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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
This was a quick read, and fairly enjoyable, though I was a bit confused by the end. I enjoyed the art style, though it's not for everyone.
I liked it fine until the ending, where I was lost. I have no idea what happened.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars.
The art in this book is gorgeous. Every panel has so much depth, and the way Siegel conveys emotions and intentions with a single expression continually blew my mind.
I really enjoyed the book's overall plot, as well. Magic, mystery, mayhem, madness, and mermaids--what's not to love? I especially liked that the mermaid wasn't a creature of some far-off distant ocean: she was right there in the Hudson. As someone who appreciates spec that makes the familiar unfamiliar, I definitely dug that.
On the down side, the book has some attitudes towards women that make me cringe. As first I thought that was period-related; 1880s New England was hardly a hotbed of radical feminism. As I read on, though, I started to think the issue was author-related: that Siegel sees (or saw, when he was writing and drawing the book starting in 2010) no problem with a sea king with such utter control over his daughters' bodies and sexualities that he banishes them for daring to love "wrong," with women being consistently viewed primarily as either the cause or the cureof men's problems, rather than beings unto themselves, or with a man who says women are only good for sex until he meets one who thinks exactly like him.
Again, some of this is a period problem. But there are ways to distance character attitudes from author attitudes, and I don't feel that Siegel always does that very well.
On the other hand . . . so . . . pretty . . .
The art in this book is gorgeous. Every panel has so much depth, and the way Siegel conveys emotions and intentions with a single expression continually blew my mind.
I really enjoyed the book's overall plot, as well. Magic, mystery, mayhem, madness, and mermaids--what's not to love? I especially liked that the mermaid wasn't a creature of some far-off distant ocean: she was right there in the Hudson. As someone who appreciates spec that makes the familiar unfamiliar, I definitely dug that.
On the down side, the book has some attitudes towards women that make me cringe. As first I thought that was period-related; 1880s New England was hardly a hotbed of radical feminism. As I read on, though, I started to think the issue was author-related: that Siegel sees (or saw, when he was writing and drawing the book starting in 2010) no problem with a sea king with such utter control over his daughters' bodies and sexualities that he banishes them for daring to love "wrong," with women being consistently viewed primarily as either the cause or the cureof men's problems, rather than beings unto themselves, or with a man who says women are only good for sex until he meets one who thinks exactly like him.
Again, some of this is a period problem. But there are ways to distance character attitudes from author attitudes, and I don't feel that Siegel always does that very well.
On the other hand . . . so . . . pretty . . .
Interesting fable-like graphic novel of steamboats, Frenchmen, and mermaids. Nice to see something like this set in the States.
In the 1800s, Sailor Twain saves an injured mermaid from the river and nurses her to health. But who is she, and why did she come to be injured?
Lafayette, the owner of the ship and Twain's friend, womanizes and hold secrets known only to himself. Could he know something about the mermaid?
And connecting them is Beaverton, an unknown author whom might hold answers to them both.
A beautiful tale of romantic travails, beautiful illustrations, and a little bit of magic.
Lafayette, the owner of the ship and Twain's friend, womanizes and hold secrets known only to himself. Could he know something about the mermaid?
And connecting them is Beaverton, an unknown author whom might hold answers to them both.
A beautiful tale of romantic travails, beautiful illustrations, and a little bit of magic.
This was a totally awesome concept and this book should have been awesome...it was not. I'm a little bummed that I played full price for it at the bookstore. Some of the art was awesome...some was just kinda half-assed. As for the story...meh.
As long as this book is, I actually wish it was longer. We get an interesting look with characters that look somewhat like muppets set in beautiful and haunting settings, and we get a fascinating mermaid lore in the backstory, but there seems to be something missing. I think one issue is the development of the relationship between Captain Twain and the mermaid, he simply tells us about it, we only get glimpses of them growing closer. The author had a lot in this story that doesn't really get the full coverage it deserves, but it's still a fun, creepy tale.
Three and a half stars. The art was fantastic and was perfect for the story. I was intrigued by a lot of the story, but didn't necessarily enjoy it. And I just didn't like the ending at all. Not very satisfying.