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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
The last 50 pages of this book was amazing. I really appreciate the conflict between destiny and free will, and ultimately how the two can converge once true understanding is reached. The artwork was delightful.
I would like to have liked this one more, but the message is so blatant, so didactic that it seems like it is almost like nagging. Important message, not so subtle delivery. American Born Chinese was better. Sorry.
I'm at 2 1/2 on this one...
After American Born Chinese I was eager to read something else by Gene Luen Yang and the Library finally got a copy of Level Up. If I had written this review after reading Level Up it probably would have consisted of a copy/paste synopsis and a shrug. I don’t expect to connect nor identify in some way to every book I read, but this one was fairly inaccessible to me after the first read. I would say that the primary reason was the cultural gap—not the nintendo gaming part, I got that; I had a few friends in college who would rather play than go to class. And while I do have the juvenile sense of humor to get the potty jokes (both literal and figurative), for some reason I had little patience for it. And as for the magical realism…the “four adorable angels” were just creepy. It really comes down to the fact that I hadn’t expected the novel would require the patience it did. And for the most part, it does pay off. Yang is unusual in his storytelling technique. While he may be trying to entertain the reader throughout, Level Up does require a thorough sitting—and perhaps a much more specific audience (which I can respect).
"Struggling with bad grades, a video game addiction, and his father’s death, Dennis Ouyang is on the verge of dropping out of college when four adorable angels appear and take charge of his life. But nothing is ever what it seems when life, magic, and gaming collide." ~back cover copy.
Thien Pham’s art is really good; looser in form than I would have expected. I really responded to the color choices, texture, and the use of the wash with the pen/ink. The clean straightforward formatting of the panels is refreshing. I like creative use of illustration/text in the comic medium, don’t get me wrong, after so much of it though, the clean pages are a pleasure. The subtleties, however, should not be underestimated. Pham knows what he is doing. He definitely sets the tone/mood of the piece.
Reading the dedications is a good habit to form, and Yang and Pham’s dedication creates a nice primer for the story: “Dedicated to our brothers Jon and Thinh, both of whom work in the medical field, for being the good Asian sons.” Their protagonist feels the pressure of being a good son and to excel within the expectations given him. Where Dennis’ passion and obvious talents lie in video games, that is not considered a valid pursuit according to his parents. He eventually folds to the pressure, haunted by what first appears to be “adorable little angels” to help him succeed in fulfilling his destiny—which lies in a field that he can hardly stomach (no pun intended). Dennis’ pursuit would seem more noble if it didn’t come off as such a painful ordeal. Even great friends and a potential romance cannot offset impending doom. The story takes its time before culminating in the Dennis confronting that which haunts him and his future, to say nothing of his sense of self worth. I liked Yang’s use of the angels and what they represent as well as the pac-man imagery.
The ending is a bit clean, with an all was not for nothing kind of gesture; a necessity after all the time and angst expended in the course of the story. To be fair, Dennis is shown to have choices; he could be successful in any of his decisions. This is important to understand because it focuses on the self-imposed limitations like familial and cultural expectations—which in this novel, creates a conflict between his Chinese heritage and his American one. I think part of my not understanding his choices (and the story overall) comes down to not being able to discern where to apply the idea of “we must learn to eat bitterness of our own” (82) aspect of the conflict. Dennis’ mother confused me, which may be due, in part, to the story being told from Dennis’ (first person) perspective.
While I didn’t enjoy Level Up as much as American Born Chinese, I could enjoy it after the second read and spending time letting it steep. Is it to obvious to say that Level Up will resonate more easily with those who can do more than intellectualize the scenarios played out? Because I think Yang has another gem here given the right audience. I’m happy to see First Second continuing to support his work.
L (@ omphaloskepsis)
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/comic-level-up/
After American Born Chinese I was eager to read something else by Gene Luen Yang and the Library finally got a copy of Level Up. If I had written this review after reading Level Up it probably would have consisted of a copy/paste synopsis and a shrug. I don’t expect to connect nor identify in some way to every book I read, but this one was fairly inaccessible to me after the first read. I would say that the primary reason was the cultural gap—not the nintendo gaming part, I got that; I had a few friends in college who would rather play than go to class. And while I do have the juvenile sense of humor to get the potty jokes (both literal and figurative), for some reason I had little patience for it. And as for the magical realism…the “four adorable angels” were just creepy. It really comes down to the fact that I hadn’t expected the novel would require the patience it did. And for the most part, it does pay off. Yang is unusual in his storytelling technique. While he may be trying to entertain the reader throughout, Level Up does require a thorough sitting—and perhaps a much more specific audience (which I can respect).
