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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
From Hell is pretty much what you expect from Alan Moore: exhaustive research, dark atmosphere, and lacerating social commentary. It's also action-packed and intelligent, with digressions into Masonic ritual and London architecture. And the last chapter, which goes through a semi-comic timeline of Ripperology, is particularly enjoyable. Even the lettering seems to serve a purpose, keeping with the sinister Victorian mood. A great read overall, even better in the colorized Master Edition.
I have to say, I didn't like this anywhere near as much as some of Moore's other work. Too dense with detail and Masonic ephemera. Plus, telling us who the killer is (true or not) so early leaves very little suspense.
Whoa, I now know why Alan Moore is so revered. The level of research that went into this is insane! Even though it’s fiction, it felt very real. There were several times I paused to flip to the appendices of Alan Moore’s story annotations to learn if a particular event really happened or was fictional. Surprisingly, most of the time it did and Moore cites his sources. If a particular story element was fictional, then he provides his rationale for adding it. The story does get confusing at times because it jumps across characters and settings abruptly, but it still kept me engaged. The art isn’t very detailed but when the Ripper kills, the art shows everything and it’s damn disturbing. The depictions of violence did make me pause to realize that those horrible acts were committed against actual women and that this isn’t just some made up story. It’s a very tragic story with almost no closure. I would only recommend this to anyone who can stomach extreme violence and graphic sex scenes (the victims were sex workers).
the notes made me laugh out loud several times (especially the reason why Aleister Crowley changed his name). Book itself not so funny. But exceedingly brilliant as Alan Moore always is.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An engaging enough speculation into the Jack the Ripper case, From Hell is intricately plotted and layered. Yet, I struggled to keep track of everything going on. The stark artwork is great, but too many of the characters look alike, and Moore's plot lacks anyone sympathetic.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
The thing that's always most interesting about Jack the Ripper fiction is the speculation involved with a healthy mix of research. As such, the appendices in From Hell were some of the most interesting bits to see how Alan Moore married his research with speculation and invention. I admit, though, I don't mind getting plenty of invention when it comes to Ripper fiction—it's basically all fanfiction either way.
For my thesis, I found it very interesting to pay attention to how women are seen throughout this. I love the mention from Druitt that his family thinks something's wrong with him "just because I support Women's Rights." There's also some interesting lines surrounding Gull's tour of Masonic sites and architecture and how those places relate to the shift from honoring female gods to male gods. It's certainly interesting to see how those threads relate to this narrative that is primarily about murdering women. (Speaking of those murders, a strong stomach or stalwart compartmentalization is needed for the chapter on Marie Kelly's murder. Yeesh.)
For my thesis, I found it very interesting to pay attention to how women are seen throughout this. I love the mention from Druitt that his family thinks something's wrong with him "just because I support Women's Rights." There's also some interesting lines surrounding Gull's tour of Masonic sites and architecture and how those places relate to the shift from honoring female gods to male gods. It's certainly interesting to see how those threads relate to this narrative that is primarily about murdering women. (Speaking of those murders, a strong stomach or stalwart compartmentalization is needed for the chapter on Marie Kelly's murder. Yeesh.)