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hedgehogbookreviews's review
5.0
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Rating: 5/5 stars
Let me start off by saying this is the best book I’ve read in September 2016 and the best graphic novel I’ve ever gotten my hands on. I already knew that Gaiman was a genius, but this still blew me away. I am making this my October staff pick at the book store I work at, as I want to share it with everyone who will possibly listen.
Enn is a teenage boy still learning what life is like after puberty. His friend, Vic, is the same age as him, but does not struggle with this awkward stage nearly as badly as Enn. The duo decides to attend a party (that they weren’t really invited to) and Vic is immediately away from Enn’s side and talking to the prettiest girl in the room. Enn envies Vic, but doesn’t have the same courage to really say anything of substance to a girl—he can barely get a few words out. As Enn wanders from room to room in this giant house, he discovers that not everyone at the party is very…normal.
This graphic novel is very short, but in my opinion it was the perfect length to get the story across without over explaining anything. The writing is absolutely beautiful and the illustration is breathtaking. There are a lot of otherworldly girls in this novel, and the illustrators depicted them as true goddesses. I wish these feminine creatures were real solely so I could see actual photographs of them. I think that means this is truly well done artwork.
Neil Gaiman certainly has a creative mind. I have read 5 of his books and each one is brilliant in its own way. I don’t think I’ve heard of anything quite like How to Talk to Girl at Parties and I don’t think I want to read anything like it ever again; it wouldn’t measure up. I wish I could follow Enn on more adventures, but perhaps being left wanting more is better.
I would recommend this book to any adult looking for shorter read. You don’t need to be a graphic novel enthusiast to fall in love with this book. It definitely is a cover grab too, as the illustrations on the hard cover will make anyone want to get their hands on it. I can’t wait to read more Gaiman graphic novels (I’m looking at Sandman Vol. 1 next).
Rating: 5/5 stars
Let me start off by saying this is the best book I’ve read in September 2016 and the best graphic novel I’ve ever gotten my hands on. I already knew that Gaiman was a genius, but this still blew me away. I am making this my October staff pick at the book store I work at, as I want to share it with everyone who will possibly listen.
Enn is a teenage boy still learning what life is like after puberty. His friend, Vic, is the same age as him, but does not struggle with this awkward stage nearly as badly as Enn. The duo decides to attend a party (that they weren’t really invited to) and Vic is immediately away from Enn’s side and talking to the prettiest girl in the room. Enn envies Vic, but doesn’t have the same courage to really say anything of substance to a girl—he can barely get a few words out. As Enn wanders from room to room in this giant house, he discovers that not everyone at the party is very…normal.
This graphic novel is very short, but in my opinion it was the perfect length to get the story across without over explaining anything. The writing is absolutely beautiful and the illustration is breathtaking. There are a lot of otherworldly girls in this novel, and the illustrators depicted them as true goddesses. I wish these feminine creatures were real solely so I could see actual photographs of them. I think that means this is truly well done artwork.
Neil Gaiman certainly has a creative mind. I have read 5 of his books and each one is brilliant in its own way. I don’t think I’ve heard of anything quite like How to Talk to Girl at Parties and I don’t think I want to read anything like it ever again; it wouldn’t measure up. I wish I could follow Enn on more adventures, but perhaps being left wanting more is better.
I would recommend this book to any adult looking for shorter read. You don’t need to be a graphic novel enthusiast to fall in love with this book. It definitely is a cover grab too, as the illustrations on the hard cover will make anyone want to get their hands on it. I can’t wait to read more Gaiman graphic novels (I’m looking at Sandman Vol. 1 next).
rdyourbookcase's review
3.0
I thought that How to Talk to Girls at Parties was the perfect amount of Neil Gaiman and Twilight Zone. It was creepy, surprising, and yet, believable. I could totally see this book happening to some unsuspecting guy at a party. Also, the art fit the mood of the story perfectly.
Seriously. This is why I never went to parties.
Seriously. This is why I never went to parties.
michael_benavidez's review
5.0
I remember reading the original story (having been included in Gaiman's short story collection Fragile Things), but it's kind of a vague remembrance. So when I went into this story, I kind of sort of forgot what happened, and why.
I say this because I can't remember how much of the mystery is left in the original short story vs the comic (or how much the comic gives away vs the short story).
The story is pretty well told through what I'm going to assume is Gaiman's words from the short story (unless they changed it around just enough to make it their own, I'm not too sure). Except for the first half of the story, the storytelling through words take a backseat to the art. The art, while coming off a little eh to me, really drives the story more than anything else. Towards the last half though, it very nearly takes over. In a way I think it could stand tall without any narration. Except the narration in the last half takes on this very beautiful, very amazing swirl of beauty that I feel that this was the reason for adapting it. It meshed so well with the art that were it not for this part, I'd have given it a 4 stars.
I say this because I can't remember how much of the mystery is left in the original short story vs the comic (or how much the comic gives away vs the short story).
The story is pretty well told through what I'm going to assume is Gaiman's words from the short story (unless they changed it around just enough to make it their own, I'm not too sure). Except for the first half of the story, the storytelling through words take a backseat to the art. The art, while coming off a little eh to me, really drives the story more than anything else. Towards the last half though, it very nearly takes over. In a way I think it could stand tall without any narration. Except the narration in the last half takes on this very beautiful, very amazing swirl of beauty that I feel that this was the reason for adapting it. It meshed so well with the art that were it not for this part, I'd have given it a 4 stars.
reallyrob's review against another edition
4.0
Neil Gaiman's interpretation of teenage girls seeming like an entirely different species. There's great hidden meanings here, though I can't decide if I liked where it ended or if it could have used just slightly more.
pixie_d's review
2.0
I love Neil Gaiman's stories, but this one was too short to garner more than 2 stars.
ajrzarate's review against another edition
4.0
It can be summed up by a wildly inappropriate blurb I found on Instagram incidentally right after I finished the story:
"If the chick ain't foreign, she's probably boring"
"If the chick ain't foreign, she's probably boring"
manukahoney_reads's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Absolutely surreal, and wonderful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
lilyevangeline's review
3.0
Neil Gaiman has a way of making versions of reality that are something strange and terrifying and untrue, but also compelling, especially in that it usually seems that the main thing they ask of me is that I just believe them to be real, or that they could be real.
freddiereadsalot's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
WHAT
scarletohhara's review
4.0
I should've known that I was in for a visual and literary treat when I picked up this book. After all, I just discovered Moon and Ba and fell in love with them and Gaiman is my one true author-love. But I honestly didn't expect the turn in the story or how amazing the artwork would be.
Pick up this book if you like looking at good art. Pick up this book if you like your mind to reel a bit as you read.
Pick up this book if you like looking at good art. Pick up this book if you like your mind to reel a bit as you read.