I seem to be on a roll with these memoirs in the shape of graphic novels as this is my third in less weeks. Or maybe I’ve discovered a trend? Anyway, this one is equally well-written/-drawn, but visually very unlike both Fun Home and Jimmy Corrigan due to the watercolour-technique Small applies. And it’s beautiful and striking and grim.
How did I only discover this now when it’s from 2000??! This is one of the most mindblowing pieces of graphic art I have ever laid my eyes on (not that it comes to that many, but I’m sure you get my point). This graphic novel is a graphic novel in the exact opposite way of Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home (see below). Like Fun House it is a story about the relationship between fathers and their offspring, but told in a way only possible because it is drawn. It mixes reality, imagination, dreams and flashbacks into a whirl that demands the readers’ complete attention. Contrasting this is the flat, two-dimensional style and the sparse use of words. Very evoking. I’m looking forward to re-reading this.
Some may know Alison Bechdel for her comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For or maybe for the Bechdel Test, which one should always apply to movies. But Fun House is an autobiographical narration about Bechdels relationship to her father who (maybe) killed himself, (presumably) was a homosexual (like her) and was obsessed with redecorating their Victorian house. The story is gripping and ruthlessly honest and makes a very good novel indeed. It is also drawn.
I know many people don’t like the term ”graphic novel”. They see it as a unnessecary attempt at distancing the medium from ”comics” with its connotations of children, fast punchlines and lack of substance. However, in this case I think it can be used to signify that this is, in fact, an illustrated novel, not a comic. The drawings support the text and illustate the story, but the story itself is central, not the fact that it is conveyed by means of drawings. And it works really, really well. Highly recommendable.
When I bought this graphic novel, the woman behind the counter recommended it fiercely, but I must say I was never really impressed. It’s well done and all that, but just not very spectacular.
I stumbled on the Norwegian artist Vanessa Baird and promptly bought her book of drawings and watercolour paintings. It has no other text than headings for the chapters that the book is divided in to, but the images themselves are poignant. They speak about womanhood, motherhood and the death of parents, strongly, cleverly and beautifully.
I finally remembered to buy the rest of Dranger’s fabulous graphic novels about women. They would work well as an introduction to feminism. For instance, did you know why Cinderella’s stepsisters were so mean? Because she was so freakin’ beautiful and always rubbed it in her ugly stepsisters’ noses.
Marjane Satrapi er jo forfatteren og tegneren bag Persepolis om hendes opvækst i Iran i 80′erne. Embroideries er i den lidt lettere ende af spektret, og hurtigt læst. Den er, kort fortalt, en skildring af 9 kvinders lattermilde og bramfrie snak om sex, mænd, ægteskab og plastikoperationer (et broderi er åbenbart at få kunstigt genoprettet sin mødom). Den rejser nogle samfundsrelevante spørgsmål, men er også en kærlig skildring af en omgangsform. Bestemt en times læsning værd – og fundet på bogudsalget i Politikens Boghal til en 50′er.
Altså, kan man andet end at falde for den lille, magiske mus (med sølvpistolen)? Strid er en stor tegner og en stor poet. Og Enghave station vil aldrig blive den samme igen.
Billedroman om Frøken Mærkværdig, der prøver at få styr på den der Karriere, der jo er så vildt vigtig, mens hun forsøger at undgå mørkemonstret og være tjekket, slank og kreativ. Lige på kornet, og oven i købet godt tegnet.
Nydeligt oversat fra svensk af Nina Hallgren Steinrud og Trine Laier.
Virkelig god grafisk roman om Satrapis opvækst i Iran i 80′erne. Det er samtidshistorie fra en vinkel, der ikke dominerer vores mediebillede, og så fungerer formen rigtig, rigtig godt. Måske endnu bedre end den anden grafiske roman, jeg har læst; Maus af Art Spiegelman. Det er afgjort en genre, jeg skal dyrke noget mere.
… at få en stak bøger med posten fra Amazon. Det var en god fødselsdagsgave.
Poetisk tegneserie. Hvor smukt. WROOOOOM!