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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
116/2022
Cuando su novia se va a estudiar con una beca a Nueva York, Ben se replantea muchas cosas de su vida. Pero por lo que sea no se replantea lo fundamental.
El dibujo es precioso pero la historia no me ha interesado nada, el protagonista es insufrible y no es capaz ni de verse a sí mismo.
Cuando su novia se va a estudiar con una beca a Nueva York, Ben se replantea muchas cosas de su vida. Pero por lo que sea no se replantea lo fundamental.
El dibujo es precioso pero la historia no me ha interesado nada, el protagonista es insufrible y no es capaz ni de verse a sí mismo.
Ben Tanaka is a jerk!
I just wanted to get that off my chest and out of the way. This work deals with internalized racial stereotypes and how it is even worse when its personal and rears its ugly head in your relationships. Ben dates Miko, but he has a bit of a thing for white women. It's even more frustrating for Miko because he never sees race or racism. In contrast, Alice his academic lesbian friend pretty much see through him.
Adrian Tomine uses a clean and realistic line work. It's conveys realism well. I really liked this take on an issue that is rarely discussed. Fiction of course complicated matters. I love how open-ended that finale was.
I just wanted to get that off my chest and out of the way. This work deals with internalized racial stereotypes and how it is even worse when its personal and rears its ugly head in your relationships. Ben dates Miko, but he has a bit of a thing for white women. It's even more frustrating for Miko because he never sees race or racism. In contrast, Alice his academic lesbian friend pretty much see through him.
Adrian Tomine uses a clean and realistic line work. It's conveys realism well. I really liked this take on an issue that is rarely discussed. Fiction of course complicated matters. I love how open-ended that finale was.
None of the characters in this book, apart from Meredith, and she's only in like 20 panels, are redeemable or interesting. They're all shallow and hollow. The main character especially.
The upside was that it was a fast read.
The upside was that it was a fast read.
5/5 stars for the artist's amazing illustrations.
0/5 for the storyline, mainly because of Ben - the most annoying cis-hetero male protagonist I encounter. Fvck Ben!
Moodreader Bingo prompt: Part of a series
0/5 for the storyline, mainly because of Ben - the most annoying cis-hetero male protagonist I encounter. Fvck Ben!
Moodreader Bingo prompt: Part of a series
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think maybe the point was to hate Ben but I absolutely loathed him in a way that made it difficult to understand why I kept reading this. It definitely picked up in the last half. Will give Tomine another shot as this was the first thing of his I’ve read.
4.5 stars. Relatable, funny, insightful, and beautifully drawn. Tomine's work always leaves me wanting more. Read in one sitting and this is something I will definitely be reading again and glad to have on my shelves. Worth reading and worth owning!!
I'm having trouble articulating my thoughts on Shortcomings into a readable review. I've spent a lot of time thinking about the graphic novel and forming an opinion on what I've read. Turns out I really didn't enjoy this. I actually wrote a review where I did a reasonably good job at explaining my dislike for what's done here in contrast with what the book was trying to achieve, but then it got accidentally deleted, so here I am back at square one with no interest in explaining myself again. But I'm going to try!
Shortcomings is a character piece where you're not suppose to like any of the characters. You see, they're "painfully real" and that means they go around and act like dicks for the entirety of the story with no redemption or explanation as to their thinking aside from the fact that they're flawed. There's also a lot of "brutal honesty and lacerating, irreverent humor" which means to say these unlikeable characters are unlikeable because they aren't afraid to push buttons and say things that are disrespectful in a flippant manner. Like that time where the lesbian character is cussing out a girl, who identifies herself as bi, by calling her a "face sitter" and a "dabbler". Wow, how edgy! Totally not afraid to say what they want to say. That's what makes them so real you know. The fact that there so flawed. Just look at how flawed they are! The main character even calls this one guy he doesn't like "faggoty" in a fit of rage. I mean, wow, it just got REAL! Real and FLAWED! Aren't flaws just so REAL?
In the last year I've grown to have a new appreciation for the anti-hero. When characters do have flaws and behave in a way that isn't always likeable, it isn't about having a positive or a negative reaction, it's about how their behaviour plays into an interesting and engaging plot. But Shortcomings isn't interesting. The entire story is formed around the characters insulting each other and whining. This results in a lot of drama, but not a lot of examination of the issues and ideas it's trying to bring to the forefront of the story about racial identity, sexual attraction, and anger management issues. Anything it was trying to say was overwhelmed by the blatant negativity and boring relationship drama that was the equivalent of something you could see in an edgy episode of Gossip Girl.
Shortcomings was trying to be off-putting and it succeeded. But I don't think I could say it succeeded in communicating any of the other points it was so desperately trying to get across.
The only plus side was the art, which was amazing. I would love to see it applied to a less frustrating story.
Shortcomings is a character piece where you're not suppose to like any of the characters. You see, they're "painfully real" and that means they go around and act like dicks for the entirety of the story with no redemption or explanation as to their thinking aside from the fact that they're flawed. There's also a lot of "brutal honesty and lacerating, irreverent humor" which means to say these unlikeable characters are unlikeable because they aren't afraid to push buttons and say things that are disrespectful in a flippant manner. Like that time where the lesbian character is cussing out a girl, who identifies herself as bi, by calling her a "face sitter" and a "dabbler". Wow, how edgy! Totally not afraid to say what they want to say. That's what makes them so real you know. The fact that there so flawed. Just look at how flawed they are! The main character even calls this one guy he doesn't like "faggoty" in a fit of rage. I mean, wow, it just got REAL! Real and FLAWED! Aren't flaws just so REAL?
In the last year I've grown to have a new appreciation for the anti-hero. When characters do have flaws and behave in a way that isn't always likeable, it isn't about having a positive or a negative reaction, it's about how their behaviour plays into an interesting and engaging plot. But Shortcomings isn't interesting. The entire story is formed around the characters insulting each other and whining. This results in a lot of drama, but not a lot of examination of the issues and ideas it's trying to bring to the forefront of the story about racial identity, sexual attraction, and anger management issues. Anything it was trying to say was overwhelmed by the blatant negativity and boring relationship drama that was the equivalent of something you could see in an edgy episode of Gossip Girl.
Shortcomings was trying to be off-putting and it succeeded. But I don't think I could say it succeeded in communicating any of the other points it was so desperately trying to get across.
The only plus side was the art, which was amazing. I would love to see it applied to a less frustrating story.
The characters are ripped straight from the worst kinds of people I know in real life, so of course I enjoyed it.