Reviews

A Contract With God and Other Tenement Stories by Will Eisner

jrlagace's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

lizziebennett's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

burdybooks's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

ottercorg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

What a stunning collection of stories and art. I'd never heard of Will Eisner until I saw this on the shelf at the library, and my, what a talent! 

I could sit and thumb through the pages of this book for days, taking in the imagery that so perfectly captures a wealth of human emotion and experience. The stories are strong, heavy, and purely human as well. Each character's story spans on a few pages or words, and it's still enough time to develop a connection. 

I look forward to hopefully exploring more of Eisner's work in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Suicide, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Animal death, Death, Grief, Gun violence, and Infidelity

chloekg's review against another edition

5.0

The most expressive visuals I've ever come across in storytelling, A Contract with God is almost a biography of New York lives, with Eisner's life included. Although the stories themselves are relatively small happenings, the littlest details suggest the biggest pictures.

whisperwind's review against another edition

4.0

That was a combination of emotions - sadness, interest, tragedy - but it felt real and served as a valuable lesson from life.

erutman's review against another edition

“sheksa”

arf88's review against another edition

4.0

I hadn't realised until reading the introduction that it's considered the first-ever graphic novel - knowing that I went into this volume extremely excited.

This is a beautifully crafted but pretty grim collection of four stories. A somewhat heartbreaking but unsentimental look at what life was like in a 1930's tenement.

filz__42's review against another edition

inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

tinynavajo's review against another edition

2.0

Not my favorite. I just liked the one story that the book gets its name from, A Contract with God.