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biophile's review
3.0
I've been reading the amusing and quirky Motel Art Improvement Service weekly comic on Jason Little's site for a few months now. Digging through his other work a while ago I found a teaser for his book Shutterbug Follies. Luckily I found this book in my local library the other day and scooped it up. It's a short story about a young woman who while working at a photo-lab uncovers a mystery that she can't resist investigating. Little has a great drawing style (and loves to use dramatic punchy colours) that reminds me of the Tintin books I read as a kid. While I really enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to anyone, Shutterbug Follies suffers the curse of the graphic novel - a very high price to reading time ratio.
reickel's review
1.0
I think this graphic novel is defined by a big swing-and-miss, which is making the main character likeable/relatable. She isn't; I was actively rooting against her throughout. I would not recommend this to anyone.
*Spoilers:*
If the book had ended up with her getting arrested, I would've been much more conflicted about the story. The main character is a creepy and careless criminal, and it turns out one of her victims is an even bigger criminal. I'm glad the worse criminal is caught, but frustrated that the main character is free and content to continue her awful ways, with nary a consequence or even acknowledgement that... ya know, she is an awful predator!
*Spoilers:*
If the book had ended up with her getting arrested, I would've been much more conflicted about the story. The main character is a creepy and careless criminal, and it turns out one of her victims is an even bigger criminal. I'm glad the worse criminal is caught, but frustrated that the main character is free and content to continue her awful ways, with nary a consequence or even acknowledgement that... ya know, she is an awful predator!
saidtheraina's review
4.0
SO fun. Definitely my new favorite graphic novelist discovery. I wish TRL had more of his stuff. Totally accessible illustration style with awesome saturated color assisted by my girl [a:Raina Telgemeier|21618|Raina Telgemeier|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1200153437p2/21618.jpg]. I used to love Nancy Drew mysteries, so this was right up my alley. NYC girl develops film for a living - discovers a horrible secret about a local famous artist. Lots of crime closeups, nudity, action. Fast fun lush read.
esotericawkwardness's review
2.0
What is an otherwise interesting story is significantly hindered by the unrealistic portrayal of women characters written from a male perspective.
Bee is an interesting character, but her reaction to creepy behavior from Huey, is bizarre and not at all realistic. Moreover, it seems completely unnecessary since that character and the entire subplot is abandoned shortly after the incident.
It seems strange to me why the author felt the need to include that scene at all, as it does not further the plot in anyway, and seems to serve no purpose except to seemingly vindicate creepy behavior from men.
Granted, some of Bee’s own behavior is problematic, in that she routinely violates the privacy of the customers at her work. However, this is at least central to the plot, and is never specifically condoned.
Additionally, the ending if the book is surprisingly abrupt, and become strangely laser focused on wrapping up the plot.
While the art and characters in the book are intriguing, the book is overall significantly hampered by its faults. I kept finding myself thinking it would be interesting to see how the story would’ve turned out if it had been written by a woman author instead.
Bee is an interesting character, but her reaction to creepy behavior from Huey, is bizarre and not at all realistic. Moreover, it seems completely unnecessary since that character and the entire subplot is abandoned shortly after the incident.
It seems strange to me why the author felt the need to include that scene at all, as it does not further the plot in anyway, and seems to serve no purpose except to seemingly vindicate creepy behavior from men.
Granted, some of Bee’s own behavior is problematic, in that she routinely violates the privacy of the customers at her work. However, this is at least central to the plot, and is never specifically condoned.
Additionally, the ending if the book is surprisingly abrupt, and become strangely laser focused on wrapping up the plot.
While the art and characters in the book are intriguing, the book is overall significantly hampered by its faults. I kept finding myself thinking it would be interesting to see how the story would’ve turned out if it had been written by a woman author instead.
blevins's review
3.0
Lunchtime read of a graphic novel by Jason Little. Lots of photograph and negative action--which is what caught my eye as a young photo lab technician gets caught in a dangerous web of one of the lab's customers. He seems to be photographing murder victims in the name of art while also involved in their actual murder. Will she crack the case without being a photographed corpse?
timgibbons's review
3.0
The art in Shutterbug Follies is outstanding -- an unusual observation for me, as I normally judge graphic novels based solely on the writing.
In this case, my appreciation of the "graphic" part of the graphic novel is aided by the fact that the "novel" part is extraordinarily well done. Noirish without being simply dark (a pitfall all too common, particularly amongst noir comix), the adventures of a photo shop clerk who winds up far in over her head is both entertaining and intriguing, presenting a puzzling mystery, relateable characters and a mixture of drama and comedy that simply works.
In this case, my appreciation of the "graphic" part of the graphic novel is aided by the fact that the "novel" part is extraordinarily well done. Noirish without being simply dark (a pitfall all too common, particularly amongst noir comix), the adventures of a photo shop clerk who winds up far in over her head is both entertaining and intriguing, presenting a puzzling mystery, relateable characters and a mixture of drama and comedy that simply works.
greeniezona's review
4.0
This book was part of my birthday present from my darling sister, Jessa. It is a graphic novel about an eighteen-year-old girl who gets sucked into a murder mystery when she pays just a little too much attention to the photos she is developing at her job at the one-hour photo. Along the way she recruits a curious cab driver and a sweet but fairly clueless art gallery worker to help her in her quest to uncover the truth. Though at times the protaganist is annoyingly naive, the art style is engaging and the final plot twist is brilliant.
nwhyte's review
http://nhw.livejournal.com/573847.html[return][return]Nice little graphic novel about a girl who discovers disturbing things while working in a photography shop developing films. New York and the characters of the city are nicely portrayed. The plot, however, was rather cliched and improbable: at one point our heroine, Bee, is asked by her friend "So, uh, when are you going to call the cops?" The answer is, not just yet as we are only on page 25 out of 150... Still, good fun, if not exactly great literature.
melanie_reads's review
3.0
Don't all amateur photographers dream that your art will lead to a life of adventure? Spoiler alert: would have worked better if the villain were not a Russian mobster with a syringe of heroin handy!
florapants84's review
3.0
Totally surprised that at the end of the book [a:Raina Telgemeier|21618|Raina Telgemeier|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1200153437p2/21618.jpg] was credited with many of the backdrop illustrations. She is everywhere! Great mystery, and amazing illustrations that lended themselves to the macabe. If you're okay with that, then you'll like it. Loved the urban feel of the neighborhood too, and that the protagonist was a fleshy, pear-shaped woman. It's the little things that count.