and the Ides of March dance in February. The Plain Janes fall in love, and decide to take their art to a higher level - they apply for a federal grant, to take over an empty plot on one of their streets rather than see it become another mini-mall. Do they get the grant? Do they find true love? Another tragedy finds Jane's mother refusing to leave the house while her father lives in the tent outside. Jane: One of the reasons I want to make the world beautiful is so my mother can remember it is.

Both these graphic novels celebrate life, and finding beauty - making beauty for others around you. Each of the teen girls is very realistic, though, and prone to mood swings, and despair, as is Main Jane (her online msn name with the others!) herself as she continues to recover from the terrible event that still shapes her and her parents' lives. There are so many different viewpoints about how to cope with life, about whether to run away and hide, or find something to give back, or do. Other students suffer too, from their families, deciding if they want to be part of P.L.A.I.N. too. What a remarkable heroine, and group of friends.

I love the theme "Art Saves.' I wish this could be the motto for our world today. It's going to be the theme of my blog now!

I highly recommend these graphic novels. 5/5 for each!

And I want thank every one of you, Gentle Readers, who has blogged about graphic novels over the last year and a half. I wouldn't have found these if it wasn't for you!! I love them so much I am putting them on my To-Buy list. I will want to read these again.

unexpectedly......

This seems to be the story of my year so far. I unexpectedly developed a cold on Canada Day, and spent the weekend recovering. Suddenly being diabetic means any cold medications are off-limits, and my sugar is high again. So, instead of plowing through my three graphic novels I took out of the library, I watched North and South. Again. The entire 4 hours. And gardened on Sunday, when the sun finally came out and I felt well enough to get outside.

Then, Julia at Piece of My Mind tagged me for a fun meme, and I went there to get it to do here, except I unexpectedly saw this picture of Richard Armitage, and well, *sigh*.


And not only that, but there is a an interview with him posted on Vulpes Libris, here, that will make all of us Richard Armitage fans drool a little more. Because he reads, and he reads a lot. And he's thoughtful, and interesting. Many thanks to Julia at Piece of My Mind for the link to the interview, and I'm afraid I scooped her on the interview posting.....

I also have been watching the HBO television series True Blood, based on the Sookie Stackhouse vampire thrillers. Vampire Bill? Oh my, very hot *fans herself*. Quite graphic also (one scene of a particularly gruesome murder I just can't get out of my head), delightful setting, okay dialogue, very good acting. I have watched half the season already.......good for getting through a cold, bad for reading books!!!

So, unexpectedly, not about books, but about things revolving around books.

And yes, you read it correctly: I have 3 - no, I have 5 graphic novels out of the library. Unexpectly, the rewards of the blogging community are that I find a new type of novel to explore.

Also very unexpectedly, I can't seem to find a copy of North and South anywhere. I want to read it now, since I think there is more explained in the book (of course there is! there always is!!!) than the series can show. I can find lots of Gaskell's other books, but not that one!

Happy reading, Gentle Readers!

Watchmen

I read Watchmen for Nymeth's mini challenge. Molly was my partner, and she posted a brilliant edition (all her own effort) of the email discussion I sent her about Watchmen, here, for the challenge. However, while I sent her many of my thoughts about the novel while I was reading it, I've had a couple of weeks to let it sit, and here are my final thoughts.

Brilliant. I am so glad I finally let myself read it. It is powerful, intoxicating, gripping, tragic. It's an ode to humanity. I can't rave enough about the story, about the graphic art, about the complex characters. This book is bittersweet. It's 23 years old, and it should be dated, but it's not. The Viet-Nam War makes an appearance. The Doomsday Clock ticking towards midnight. Ronald Reagan. The Kennedy assassination. Nuclear bombs. Love. Sex. Murder. Death. Most of all, irony. This books drips with a wicked sense of humour. How can I not like a book that talks like I do?

Rorschach: Why are so few of us left active, healthy, and without personality disorders? Not only is this the height of irony when Rorschach's story is finally revealed, but it's something I often wonder about people: what is normal? How do we know what lies behind someone's face?

Watchmen explores what the meaning of a hero is. Entertwined with this is what it means for our society, as we both accept the need for a hero, and deny them when we have them. In order to be a superhero, something extraordinary, it must be to fill a gap -that is what is really a personality disorder, Watchmen hints at. No one ordinary would want to go hunting at night for criminals. But what if there is a need for them? Who would step in? Why? And, as is spray-painted all through the book - another supreme irony, it's on the walls and garage doors below the apartments where some of the Watchmen live, so someone is watching them! - who watches the Watchmen? How do we know they mete out justice to the deserving? How can we trust them if only misfits and the doomed are the Watchmen?

