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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Clementine is one of the best characters in the entire Walking Dead universe. I'm glad to see her story continue. I think some folks gripe because they want her to remain a little girl. Neat and tidy. They don't want to see her as a young queer woman. It's a constant conflict within the fandom of the series. Folks who want feel-good adventure (hee haw, let's ride some motorcycles and mess up some zombies!) and those who are interested in something more serious (character development, survivalist horror).
If you've come from On A Sunbeam and want hopeful found family tropes... look elsewhere. This is dark and depressing and gory. But there is some (limited!) camaraderie in the land of the Walking Dead. The story pulls you in and Clementine is a stubborn and persistent protagonist with a knack for surviving. I particularly liked the portrayal of her disability: her leg has been partially amputated and there is discussion about infection risk with a prosthetic leg, padding... we even get to see her learning to walk again. She also names her leg, which is a nice humanising touch. Tillie Walden's art is lovely, and the black and white images certainly add to the ominous feel of the world. Overall good but not a happy book.
It me, the fan of both The Walking Dead comics/game and Tillie Walden.
Average score for this should be a full star higher, but okay nerds, miss the forest for the trees.
Average score for this should be a full star higher, but okay nerds, miss the forest for the trees.
This was great, even though I hate zombies and haven’t read The Walking Dead. The art wasn’t the best. Too squiggly and sometimes hard to make out what was happening. But the story was brilliant and the characters were very unexpected.
Though I’ve watched plenty of the Walking Dead, I haven’t played any of the Walking Dead games— and therefore knew nothing of Clementine’s character.
I liked going into this story without knowing her— we are dropped in to her world, now as a teenager (I know she was a young child in the games), and this first book does well at filling in bits of her backstory that I wasn’t aware of. This story stands well enough on its own, I think. Though I definitely want to play the games! And I will definitely check out book 2 next year!
I liked going into this story without knowing her— we are dropped in to her world, now as a teenager (I know she was a young child in the games), and this first book does well at filling in bits of her backstory that I wasn’t aware of. This story stands well enough on its own, I think. Though I definitely want to play the games! And I will definitely check out book 2 next year!
If you manage to adjust to the absolutely horrific concept that allows for this book to exist—like seriously, it absolutely ruins Clementine’s four seasons’ worth of character growth for a miniseries of graphic novels—like I eventually did, Clementine Book One is probably one of the better literary efforts of this year. It’s gorgeously drawn, if sometimes a little too dark and messy to make out certain panels, and written in a slow and methodical manner that allows you to really love the majority of its characters. Some parts are rushed while others are padded, but on a whole it’s thoroughly entertaining and a lot of fun, with great characters, art, and effective dialogue that allows for the world of The Walking Dead to be opened up to a completely new audience. It’s just a shame the pre-conceived and admired story of the games this follows on from is so disgracefully neglected.
Having not played any of the games, I really enjoyed this! Creepy and sad and post-apocalyptic
Clem?!? Why did you leave AJ?!? What?! Why is this not explained? I liked this comic but at the same time I reject it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy this as I've never seen The Walking Dead, but it was fab! The darker subject matter is not my usual cup of tea, but I thought Tillie Walden did an excellent job of balancing those themes with some really touching moments, likeable characters and a beautiful art style. It also felt refreshing reading a zombie story that primarily focussed on teenage characters and their relationships with each other. Definitely want to check out the rest of the series - when I'm feeling brave enough!
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual harassment
Elaboration on content warning for sexual harassment: A man touches Clementine (her leg I believe) and it is implied he has further intentions. However, Clementine attacks his hand and then leaves.