Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
dark
fast-paced
This is by far one of the best true-crime books out there right now. So many books in this genre are concerned primarily with the crimes of their subjects and the process of the discovery and capture of said individuals. Very rarely are they able to give a detailed account of the person's youth, and when they do, they grasp at straws in an effort to explain why their subject did what they did. It results in either cliched answers, rumor and conjecture being cited as fact, or the ever-present refrain of "we may never know". What sets "My Friend Dahmer" apart is that it does focus on this time in Dahmer's life, and does so without falling victim to the same pitfalls. If anything, it is one of those rare times when we are given real answers that others wouldn't even consider. The author was never Dahmer's best buddy, and he never claims to be. But he was his friend for a time. And it is this inside/outside perspective that makes him uniquely qualified to explain what went wrong in this man's life. He is close enough to say that the warning signs were there, that Dahmer had problems that should have been addressed, but he is also removed enough to concede that they were easy to miss for those wrapped up in their own lives, especially since Dahmer himself faded so well into the landscape. The other beauty of his simultaneous removal and proximity is that it makes it easier to trust what Backderf has to say. He was removed enough from Dahmer that his comments don't come off like an effort to assuage personal guilt, like that of Dahmer's parents sometimes do, but he was close enough that you can see and understand why he would feel a need to write this story at all. It's not a blatant cash-grab (especially since it's a graphic novel and not a mass market paperback). It genuinely seems like the work of someone who simply got tired of hearing the conjecture and wanted to get the truth out about someone he truly views as a tragic figure prior to his first murder. Backderf's meticulous research and confirmation of events through documentation and the recollections of others who were there also lend themselves to overall feel of the book as being an exercise in truth-telling.
This all makes for a compelling and engrossing read. Up til now, I had viewed Jeffrey Dahmer as little more than a boogeyman, fodder for cheap movies and Kesha song lyrics. This book humanized him for me. I still find what he did repulsive, but now I am able to picture him as a real person rather than a figure of myth. He was a kid once who had friends and a sense of humor and perhaps even a future. But that is not how his life went. Humanizing someone who did such horrifying things is no easy feat, but Backderf has done it, using a medium that is not always taken seriously in the literary world. It is an impressive accomplishment. His rather cartoony, less realistic drawing style enhances this effect in a way I can't explain. Essentially, the author was able to make these people and their world REAL for me, which goes a long way in helping me understand the man and his crimes.
I recommend this one highly for any and all true-crime fans. This is an experience unlike any you have had before, and you will not be disappointed.
This all makes for a compelling and engrossing read. Up til now, I had viewed Jeffrey Dahmer as little more than a boogeyman, fodder for cheap movies and Kesha song lyrics. This book humanized him for me. I still find what he did repulsive, but now I am able to picture him as a real person rather than a figure of myth. He was a kid once who had friends and a sense of humor and perhaps even a future. But that is not how his life went. Humanizing someone who did such horrifying things is no easy feat, but Backderf has done it, using a medium that is not always taken seriously in the literary world. It is an impressive accomplishment. His rather cartoony, less realistic drawing style enhances this effect in a way I can't explain. Essentially, the author was able to make these people and their world REAL for me, which goes a long way in helping me understand the man and his crimes.
I recommend this one highly for any and all true-crime fans. This is an experience unlike any you have had before, and you will not be disappointed.
A nonfiction graphic novel about the author's recollection of his strange high school classmate and sort-of friend, Jeffrey Dahmer. It was very well done and also very creepy.
Since reading The Influencing Machine, I have been wondering whether the graphic novel format might not be as good at portraying nonfiction. As I said in my "Influencing Machine" review, that book didn't gain much from the comic format and it seemed that it would have worked better as prose. "Dahmer", however, proved that the graphics can add a lot to the story, even a true story, provided it is the right kind of story and the right artist.
I also have to say that some of the other reviews I have read here seem to be totally off base. I did not think that Backderf was trying to defend Dahmer in any way, or that he was trying to blame parents or teachers for what Dahmer later became. He was wondering why adults didn't notice that there was something seriously wrong with the guy, when he and his friends could see it themselves. And he also wonders whether lives might have been saved if they had noticed. That's not the same as saying those adults were at fault for the murders, and they are fair questions to ask. The book can be disturbing, but that is its strength, not a criticism.
Since reading The Influencing Machine, I have been wondering whether the graphic novel format might not be as good at portraying nonfiction. As I said in my "Influencing Machine" review, that book didn't gain much from the comic format and it seemed that it would have worked better as prose. "Dahmer", however, proved that the graphics can add a lot to the story, even a true story, provided it is the right kind of story and the right artist.
