mindoflex 's review for:

Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware

2.5

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I can recognise the merits of this graphic novel. It’s well-drawn and has a consistently bleak, introspective tone. But overall, I found it slow and often frustrating to read.

The shifting panel layouts made the story harder to follow at times, and the cursive script in some parts was tough to read. Jimmy is a passive and gloomy character, though his daydreams do add some interest and give a bit more depth.

What worked best for me was the parallel between Jimmy’s relationship with his estranged father and his grandfather’s similar experiences. That added some emotional weight to the story.