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kaelino's review
5.0
Wow. What a gorgeous, multi-layered book this is, and where do I begin in my praise? The drawings are beautiful. The characters are interesting and passionate. The story is a testament to love. It challenges us to ask ourselves what we are doing with the time we have on earth. The book also examines art and its place in our society, and it ponders how we even define the term. What is art, and what does it mean for our lives? Is it defined by the creator or by the people who interpret the creation? What does it mean to be a successful artist, and does being a success in art mean having a successful life?
The two characters here, David, a sculptor and Meg, an actress, both struggle to "succeed" in their own lives. David is desperate for recognition for his work. He lives and breathes to create, even to the point of obsession. Meg doubts her talents and abilities as an actress but offsets her perceived shortcomings by living like the world is her oyster. She makes the little moments count and grasps enthusiastically at opportunities to have fun. She reaches out generously to the homeless and forms many new relationships, and these relationships are satisfying to her. She does struggle with her own demons, but she is more or less content. When David is unable to get recognition from others for his art, he retreats into himself and obsesses over his abilities and his artistic approach to the point of alienating himself from the people around him. Even his unique gift of physically manipulating any object around him into a beautiful sculpture cannot satisfy him. It is these differences, perhaps, that draw David and Meg together, and that also pull them apart.
McCloud constructs this book so masterfully, pulling you in from the outset with its curious premise, not to mention beautiful artwork. He captures the tinier details of ordinary life: a fork on a plate, a moth on a wall, the click of a doorknob, a tap spilling beer into a glass. The people he's drawn are even more amazing. David is not particularly distinctive in appearance. He's a good-looking guy, maybe the boy next door, but his wide-eyed expressions and intense furrowed brow are endearing. Meg is the real vision. Her's is a face you don't see in most comic books or movies. She is freckled, with a longish nose and a childlike innocence in her smile. She is stunning, but not in the way most comic book leading ladies are. I find this very refreshing, and one of many reasons this book wins with me.
I struggle to write a detailed review touching on everything I love about this book. I also hesitate to discuss its flaws while I'm still basking in the afterglow of intense feelings it elicited in me. This book is not perfect. It has some cliched dialogue. I also kept asking myself, what did David's artwork look like when he had his first successes with the investor? Nevertheless, the book gave me new confidence in my own creativity. It gave me the warm fuzzies that new love, and the possibility of new love, can give you. It broke my heart and brought me to tears...even a few sobs here and there. I don't believe a graphic novel has ever done that for me.
I didn't want The Sculptor to end, and that just doesn't happen to me very often. I wish I could write eloquently about it so that I could do it the proper justice. I will just say I loved it, it moved me, and I'm rather despondent that it may be a long while before I read anything that compares.
The two characters here, David, a sculptor and Meg, an actress, both struggle to "succeed" in their own lives. David is desperate for recognition for his work. He lives and breathes to create, even to the point of obsession. Meg doubts her talents and abilities as an actress but offsets her perceived shortcomings by living like the world is her oyster. She makes the little moments count and grasps enthusiastically at opportunities to have fun. She reaches out generously to the homeless and forms many new relationships, and these relationships are satisfying to her. She does struggle with her own demons, but she is more or less content. When David is unable to get recognition from others for his art, he retreats into himself and obsesses over his abilities and his artistic approach to the point of alienating himself from the people around him. Even his unique gift of physically manipulating any object around him into a beautiful sculpture cannot satisfy him. It is these differences, perhaps, that draw David and Meg together, and that also pull them apart.
McCloud constructs this book so masterfully, pulling you in from the outset with its curious premise, not to mention beautiful artwork. He captures the tinier details of ordinary life: a fork on a plate, a moth on a wall, the click of a doorknob, a tap spilling beer into a glass. The people he's drawn are even more amazing. David is not particularly distinctive in appearance. He's a good-looking guy, maybe the boy next door, but his wide-eyed expressions and intense furrowed brow are endearing. Meg is the real vision. Her's is a face you don't see in most comic books or movies. She is freckled, with a longish nose and a childlike innocence in her smile. She is stunning, but not in the way most comic book leading ladies are. I find this very refreshing, and one of many reasons this book wins with me.
I struggle to write a detailed review touching on everything I love about this book. I also hesitate to discuss its flaws while I'm still basking in the afterglow of intense feelings it elicited in me. This book is not perfect. It has some cliched dialogue. I also kept asking myself, what did David's artwork look like when he had his first successes with the investor? Nevertheless, the book gave me new confidence in my own creativity. It gave me the warm fuzzies that new love, and the possibility of new love, can give you. It broke my heart and brought me to tears...even a few sobs here and there. I don't believe a graphic novel has ever done that for me.
