You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
fast-paced
fast-paced
I like Tomine's realistic black and white art but the main character is pretty unlikeable and the story lacks punch.
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
No
ahead of its time in some ways, aged really badly in other ways!
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Was interested in reading the graphic novel that inspired the Shortcomings movie (2023). Some things I noticed was that the dialogue was nearly the same line for line, and I thought that was cool. Ultimately, I think I enjoyed the movie more than I did its written form, and I think that's a compliment to the film team. In fact, had I read the graphic novel first, I probably would have despised our antihero to a point that this would have disrupted how much I enjoyed the overall piece. Would highly recommend watching the film (and perhaps, watching it before picking up this piece that inspired it).
More generally, I thoroughly enjoyed both this piece and its film counterpart because I've never seen an Asian American experience depicted with this level of nuance, wit, and self-reflection. I felt represented in a way I haven't before in contemporary literature. For example, Tomine and the film-makers successfully interweave some hitting questions about fetishization, sexuality, and "panasian" solidarity in a way that resembles how these topics come up in my conversations with my friends.
More generally, I thoroughly enjoyed both this piece and its film counterpart because I've never seen an Asian American experience depicted with this level of nuance, wit, and self-reflection. I felt represented in a way I haven't before in contemporary literature. For example, Tomine and the film-makers successfully interweave some hitting questions about fetishization, sexuality, and "panasian" solidarity in a way that resembles how these topics come up in my conversations with my friends.
I don't know what to say about this one. Really unlikeable characters, particularly the main characters. Lots of really cliched discussion of racial identity. Hipsters, man.