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mauro_german's review
4.0
Un crudo relato para una cruda enfermedad , desde el punto de vista único de esta pareja de artistas.
gunstreet's review
4.0
Really enjoyed the story, but I felt the loose style of the artwork didn't express as much emotion as I would have thought there would be in a book like this.
debi_g's review
2.0
I am one of those grumps who does not often enjoy the mixture of art and narrative. This volume does nothing to increase my appreciation for the medium. The style of the artwork for this book was difficult to look at. Cross-hatched lines cover faces, for instance, and the dark space felt sloppy though I'm sure it is intended to be symbolic. In any case, graphic novels simply interfere with my ability to access the story. Words are easier for my brain to manage and I don't like the clutter of drawings and speech bubbles.
Neither inspirational nor maudlin, neither personal nor impersonal, this book is merely perplexing. The story is unnecessarily fragmented and challenging to parse: which thread matters? The handyman? The kids in various war-torn homes? The jobs? The purchase of a home? The carpentress? Oh yeah, cancer; the story does finally get around to the full impact cancer has upon the lives of the patients and those who love them.
Although a book about illness is bound to be a downer, this portrayal manages to be depressing without much detail. My understanding of the experience is no greater, no more sympathetic, than it was prior to reading the book, and that's the ultimate disappointment.
Neither inspirational nor maudlin, neither personal nor impersonal, this book is merely perplexing. The story is unnecessarily fragmented and challenging to parse: which thread matters? The handyman? The kids in various war-torn homes? The jobs? The purchase of a home? The carpentress? Oh yeah, cancer; the story does finally get around to the full impact cancer has upon the lives of the patients and those who love them.
Although a book about illness is bound to be a downer, this portrayal manages to be depressing without much detail. My understanding of the experience is no greater, no more sympathetic, than it was prior to reading the book, and that's the ultimate disappointment.
spiffysarahruby's review
4.0
This was my first exposure to the works of Harvey Pekar (other than the movie "American Splendor") and it was everything I had expected it to be. Brutally honest with love and pain equally.
Like other reviewers I found the art more than a bit rough, but artistically speaking, I can see why they chose to go this route. Cancer fucks up your whole universe, the treatments just as much as the disease itself. The distortion seemed pretty appropriate and after a while I didn't notice it so much.
I enjoyed this read immensely and can't wait to read more Pekar stuff.
Like other reviewers I found the art more than a bit rough, but artistically speaking, I can see why they chose to go this route. Cancer fucks up your whole universe, the treatments just as much as the disease itself. The distortion seemed pretty appropriate and after a while I didn't notice it so much.
I enjoyed this read immensely and can't wait to read more Pekar stuff.
kricketa's review
I like Pekar's writing but Stacks' artwork is not for me. I keep picking this up and putting it back down. Alas.
norrin2's review
3.0
I've read a lot of Harvey Pekar's "American Splendor" but I was reluctant to pick up this volume - probably because it's illustrated by my least favorite Splendor artist Frank Stack. Yes, I know he's a great artist, an underground comics legend, but his dark scratchy style is an acquired taste I never acquired. This is the first one I've read that was co-written by Pekar's wife Joyce Brabner and I appreciated her input. I also appreciated not having to spend the whole book in Harvey's head. Harvey does not face cancer with grace, courage and humor. He faces it the way most of us would - with anger, self - pity and lots of whining. If you're looking for inspiration, look elsewhere. If you're looking for honesty, however you've come to the right place.
brittmariasbooks's review
3.0
Our Cancer Year is an autobiographical graphic novel about Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner. The book is about the year that Harvey got cancer. It shows the difficult and heartfelt moments of the year. I liked non-fiction graphic novels because they convey emotion in me easier. The art is okay.
theartolater's review
3.0
I loved it, but it made things clear regarding what I often dislike about graphic novels - not that they're books with pictures, but rather movies without motion or sound. If they're well-done, it doesn't make a difference, but it's always kind of jarring. Our Cancer Year was jarring in that respect - it hit me like a good book or movie, but it also kept drawing me away because of the style, which works for lots of people.