I also have to say that some of the other reviews I have read here seem to be totally off base. I did not think that Backderf was trying to defend Dahmer in any way, or that he was trying to blame parents or teachers for what Dahmer later became. He was wondering why adults didn't notice that there was something seriously wrong with the guy, when he and his friends could see it themselves. And he also wonders whether lives might have been saved if they had noticed. That's not the same as saying those adults were at fault for the murders, and they are fair questions to ask. The book can be disturbing, but that is its strength, not a criticism.
dark
informative
fast-paced
Es interesante el punto de vista, pero la figura del escritor me parece terrible, un bully más que ayudó a que pasara lo que pasó.
1 Star = I wish I hadn't wasted my time reading it.
I didn't realise that this was a graphic novel when I picked it up in the book store, or I wouldn't have bought it. I don't like graphic novels. If I wanted to read a comic book, I would. In fact, I like comic books, and my adult daughter has an extensive collection.
Anyway, back to this book. Here goes.
1. There is no way in hell that the author (or his dickhead friends) were ever a FRIEND to Dahmer. They laughed 'at' him, not 'with' him, and they used him as a source of entertainment, nothing more. He should have written an apology for adding to Dahmer's already heavy emotional load, but I guess he didn't feel sorry for his part in Dahmer's life.
2. I'm a true crime fan, and I fully realise that Dahmer committed very tragic, and gruesome, murders. But, in my humble opinion, the author just hitched his wagon to Dahmer's 'star' to get his 15 minutes of fame, and some cold, hard cash.
I could go on, but this is just making me feel sick to my stomach, so, I'm going to stop here.
I didn't realise that this was a graphic novel when I picked it up in the book store, or I wouldn't have bought it. I don't like graphic novels. If I wanted to read a comic book, I would. In fact, I like comic books, and my adult daughter has an extensive collection.
Anyway, back to this book. Here goes.
1. There is no way in hell that the author (or his dickhead friends) were ever a FRIEND to Dahmer. They laughed 'at' him, not 'with' him, and they used him as a source of entertainment, nothing more. He should have written an apology for adding to Dahmer's already heavy emotional load, but I guess he didn't feel sorry for his part in Dahmer's life.
2. I'm a true crime fan, and I fully realise that Dahmer committed very tragic, and gruesome, murders. But, in my humble opinion, the author just hitched his wagon to Dahmer's 'star' to get his 15 minutes of fame, and some cold, hard cash.
I could go on, but this is just making me feel sick to my stomach, so, I'm going to stop here.
so, i don’t even know how to feel about this one. like, at all. no rating feels right because how do you rate something like this?
first off, the illustrations? great. the artwork is well done, it pulls you in and makes you feel like you’re walking the halls of jeffrey dahmer’s high school yourself. but the subject matter? yeah… uncomfortable is putting it lightly. this is about jeffrey dahmer, a real person who did unspeakable things. and it’s weirdly fascinating but also horrifying. i’m still processing.
what really stuck with me, though, is just how normal everything seemed at first. like, dahmer was just another quiet kid sitting in the back of the classroom. it’s terrifying to think that the person sitting next to you in school—or your neighbor or anyone—could end up on the news for something horrific. it messes with your head.
this comic gave me a lot to think about. it didn’t glorify or excuse anything, which i appreciated, but it still left me unsettled (as it should). it’s a heavy, eerie reminder that monsters don’t come out of nowhere—they’re shaped by their environment, their upbringing, their choices. and somehow, that’s scarier than anything fictional.
first off, the illustrations? great. the artwork is well done, it pulls you in and makes you feel like you’re walking the halls of jeffrey dahmer’s high school yourself. but the subject matter? yeah… uncomfortable is putting it lightly. this is about jeffrey dahmer, a real person who did unspeakable things. and it’s weirdly fascinating but also horrifying. i’m still processing.
what really stuck with me, though, is just how normal everything seemed at first. like, dahmer was just another quiet kid sitting in the back of the classroom. it’s terrifying to think that the person sitting next to you in school—or your neighbor or anyone—could end up on the news for something horrific. it messes with your head.
this comic gave me a lot to think about. it didn’t glorify or excuse anything, which i appreciated, but it still left me unsettled (as it should). it’s a heavy, eerie reminder that monsters don’t come out of nowhere—they’re shaped by their environment, their upbringing, their choices. and somehow, that’s scarier than anything fictional.
dark
fast-paced
This was my first venture into a graphic novel in years. The subject matter was interesting. Being told from someone on the outside - a peripheral friend, was a different take that I haven't seen before. I liked the parts where the author was describing things more outside of the graphics and speech bubbles. Overall, it was a good read.
Nog sure I would call the writer and Jeffrey Dahmer 'friends' exactly. Or at least it was a very lopsided one. Interesting, shocking read. I can hardly imagine what went through the writer as the truth unfolded.
Disclaimer: ik had nog nooit van Dahmer gehoord. Voor mij ontbrak een gedeelte van de impact, want ik ben me er niet van bewust hoe gruwelijk zijn daden na zijn jeugd waren.