And in spite of their failings - of which all of the Watchmen are slowly revealed to have, as we go from one story to another, even as the clock ticks closer to midnight - we do pin our hopes on them. We have to. Because we are busy living our ordinary lives and hoping someone else will watch the darkness for us.

I love the stories of each of the characters. I don't like all the characters, several of them left me feeling like they were nasty people, and yet they chose to do this courageous, heroic action. Once again, Watchmen takes the superhero myth and pulls it apart and asks some very interesting questions. Of the characters, I liked most Laurie (Silk Spectre #2), her mother Sally Jupiter, Dan and Hollis, all of whom are the most easily human and accessible characters. I know this! Rorschach was fascinating (and a little creepy) - how is it I can prefer the superhero figure and not the real man underneath? That is one of the most difficult questions I think that this book asks. The Comedian, Dr Manhattan - scary, and sad. Nothing is what it seems, no one is exactly who they appear to be.

A favourite scene is meeting Sally and her daughter Laurie and their first conversation together, when Sally says: "Life goes on, Honey. Life goes on." Juxtaposed with this is a view of the cemetary, where a funeral is taking place. A few windows on, Sally says, again with the background of the cemetary: "I mean, without your health, where are you?" How can you not love that kind of writing/art together?

Or, Dr Manhattan says: "Things have their shape in time, not space alone. Some marble blocks have statues within them, embedded in their future."

"It stretches more than three thousand miles, so that one end knows day while the other endures night. Temperature differences breed shrieking winds that herd oceans of fog along a canyon four miles deep. Does the human heart know chasms so abysmal?" Yes, mine does.

"....Until your mother loves a man she has every reason to hate, and of that union, of the thousand million children competing for fertilization, it was you, only you, that emerged. To distill so specific a form from that chaos of improbability, like turning air to gold....that is the crowning unlikelihood. The thermo-dynamic miracle."
"But....if me, my birth, if that's a thermodynamic miracle....I mean, you could say that about anybody in the world!"
"Yes. Anybody in the world."
Did I say that at it's heart, Watchmen is about the wonder of life, and the mysteries that make up each person, and the world? That every person is part of a bigger story, and every person has a story to tell? And that it's about how everything is connected, which physics is discovering in deeper levels every year or so? The same physics that creates Dr Manhattan, who gives us what a real superbeing's perspective would be? This is such a thoughtful, deep book. How can a comic book be so good?

What would you do to stop the insane build up of nuclear warheads, if you had the means to stop it? Do the ends justify the means? This is another level of subtext in this novel. This book talks about one possibility, what it would take to stop it, and it is chilling and horrifying, as insane and horrifying as the build up we constantly, still, hear about, even today. If you can destroy the world once, why is being able to destroy it 30 times over, better?

This is a book about life, death, love, and chaos, the things we wrestle with our whole lives, and to me, it was a revelation. It was like having a conversation with a very dear friend about things I already knew, and hearing the same cynicism and hope, faith and fear, that I carry with me. I kept nodding my head, saying "Yes! Yes!" as I read it. I love this novel. It is spectacularly human, and breathtaking in its many textured levels of meaning. I think this is a book that captures our essential angst at this juncture of human culture.

I am a product of the 1980's, as are any of us who were alive then must be. The saddest thing to me is that my son, who was born in the 1980's, is also somehow a product of that same clock ticking towards midnight fear/faith/helplessness. He wrestles with the 'how does anything matter' angst, too, with all the talk of the wars constantly in the background, the same as in Watchmen, the same as in the 1980's. In twenty years' time, nothing has changed. This is when, like Dr Manhattan, we - I - have to find the things that root us in time and space, or we would float in fear, unconnected. One thing I did learn in the 1980's was to take everything, anything, one day at a time. And, I did protest, I went on nuclear peace marches, protesting the building of nuclear bombs, because I had to do something. My son is still wrestling with what to do. Watchmen is about that feeling too. I'm not sure what kind of superhero that makes me, or that I would want to be anyone in the book! but any time we take action, that we choose love over hate, makes us a superhero, in my humble opinion. So Watchmen is about taking action anyway, no matter the odds. In the end, it's about hope and the belief that, despite our frailties and faults, it's worth doing - well, except what Ozymandias does. Watchmen also shows what happens when we let fear take over our decision-making.

This is one of my top 10 books for 2009, I know this already. It might be one of my favourite all-time books, that I end up carrying around with me for the rest of my life. It's that good.

