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A review by pastel_princess
The Nobody by Jeff Lemire
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Lets review the blurb:
The town of Large Mouth never saw much excitement - until the arrival of a stranger wrapped head to toe in weird bandages. (This happens)
Driven by curiosity, a young loner named Vickie discovers the tragic story of the bizarre accident that left him horribly disfigured. But do his bandages hide more than just his scars? (What scars?? He's INVISIBLE. Also, Vickie never actually discovers this, nor does she hear his story. She is confused by his sitch for the WHOLE book. It literally ends with Vickie talking about how they found the guy Griffin killed and they ALL thought he was Griffin so that's what even she went with. SHE NEVER EVEN KNEW HE WAS INVISIBLE!)
When a series of crimes unfolds, the quiet townsfolk turn on the stranger and hunt him down. (AKA Kill him for absolutely no reason, as no crimes have actually unfolded that they know of. He DOES kill one dude, but no one is actually aware that he did. The other crime is a tramp of a wife going missing, but it's made very clear it happens ALL THE TIME and they are just being dramatic. She literally comes back right after they shoot him.)
THE NOBODY takes on H.G. Wells timeless character of 'The Invisible Man' and brings him to a small modern town, using him as a cipher to explore themes of identity, fear, and paranoia, and how they can turn a small town community in on itself and destroy even the most pure of friendships.
This book had potential to be really good, but it feels like I've read an incomplete outline and the blurb on the book doesn't even match the story. Which sucks, because I actually really like Griffin.
The town of Large Mouth never saw much excitement - until the arrival of a stranger wrapped head to toe in weird bandages. (This happens)
Driven by curiosity, a young loner named Vickie discovers the tragic story of the bizarre accident that left him horribly disfigured. But do his bandages hide more than just his scars? (What scars?? He's INVISIBLE. Also, Vickie never actually discovers this, nor does she hear his story. She is confused by his sitch for the WHOLE book. It literally ends with Vickie talking about how they found the guy Griffin killed and they ALL thought he was Griffin so that's what even she went with. SHE NEVER EVEN KNEW HE WAS INVISIBLE!)
When a series of crimes unfolds, the quiet townsfolk turn on the stranger and hunt him down. (AKA Kill him for absolutely no reason, as no crimes have actually unfolded that they know of. He DOES kill one dude, but no one is actually aware that he did. The other crime is a tramp of a wife going missing, but it's made very clear it happens ALL THE TIME and they are just being dramatic. She literally comes back right after they shoot him.)
THE NOBODY takes on H.G. Wells timeless character of 'The Invisible Man' and brings him to a small modern town, using him as a cipher to explore themes of identity, fear, and paranoia, and how they can turn a small town community in on itself and destroy even the most pure of friendships.
This book had potential to be really good, but it feels like I've read an incomplete outline and the blurb on the book doesn't even match the story. Which sucks, because I actually really like Griffin.