Dan, over het boek zelf. Ten eerste wat zaken die ik het boek aanreken. Door My Friend Dahmer ben ik niet in de wereld van Dahmer getrokken. Ik ben achteraf niet neurotisch gaan wikipedia'en wat die gast allemaal gedaan had, het boek heeft me niet in zijn leven getrokken of me in hem gefascineerd gemaakt. Het voelt daarom nogal incrowd.
Derf Backderf komt daarnaast over als een weinig sympathiek persoon. Hij verontschuldigt zich meerdere malen voor zijn bijna-hommage aan de latere seriemoordenaar, om elke keer te benadrukken dat Dahmer na zijn eerste moord zelfmoord had moeten plegen, maar daar het lef niet voor had. Dat is nogal een claim van iemand die zich in zijn jeugd nooit echt verdiept heeft in de psyche van deze man (de titel 'My Friend Dahmer' is dan ook nogal potsierlijk, want er valt geen vriendschap te detecteren tussen de tekenaar en de seriemoordenaar).
Backderf vindt bovendien dat het alle volwassenen aan te rekenen valt dat zij niet tijdig zijn gedrag gesignaleerd hebben. Maar wat nou, beste Backderf (wat is dat voor naam?), als Dahmer een geniale psychopaat was die a: moeilijk te doorgronden was en b: ten onder ging aan zijn eigen psyche, dus a: niet vroegtijdig te detecteren was en b: compassie verdient, ondanks zijn daden?
Dat over het grotere geheel der dingen. Het boek zelf is zeer, zeer prima te doen. Het toont in een mooie, particuliere en hallucinante zwart-wit-tekenstijl de vreemde, anachronistische wereld van de jaren '70 in de VS, met personages die zo uit de boeken van Stephen King lijken weggelopen. Er zit ook - ongeacht waar je vandaan komt - veel herkenning in, want iedereen had wel zo'n ondoorgrondelijke dropout in de klas of studiejaar, die je - uit verveling, om hoger op de sociale ladder te komen, vanwege onzekerheid, of door puur onbewuste afkeer - pestte (toch, iedereen?). Ik kreeg het ook echt te doen met Dahmer (en daarvoor alle lof voor Backderf), getormenteerd door zijn geest, vermalen door de huiselijke chaos, vernietigd door de sociale structuren op school.
Maar toch. Als je geen kennis hebt van het bijbehorende verhaal, dan is het eerder een hoogst particuliere memorie / verantwoording dan een universeel aangrijpend boek. Dus leuk, maar zeker niet geniaal.
Dan, over het boek zelf. Ten eerste wat zaken die ik het boek aanreken. Door My Friend Dahmer ben ik niet in de wereld van Dahmer getrokken. Ik ben achteraf niet neurotisch gaan wikipedia'en wat die gast allemaal gedaan had, het boek heeft me niet in zijn leven getrokken of me in hem gefascineerd gemaakt. Het voelt daarom nogal incrowd.
Derf Backderf komt daarnaast over als een weinig sympathiek persoon. Hij verontschuldigt zich meerdere malen voor zijn bijna-hommage aan de latere seriemoordenaar, om elke keer te benadrukken dat Dahmer na zijn eerste moord zelfmoord had moeten plegen, maar daar het lef niet voor had. Dat is nogal een claim van iemand die zich in zijn jeugd nooit echt verdiept heeft in de psyche van deze man (de titel 'My Friend Dahmer' is dan ook nogal potsierlijk, want er valt geen vriendschap te detecteren tussen de tekenaar en de seriemoordenaar).
Backderf vindt bovendien dat het alle volwassenen aan te rekenen valt dat zij niet tijdig zijn gedrag gesignaleerd hebben. Maar wat nou, beste Backderf (wat is dat voor naam?), als Dahmer een geniale psychopaat was die a: moeilijk te doorgronden was en b: ten onder ging aan zijn eigen psyche, dus a: niet vroegtijdig te detecteren was en b: compassie verdient, ondanks zijn daden?
Dat over het grotere geheel der dingen. Het boek zelf is zeer, zeer prima te doen. Het toont in een mooie, particuliere en hallucinante zwart-wit-tekenstijl de vreemde, anachronistische wereld van de jaren '70 in de VS, met personages die zo uit de boeken van Stephen King lijken weggelopen. Er zit ook - ongeacht waar je vandaan komt - veel herkenning in, want iedereen had wel zo'n ondoorgrondelijke dropout in de klas of studiejaar, die je - uit verveling, om hoger op de sociale ladder te komen, vanwege onzekerheid, of door puur onbewuste afkeer - pestte (toch, iedereen?). Ik kreeg het ook echt te doen met Dahmer (en daarvoor alle lof voor Backderf), getormenteerd door zijn geest, vermalen door de huiselijke chaos, vernietigd door de sociale structuren op school.
Maar toch. Als je geen kennis hebt van het bijbehorende verhaal, dan is het eerder een hoogst particuliere memorie / verantwoording dan een universeel aangrijpend boek. Dus leuk, maar zeker niet geniaal.