Andi Lit's review here
Nymeth
Carl
Kim
Mariel
Trish's Reading Nook
Musings of A Bookish Kitty

Sunday Salon - Nymeth's Mini Challenge Wrap up

Molly and I were partnered in Nymeth's Mini-Challenge for Dewey's challenge, link here. The idea was to try something new. I decided to read the graphic novel Watchmen for the challenge, and Molly was going to read a Manga novel, A Midsummer's Night Dream. This is a first for both of us. We emailed back and forth several times, asking questions, thinking about what we were finding, if we liked it, what our experience was. So, I present to you:

Molly and the Manga

1. What made you think of reading Manga?
Well, I guess two ideas came to me on the same day -- so it seemed providential. I had been reading some of the blogs I follow and on the Bibliosshakespeare site someone had just posted a review of Manga Macbeth. I was in awe! I had NO idea that the Bard had been re-issued as a Manga series. I am constantly on the look out for lesson plan ideas to further enrich what I am teaching. I will be teaching Midsummer Night's Dream to my 8th class starting next week (I have taught it to my high school seniors before, but never to a group this young). I thought that this might be a way that the students could visually see that Shakespeare is as relevant in the 21st century as he was in the 17th century. A little later that day I read your site where you announced this mini challenge and your intent to read a graphic novel. I thought - perfect - I could join the challenge and perhaps be paired with someone who will also want to venture in this area (of course --- I thought manga and graphic novels were the same as they both involved pictures, but I think my logic was a bit faulty). Any way, as luck would have it, when I signed up for the challenge, you and I were paired and the rest, as they say, is history :-)

2.what brought it to your attention? I think I answered the question above -- sorry


3. Susan says: I said to Molly in one of my emails: : I might be wrong, but I think there is a definite barrier between those who read graphic novels and those who won't, and I think it has to do with the idea of comic books. Susan's note: in one of her emails, Molly said she didn't like Watchmen, was having difficulty getting into it, so I asked what happened:
ow, lest I appear like a literary snob, please let me assure that I am NOT! My less than enthusiastic review of graphic novels really has little to do with my literary intellect and more to do with my personal idiosyncracies :) I think I shared that I had a hard time getting into The Watchmen because I felt that I was taken back to my elementary years. I rarely read comic books at that age - and if I did, it tended to be of the Scooby Doo variety and less of the Super Hero variety. I have never been drawn to action adventure (what IS the matter with me?). I even picked up a copy of the recently published Alice in Sunderland graphic novel to try my hand at that (I really was bound and determined to give this a full-blown effort). Now...that has the literary appeal, and even great historical information --- a true educational experience, and yet, I could not get interested.

4. That's why I'm curious how you found manga, and if you could read the whole book you had. So please let me know how it went! Did you gain 'coolness' factor in the eyes of your students?
I did finish the Manga Shakespeare book, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Did it improve my coolness factor at school? Well, that is certainly debatable. I have not had a chance to share the book with the class that is actually studying it (we are somewhat behind due to oral reports, but I plan to share it on Wednesday). I did, however, share the book with some students who will study Macbeth next year. One of the students, a Manga aficionado, quickly informed me that this was obviously American Manga and not Japanese manga. Oh good grief, I was just thrillled I knew the term :) Manga Shakespeare is definitely more of an interest not necessarily because it is 'high brow" Shakespeare (to be honest, I still have a hard time understanding him) -- but more because of the practical application: I can use this book in class to make a point and educate the students.

5.and for when you finish the Manga Macbeth:
a) was the story satisfying on its own?
I did enjoy the book. I think I enjoyed it for three reasons. First of all, it was a story with which I was already familiar, so I could skim the words and focus on the pictures. Secondly (and closely related to the first), the pictures truly helped me to visual the story. This is a confusing plot - there are 4 main characters - Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius - who are to form 2 couples. As is typical with a Shakespearean comedy, however, the climax of the play has the couples totally mixed up. It certainly doesn't help that the 2 female leads share very similar names (Hermia and Helena) which contrbutes to the confusion. It was incredibly helpful to have a visual image to coordinate with each character; it made it easier to follow the plot. Lastly, I think I enjoyed the Manga Shakespeare because it was based on a work that I would consider of "literary merit" --- I could justify the reading of Manga for educational purposes.

b)what are the characters like? Surprisingly enough, the characters are very close renditions of Shakespeare's originals. I have only read about half the book so far - and really just a skim (I need to read it more thoroughly by Wednesday) - but the 21st century Manga version is very similar. While the setting is still (ancient?) Greece, the characters' facial features do contain asian elements - but somehow it works. There seems to be some 21st century electronic features - but again, it works in the story and in fact, I think it will once again allow the students to better relate.