I didn't want The Sculptor to end, and that just doesn't happen to me very often. I wish I could write eloquently about it so that I could do it the proper justice. I will just say I loved it, it moved me, and I'm rather despondent that it may be a long while before I read anything that compares.
booklywookly's review against another edition
3.0
The Sculptor follows the tumultuous life of David Smith, a 26-year-old sculptor grappling with artistic stagnation and financial ruin. His family is gone, his patron has abandoned him, and he faces eviction. “Cancelled” in the modern art world, he believes he has an artistic greatness in him but not the resources nor the luck to express it. The world owes him a recognition.
Enters Death, who offers David an extraordinary deal: the power to sculpt anything he can imagine, but with a catch—he has only 200 days to live.
The morbid part aside, this is a sweet deal, isn’t it? But what if even with this superpower, deep down, he is just not a good artist? He creates sculptures that defy reality, yet critics remain unimpressed. His art is trivial, unfocused, childish. Not inspirational enough even to be seen any differently from a random graffiti or act of vandalism. The clock ticks relentlessly, and David’s desperation grows. Will he leave behind an artistic legacy before his time runs out?
I liked this graphic novel. The artwork is simple, bluescale, easy to look at, yet atmospheric. The characters are realistically flawed and unlikeable. David is a textbook loner. An angry, compulsive, aggravating young man. A stoic, stubborn, “all in for one thing” kind of hero, with limited social skills and simp-ian tendencies towards a very Clementine-sque manic pixie girl, who has her own set of clichéd quirks. He chooses the possibility of achieving fame in exchange of a shortened life over a long fulfilled life devoid of any fame. He chooses not to acknowledge hardships faced by other people around him. He just wants to be SEEN by people.
This chonker is a love letter to the artists everywhere - not just the celebrated ones but also the ones who would never achieve any success in their life. David’s struggle to create and his decent into madness resonates with anyone who has faced creative blocks or questioned their purpose as an artist, grappling with their craft. His obsession with sculpting consumes him, blurring the line between artistic passion and self-destruction.
It’s also a scathing remark on urban life and hipster culture. The novel captures the zeitgeist of contemporary urban life. Despite the city’s vibrancy, David experiences profound isolation. His struggle to connect with others mirrors the alienation many feel in modern society - depression, frustrated ambition, young love, mental health issues, and finality of life.
introverted_dragon's review
3.0
Rating: 3.70
Plot:
Twenty six year old David Smith is at a loss. Being a sculptor is hard work and he’s hit a dry spell. Not being able to sculpt a single piece is driving him mad and he’s down in the dumps and doesn’t know what to do. But then Death comes along and strikes him a deal he can’t turn down: the ability to sculpt anything with his bare hands. However, there’s a catch, once David makes the deal, he’ll only have 200 days to live and if he tells anyone about his deal then his 200 days will be shortened by 3 days.
David is okay with this; after all he thinks that he has no one left in this world other than his perky best friend Ollie. The last thing he expected was to fall in love but then again we never expect to fall in love. The sweet and enthusiastic Meg, his “angel”, enters his life and makes him question his decision to throw his life away for his art. He’s caught between devoting himself to his work and devoting himself to her. But he’s running out of time and David still wants to make his big splash in the art world before his 200 days are up but a shocking event is just the push he needs in order to sculpt his masterpiece and make his mark in this world.
Characters:
The characters were nice and entertaining but to be honest I didn't really feel for any of them other than David. I just couldn’t connect and I would constantly question Meg’s choices and her behavior. I know she was meant to be careless and reckless but look how that turned out. Honestly the only one I could relate to was David because I know how much of a struggle art is. I'm no huge artist or anything but I know it’s hard to draw, write, sculpt or anything so I kinda understand where David was coming from but still making a deal with Death is a bit much and overdramatic but hell, if that didn't happen we never would’ve met David Smith, now would we?
Thoughts:
I had high hopes for this one but sadly it didn't blow me away like I thought it world. The whole deal with Death thing was right up my alley and I love books that have Death as a character and I liked Harry. But I think the thing that got me was the romantic element in this graphic novel, the romance felt…kinda dead. I mean, first of all, guy meets girl and instantly falls in love with her because she came to him as an angel and told him everything will be alright. Then the same girl takes him after a rather dreadful meeting with his landlord to be. At first she drills him for saying the three special words to her and makes him promise to not say them unless she does first. She constantly ignores his feelings and her friends always tell him that he’s not good enough or not one of her real friends. And she constantly makes him feel like things will never work out. But then they're all lovey-dovey again as if nothing happened. I don’t know maybe it’s just me but I prefer romances that are a bit more interesting and less predictable and cliché.
And aside from the romance, I did like the book; it’s not one of my favorites but it still good. The artwork was amazing and very nice. I liked the style of drawing and thought that it went well with the story. And as for the plot, interesting to say the least, like I said I love books with Death as a character and I really liked Harry and David’s relationship, overall, good read.
If you like books with a funny grim reaper and cute, dedicated sculptors go read this.
