vlavakz's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
andydost's review
2.0
All due respect to the poem encased in this book. My critique comes from the book as a whole.
Images in this graphic novel were quite literal in their adherence to the words of the poem. So much so that I think my wandering brain suffered for that. The changes from page to page jarred me, especially in Part I.
"Howl" is a better read without pictures at this point.
The final part, the epilogue, nixes my critique with a good mix of imagery that doesn't take the reader out of the poem. (Seriously, the ending images alone should get this review an extra star. Oh, well.)
Images in this graphic novel were quite literal in their adherence to the words of the poem. So much so that I think my wandering brain suffered for that. The changes from page to page jarred me, especially in Part I.
"Howl" is a better read without pictures at this point.
The final part, the epilogue, nixes my critique with a good mix of imagery that doesn't take the reader out of the poem. (Seriously, the ending images alone should get this review an extra star. Oh, well.)
mundlecat's review
3.0
The poem was amazing but the illustrations were just a little too much for me
francomega's review
2.0
First thought was that this was a good idea. Anyway to make a challenging work more accessible is always welcome, especially if it can appeal to new readers (The Waste Land, for example). Unfortunately, I don't feel like much was added here. Maybe I was expecting more than I should. Or maybe I just didn't like the artwork. Either way, eh.
itstoocliche's review
4.0
Do I comment on the art or the poem? Unlike some graphic novels where the two are one, I find a distinct difference between my feelings for each.
Ok, let's start with the poem. This is not my first reading of Howl. I was probably a little too young when I read it for the first time though, if I'm being honest. Rereading it as a (slightly) older individual who now knows the context and the history and the back-story, not only of Ginsberg but of the Beat movement as a whole, I can honestly say that I get more out of it. It's the rallying cry of a lost generation.
Please, for the love of all things sacred, set aside time to read it in one sitting. It's created to be read that way, and I feel that it's all but impossible to truly get the rhythm and the flow of the poem when you stop and start.
As for the artwork... well, let's start with the positives. The artist worked with Ginsberg himself, so there's that. Some of the pages are spot on. But others are just too literal in their interpretation of the text. As the cover advertises, the artwork is taken from the film Howl, based on the famous obscenity trial of the poem. Maybe I'd appreciate it more if I'd seen it in motion. I'll update my comments once I've seen the film.
Overall, 5/5 for the poem, 3.5/5 for the artwork...so 4 stars?
Ok, let's start with the poem. This is not my first reading of Howl. I was probably a little too young when I read it for the first time though, if I'm being honest. Rereading it as a (slightly) older individual who now knows the context and the history and the back-story, not only of Ginsberg but of the Beat movement as a whole, I can honestly say that I get more out of it. It's the rallying cry of a lost generation.
Please, for the love of all things sacred, set aside time to read it in one sitting. It's created to be read that way, and I feel that it's all but impossible to truly get the rhythm and the flow of the poem when you stop and start.
As for the artwork... well, let's start with the positives. The artist worked with Ginsberg himself, so there's that. Some of the pages are spot on. But others are just too literal in their interpretation of the text. As the cover advertises, the artwork is taken from the film Howl, based on the famous obscenity trial of the poem. Maybe I'd appreciate it more if I'd seen it in motion. I'll update my comments once I've seen the film.
Overall, 5/5 for the poem, 3.5/5 for the artwork...so 4 stars?
nce14210's review
2.0
I'll have to expose myself as a half wit perhaps, but I struggled with this. Howl has been on my list to read for a long time. This graphic illustration was a wonderful accompaniment to the text. There are some wonderful turns of phrase, but I had trouble understanding the whole. Much of it seemed like an inside joke and I was on the outside. Maybe a better understanding of the time and people mentioned would clarify.