6) Did the art add to the story, or distract from it, for you? is it better than you thought? why? you mentioned you like - prefer the black and white art in this particular manga. Do you have any idea why?
Half-way through reading the manga, Molly answered: YES -- surprisingly, amazingly better. I think I am pleasantly surprised how the visual effect of the pictures actually bring Shakespeare's words to life. The main complaint that students have regarding the study of Shakespeare is that they don't understand his language. BUT...when you have the pictures you realize that his words are not that difficult to understand --- and in fact, if you take the time to really listen to the words (Shakespeare is meant to be read and heard aloud) - you also discover that the language is beautiful. NOW...here is an interesting thought that I need to further develop before I send you a definitive answer --- I somehow do not mind the pictures of Manga nearly as much as I did the graphic novel. Perhaps - subconsciously, I find the Manga renditions in black and white more sophisticated? I don't know - need to explore it more. But I have thoroughly enjoyed the artwork as much as the storyline.

At the end of our discussion I asked her for a final verdict on her manga experience.
As I ponder this situation I think it is this: the graphic novel is too stimulating for my little mind. I cannot take in all the pictures - the word bubbles in various locales - the colors, etc. It is an overload for my simplistic brain and I become frustrated and exhausted. I think I prefer the standard book form because I only have to focus on words --- all of them are read left to right - all of them are black and white. It is an "auto pilot" activity and I like that. Odd, huh?!


7.Would you read Manga again?
Would I read another Manga book? Perhaps if it were in this vein - that is, another translation of a literary classic into a Manga format (Dickens might lend himself nicely to this visual medium) - but I am not sure that I will rush to my local bookstore and start buying Manga books off the shelves.

8.Or try another Graphic novel in the future?
No, I am not at all opposed to reading more graphic novels. As you know, science fiction does stretch my mind a bit (ok -- a lot!!) --- and super-hero action adventure stories are in that same category. Even when I was younger I rarely read the Superman and Spiderman comics - I went more for the "funnnies" :)
When I started teaching British Literature (with no prior qualifications or experience --- I am a French and Political Science major), I nearly shuddered to think that I had to teach Beowulf and Sir Gawain --- ancient super heroes, if you ask me. But a funny thing as happened -- the more I read these stories - and read the commentaries -- the more I truly appreciate this genre and the valuable lessons it teaches us.

Molly finished by adding: I , too, have enjoyed this foray into a new genre, and I have especially enjoyed doing this with you.

I, too, really enjoyed my experience of Watchmen, and after Molly posts her interview emails with me, I will do a final wrap-up here. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about manga through Molly's eyes, especially because we are close in age and as I discovered, we both had had similar views towards graphic novels and manga: ewww, comic books! As she said, and I've mentioned before, this was because when we grew up, it most definitely was frowned on to be caught reading comic books after a certain age. It took a lot of courage to pick up my copy of Watchmen (even though it is nicely bound in a softcover trade edition, thus hiding the graphic material within!!), but once I opened the first page, I didn't care if it was a comic book or not. It isn't, but I'll save my reasons why, for my post. What I do want to say here is that Molly raises an interesting point about how she had to learn to read graphic novels and manga, to go between the words and the images, and that it was hard work. I too, between reading Castle Waiting and then Watchmen, had to learn how to read the words and then the pictures, and how to decide what was important to focus on. It is an art, and I wonder if people who are more visually leaning towards learning, find reading graphic novels a more pleasurable experience than say someone who learns by experience, or auditory sound.

So, that's my Sunday Salon. Thank you, Nymeth, for a most exciting mini-challenge. It was challenging and fun!

And I have to add, anyone in the mood for fairy poetry today, should go check out Nymeth's post today.

Watchmen

Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. I'm reading this for Nymeth's mini-challenge for March. I'm just finishing Chapter 3. I am in awe. I had no idea it was going to be this good. And make no mistake - this is really good fantasy, dark stuff, the stuff that is gritty and noir and filled with heroes and men trying to be more than they are, and the humour is as black as it gets and good. If I were to have a conversation with the part of me that wants to be a superhero - and believe me, I have a part to my nature that wishes I could fly and rescue people and save the world - my super alter ego would be like the dark nature of this book. I know it would. I am sarcastic in my real life, and while I come across as someone who laughs a lot, it's because underneath I'm aware of how twisted life can be, and how much pain we end up being a part of by being in this world. That's what this graphic novel is like. It's bittersweet, it's wry, it's funny, it's dark , it's got superheros who are flawed. This book is as much about relationships and people's secrets as it is about saving the world. There are subtexts, that deepen the stories being written about, exploring say, love, or aging, from different points of view. All kinds of stories are being played out across the pages. The illustrations themselves add another whole layer to the story, and frequently the words are set in direct contrast with the illustrations, creating still another level of meaning on each page and often, each square of story. There is a tremendous feeling of world-weary truth you get when you've saved the world and it's not enough because the world will need saving again. It's good, it's dark, and I'm so happy I finally let myself read it!