Plot:
Twenty six year old David Smith is at a loss. Being a sculptor is hard work and he’s hit a dry spell. Not being able to sculpt a single piece is driving him mad and he’s down in the dumps and doesn’t know what to do. But then Death comes along and strikes him a deal he can’t turn down: the ability to sculpt anything with his bare hands. However, there’s a catch, once David makes the deal, he’ll only have 200 days to live and if he tells anyone about his deal then his 200 days will be shortened by 3 days.
David is okay with this; after all he thinks that he has no one left in this world other than his perky best friend Ollie. The last thing he expected was to fall in love but then again we never expect to fall in love. The sweet and enthusiastic Meg, his “angel”, enters his life and makes him question his decision to throw his life away for his art. He’s caught between devoting himself to his work and devoting himself to her. But he’s running out of time and David still wants to make his big splash in the art world before his 200 days are up but a shocking event is just the push he needs in order to sculpt his masterpiece and make his mark in this world.
Characters:
The characters were nice and entertaining but to be honest I didn't really feel for any of them other than David. I just couldn’t connect and I would constantly question Meg’s choices and her behavior. I know she was meant to be careless and reckless but look how that turned out. Honestly the only one I could relate to was David because I know how much of a struggle art is. I'm no huge artist or anything but I know it’s hard to draw, write, sculpt or anything so I kinda understand where David was coming from but still making a deal with Death is a bit much and overdramatic but hell, if that didn't happen we never would’ve met David Smith, now would we?
Thoughts:
I had high hopes for this one but sadly it didn't blow me away like I thought it world. The whole deal with Death thing was right up my alley and I love books that have Death as a character and I liked Harry. But I think the thing that got me was the romantic element in this graphic novel, the romance felt…kinda dead. I mean, first of all, guy meets girl and instantly falls in love with her because she came to him as an angel and told him everything will be alright. Then the same girl takes him after a rather dreadful meeting with his landlord to be. At first she drills him for saying the three special words to her and makes him promise to not say them unless she does first. She constantly ignores his feelings and her friends always tell him that he’s not good enough or not one of her real friends. And she constantly makes him feel like things will never work out. But then they're all lovey-dovey again as if nothing happened. I don’t know maybe it’s just me but I prefer romances that are a bit more interesting and less predictable and cliché.
And aside from the romance, I did like the book; it’s not one of my favorites but it still good. The artwork was amazing and very nice. I liked the style of drawing and thought that it went well with the story. And as for the plot, interesting to say the least, like I said I love books with Death as a character and I really liked Harry and David’s relationship, overall, good read.
If you like books with a funny grim reaper and cute, dedicated sculptors go read this.
nikshelby's review
5.0
I have read Scott McCloud's "The Sculptor" a few times now. I think it is excellent, and easily one of the best graphic novels that I have ever read.
I already had that opinion, and when I reread it this time -- I still think I'd forgotten how well done it was, and had underrated it.
Faustian deals. Evolution of art. Importance of message as a part of any storytelling expression. The worth of one's time available...and how fleeting it is. The value of love. Finding one's own meaning in life. Importance of friendships, and sharing our time and energy with one another. Fear of death. Fear of life. Fear of vulnerability. The worth of one's own self-opinion versus external praise. Authenticity. Memory. And and and...
I already had that opinion, and when I reread it this time -- I still think I'd forgotten how well done it was, and had underrated it.
Faustian deals. Evolution of art. Importance of message as a part of any storytelling expression. The worth of one's time available...and how fleeting it is. The value of love. Finding one's own meaning in life. Importance of friendships, and sharing our time and energy with one another. Fear of death. Fear of life. Fear of vulnerability. The worth of one's own self-opinion versus external praise. Authenticity. Memory. And and and...
morganski's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wrentheblurry's review
4.0
I started this one on my couch. As the weather warmed up, I took advantage of having a day off work to finish it outside, and no one but my son saw my tears at the end.
I found it difficult to put down, but if you have a bit of time, you won't need to do so. Just go all the way through, enjoying the drawings that perfectly illustrate the anguish of David Smith, the main character. He experiences the highest highs and the lowest lows, and McCloud knows how to execute this both pictorially and through text, and the more challenging part, the marriage of the two.
David has made a deal with the devil, granting him the power to create any art imaginable with his hands, but only for 200 days. A lot happens in that time, and I was completely sucked in. The ending is indeed sad, but satisfying.
I found it difficult to put down, but if you have a bit of time, you won't need to do so. Just go all the way through, enjoying the drawings that perfectly illustrate the anguish of David Smith, the main character. He experiences the highest highs and the lowest lows, and McCloud knows how to execute this both pictorially and through text, and the more challenging part, the marriage of the two.
David has made a deal with the devil, granting him the power to create any art imaginable with his hands, but only for 200 days. A lot happens in that time, and I was completely sucked in. The ending is indeed sad, but satisfying.