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wheelofparm's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mmcinwonderland's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
xispo's review against another edition
3.0
A work of impressive magnitude. Can something be both creepy and banal? Kudos to the author and to those who have the fortitude to finish it. I enjoyed the way it jumped around the timeline, but it was a slog to finish.
hannereads's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
stopnodont's review against another edition
2.0
I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I personally found almost nothing redeeming about this book.
I can handle (and even enjoy) depressing stories, and I don't mind a slow story with a good payoff, but this book is straight up boring. The transitions between reality and Jimmy's dreams/daydreams are very poorly demarcated, which sometimes works well in literature, but I felt it did not work in this instance. Luckily there are occasional "recaps" that explain what has happened thus far (I believe originally this was serialized), and those were pretty much the only thing that kept me going for a large portion of the book.
One thing I will commend is the "design" of the book, which is separate (in my eyes, at least) from the actual art itself. The titles and page layouts are sometimes quite beautiful, with an almost art deco feel to them. The panel art is nothing special - on par with newspaper comics.
Important note: I did not quite finish the book. I abandoned it roughly 3/4 of the way through. There is a chance that there is some monumental payoff at the end, and maybe that's what has garnered this book all of the positive reviews it has, but I can't fathom an ending so good that it outweighs the absolute slog that precedes it.
I can handle (and even enjoy) depressing stories, and I don't mind a slow story with a good payoff, but this book is straight up boring. The transitions between reality and Jimmy's dreams/daydreams are very poorly demarcated, which sometimes works well in literature, but I felt it did not work in this instance. Luckily there are occasional "recaps" that explain what has happened thus far (I believe originally this was serialized), and those were pretty much the only thing that kept me going for a large portion of the book.
One thing I will commend is the "design" of the book, which is separate (in my eyes, at least) from the actual art itself. The titles and page layouts are sometimes quite beautiful, with an almost art deco feel to them. The panel art is nothing special - on par with newspaper comics.
Important note: I did not quite finish the book. I abandoned it roughly 3/4 of the way through. There is a chance that there is some monumental payoff at the end, and maybe that's what has garnered this book all of the positive reviews it has, but I can't fathom an ending so good that it outweighs the absolute slog that precedes it.
byebrook's review against another edition
3.0
The art in this book is so well done - really interesting cartoony style. The story was a bit confusing at times and the structure, while different and interesting, did amplify this sense of confusion. Once I got my footing it was okay, though I can’t say I really like the Corrigan family at all - they kind of all suck in their own ways. Except Amy, she seemed pretty okay. It is also just such a depressing read - you finish it feeling just as bad, if not worse, then when you started it - which, I acknowledge, is exactly what Ware is going for: this isn’t a happy story of a happy life. It’s the depressing story of a broken family tree that weaves throughout time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Sexism, Racism, and Misogyny
missmim's review against another edition
3.0
Depressing. Big time. But so well done, especially the flashbacks to the World's Fair.
alanffm's review against another edition
4.0
Quite a sad coming of age graphic novel about repressed masculinity, fragility, and interpersonal relationships.