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robin_dh's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jgintrovertedreader's review
4.0
4.5 stars, rounded down.
When I started this yesterday, I loved it. I loved the artwork, I loved the creation stories, I loved the premise. I only had time to read about 125 pages though. I had to finish it today to return it to the library. I still enjoyed it, but I had lost the thread and the magic a bit. I wish I had finished it yesterday while I was obviously in the right frame of mind.
When I started this yesterday, I loved it. I loved the artwork, I loved the creation stories, I loved the premise. I only had time to read about 125 pages though. I had to finish it today to return it to the library. I still enjoyed it, but I had lost the thread and the magic a bit. I wish I had finished it yesterday while I was obviously in the right frame of mind.
600bars's review
3.0
I felt about this the exact way I feel whenever I read a Mark Danielewski book. I want to like it because it looks cool, but then I read it and I’m like… is this really all it’s saying?
Cages is about a painter who moves to a mysterious apartment full of other mysterious characters, like a jazz pianist and a reclusive writer. I was most interested in the writer, who was undergoing a Salman Rushdie situation. Speaking of which, is he alive? Did he lose his eye? Anyway, a book the writer wrote was causing angry mobs, so he was moved into a sort of witness protection program. Men in suits come through their apartment and take away things he loves, and his wife is upset because if that’s the case why is she still there?
The book is wonderful to look at. The comics are in black white and light blue, and I liked their style. There’s mixed media portions and it’s all very dreamlike. But yeah I thought of “The Familiar” where there were so many bells and whistles all for a story about a cat. The characters and story in cages are more substantive than that (this is also cat heavy tbh), there are musings about creativity and the concept of creation in general. But it was still nothing I really connected to or felt moved by. I would give it 2 stars but I liked the art enough to add one.
Cages is about a painter who moves to a mysterious apartment full of other mysterious characters, like a jazz pianist and a reclusive writer. I was most interested in the writer, who was undergoing a Salman Rushdie situation. Speaking of which, is he alive? Did he lose his eye? Anyway, a book the writer wrote was causing angry mobs, so he was moved into a sort of witness protection program. Men in suits come through their apartment and take away things he loves, and his wife is upset because if that’s the case why is she still there?
The book is wonderful to look at. The comics are in black white and light blue, and I liked their style. There’s mixed media portions and it’s all very dreamlike. But yeah I thought of “The Familiar” where there were so many bells and whistles all for a story about a cat. The characters and story in cages are more substantive than that (this is also cat heavy tbh), there are musings about creativity and the concept of creation in general. But it was still nothing I really connected to or felt moved by. I would give it 2 stars but I liked the art enough to add one.
opentlen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.25
sushai's review against another edition
3.0
Visually creative and stunning, as expected. The story line is Charlie-Kaufmanesque; if it were a movie, I'd try to watch it a few more times to see if I could "figure it out." As it is, the loose ends and abrupt ending had me more confused than intrigued.
scottwoods's review against another edition
5.0
Unlike most so-called graphic novels, this book is primarily a novel-like experience that happened to be released in separate issues. Taken as a whole, it is a stunning, blazing tour de force of art, storytelling and audacity. Some of McKean's trademark visuals come into play - cats with human faces, etc. - but with an arc that is both epic and intimate at htesame time. Not light reading.
captainstealthypants's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I don't know if I understood it. But it was beautiful, and I enjoyed it, and I'm gonna be thinking about it for a while.