And if you haven't yet, please go out and try it. It is marvelous writing and storytelling and art all together in one book.

And this is just at then end of chapter 3!!

I also have to say that even though it was written in 1985, there is a timeless quality to it - even the headlines in the papers, written for then, still apply now - possible war in Afghanistan, Russians moving, threat of nuclear war - headlines we still have now. I don't know if that means that the human race hasn't moved forward at all, or if the writers picked up on essential stories that perhaps the world is still wrestling with, something that we now know won't be solved easily - but there it is, front and square in the graphic novel, and no one in charge in the world (ie the US President, the UN) know quite how to handle it. La plus ca change........so this novel is relevant still today, and it gives a haunting feel to the novel. Will we ever figure out the answer?

Simply amazing.

library! and the end finally of the bus strike

It has been well over a year since I last went to the library. Some bloggers had been posting after Christmas about the books they picked up, and it reminded me - I have a great resource for books! I had fallen out of use with it over the past two years.

Then, we had the bus strike. There I sat, compiling lists from bloggers of books I really want to read, and I couldn't get to the library.

Breakthrough!!! The bus strike is over!!! Now, we are not actually jumping for joy yet, because a) the buses don't actually start until this Saturday, and b) there will be a great delay in getting so many on the road because the mechanics were part of the strike, that they are recommending people still try to find alternate ways of getting around. Which means, we get one bus line back, but not our rush hour bus. The good news is, I can get to the library again!

So today, on my second to last drive home from work, we stopped at the library so I could renew my card (it had sadly lapsed. What kind of bookworm am I, that my library card hasn't been used in over a year?). and then, because we were there, and I'm planning on going with the kids on Saturday as part of our 'thank heaven the buses are back!' trip out of the house, I looked for books for myself, a 1/2 hour of just randomly wandering the shelves. I had a tiny list with me, and happily found one book on it:


bad Blogger #1: SHARED Eva and Nymeth
Nymeth: review here for
Castle Waiting, by Linda Medley. Nymeth's review and
Eva: review here made this book go right onto my to read list. Lo and behold, what do I find at my library today but a hard cover copy with the whole edition! Their reviews were so good that I might, just might, have to start with this one. Fairy tales and illustrations - my very first graphic novel.



bad blogger # 2: Geraniumcat
Geranium Cat's review here
The Autumn Castle - Kim Wilkins
As you can see by my comment to Geranium Cat, I did go get this book after all! It looks very good too...



bad blogger # 3 BookZombie
BookZombie's review here - her review is for Tales From the Crypts, which I was looking for. I didn't see it, but I did see: Swamp Thing! So, I remember reading some of this when I was younger...it's not quite the same horror as Tales From the Crypts, my all-time favourite comic book as a child, but it will do until I can get me some Tales. Thanks, BookZombie, because your review made me realize the Tales are still around!

I also picked up:

Ten Little Indians by Sherman Alexie, an author I have been wanting to try for a very long time. This is a collection of short stories.

Faerie Tales, ed Martin Greenberg

Just because I saw the cover, and it was irresistible, and I can't resist short stories about faeries and humans.

Nature of Balance - Tim Lebbon

This was in our new release books, but I guess it was newly bought by our library, since it turns out to be published in 2001. Who could resist the first line: 'The dead girl holds her mother's hand.' It looks quite good, and so another just because book.

One of the best things about having my library card up to date is that I can start reserving books again! that was the real reason I went in today. So some bloggers will be getting points in the coming months. For now, a special greeting to Chris, who ever since he reviewed Cherie Priest,
here, I have been longing to read her books. Chris, if I can get all three of her books, you get three points! I also have to say that Chris is very persuasive, as ever since he reviewed John Scalzi's Old Man's War here, I have been seeing and I almost bought, but I am trying to restrain my book buying until we get our new shelves in and I have space again. So this is another for the library.

So, our bus nightmare is over, and we are so anxious to have life resume in our city.I will have precious reading time again, although I will miss getting home early and being able to read before picking the kids up from daycare.

I have some books to put down for the library challenge, finally! And, as I searched the blogs for the bloggers who had made the original recommendations for books, I saw 4 more titles to request at the library! No, indeed, in my world, you can never have too many books to read.....just more time, please, to read them all!