"Struggling with bad grades, a video game addiction, and his father’s death, Dennis Ouyang is on the verge of dropping out of college when four adorable angels appear and take charge of his life. But nothing is ever what it seems when life, magic, and gaming collide." ~back cover copy.
Thien Pham’s art is really good; looser in form than I would have expected. I really responded to the color choices, texture, and the use of the wash with the pen/ink. The clean straightforward formatting of the panels is refreshing. I like creative use of illustration/text in the comic medium, don’t get me wrong, after so much of it though, the clean pages are a pleasure. The subtleties, however, should not be underestimated. Pham knows what he is doing. He definitely sets the tone/mood of the piece.
Reading the dedications is a good habit to form, and Yang and Pham’s dedication creates a nice primer for the story: “Dedicated to our brothers Jon and Thinh, both of whom work in the medical field, for being the good Asian sons.” Their protagonist feels the pressure of being a good son and to excel within the expectations given him. Where Dennis’ passion and obvious talents lie in video games, that is not considered a valid pursuit according to his parents. He eventually folds to the pressure, haunted by what first appears to be “adorable little angels” to help him succeed in fulfilling his destiny—which lies in a field that he can hardly stomach (no pun intended). Dennis’ pursuit would seem more noble if it didn’t come off as such a painful ordeal. Even great friends and a potential romance cannot offset impending doom. The story takes its time before culminating in the Dennis confronting that which haunts him and his future, to say nothing of his sense of self worth. I liked Yang’s use of the angels and what they represent as well as the pac-man imagery.
The ending is a bit clean, with an all was not for nothing kind of gesture; a necessity after all the time and angst expended in the course of the story. To be fair, Dennis is shown to have choices; he could be successful in any of his decisions. This is important to understand because it focuses on the self-imposed limitations like familial and cultural expectations—which in this novel, creates a conflict between his Chinese heritage and his American one. I think part of my not understanding his choices (and the story overall) comes down to not being able to discern where to apply the idea of “we must learn to eat bitterness of our own” (82) aspect of the conflict. Dennis’ mother confused me, which may be due, in part, to the story being told from Dennis’ (first person) perspective.
While I didn’t enjoy Level Up as much as American Born Chinese, I could enjoy it after the second read and spending time letting it steep. Is it to obvious to say that Level Up will resonate more easily with those who can do more than intellectualize the scenarios played out? Because I think Yang has another gem here given the right audience. I’m happy to see First Second continuing to support his work.
L (@ omphaloskepsis)
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/comic-level-up/
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a concept but it worked super well. I found the ending to be do good and funny. I'm glad I picked this up.
I had a lot of hope for this book, as it touches on a number of topics that I find really interesting. Specifically, I'm interested in stories where characters struggle to find what it is they're passionate about in life while navigating the expectations of others, especially parents. Also, growing up in the 90s, I strongly relate to video games, to the way they can become an all-consuming world.
Unfortunately, I feel as though the story never really dug into its themes. There's a lot of untapped potential here, Dennis' relationship with his parents being the best example. There are a number of touching scenes in this regard, but they're inconsistent and sporadic. This is even more true of his relationships with his friends. They just kind of come and go, and they never satisfactorily resolve. Granted, that is often the way things happen in real life, but I generally crave a bit more structure and meaning from stories. The last few story arcs feel especially slapdash. It's not that I don't like where it ends up, but the journey could have been a lot more satisfying. Finally, the art, while cute, didn't really hold my interest. I have heard many good things about Yang's "American Born Chinese" and I still intend to read it, but I found myself pretty unimpressed by Level Up.
