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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
It's only in his mind, but that doesn't mean it's not real.
Terrifying yet insightful. My first Stephen King, and one thing's clear: he knows how to write. He knows how to write people.
I first listened to/watched the graphic audiovisual on Youtube. It was good, with the harrowing expressions intently lined on each scene. But to really gauge the effect of the deterioration and spiral, the novella is the way to go. "N" is potentially terrifying because it could very well be true. It's the Pandora's Box of stories. A curse. And an interesting quick psychological read.
I'm not really into graphic novels, but I enjoyed reading this. I even read the foreword and looked through the sketch book at the end. The whole work was well made and a great way to do a Stephen King short story.
I picked up a read the graphic novel adaptation of Stephen King’s N. some time ago and after digesting the work several diverging thoughts crossed my mine. The first was “this is awesome,” followed shortly by “if this was awesome was the short story awesomer”, and lastly concluded with “this would make a really neat short film or single episode of an anthology show.” N., published by Marvel as a four issue mini-series is adapated from the short story of the same name seen in Just After Sunset.
The story uses the classic horror mode of the confessional. Or rather several nested confessionals. This narrative device in which the author (or a fictional author constructed for the story) presents the fiction as truth goes as far back Horace Walpole’s Castle of Otranto (based on an “italian manuscript”) and employed authors like Edgar Allan Poe (The Narrative of Arthur Gordan Pyn of Nantucket) and H. P. Lovecraft (At the Mountains of Madness). This is the same narrative framework that, for better or for worse, has given birth to found footage horror films The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity, and Apollo 18. I am rather a fan of this narrative device, no matter what genre it is used in (though I think it is at its best in horror), and N. cleverly nests several narratives within one another.
The titlular N. is an OCD patient of Dr. John Bonstraint whose encounter with a strange formation of rocks exposes either deeper levels of neurosis or some rather horrific truths about the nature of the universe. Apparently N. is heavily influenced by Arthur Machen’s The Great God Pan (which also inspired Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror) and, particularly in comic form, does a fantastic job of evoking an atmosphere of anxiety and terror. Maleev’s realistic pencils do not in any way hinder his ability to conjure truly horrific monsters and the heavy inks and muted colors used lend the images a palpable weight that really serves to enhance the atmosphere.
N. is complete but doesn’t provide answers to all the questions the narrative asks. Instead N. leaves just enough room to let the imagination of readers extrapolate the horror as far as their twisted minds will allow. If you are a fan of horror I highly recommend going out a grabbing a copy of N. or giving the 25-part motion comic a try.
The story uses the classic horror mode of the confessional. Or rather several nested confessionals. This narrative device in which the author (or a fictional author constructed for the story) presents the fiction as truth goes as far back Horace Walpole’s Castle of Otranto (based on an “italian manuscript”) and employed authors like Edgar Allan Poe (The Narrative of Arthur Gordan Pyn of Nantucket) and H. P. Lovecraft (At the Mountains of Madness). This is the same narrative framework that, for better or for worse, has given birth to found footage horror films The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity, and Apollo 18. I am rather a fan of this narrative device, no matter what genre it is used in (though I think it is at its best in horror), and N. cleverly nests several narratives within one another.
The titlular N. is an OCD patient of Dr. John Bonstraint whose encounter with a strange formation of rocks exposes either deeper levels of neurosis or some rather horrific truths about the nature of the universe. Apparently N. is heavily influenced by Arthur Machen’s The Great God Pan (which also inspired Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror) and, particularly in comic form, does a fantastic job of evoking an atmosphere of anxiety and terror. Maleev’s realistic pencils do not in any way hinder his ability to conjure truly horrific monsters and the heavy inks and muted colors used lend the images a palpable weight that really serves to enhance the atmosphere.
N. is complete but doesn’t provide answers to all the questions the narrative asks. Instead N. leaves just enough room to let the imagination of readers extrapolate the horror as far as their twisted minds will allow. If you are a fan of horror I highly recommend going out a grabbing a copy of N. or giving the 25-part motion comic a try.
This was five stars for me until the ending. I expected everything to be explained. I feel there was no reason for the beginning or the ending and I just read the middle of a story. That being said...this is one of the creepiest stories that I have read. The artwork added to the feelings rather than detract from it. When you're reading or watching the horror genre, that's hard to do. I definitely recommend it but...I wish there was more.
I would have to read the original short story to be completely sure, but I'm willing to bet the story is better than the graphic novel. And it's not a "the-book-is-better-than-the-movie" moment, it's a "where-are-the-chills-down-my-spine" thing. Even the less than horrifying King stories have a small punch in them. This one just flew by me, leaving me indifferent.
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
شيلا تبعث برسالة لصديق طفولتها تشارلي تخبره فيها ان اخيها جوني الذي كان يعمل كطبيب نفسي قد انتحر .. شيلا تعتقد انها كان بسبب مريض اشار له اخيها ب اسم N
The art is just tracings, which is bad enough, but then when N. says he has a Toyota 4Runner, the vehicle depicted is clearly an unbadged Jeep Cherokee (see: tracing).