Unfortunately, I feel as though the story never really dug into its themes. There's a lot of untapped potential here, Dennis' relationship with his parents being the best example. There are a number of touching scenes in this regard, but they're inconsistent and sporadic. This is even more true of his relationships with his friends. They just kind of come and go, and they never satisfactorily resolve. Granted, that is often the way things happen in real life, but I generally crave a bit more structure and meaning from stories. The last few story arcs feel especially slapdash. It's not that I don't like where it ends up, but the journey could have been a lot more satisfying. Finally, the art, while cute, didn't really hold my interest. I have heard many good things about Yang's "American Born Chinese" and I still intend to read it, but I found myself pretty unimpressed by Level Up.
This was alright. I have an undying love for Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese is one of my favorite books of all tiiiime), and I did enjoy this, but it felt a little bit stunted, a little bit like a first draft. It was alright for what it was, and when it got magical it started feeling more like the GLY that I love, but I can definitely see the progression from this to the more sophisticated stories he wrote later.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved this little book so much! Accessible art and story line, magical realism vs mental illness, and the existential pull of culture, individuality, family history, and grief. Really came together so well and touched me a lot!
I was really taken in by American Born Chinese, especially in the way that the author, Gene Luen Yang, played around with a single story told through four different perspectives. It was a pretty ingenious way of telling the story of his main character, and while it wasn’t necessarily original, it helped to drive the meaning of the story home. Level Up is another of his stories, and while it doesn’t have the same sort of method of telling the story, the meaning behind the story is just as effective.
In Level Up, Dennis Ouyang is an Asian-American teenager who is coming to terms with his passion and skill for video games, contrasted with the expectations his father has for him. His father’s death spurs his motivations, in both directions, but when he starts to falter in what his father expected from him, some strange things begin happening which push him in the right direction. How he manages to reconcile his feelings for both is interesting, and each time you think you might have figured out what Dennis is going to do, Yang plays with the characters a bit more, keeping you engrossed in what’s happening.
Ultimately, Level Up isn’t going to get the recognition that American Born Chinese received. It’s a good story, with a layer of depth to it that’s almost unexpected, but it doesn’t have the same kind of oomph that ABC had. I think it’s partly because ABC has a premise that’s a little more universal than Level Up has. Even though both stories are about teenagers coming to terms with their identities, I think ABC focuses more on family, while Level Up is a little more focused on video games and medical school. It’s a bit more limiting in scope, and I can’t help but feel that that’s why the book doesn’t feel as significant.
Anyway, it’s probably unfair to compare the two books, but ABC won the National Book Award, so it’s hard to ignore that potential when looking at Yang’s other works. I see that he has another graphic novel I haven’t read — The Eternal Smile – and I’m sure to read that one, as well. I don’t know that I will expect any of his other works to measure up to ABC, but I do enjoy his method of storytelling, and the depth that he adds to his characters.
In Level Up, Dennis Ouyang is an Asian-American teenager who is coming to terms with his passion and skill for video games, contrasted with the expectations his father has for him. His father’s death spurs his motivations, in both directions, but when he starts to falter in what his father expected from him, some strange things begin happening which push him in the right direction. How he manages to reconcile his feelings for both is interesting, and each time you think you might have figured out what Dennis is going to do, Yang plays with the characters a bit more, keeping you engrossed in what’s happening.
Ultimately, Level Up isn’t going to get the recognition that American Born Chinese received. It’s a good story, with a layer of depth to it that’s almost unexpected, but it doesn’t have the same kind of oomph that ABC had. I think it’s partly because ABC has a premise that’s a little more universal than Level Up has. Even though both stories are about teenagers coming to terms with their identities, I think ABC focuses more on family, while Level Up is a little more focused on video games and medical school. It’s a bit more limiting in scope, and I can’t help but feel that that’s why the book doesn’t feel as significant.
Anyway, it’s probably unfair to compare the two books, but ABC won the National Book Award, so it’s hard to ignore that potential when looking at Yang’s other works. I see that he has another graphic novel I haven’t read — The Eternal Smile – and I’m sure to read that one, as well. I don’t know that I will expect any of his other works to measure up to ABC, but I do enjoy his method of storytelling, and the depth that he adds to his characters.
It's okay.... I felt like things where missing, so to speak.
This is one of those stories that can only be told through its chosen medium, an exemplar of the form. I'm not sure I would have thought a "boy comes to term with his father's death through medical school and videogames" story could have been pulled off successfully, but there you go. It's heart-wrenching, redeeming, joyful and a little bit crazypants.